The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-05-04
NEGROES GO HOME.
The Arrest of Freeman Upsets the En-.
migration of Negroes.

J. A. Benson. a lumber manufacturer,
and Robt. Wall, secretary, treasurer OF
| the Oil Mill at Clayton, were in Raj
| eigh yesterday on a hunt for twenty
| five negroes who made an exodus from
| their work in Johnston county Tues
| day When they read in the papers
| that Marshal Freeman, New Yorker,
had been arrested here for inducing
laborers to leave Raleigh to accept
employment in New York City without
having paid the $500 license imposed
by the Revenue act, they supposed that
Freeman was the same person that
had visited Clayton Sunday on q sim
liar mission, and persuaded twenty five
negroes to leave for Raleigh, where
they were to be taken to New York.
Mr.. Benson was in Raleigh yester-
day afternoon and said that warrant
will be issued in Johnston county for
the man, and unless it had already
been sworn out by Mr.. Hall he would
have one issued as soon as he return
ed home
Freeman is still in Jail, not having
raised enough money for his bond but
ii was stated that money, which will
effect his release, is on it's way here
from New York.
Mr.. Benson controls two large saw
mill plants, and all except one man
were taken from one of Them forcing
him to shut down. A large number
of negroes were also taken from the
oil mill at Clayton. necessitating great
inconvenience to the operation of the
industries. Mr.. Benson said that not
long after the negroes arrived here
Freeman was arrested and this discon,
certed the negroes, but a spirit NOV
ing in their midst warned them not to
say that they had been approached by
the man arrested, who had already
+ confessed, however, that he had en-
ployed them. The Clayton negroes
had been given money with which to
pay their fares to Raleigh, but had not
been given means OF passage back, and
last night, many of them becoming
discouraged, footed the Interim be-
tween Raleigh and Clayton, the rest
leaving for their homes today, most of
them taking the train. Some of the
darkies said that Freeman was the
man who got them to go away.
For several years the smaller in
duStrieS have been troubled by this
business of carrying labor away, and
Mr.. Benson thought severe examples
should be made of every man caught
operating it. Last year several of his
hands left him suddenly, and he was
forced to close down his mills or get
labor from the farms, which would
mean the destruction Of crops, so he
closed down the mills. Most of these
men. he said, return in the late fall
and they have to be wintered, but
when late spring arrives an agent
comes to persuade them to go off
again, and the attraction of - little
more money for about three months,
even at the labor of beasts of burden,
seems irresistible to them Six of the
negroes who left him were in debt to
him, the amounts aggregating $3.50,
all of which he would have lost had
the negroes succeeded in going North.
This money he had advanced 10 them
in various sums, and had paid several
Of them out of trouble IN the courts,
the negroes promising TO work out the
debt. He said he did not care how
many men were taken away if they
were not stolen" just at the critical
moment, which means great loss to
both the owners of small mills and
the farmers
Constable Pope, who made the ar
rest, says that Freeman asked to be
allowed to see the ticket agent before
he was taken to Jail, as he wanted to
get the tickets back that had been
purchased for the negroes. Freeman
also told the constable that he was not
liable to prosecution, because he was
employing the negroes for himself
freeman was seen to give some money
TO one of the leading" negroes among
the crowd.
freeman yesterday requested that
he be permitted to see the city ticket
agent of the Seaboard Air Line and
the request being granted, the two
held an extended conference.