The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-05-17
Politics Seen Through
SamueIs, Hasty Trial.
DEAL is ON THE STAND
After Question Of Jurisdiction is Set
tied the Defendants Are Put Un-
der $500 Bond Each to Appear
at August Term Of Wilkes
Court.
BY r.. L. GRAY,

Wilkesboro, n. c., May 16.-The
trial of G.. w. Samuels and John
Hasty, revenue officers, who on the
14th of April, brutally compassed the
assault on Editor Deal, of the Wilkes
boro Chronicle, was had before Mayor
r. NJ. Staley in the court house here
today in the presence of typical
crowd of revenue officers and citizens
of this dsitinctiveIy mountain village.
The warrant against the officers
charged both assault with a deadly
weapon, serious injury and assault
and battery, and Officer Hasty is also
under the charge of carrying con-
cealed weapons.
Although it was admitted by both
sides that such evidence was, strictly
speaking, Incompetent, Mr.. Deal went
fully into the matter Of the sources
from which he derived all the infor-
nation on which he founded the edi-
torial for writing which he was at
tackled.
This evidence, as to who were his
infcrmants, was first asked for by the
attorneys of Samuels and Hasty and
was objected to by the prosecution
on the grounds that it had been de-
termined that nothing save evidence
as TO the actual assault would be
competent.
The defense contended that it was
their right to extract such evidence on
cross examination as tending to ques-
tion the veracity of the witness on
the theory that he had originated the
charges without authority. After
Editor Deal had named the sources
of his information, the prosecution
que STONED him further as to the men
whom he had heard refer to corrupt
revenue conditions in the county and
though objected TO by counsel for
the deefnse. he nared a number of
people TO whom he had not before
referred
Deals naming of the men who had
talked was the only new sensational
feature of the trial the other testi-
mony referring alone to the imme-
dIaJe circumstances attendant upon
the assault 1t was shown by several
witnesses that Samuefs first knocked
Deal down, then sat on the PROSTATE
man and hit him repeatedly, and that
HaSty stood by, pistol in hand, ours
ing Zeal and saying: Hes not get
ting any more than he deserves. Let
them alone Also that Hasty said to
Samuels after the latter had arisen
from the body of his victim: Hit
him again.
The testimony was interarded with
we ana pIOIdHc epli1elS WHICH were
hurled at Deal by both Samuels and
Hasty It was corclusivtly shown
that he was seriously battered in the
face, that the sight of one eye was
seriously affected and that he was at
the time of the assault sick man.
Dr. j. NJ. Turner, who attended Mr..
Deal, was explicit on these facts and
stated that he was even yet attending
him
The Stlte then rested as lid the
defense and, it beirg agreed that the
only question was as to he anal juris-
diction # the mayor, argument was
postponed until nine O'Clock tomorrow
morning.
The defendants were represented by
Messrs. Green, of Wilkesboro, and Dis
trict Attorney Holton, who came in
from Greensboro today, and the State
by Messrs. r. N. Hackett and f. Q.
Hendren.
The people of Wilkesboro seem not
TO understand the causes underlying
the great sensation that the attack
produced in the State. Coming out of
the court house Attorney Green
stated: Il IN certain you do not find
this much of a fieht. II was nothing
to what we have every now and then"
The fact that it was the Deal charges
and not the assault that was respon-
sible for the appearance on the scene
Ol the newspaper men did not seem
to have occurred to him.
Editor r. A. Deal was the first wit
ness. He is a slight man, with pale
hair and sickly pallor of cheek and
the patient smile of one accustomed
to pain. The defendants Samuels and
Hasty, are. one a tail, rawboned, red
Wflsted and 1ow-neaded man with a
hnce nose and bulldog Jaw, and the
other. he who held the pistol. a
stumpy, thick citizen of 210 pounds,
with a smooth face, a protruding chin
and neck so short that the creases
of fat fold up in it's back whenever it's
owner lifts his head.
started to the post office" testi-
fed Mr.. Deal, land got to Thomas
drug store at the corner Samuels
stopped me and said: Who author
lied you to say that the revenues were
getting thirty dollars a month from
distillers'
Il said | didn't state that, but that
ii had been told me that each block
ader had to put $50 month i'm the
missionary box" Samuels said he
wanted names. and about that time
Hasty cameA up and said, God damn
you. you've got to tell.
"Samuels said: You blankity blank
you had no information
"Hasty said: Yes, you are the
blankity blank that made UP the whole
thing
"At this" said Mr. Deal. Il was nit
and Knocked down."
What was the effect?" asked Mr..
Hackett.