The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-07
LIQUOR BUSINESS IS DOOMED
SAYS DEMOCRATS BIG GUN

groes came together again in 1880 and
none other than colored men were
sent to Congress from the Second
district of North Carolina until the
election OF Claude Kitchin, twelve
years ago..
My immediate predecessor" he OBJ
served. was a very black man named
White"
"How did you stop the negroes from
voting?" I asked.
"Oh. by amending the Constitution
Of the State Mr.. Kitchin answered,
80 as to withhold the franchise from
males over 81 years of age who cannot
read and write
"My father" Claude Kitchin said.
was, If I may say 1t. one of the
strongest and most notable men in
North Carolina. He was a very fin
lawyer and in the early '70s was paid
$4,000 in gold for recovering a large
estate in California. He was six feet
and four inches in stature and. as I
often tod him. was built like a pugi-
list. His kind heart and explosive
t mper were known far and wide. He
never drank, never did anything that
was wrong except to 'cuss' and to
81 Nv ptISOindl ~ullllNulNltSs
Father would fare up like a pow
der magazine N whip some man and
then come home and spend the whole
night in lamentation. The next morn
ing he would search the man out and
make It right with him; there was
nothing o good for the man after
that
"But your father" l said. was a
member Of tn Baptist Church,
Yes. that is SO, but they put him
out twice for cussing. Pestered to try
il again. he refused. saying that he
was out and would stay out: he would
cuss some day. he said. and there
would be another disturbance among
the brethren. And all the while H. was
civ ng away his money with both
hands. Any one almost could per-
suade him to sign a note. I saw him
burn up $4,000 in promissory notes at
n time. notes ne had paid as the in
dnrser for other men. Yet h.. didn't
di- poor"
"D.d u" e.," a Plantation TO e.ch IT
his sorS?"
He would have had to own "A Own
ship Ia GN that. hut h." helped his son
sending a Of us To- Wake Forest COL
lege. near Raleigh. Not al Of tho boys
were graduated. hut that WIS thor
fault and got his. We were taught tn
work. TO spend no none for liquor or
IN gambling and every one OF us
%p.oughed, picked cotton ard helped
around the family sawmill. As We ac-
cumuiated property W. bought farms.
My brother Arlington owns several
fhnIS nd acres ~ land ava 10 ma. -
the most successful farmers in the
South. being a good bus ness man and
a scientific agrlcu''nr.st. He harvasts
about - 00O hushc ~ Spanish pea
nuts 81. ~ year. getting forty bushels
10 the are, whereas the Weld to the
average farm = : from tn To fifteen
bushels less. Peanuts are now down
to - cents, dropping from s1.25 in
harmony with the decrease in the
price Of cotton"
You | sail. graduated at Wake
Forest College WIN you were 20 years
II age"
"Ou. Of my brothers." Mr.. Kitchin
answered. was graduated at the age of
Il. Immediately after leaving college
| obtained a clerkship in the office OF
the Register Of Deeds 50 that I could
read law with none earned by my
self. couldn't bear the thought ~
asking my father for any more help.
ON March -, lN>S, ! was 10. The 1871
# November following | WIS married.
hing afraid, as l said, that some one
else might get my sweetheart. | was
big and strong and felt that ! was
competent To support a family. Then
in due tim ! was admitted TO the bar.
My first client was accused II MUIR
der. lie was DOOR and couldn't hire
a first class lawyer. My father was
employed by the prosecution. The
man was given a preliminary hearing
before three magistrates and was dis
charged on the ground that there was
not sufficient evidence against him for
a trial Of his case 10y the higher court.
What did my father say? think
he was secretly pleased Yer his sons
achievement, but he complained about
the court. as is customary with law
yers who lose, and said the youth Of
my client appealed to the sympathy
Of the magistrates. Later in my prac-
tiCe | tried many cases across the
table from my brother Paul. We
were never, so far as ! can remember.
'I tIt same sue Oh Il contest l'uElN
out in court. He always hammered
away at me without letup or compass
sion and ] pounded him hard as |
could. In 1903 | came Ia Congress"
And found William Walton Kitchin,
another Of your brothers. "A Rcprescn-
tative from the Fifth North Carolina
distriCt?"
Yes; he was elected in 1896. We
served together for six years, or until
he became Governor of the State. He
is the only KitChin that ever moved
away from Scotland Neck. william
is the brother who graduated from
college at the age Of II. lie settled
at RoXhury, in the fourth county
west of Halifax. but he has always
come twice a year to our family din
nors.
The summer dinner is cooked and
eaten outdoors. The winter dinner,
of course, Is eaten indoors. There *
a hong table in the dining room for
the older members of the family ana
smaller tables in the balls and else
where for the second generation \
good sized flock of turkeys is required
for the repast. The summer dinner
is in fact a barbecue.
II am n prohihitioniSt, having a
family of 81 .llrcn and living IN a vii
larp "A county. a C~onCrgSsiout d