The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-02-27
CONCERNING MIR. BLACKBURN
His Denial Of Guilt-His Charge
Against Mr.. Holton and Others.

The Daily Industrial News IN It's Is
sue of yesterday contained a dis
patch TO the effect that IN the United
States court now sitting at Ashevills
a bill was then being considered by the
grand jury charging E Spencer Black
burn With certain offenses against the
laws of the United States.
Following this wss a dispatch from
Washington bearing a statement by
Mr.. Blackburn in which he denied that
he had been guilty of any unlawful
acts, and in substance charged that he
was the especially selected victim
marked for persecution by certain men
prominent in the republican state Or
ganizatiOn. Both of these items were
printed as matters of news bearing Gil
a c. Sc in regard to which much in.eT-
est is being manifested throughout he
state.
In regard to the matter now pending
in the court we have No comments to
make. 1t will receive a full and fair
In vestigatiOn according to the laws OF
the land, and we feel sure that justice
will be done. We believe, moreover,
that cases before the gourt should be
! tried by the courts and not by the
newspapers.
! But with respect to Mr.. Blackbur1fs
| public statement the situation is eE~
tirely different. By himself carrying
Fahe subject into the columns OF TIE
press, Mr.. Blackburn has made his
statement a proper subject for legstl-
mate comment or criticism.
~ ---l {Ls~ .1{n%oronrt ~ rom
sists of two parts-a defense Of Kim
from the charge of w~rong-holn2
and an attack upOH the organization.
We are not sitting in j~udgmentE1pon
Mr.. Blackburn's Innocence OF guilt.
; That will be determined by the prop
erly constituted tribunal and justice
melted u to him just as it would DC I'd
any other American citizen.
But what of Mr. :Blackburn's charges
of persecution? II our memory serves
us Alright, the campaign OF the Tefun-
lican NOMINEE for congress from the
eighth district YVES at his requeft ID g
great degree managed by the state
chairman from the state headquarters,
and very substantial aid given MIN in
the contest-with the result That ne
was elected. At the time We heard
OF no cOmpldlul lION MI.
~and the present time would seem to De
a late day for him to be finding out
chat he was elected despite the efforts
of the organization, rather than by its
aid.
1t is but natural hat the congress
man should. in the light of the present
situation, not entertain the nos cor
dial feelings of esteem and good will
towards Mr.. Holton, who in his Off
cial capacity as United States" attorney
Will act as prosecutor in any case
which may come before the court.
But the objections which he makes
to MI. Holton's confirmation must tak9
a much more definite form than ap-
pears in this published statement be-
fore any great amount of weight Will
be attached to them.
The threat to acqualnt the puollc
fully with "'the true ~ipwardness of the
Whole North Carolina situation-pollt-
ical, judicial and otherwise" is indef-
mite 10 say the least. The public is OF
the opinion that it rs already pretty
we'll acquainted with the situation
from a political STANDPOINT, and the
judicial situation appears entirely sat
Observation-Disclosures News. .