The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-05-06
COHOON UPSETS ALL
BETS ON CULPEPPER
His Withdrawal From The Mayoralty Race
Throws Large Vote To The Support
of Flora

Just when 1t appeared that
w. T. Culpcpper stood to win
in a walk in Elizabeth City'S
three -cornercd Mayoralty race.
something happened. p. G..
.Cohoon announced his with
drawal from the campaign
"Wednesday morning. leaving
the field to Jerome Flora and
w. T. Culpcpper with the bulk
of Cohoon'S support gong
SQuarcly over to Flora.
=. e. Cuhoon'S withdrawal from
the campaign is characterized as
the most un$clfiSh display of devo-
tion to political ideal ever made
in local politics. Phillip CohOon
wanted the mayOralty: he had
earned il by years If unSrlfi>h devO-
tiun ~ the cause of good cavern
mcnt aS Alderman from his Third
Ward. But he cOuldn't win. He
lost ground early i'll the campaign
on account uf his illness. He got
out and IN his feet in the campaign
too late 10 recover his lost ground.
In the meantime. scores of citi-
zcn>. sensing the defeat of Cohoon,
prevailed upon Jerome Flora To be-
come Il candidate. Flora's candi-
dacy robbed Cohoon of more of his
strength. In the meantime the Cul-
pepper forces were cXultaut.
The old Second Ward political ma
chine was carefully assembled and
thoruly creased. With this poll
teal organization behind him and
with the rest of the field divided
between Cohoon and Flora, Cul-
pepper stood 10 win. This news
papcr would have predicted CuI-
peppers election this week.
But Phillip CohOOn Withdrew. Il
am withdrawing on account of my
health" said Mr.. COhoon simply.
But there is more TO it than that
Those close TO Mr.. COhoon declare
that he sacrificed his own ambition
rather than see the old Mack
Sawyer-Louis Anderson political
machine brought back into power
thru the election Uf Billy Culpcppcr.
The Machine Behind Culpepper.
As il member of the Board OF
Aldermen for years L. {. COhoOn
has opposed the sinister doinSs ol
machine politicians. lie has seen
tle Culpepper Interests i'll Elizabeth
| Civ wurkiu. hand in glove with GER
tain members of the Board of Al
drrmcn in almost criminal cndcav0rS
| To Influence the letting of city con-
tracts and pad the price OF city pttr-
chaScs to their personal profit.
Almost every outside concern
seeking to do business with the city
WIS told upon cOmin" to town that
they could not do business with the
Board or Aldermen unless thcy
divided commissions with the Cui-
pepper interests.
II is significant that with the d!-
| i'm. down of public interest Ill cN-
poSurcS of the methods of the Cul-
uepprr interests. W. T. Culpcppcr
himself announced his candidacy Tor
the mayoralty. making IN open Dld
! fnr control of Il city administration
which h,. and his associates had
! fui,rd tO control clande>tincly. Anu
Su,rarcly behind the candidacy Ot
Billy CulIrppcr is every crooked
and dishonest politician III EllZ-
ahcth city. There is 10 mistake
about that.
While Billy Curpcppcr walks up
rightly among the best citizens oil
the town and meckly protests MS
Innocence of any sinister cOlluSlon
Or desire for anythin" except tn
have the town honor him with the
Office his political affiliations anu
support are apparent.
And now the race settles down
between Flora and Culpcppcr. with
CuhUon'< support thrown to Flora.
Flora has no political organization
and is spending no money. Cul-
pepper has the political or%anlza-
tion and money is being spent Ill
his behalf. Jerome Flora Will have
no walkOvcr. The power of polltl-
cal organization AMI little money
in Elizabeth City is not to be under
rated.
Whole Town Chooses Aldermen
But if Elizabeth City fails to elect
Il safe and decent set of Aldermen
in the election next Tuesday the
substantial citizenship of the town
. will have only itself to blame. Out
of the ten candidates for the four
Vacancies on the Board of Aldermen
it should bc easy to pick four clean,
Continued OH page TwO)