The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1917-03-22
NEGRO HELD FOR SERIOUS
CRIME
Has Three Wives, Two White and
One ColOred. All Living-His Last
Matrimonial Event Occurred
HMrM

4
Here
Married, three times, twice to
white wOmen and once to q neereSs.
and charged with miscegenation and
bigamy, Charles Crews, claiming he
did not know whether he was white
or black, was in court last Thursday
to answer to an infamous charge
and felony according to the laws
of North Carolina, Revisal of 1908,
Statue 1868, under caption, ''Domes-
tic Relations" The story of Crews
is like a page torn from the dark
ages. w. L. Teague, foreman of the
finishing room in chair factory of
Lenior, proved the undoinG of Crews
when he arrived here recently on
business and accidentally ran across
Crews. who up to two years ago was
employed by Mr.. league.
1t is perhaps one of the most I'M
usual cases in the county and Ger
tainly in the state.
In Lenior Crews was claSsed as q
negro, associated with that race, in
fact had negro wife and child there,
also two stepsons acquired by that
marriage, both mulattoes When
Mr.. league hear d of the marriage
here ia April, 1915, to a white wO-
man, widow, Mrs, Norman, who
before her first marriage was Miss
Sarah Frye, well known to a num-
Der of people, he was astonished and
brought forth the information that
Crews was a negro. The marriage
to the white woman here occurred
last Easter and a witness in court
today so testified and the defendant
admitted it.
After the Lenior man gave the
information the officers got busy
and arrested Crews. He claims
that he left his negro wife in Lenior
on account of quarrel. There is
child by the marria6e here. Sew
eral months ago Crews joined the
Improved Order of Red Men here
but has been turned out without
Ffornafity. He was, also preparing
to JOIN agswhfte people church.
Witnesses ut the trial testified that
Crews associated exclusively with
negroes at Lenior and was known
by all as a negros ~
He says that his father was a
Dutch-Irishman, and that5his moth
er was white but associated with
bad people and negroes. He thought
he was white at times but he evil
dentIy thought he had& Ethiopian
blood also as he married q nekress
once. -.:#sr
Crews admitted marrying the
white woman here, also that he
married a negro woman at Lenior
and, previously a white woman,
both of them still living. :.:"
Crews plead guilty to both misce
eenation and bigamy, The presid-
ing judge made the bond $500 in
each case and instructed the officers
to receive only justified bonds if de.
fendant sought bail before the next
term of court, April 3Oth.. The negro
is five feet eight inches. weighs 148
pounds and is of rather nervous
disposition.
1t is without doubt the only case
of its kind in all respects occurring
in this State. Judge Dred Peacock's
views on the matter as expressed
in court was: mo society or home
is safe when gay Lotharios run at
large, whether too much married or
not at all. The home is the most
sacred spot On earth-it is the castlS
of God on earth. The intermarriaee
of the races is the greatest detriment
to the sanctity of the home and for
that reason, the act is designated as
q felony and described as infamous.
Only the highest courts may rule in
such cases." The sentence for such
a crime is imprisonment not less
than four months nor more than ten
years, and may also be fined.
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