The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-19
IS It A PLAN
OF COERC|ON2
Hamlet Liquor Men in
a Stew.
TRYING TO WHIP IN
Thinly Yelled Threats Had in Argu'
ment That Prohibition Will lnjure
Business and an Increase in
Price of Stops of the
Stills.

The liquor manufacturers and deal
ers of Hamlet are said to be in a stew
with regard to the effort being MADE
to put Richmond county in the pro-
hibition column.
In the contest now on men who are
engaged in that traffic are resorting
10 arguments which have in them
thinly yelled threats against men
fighting for prohibition. and one case
d business .extortion has been used
with which to strike back.
Mr.. George f. Freeman, of Ham
let, is in the city, and his report OF
what is being done in Hamlet shows
that the Whiskey traffic men are get
ting beside themselves in their ef-
forts to keep Hamlet in fettle as a
hell Kettle.
Mr.. Freeman, who with his son,
Mr.. NJ. c. Freeman, owns the electric
light plant of Hamlet, and VINO mas
been earnest in seeking signatures to-
petition forprohibtion for Richmond
county. is being made a target for at
tacRs, as is also his son, who declines
10 sign an application to exempt Ham
let from prohibition if it goes into
effect in Richmond.
Mr.. NJ. c. Freeman is the son of
Mr.. George j. Freeman. He and his
father bought the electric light plant
and needed some money to complete
the purchase. Before this they had
Incorporated the Hamlet Building 4
! Trust Company, and on the security
of the Electric Light Plant property
and property of the dBuilding and
Trust Company and other collateral
| they borrowed $4,000 from the Bank
of Hamlet of which r. \. Lackey
the leading liquor man of Hamlet. isl
the President.
Mr. NJ c. Freeman is a member of
the School Board. A meeting of this
and the Town Commissioners was
held and at this meeting resolutions
We're presented asking the Legislature
20 exempt Hamlet from the provi-
sions of Il county prohibition law. Mr.,
NJ. G. Freeman declined 10 sign any
such resolutions and the joint meet
ing was dissolved.
Then the school Board was called
in separate session, Mr.. J. S Bishop,
cashier of the Bank of Hamlet, pre-
siding, with three members present. !
A resolution to ask that Hamlet be
exempt from a prohibition law was
presented, and against this Mr.. Free
man and DR.. II. f. Kerisman voted, !
thus defeating the resolution.
Mr.. Bishop as the result of this, |
told Mr.. Freeman that if this thing
went on and the manufacture and
sale of whiskey was Knocked up, that
the Bank would close out its BUSH
ness, and that this would fall hard on /
them, the Freeman's as they owed
money TO the bank. The next day
Mr.. Bishop came To Mr.. Geo. j. Free |
man and told him that his circulating |
petitions for prohibition was hurting. |
and that the first thing he knew Ham |
let would lose its school that if the !
Whiskey business was stopped that |
hnth ho or Of oil
trio lights by the town would have
TO stop, that he was satisfied the bill |
for prohibition would pass, and that |
without taxation from whiskey this
would lose money to Mr. Freeman, |
who furnishes lights TO the town.
Mr.. Freeman says that he regarded |
this as a thinly yelled threat. and the |
more SO from that which followed. He |
in common with others in Hamlet md |
been buying Stops at a Whiskey still. |
using this for his hogs, and paying
10 cents barrel for this. After he
had circulated petition his driver
went to buy Stops as usual, but was
told that Mayor X. A. I4ackey, in |
control Of the business, had ordered |
that Freeman's driver be charged ? 3
cents a barrel for Stops, while others /
We're charged 10 cents barrel. !
This is the condition then at Hamlet |
The F'reemans, who stand for prohibit |
ton are charged more for Stops at the |
still than other people and they are |
told that it certain contingencies they
would have trouble with their notes |
in the bank. 1t is understood that |
these things are threats behind SEEM |
ing arguments and that the Whiskey1
manufacturers and dealers in Hamlet |
are using these as means to coerce |
men who do not join in the work to !
keep Hamlet q hell broth centre while !
Richmond county dry