The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-09-30

Sheriff Buford Arrests Negro Said to
be Agent of Seaboard Operating
Without License.

When Sheriff Buford said he was
going to swear out a warrant against
the Seaboard Air Line railroad for
failing to have an emigration license
giving them the right to move negro
laborers out of South Carolina into
another State, he meant it, as his fur
ther actions in the matter will show.
The people in North Carolina say that
the Newberry sheriff is the first Of
fetal to bring suit against the rail-
road in this direction. AS Sheriff Bu-
ford said to the sheriff at Rocking
ham. Don't let the money Of the
Seaboard people outrage justice" it
l.; his slogan in his fight for the peo-
pie against the railroad.
According to his promise to return
to North Carolina for the negro and to
swear out the warrant against the
Seaboard, Sheriff Buford left New
berry last week for the scene Of &C
ton. It will be remembered that he
made this threatening promise upon
his return to Newberry from North
Carolina with the three negroes he
had had arrested at Rockingham, on
warrants charging them with violation
of labor contracts with Newberry far
mers. One Of the sheriff's latest
trip to North Carolina was to bring
back the negro charged with
soliciting labor without license, this
fourth one, it will be recalled having
been prevented by the Seaboard from
accompanying the other three without
requisition papers. AS before stated
this negro was willing to come with
the sheriff but the Seaboard baked
the effort Of the sheriff. An attorney
for the road demanded the papers and
application was at once made for
them, but there was hitch In the pro-
ceedings, not due to the work Of Sher-
| if Buford.
Jake Lever is the name Of the ne
gro charged with enticing laborers for
the Seaboard without license by the
railroad for that business, and Sheriff
Buford says that on account Of the
complaints coming to him from all
over Newberry county of negro labor
ers being enticed by the Seaboard
from the farms and taken to work on
the road in North Carolina, he is go
ing to do his best to put stop to it.
AS he says, the farmers lose their
hands and the railroad is to blame.
and he is not willing to submit to such
an outrage, for it is an outrage and
one of the worst sort, and a great in
jury to the farmers.
After a hard and persistent strug-
gle Sheriff Buford has won the fight,
which will save thousands Of dollars
to the farmers. He was baked at
every turn and turned down, but he
has come out on top at last.
He went with requisition to Rock
ingham last Friday, but had to "turd
round and come back" as he was serv-
ed with habeas corpus papers, the
next Monday having been appointed
as the day for him to appear before
Judge Allen in circuit court at Roch-
ingham. Last Sunday Sheriff Buford
left for Rockingham and at the ap-
pointed hour he was in court. The
sheriff was we'll armed with points
Of law. He knew his business. He
had a certificate from the treasurer
that no emigrant license had been
granted the railroad. He furthermore
carried with him the act bearing upon
the subject, the act that distinctly and
expressly says mo person shall carry
on the business of an emigrant agent
in this State without having first OBJ
tanned a license therefor from the
State treasurer" A license for such
business costs $4,000 in each county
in which the agent operates or soli-
cts emigrants for each year so en-
gagged. The punishment is by fine
not less than one thousand dollars
and not more than five thousand dol
lars or Imprisonment Gin the county
iail not less than four months, or con-
fined in the State prison at hard labor
not exceeding two years for each and
every offense, within the discretion
of the court"
Notwithstanding the strong breast
works with which Sheriff Buford had
fortified himself, the leading counsel
for the Seaboard Air Line asked for
a continuance until the 9th. The bat
tie was fought. Sheriff Buford had
employed Lawyer A. S. Dockery, Of