The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1910-09-15
Sheriff McNeilI Charged With
Air.,tiag and i,npr soningStu-
dents cf Buies Creek Academy
Without Warrant or Autho rity
of Law.


said in your paper about the ar
rest of certain picture agents at
at PEMBROKE, N. C. Whether
Intentionally or not, the matter
was grossly misrepresented, and !
/, who was the manager of the
crew of men who were arrested,
and as a citizen Of Robson coun-
ty, desire to made true and op-
en- statement in regard to the
matter.
The men who were arrested,
and who were in my employ at !
the time, were some OF the best |
students, and best young men
that ever attended Ruies Creek
Academy, as | will show you lat
er, and were taking orders for
'enlarging pictures during vaca-
ton to pay their expenses for
another year.
On the End day of June, 1909, |
these young men came to Penn
broke, N. g., and began taking
orders, when they were arrested
10y w. D. Dixon, deputy sheriff,
who received his orders to this
effect from Sheriff E. C.McNeill,
over the telephone. These boys
were then held until June 9Th, a
period Of three days, before any
warrant was issued against them,
and before they were Informed
of the nature of the charge
against them. |, their manager,
and brother Of one Of the men,
was seventy miles away, when
my brother wrote me that they
were under arrest. Immediate
ly came and asked Mr.. Dixon to
show me the warrant. He pre-
sented his pistol and said that if
( said anything more about see
ing papers, he would arrest me.
| learned later that he was near
ly drunk. After | made bond
for the boys he followed me to
the train, cursing me, and threat
ening to arrest me, saying that
he would arrest me when | re-
turned next morning.
| was advised later by learned
lawyers. and am now so advised,
that there was absolutely
no authority in law for even
arresting these boys, much
less holding them three days,
without any warrant; but
l did not know the law at
that time, and paid everything
that was demanded of me. Be-
sides the disgrace of the boys
who were arrested, | paid out in
cash, as a result of the arrest, as
follows:
'Yo Mr.. Cook, board of boys
while under arrest $1,000
To E. C. McNeill for the
illegal license charge 30.CO
Illegal costs charged my by
Mr.. Dixon, paid by check 1920
Railway fare sending boys
lsaMne 200
Total S106. 10
OF this amount, $4,000 was re-
turned by the county commits
.sioners' orders, leaving still due
me $76. 10. The warrant itself
shows that none of the boys were
convicted, and therefore no costs
should have been collected ou
of me: therefore this S76.10 wa:
downright robbery on the par
of Sheriff McNeill and his depu
ties. Besides the warrant, which
l now have, shows on it's face on
$3.50, yet Mr.. Dixon requires
me to pay $500, refusing
show me an itemized bill of costs
When the county commission
.-ers ordered Sheriff McNeill to re
turn the illegal license tax, | ask
ed him to refund the illegal cost
collected out of me, land he reptile
about as follows: IF you q
a id cent out of me, you Wi
have to law it out. You d.
picture men get too much an,
show. All l hate is that you G.
back the $780," He cursed n
later at Pembroke, threatenir
TO mash my id mouth" b
cause again asked for the i'll
gal costs.
Various indignities were offe
ed the boys, during the thr
days they were under arrest, SUI
as searching their clothes, the
grips, and taking their person
effects, pictures of their schc
mates, and even parents in O
instance. The boys stated to +
that they were cursed by Dix
good deal also, who was drin
ing all the time. SheriffMcNe
also told me that the law W