The News and Observer.
VOL. XXXIX. NO. 74.
TTK3EE ttJMMUESTT © 0 G3© [U) [LATHI M ®F ©AIJ&mOKIA [MOOL
WAS HIS OWN LAWYER
HOLIES AT LAST PUT ON TRIAL
FOR TIIE MURDER OF
PIETZEL.
IT WAS a DSY OF SENSATIONS
The Judse Refused Under any Consid
eration to Allow a Postponement of
the Case and Holmes* Lawyers With
di\ w From the Case and the Accused
Man Selected his Own Jury—The
Court Room Packed With Spectators
--The Case of the Prosecution.
Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 23 H. H.
Holmes, or Herat an W. Mudgett, which
he sav 8 is bis baptismal namo, was put
on trial in the Court of Oyer and Ter
miner to-day for the murder of B. F.
Piet*:l, in this city, on September 2.
1894, and th“ developments of the first
day verifi d, better perhaps than ever
before, t e force of the maxim that truth
is stranger than fiction.
From the nature of the ease and start
ling st >rn*s cone rung it. whioh have
gained currency daring the past year,
sensational revelations were naturally to
be expected when he who has come to be
regarded av the most skillful aud auda
cious crimiual of modern times was
placed ou trial for his life; yet what did
occur in court so far surpassed all ex
pectations that the most vivid fights of
imagination c >uld scarcely have con
ceived the day’s events.
Prostestations and entreaties for a con
tinuance of the trial summarily over
ruled; the sudden withdrawal of the
lawyers who had hitherto represenred
the prisoner, in the face of threats of
disbarment; the appointment by the
court bf a new counsel a id the refusal
by the prisoner to accept them as his de
fenders; the declination of other law
yer to serve after being selected by
Holmes; and finally the prisoner trying
his own case.
This not to speak of sundry dramatic
passages at arms between Holmes and
the commonwealth’s prosecuting officer,
i* a summary of what occurred
Arraigned against Holmes as the com
monwealth prosecutors are District At
torney George S Graham and his special
assistant, Thomas W. Barlow, while the
counsel for the prisoner at the opening
of court were Wm. A. Shoemaker and
Samuel P. Kotan young members of the
bar of thi city.
Judge Michael Arnold presided.
For nearly an hour before the time
fixed for the opening of the court room,
on the sixth flo r of the big city hail, a
crowd began to gather in the corridors
without. Thanks to the announcement
that only those having business with the
case would be admitted to the court
room, there were not so many as were to
have been expected.
There will be some gruesome exhibits
introduced in evidence during the pro
gress of the trial. Among these are the
skull and pans of the body of the elder
Pietael; the chirred remains of his
youngest 8 >n. Howard Pietzel, who is
thought to have been murdered by
Holmes in Irvington, Indiana, and the
stove in which they >vere found in the
cottage in that city. Jhese were brought
here by Detective Richards, of Indian
apolis, who arrived last night. The
stove is a huge affair, with a body round
like a large barrel, and big enough to
pat two or three children into.
Promptly at 10 o’clock court was
formally declared open.
Holmes, who has grown a full black
board since his confinement in Moyamen
sing prison, looked pale and wan, but
immaculat ly neat. He was plainly
nervous and looked about the room with
a shifty expression in his steely blue eyes.
The first wait was caused by the non
appearance of Mr. Shoemaker, of counsel
for the defense, who d d not come into
court utml 10:15 o’clock. He stopped
and shook hands with Holmes, and tak
ing his seat, Mr. Granam instantly asked
that the case proceed.
Holmes was then ordered to rise, and
was formally told of his right to chal
lenge jurors He received the informa
tion implacably. The moment this for
mality had been concluded, Mr. Shoe
maker arose and asked for a continuance
of the case. He urged, as his basis, the
lack of time which had hampered the
preparation of the defense.
“Tnere are three homicide ca es in
volved in t is case,” he urged, “and we
have nad only as much time as would be
adequate for the preparation of one.”
There is evidence, he con tinned, to be
obtained not only from distant points in
thi* country, but also from abroad, which
the defense had been uaabl 3 to procure
ia the short space of time left to them
since the finding of the indictment—
evidence which would be of the utmost
impir a nee r.o the defense. The prosecu
tion, Mr. Shoemaker added, bad been
working on its case for throe hundred
days, while the defense had had but
sixty. Under these circumstances he
felt justified in asking for a continuance
of sixty days to give them an opportunity
to ga'her their witnesses
At the conclusion of Mr. Shoemaker’s
address, Mr. Graham arose and said he
would protest with all his vigor against
the granting of a continuance. He de
clared that a postponement meant the
absolute destruction of the comm >n
wealth’s case. No legal grounds had
been laid for the request, but it was a n
ply lefi to thecourt’sdiscretion. Mr Gra
ham then d welt upon the severe strain
under which Mrs Pietzel has been put
and said an < xammation into her mental
condition had made it apparent that were
a continuance granted the commonwealth
would lose its most important witness.
Mr. Kotan, of the defense,renewed the
plea for a respite. He argued that to
properly try this case they mhst be fully
and thoroughly informed.
“We are utterly unable to go on with
this case. The defense is not pse
pared. ”
Judge Arnold promptly replied:
“The motion for a continuance is
overruled.”
He b it fly called attention to the fact
that tne defen c had been fully apprised
that no such motion would be enter
tained. Such was still the case
Mr. Shoemaker and Mr. Kotan. then
created a mild sen ation by saying in
turn to the court, if the judge’s decision
was irrevocable they would withdraw
from the case, but Judge Arnold polled
this boomerang by declaring that a
member of the bar who wouldwithdraw
from a murder case on the very eve of
its trial would be called upon to show
cause why he should not be disbarred
for unprofessional conduct.
“Will your Houor allow the case to
go over until tomorrow morning?’
pleaded Mr. Kotan.
“Call a jury”, echoed the judge,
firmly—and the calling of a jury was
begun.
One juror had been admitted by the
commonwealth, when there was’another
.
Holmes arose ia the dock and, in a
quavering treble voice, sail to Judge
Arnold: “May it please the courr, I
have no inclination to continue witu the
trial of this case with Mr. Kotan aud
Mr. Shoemaker as my counsel, feeling
that, fn view of their desire to with
draw, my interests would be damaged.
I therefore discharge them as my coun
Bel.”
This device alike > roved ineffective.
“You cannot discharge them, Mr.
Holmes, ! w answered Judge Arnold.
‘ That is for the court, and if they
withdraw from this case, they will be
punished.”
“If,” continued Holmes, his tones
still more tremulous, “if your honor
will give me until to morrow to tenure
ad firi nal counsel .”
“We will have no more debate, Mr.
Holmes; the matter is decided.”
Tne examination of j irors wa3 about
to be proceeded with when Shoemaker
again arose and stated that the prisoner
absolutely forbade them from repre
senting him in the case, and declared
that he (Holme ) wouid examine t e
jurors and witnesses himself.
Judge Arnold said he would permit
Holmes to question the jurors, if ha so
desired, while counsel considered the
question of their proceeding.”
Holmes armed himself with pencil and
aud paper, and Enoch Turner, the first
juror was turned over to him for exam
ination and after several questions was
challenged peremptorily.
At this juncture, Messrs Kotan and
Shoemaker arose and declared that they
felt ool'ged to withdraw from the case
regardless of consequences.
“You must take consequences then,”
said the judge and the two lawyers with
out further ado, left the court room.
Still determined to brook no dela ,
however, the commonwealth’s officers
consulted with the judge aud then called
upon Everret Shoefield and J M. Fahy,
young members of the bar, who agreed
to assume the grave responsibility—with
all the aid possible from Mr. Graham.
Holmes, however, objected on the
ground that as he knew nothing of these
gentlemen, he did not care to entrust his
life to them.
“A3 far as aid from Graham is con
cerned,” he added with unveiled bitter
ness, “I have had abundant proof in the
past year what promises of aid from the
District Attorney ’ office means. May I
be allowed a postponement, until to mor
row to see It O. Moon, who is already
familiar with the case and whom I know
I can engage?”
“Do you then refuse to allow these
gentl- men to defend you?”
“I do, Bir If lam not allowed the
continuance until to morrow, I must ai-k
to try the case myself.”
“Well, we will go on to day,” said the
Judge, “and we wid see about your en
gaging Mr. Moon later on.”
The examination of jurors was then
resumed.
Holmes continued questioning the ju
rors as they came up, and gave every
evidttnee of being a man of education
and refinement. His words, which em
braced the usual toehQieal questions,
were well chosen and well pronounced.
There were uot nearly so many chal
lenges as were anticipated, and up to
12:15 p. m nine jurors had been ac
cepted At this time lawyer R O Moon
came into court, and, with the assent of
the Commonwealth’s officers and the
judge, held a whispered copulation with
the prisoner, at the conclusion of which
he addressed the court. He admitted
having been consulted in the case, and
said he knew probably more about it
than any outsider. He would be glad to
take up the defense of the prisoner, but,
in view of the foreign elements entering
into the case, such a thing was practi
cally impo sible without a continuance
until some future date.
Judge Arnold reiterated that the case
should proceed without delay, and Mr
M >ou replied that in that, event he felt
constrained to decline to participate in it
Again the calling of jurors wasresum
ed, and at 12:40 o’clock, after eleven of
the necessary twelve jurors had been se
cured, II >lmes peremptorily challenged
the first two selected, aud they were
stood aside.
Several times a jury was secured, but
on each occasion, Holmes exercised h s
challenge prerogative. Finally, when
but two challenges were left to him aud
there were twelve men in the box be
[continued on fourth page ]
RALEIGH. N. C.. TUESDAY. OCTOBER 29. 1895.
THE WORK OF FIENDS
ANOTHER TEItHIIILE >1 VsSACRE j
OF THE ARMENIANS BY
I'll E TURKS.
FIFTEEN PERSONS WERE KILLED
And the Armenian Women who Fell
Into the Hands of the Hob Were Out
raged and Terribly Mutilated--Bany
Victims Tied to Stakes and Burned-
Churches Desecrated and V.llage*
Pillaged—Property Carried Away by
The Jlarauders.
Constantinople, Oct. 28.—Another
t rrihie massacre of Amenians, accom
panied by the outraging of women is re
ported to h ve occurred quite recently
in the Baiburt district between Erzer
oum and Trebizond.
According to news received here, a
mob of about 500 Musss lmans and the
Lazes, the great majority of whom wore
armed with Martini Henry rifles, made
an attack upon the Armenians inhabit
ing several villages of that vicinity and
set fire to their houses and schools As
the Armenians tied in terror from their
dwelling, they were shot down as they
ran and a number of men and women
captured b,’ the rioters, it is added,
were fa tened to stakes and burned
alive.
Tne Armenian women who fell into
the hands of the mob, it is also assorted,
were outraged and brutally mutilated.
It is also stated that the churches were
desecrated and the vill tges pillaged, the
cattle and all the portable property o"
any value belonging to the Armenians
being carried off by the marauders.
During the disturbance, fifteen Armen
ians are reported to have been killed.
Surviving villagers applied to the Gov
ernor of Baiburt for protection, v. ho,
after hearing their complaint, sent three
po'ieemor to the scene of the massacre
aftrr the slaughter was ended.
The Turkish officials, it is claimed,
know the ringleaders of the outbreak,
but apparently uo steps have been taken
to arrest them. The number of Arme
nians massacred at Erzingjao is no w said
to be several hundred.
The Turks, it is stated, have also at
tacked the Armenians in the district of
Gumusbdagb, near Trebizond, and have
slaughtered many of them.
Arme nian* Provoked It
Constantinople, October 28 --It i?
officially declared here that the Arme
nians provoked the Baiburt disturbance
by firing upon the Mussulmans, and that
many persons were killed and wounded
on both sides before the gendarm -ssup
pressed the rioting.
It is also officially stated that the Ar
menians unwarrantably attacked the
Mussulmans at Marash and Zoitua.
LATEST PUGILISTIC SENSATION.
Prey orations Slid Doing on at Hot
Spring* tor That Fight.
Little Rock, Ark , Oct. 28.—Matters
pugilistically took a seusatio sal tur i to
day, when Attorney General Kins worthy
filed information in this Second Division
of the Pulaski county court asking for a
warrant for the arrest of ii >bert Fitz
simmons and M trtin Julian.
It develops that the Governor has had
a detective or confidential agent at Hot
Springs "11 the time aud been kep’
thoroughly posted on every move made
by the promoters of the fight. Last
night this detective advised the Gov
ernor that arrangements had been
• ple’el to bring the fight off
aud as a result of this information
Attorney General Kinsworthy, acting
under instructions fr >m Governor G’larke,
applied to Judge James W. Martin for
the warrants for Fitzsimmons and Julian,
which were issued and placed in the
hands of Sheriff B joker. Deputy Sheriff
Heard was given charge of the matter
and at once starte t f r Texarkana, where
Fitzdmmons and Julian are expected to
enter the State.
“I have uever wavered in my deter
mination to stop that fight,” said the
Governor to a reporter. “Corbett aud
Fitzsimmons will never meet in Arkan
* vs. Just as soon as Fitzsimmons enters
he wil be arrested aud brought before
Judge Mtt’tin in this city.”
Frank Flynn, a well known sporting
man of Hot Springs, who ia in this city
to day, gives out this information that
the fight will oerttinly occur at Hot
Springs on October 31 at Whitting Park.
Last night the Hot Springs Athletic
Club, under whose auspices the fight
will ostensibly be pulled off, sent cipher
telegrams to every sporting club iu the
United States notifying them of the ar
rangement for the fight.
The Iron Mountain Railroad Company
to day put a largo force of men at work
on North Little Rock building tem} orary
side tracks When it was asked vrhat it
was for, the railroad folks said that they
expected a large number of special trains
in a few days
THE I KM! PC OF STATE BONDS.
That In the Matter Now Before the
('oa-tltntioiml Convention.
Columbia, 8. C , Ojt. 28 —The Con
stitutional Com etuiou discussed today
the matter of issuing Sra'e boLds for the
purpose of rutting the business of c um
tie. on a cash basts. It is proposed that
the counties pay back tbits money in
t wenty years at a low rate of iuterest,
the proceeds to go into the State Treasury
as a sinking fund. No definite action
was taken.
Col John S. Mosbv is thought to be
better and there are strong hopes of his
recovery.
VIRGINIA’S UNIVERSITY
THE NOBLE INSTITUTION FOUND
ED BY THOS. JEFFER
SON BURNED.
THE MONEY LOSS ABOUT $250,000
The Rotunda Built in Jellerson** Day
and the Annex Built About Forty
Years Ago are Now Nothing but
Blackened Walls—Only 10,000 Vol
umes ol the 5 1,000 in the Library
Naved—Funds Now Being Secured to
Rebuild the Burned Stru lures.
Charlottesville, W. Va , Oct. 28.
Nothing bat blackened walls remain of
the University rotunda, building anil
annex, wh en were destroyed by tire
early Sunday morning, but, the work of
the classes i going on as usual iu tem
p irary quarters.
A committee of the faculty, consist
ing of Professor’s Echols, Smith, Davis,
Dabney and M&llctt, was appointed to
cons d r the work of re building, and re
port to a meeting of the board of visi
tors.
The latest conservative estimate of the
in »n y 1 ; s, not i. king into account the
sentimental v due of the library and pa
pers, is $250,000. The insurance is
$25 000, one fourth in eu h of tne for
eign companies : Lyon of London Union
Scottish and National of Edinburgh,
Commercial Union and the Guardian
Assurance of London.
Tne total insurance carried by these
companies *s $127,800, b t only $25,000
'was on the burnt buildings. Messrs.
Payton and Sinton, of Richmond, repre
sent, three of the companies, the other
(Guardian) baiug represented by a
jaariottesville agency.
After the trying scenes of yester lay
citizens, students, profissors ana the
ram lies are in a state of complete col
lapse. The feeling of personal bereave
ment which seems to hi felt by everyone
is very marked.'
Ic is not of course, possible to calcu
late t ie value of the books, paintings and
apparatus destroyed. The committee
•r.mi tne faculty agreed to rec >mmend
otbe Board o r Visitors the prompt eu
g t*4» m ;o r of an archil ct wno is to tx
mine and report of the condition of the
vail of the rotunda and annex with a
v ev to the rebuilding at onoo.
University of Virginia Library Building
The students have expressed the great
est interest iu the work of rebuilding
and telegrams from their parents and
friends are pouring in expressing eympa
thv and offering aid.
It is marvellous when one looks at the
ruins that there were so few casualties
or accidents. Prof. E hols is doing well.
He broke his fingers on the right hand
in working at the fire. Student Wil
liams, of North Carolina, *is unconscious.
He was overcome by the smoke.
There is universal desire on the part
of the faculty, students and eit zms to
have the buildings restored on the old
lines as planned and built by Tnomas
Jefferson.
The marble statue of J -ffarson m the
library and the bust of John B Minor
have been saved. The “School of
Athens,” a handsimecony of the famous
painting of Rapael, is lost. Its cost was
$5,000 Tne books saved are in great
confusion, being piled up in all sorts of
ways and it is hard to estimate the
quantity at this time, though it is be
lieved that ten thousand volumes of 53,-
000 in the l.brary are saved
Most of these came from the fl >or of
the library, while the value of the Austin
collection, L<*e papers and many other
rare and valuable books ihat can never
be replaced, were destroyed.
The faculty say that if the walls are
good, they hope to have them covered
over for the winter, so that the work of
rebuilding will go steadily on.
The fire started in the southwest
corner of the public hall aud destroyed
the main buildiug, consisting of the ro
tunda acd annex, with some of its con
tents
The rotunda was that part of the
building completed in Mr. Jefferson’s
day, and in which in 1825 a receprion
was held at which Lafayette and other
distinguished men assisted. The annex
was built about forty years ago. The
loss is very heavy, t ough it is impossi
ble to state it in figures.
The students met to day aud began a
movement to secure funds to restore
the building, pledging their contingent
deposit The alumni are telegraphing
offers of financial aid. Lcctu-es wi l Dot
be interrupted and the work of the s s
sion will go on.
Late this afternoon Prof. Thornton,
chairman ofihe faculty, estimated the
total loss at $ 150,000 The north and
west walls of the annex fell to day.
An extensive anti Foreign oubreak is
expected at Canton. Four hundred
braves, enlisted at Hong Kong by the
Viceroy, have gone to that city.
WALTER HENRY IN KENTUCKY.
Those Democratic Speeches that Will
Not Down at His lliildloc.
Special to tho News ami Observer.
Washington, D. 0., Oct 29.
Col. William Barley, formerly of
N>r h Carolina, but now of Baltimore,
was in the city to-day. In speaking of
North Carolina politics, be said he had
been informed that Walter Henry had
been invited to make some Populist
speeches in Kentucky, and that Mr.
Henry had accepted. Col. Beasley sug
gesfed that if some I) mocratof North
Carolina would accompany Mr. Henry it
might lessen the intensity of his fiery
speeches.
John Williams (colored), was arretted
Stturday here for burglary. He claims
to be from North Carolina, and is wanted
iu Greensboro for larceny
Mr. A. C. Shaw, chief of division in
the interior department, leaves tonight
for his home in Rockingham.
Mr. C B Webb and wife, of Asheville,
are in Washington visiting Mrs. Webb's
mother, Mrs Banks.
Mrs. E Moffitt, of Raleigh, who
stopped over here Sunday, returning
from a trip to Baltimore and Wi'ming
ton, Del., left to night for Raleigh.
Arrival: G. W. Hiushaw, Winston.
FIGHT AT A CORN SHUCKING.
The Son of Fx-Sheriff Lonz, of Yad
kin County, Killed.
Special to tlie New* and Observer.
Winston. N. C . Oct. 28.
At a corn shucking near Yadkinville,
a few nights ago, John Driver cut Wil
liam Dang through the right lung with a
knife. Tne wounded man is a son of
ex-sheriff Long, of Yadkin. He will die.
Considerable excitement prevailed here
this afternoon over a fire which broke
out iu the woods northeast of Winston
at 12 o’clock. A large territory was
burned over and a change of wind saved
much property from destruction.
Capt. Pride Jones, assis aut agent
here for the Southern Railway Company,
will be married on Wednesday to Mrs.
Fannie T. Helleu, of Yadkin county.
The ceremony will be performed at
Glen wood
The fine residence and large barn of
Equdla Burk, a farmer near Rural Hall,
was destroyed by fire yesterday. The
loss is heavy and very little insurance,
TIIE PACERS AT REIDSY’ILLE.
Patclien und Gentry Arrived in h Pal
ace Cur Saturday.
Special to the News and Observer.
Reidsville, N G , Oct. 28.
The great pacers, Patchen and Gen
try, arrived in a palace car Saturday
night and are now handsomely quartered
at the race track.
Their advent into Reidsville has been
attended with much enthusiasm.
Crowds are flacking to the grounds and
here indeed is a busy scene. The irre
pressible side show is strongly in evi
dence. New horses are arriving on
each train and everything tends to indi
cate that the great races will attract
thousands to this little city and prove a
success in evory way.
It is an open secret among horsemen
on the grounds that in driving his own
horse Mr. 8;ott will make the effort of
his life to lower Geutry’s already mar
velous record in the race with Patchen
on Thursday.
E/ery stall is ocoupied at the ground
and by the finest horses ever brought to
this State.
Two Deaths in Halilax.
Special to the Ntpva and Observer.
Weld n, October 28.
Mr. Burwell C Dunn, of this county,
died yesterday from the effects of a
stroke* of paralysis with which he was
stricken one day last week.
Mrs. Willcox, of Halifax, widow of
the late Dr. M. A. Willcox, died at her
home in that place this morning. She
eaves ten children.
Crisis in the French Caoinet.
Washington, D. 0., Oct. 28—Ambas
sador Patenotre, of France was shown
the brief announcement from Paris that
the French cabinet had resigned, and
naturally was much surprised as there
had been no intimation of a crisis. The
cabinet assumed office ten months ago
and has served continuously since Presi
dent Faure was elected. The ambassador
says the res gnations are not of serious
importance, as changes of the cabinet
have not the same significance under tho
French system that they have in other
countries.
THE SOUTHERN’S OFFICIALS.
Several Important Chance ' to be Bade
November 1.
Washington, D 0., Oct. 28.—Several
important changes among the officials of
the Southern R lilway System will be
made November 1 Among the appoint
mentß are the following:
General Freight Agent, Horace F.
Smith, f r years General F eight Agent
of the Queen and Orescent Route at Cin
cinnati; General Freight
Agents, J. A Drake, with headquarters
at Richmond; Edwin Fitzgerald, with
headquarters at Knox vill*, and Haiden
Miller, with headquarters at Atlanta.
Ou Friday next, the U. S. Supreme
court will a recess uutil Monday,
November 11.
A disastrous fire is raging on Welch
Mountain, Pa , in the vicinity of Scruff
town and Blue Ball, and thousands of
acres of timber land has been burned. \
number of houses occupied by whites and
negroes have been consumed.
PRICE FIVE CENTS
THE INSURANCE CASES
A STATEMENT IN VINDICATION
OF THE CITIZENS OF
BEAUFORT.
THE OTHER SIOEOFTHEQUESTION
Th»* InveMigatiou on Both Kid»“* Ira*
Bf ru I, oils and Thnrongh aud the
Trials I »r Forgery Have Resulted in
A* qiiiltals--Tfie Detective Abrain*
and the Old Negro Woman Who are
Alltnrsacs lor the Prosecution--
Abrams on a Spree.
Beaufort, N. 0., Oct. 28.
To the Editor of tlie News and Observer:
It becomes my duty, ia vindication of
a community in which I have lived for
over three years, to a*k for a short space
in your columus.
For the post week our town has been
in a fever of excitement over the “Insu
rance cases” that have be n tried. The
investigations on both side nave been
long and thorough, and it h consumed
most of the week for the t iat of two
causes brought for forgery. If will be
remembered by the reading pub ic that
two or three months ago tnep i t-rs were
full of tho itions at Morehead
Cty of the so called “Beaufort Grave
Yard Insurance.” The broad charge
was made that a majority of the people
of Beaufort aud Carteret county were
direc'ly or indirectly connected with the
cases, and our town and community was
held up to the whole world as a den of
rottenness and fraud. Th • statements
cf the papers were harsh, unfair and nn
true, aud since that time there has been
no correction of the impressiou left on
the public mind.
It is strange that during the progress of
the trials during the past week t here have
been no reporters here, to pub ish to the
world any extenuating facts that might
be brought to light to prove that the
whole of our citizens had net conspired
against a few “wild cat” insurance com
panies.
Two of the case j have been tried and
the defendants have been declared inno
cent by twelvo of their count ry men taken
from every section of Carteret county.
The evideuce brought out by the prose
cution in theie cases has beeu such that
had there been no evidence for the de
fence at all, it would not have justified a
verdict of “guilty” from a jury of intel
ligent men
W. C.Abrams, ot Albany, the insur
ance detective and the main witness in
all the cases for the insurance compan
ies, admitted on the stand that he was
paid to oonv et the defendants by what
ever means he could. He was also seen
Tuesday of court after coming down the
steps from the court room by reliable
men, to pour a lot of money into an old
negro woman's hand, she beingtho other
witness with him for the insurance com
panies in the first ca e. Under a hot
cross examination in the second trial ho
first denied riving the woman money
but afterwards said he did give her a
small amount. This fellow Abrams
figures as a prorain-nt character t hrough
all tho cases representing the Insurance
companies, anti from the evidence that
came out on trial, it was shown that ho
had ramsacked the whole of the county
over and had picked the most ignorant
old and diseased negroes that could
be found to appear as witnesses in be
half of the insurance companies. An
old negro woman named Hamilton, a
witness with Abram 3 for the prosecu
tion, said on cross examination that she
expected ccmpensatiou from the insur
ance men.
To cap tho climax, on Saturday after
noon, after court had adjmraed, Mr.
Abrams, from Albany, got on a glorious
spree and tried to take the town. He
accused t e Chief of Police of commit
ting perjury and made the statement
that “the insurance companies intended
to send he last d—n one of the defend
ants to the penitentia» y if it took $lO,-
000 for each man.” He was taken up
by the mayor and fined heavily for dis
orderly conduct. Mr. Abrams is the
expert witness employed by the insur
ance companies to prove baud writing,
and said on the witness stand that he
had lived a number of years in Albany,
where he had an excellent opportunity
to examine handwriting
In the two cises tried here, the de
fendants were acquitted and I ask that,
in defence of the people of Beaufort and
Carteret county, every paper in the
State that published derogatory matter
against our people copy this article.
Our people in Beaufort and Carteret
county are as much opposed to crime as
any people in the State of North Caro
lina and we say it is not fair that the
papers of the State should publish the
wholesale charges against them without
giving both sides of the question to the
public.
It has been the position of my paper,
the Beaufort Herald, throughout, neither
to condemn nor uphold in the matter,
but to wait till all the evidence on both
sides had been produced be fore it gave
its verdict. The defendants in the pre
liminary examination at Morehead City
last, summer, introduced no evidence
wuatever, and now that they have in
troduced their evidence and have been
acquitted iu these above named cases, it
is nothing but justice to them aud our
pe r pleiu general that, every paper in the
State should publish this in vindication
of our community.
Very truly,
Chas. L. Abeunetht.
It is reported that Minister Ransom’s
eon advises his father to resign acd re
turn home on account of ill health.