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THE FARMER AND MECHANIC, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, ir-03. LEE S. overman ON SIXTY-FIRST BALLOT Result Greeted With an Outburst of Wild Applause. SLVEN1Y-THREE VOTES Watson Received 58, and Craig II Nomina tion Made Unanimous Without a Dis senting Voice Speeches of Candidates, The end is here. It came last night, rather unexpectedly to many, but there were many who looked for the contest to end last night. Everybody was anxiou3 to have it over, and when it became ap parent, after the second ballot, that a nomination was in sight, there "was a feeling of relief on all sides The legis lators had come to place where they wanted the struggle ended. The feel ing of weariness that has caused the public cry out to have the contest ended was even stronser in the Legislature. It has been remarkable that a con test so free from bitterness should be so long protracted. It is a tribute to the esteem and. regard in which the can didates were held. From the first noth ing but friendliness has prevailed among the candidates and their friends, and the end leaves no animosities or heart burning. The caucus opened promptly at eight o'clock. There seemed. to be a listness ness at first which pervaded the whole House. The only absentee in the caucus, not paired, was Woodley, of Chowan. Goode, of Cleveland, (an Overman man) was paired with Glenn, of Guilford, (a Watson man. The first ballot aroused no interest, though there was some applause when Watson was in the lead. The vote on the 57th ballot stood: "Watson.. Overman 61 Craig 19 The 58th ballot was: Overman fi-t Watson CO Craig.. .. .. .. 15 The announcement was received with continued cheers by the Overman men on the floor and in the gallery. They felt that they were going to win and showed it in every movement. The 59th ballot stood: Overman.. 66 Watson.. 64 Craig 14 The Overman cheers were then more enthusiastic and hearty than at any time before. His leaders and supporters crowded the aisles and appealed to every Craig man who would listen to "get on the band wagon," as they said and vote for Overman.. A feeling of confidence per vaded the Overman forces in the hall, and as the next vote was found to bring him within three votes of the nomina tion. The 60th ballot stood: Overman.. 70 Watson 53 Craig 14 Amid great excitement, the roll ca'ii for the 61st ballot was proceeded with. Everybody felt that the end was near. The Watson men looked solemn and sombre; the Overman men were jubi lant and could not keep their seats. The galleries caught the contagion and every body was restless and nervous as the procession of members passed by the open basket and "deposited their ballots: It was precisely 0:57 o'clock when Rep resentative Whitaker began to call out the ballots and Clerk Murphey to repeat them. .When it was found, as the roll call was completed, that Overman was nomi nated, there was wild cheering. The 61st ballot, which nominated was as follows: Overman.. ..73 Watson , 5s Craig.. ..' 11 ..... ,Thcn the applause grew fast and furi ous and everybody was talking at once. Senator Webb, of Buncombe, seconded : by Mr. Doughton, of Alleghany, moved that the nomination of Mr. Overman be .made unanimous, and this was done. On motion of Speaker Gattis a commit tee of three was appointed to wait on Mr. Overman and notify him that he had j been nominated, and to invite all the j Senatorial candidates to come before th caucus. The committee named was con:-' posed of the following: Messrs. Webb, j Doughton, Gattis, Murphy and Watts, j While the committee was out, on motion of Senator Blow, the public was invited to come into the hall and it was a gay scene. The listlessness passed and every body was glad the long strain was over the Overman men were happy that they j had won and the supporters of Watson and Craig, who had made a warm fight and had lost, glad that the strain was at ! last over, and a Senator had been named, j The caucus, having completed its work j which had gone on for many days during. w-hich sixty-one ballots had been taken waited impatiently for the coming of the man it had named as the Democratic nominee for United States Senator from North Carolina, and who today will re ceive the solid Democratic vote for that great office. j Suddenly, as the caucus waited there j were shouts heard in the distance. I These heralded the coming of the win- J ner in the great contest. The shouts j grew louder, and as the party reached j the rotunda of the Capitol they gre-v in 'Without the Hall there was a mass of humanity. Into this finally came Hon. j Lee S. Overman, his escorts, and witn I tbem Hon. C. B. Watson and Hon. Locks Craig, whom Mr. Overman had joined in the office of Governor Aycock. Through the crowd they managed, with difficulty, to push their way into the Senate cham ber where tho great crowd followed. These thronged about the three men whose names have been the topics of conversation for weeks and month, an.; while they showered congratulations on the victor, there were many expansion r congra ulations to th? defeated upon the great, fight their friends had made wins NLBB S. OVERMAN. for them, and for the splendid manner in which the campaign had been con ducted. Then came the start for the Hall of the House. The great crowd moved as one with the leaders in the ended con test. As the doors to the Hall swung open all were swept in as by one rush, so eager were the people to witness the last scene. Mr. Overman, Mr. Watson and Mr. Craig were escorted to the Speaker's desk and in a few moments a voice, ringing with melody, clear with the note of success, thrilling in its in tensity, was vibrating on the air, which had hushed to the stillness of the prime val forest. WORDS FROM THE VICTOR. It was Lee S. Overman who was speaking. His face had in it a light rf great joy. His eyes shone with a radiant gleam, and his words, tumultuously lead ing forth, gave utterance to all that was in his heart at this hour of his great success. He said: "Mr. Chairman, Gentlemen of the Joint Caucus, Ladies and Gentlemen: I would that I could give expression to the feel ings of my heart at this moment, but there only come words, words, empty words, and how( inadecuate they are to express the deep feelings which burn in my heart as I try to give utterance to the thoughts which show my great ap preciation." "There has been fought out a royal battle, such as has never before been seen in North Carolina. It has been a battle between Democrats, and the noble men who for sixty-one ballots have taken part in this contest and who have brought success to me I will ever hold dear as Ions as life shall last. Yet with the exultation of success there is a sad ness in my heart, for in this battle two great and gallant Democrats have been defeated. Democrats who have given a noble service to the battles of Democ racy." & "And yet, in the midst of this success, I am not unmindful cf the great re sponsibilities which come with the hon or that has been bestowed on me. With a crcat ambition realized there eomec to me a purpose higher and purer than that, which comes simply from ambition gratified." "This creat office comes to me with out one obligation to corporations and with pledges to none. It comes after a battle of twenty-five years for the best interest of North Carolina and brings with it alone a deeper allegiance to the Democratic party and a purpose to do all in mv power for the best interests of the people of this great State.: "With all my zeal will I servo this great people and this great State and I trust that I will be able to do it with ciedit to myself, with satisfaction to the people, and with honor to this great Commonwealth." "Standing on the threshhold of the twentieth century J realize that we are face to face with the greatest problems of any age, problems that will be settled right by the statesmanship of this, the greatest country which has been born, its citizenshin of the greatest courage and advancement of any age. With al most one leap it developed into a power of the first magnitude, and in every part of the world the stars and' stripes demand and receive the respect of the universe. This is a great people aryl their rights and liberties shall be pre served and protected. A blow at the people of this country is a blow at the nation, for when the people go down, with them goes down the republic." "There is today too much a striving after grandeur. We must return to the earlier principles, to the best days of republican simplicity, even if it takes a constitutional amendment to do this. We must return to the earlier principles, embodied in the words 'equal rights to all, special privileges to non'e." "One of the greatest problems to con front is before us. We must see to it that there is no industrial slavery, for what is political freedom worth, when with this freedom there is coupled In dustrial servitude." "But I must thank the men who GREEN 4rL per.TON -'fl Greatest, Cheapest Food n on Earth for Sheep, Swine, H Cattle, etc. U TTi.l f? rrortli S1"0 to veil to rad what rS"S!Eon Do'Jcr Grass B tvisitivclc lnn'io voii rirh- l-fin rf br. .- rirl li.n of picture T nrrn, so ulso n-Mimix, Pean-it, Sprit. Mwnrmii Tviiora fir arid, li.,t noi! :, M bm. por r.-rr. V:' Century 0:its, 2.V hu.. -r im-.-o oi"! Twiini., YklOj 10O tona Or'fii 1-'o(!Ji.t jrr r.rr. Forti!n WrvttcTan'l 10c. r.' i.nMl.ijrnl.ilj,. tti,1 I,) Karm S.'l xev..i.cg, laiiy wurtli II!) to gi ta tari. mm A.jAiiLiv LUES I H T 1 I L II vr-P-h l r J -sx . . . - . E i iV AGE NTS 1 if WANTED To cll our Toilet Soaps and Perfumes. Fret present to every purchaser. Liberal cash 1 commissions or nanu""' premiums if preferred. Write to-day for our NEW PLAN and illustrated premium list SALVONA SOAP CO., Retail Department- 121b & Pine St., St. Louis, Mo. have stood by me in this contest, and with thi3 must go words of praise to the men who have stood so nobly by the gallant Watson and the great Craig. Those men have been just as loyal and true to them as have been my friends to me. Some one had to be elected and some had to meet defeat, and as I stand hre tonight I can only feel regret that all might not have won the prize." "And tonight we are all friends, vic tor and vanquished, for we are all Dem ocrats, and in this hour I can say, God bless all of you. may the work that has been done redound to the glory of the Slate and to its people, morally, in tellectually, socially ,ind idustrially." "Again I thank you for the high hon or you have conferred on me, and again As Mr. Overman finished there came cries of "Watson, Watson," which min gled with the great applause following Mr. Overman's speech. The Hall wa3 packed and crowded while the galleries were jammed. Everywhere in the great throng inhere were ladies whose cos tumes gave a touch of color to the scene, and who joined heartily in the ap plause. Then Cyrus B. Watson spoke. Thjre was no trace of sadness on his face, or was there a tremor in his voice. It wa3 the same Watson whom men loved for his great qualities, great in victory, great in defeat. He faced the people bravely in this defeat, as becomes one who has had the support of a noble band, and la speaking he gave his supporters just pride in having lowered their flag with him as their leader. Arising to respond to the calls made for him ho said: "Mr. President, Gentlemen of the Cau cus, Ladies and Gentlemen: "I can scarcely find words with which to ex press the pleasure 'which I have in ad dressing you this evening. I want to say to you that it is not the first time that I have suffered defeat, that it is not the first time that I have been borne helpless from the field, but I want to say too that in no battle for Democracy have I ever acknowledged defeat for its principles which I have ever struggled to uphold and defend." "It was for Democracy in 1S68 that I made my first fight when the new Demo cratic party of North Carolina was born into existence, and there has been no campaign since that day that I have not been in the thickest of the fight for Democracy. In my humble power there has been no service which I have failed to render, and this disappointment will have no effect upon me in the future, for I-will remain just as loyal, to the party and will strive just as hard for the gcod of the men and women and chil dren of North Carolina, and be just as watchful for the best interests of the hemes of the State as I have been for the past thirty-four years." "The homes of North Carolina. They are the foundations on which rest the best that there can be for all. May they be the most happy of all places, for in the life of the home there is that which we must depend upon, something great er than the wealth cf corporations, be these homes the palaces of the great, or the hovels of the poor. It is the homes of North Carolina that give to success for good government, and as long as the homes are safe the State will be safe. I am prouder of my record in this hour of defeat because I have stood for the homes, than I would be tonight in vic tory had I not followed out this prin ciple of my life." "I have no heart burnings tonight, and I say to you loyal men of the old iron brigade that as a defeated candidate I have only the warmest feelings for you and that through my body there runs a fervid stream of gratitude, while every nerve, tingles when I think of the deep devotion you have shown me. I will never forget it. I will never forget how you have stood firm and have never deserted me even up to the crisis of the battle. I can't find words in which to thank you." "I have said I could scarcely find words in which to express the pleasure which I have in addressing you. I tors the truth, for I could not have spoken at oil if I had been successful. I would be as the young man, who after wooing the girl he loved as earnestly as I have vooed this office sought, could not speak when finally 'yes' rewarded him. It was not the time to speak. How could he have spoken. Of course he could not, and I would have been in the same pre dicament." -"It is a pleasure to look on you people here, even those who helped to defeat me. They are my friends and I have the greatest regard for them in the de votion they have shown to the man they supported. A man lives for his friends, and in their rlevotion he finds the great est applause for that which he does." 1 thank my friends again. And now we will adjourn and I will go home, and help to hold up the hands of the gen tleman whom you have nominated." HON. LOCKE CRAIG SPEAKS. There were many cheers for Mr. Wat spn and then came cries of "Craig, Craig," which brought forward the gal lant young Democratic champion of the mountains. His face was pale but there was that in his eyes which showed an undaunted spirit. His voice, at firt low, rcse clearer, and vibrated intense with the earnestness of the houi He said: "Mr. Chairman, Gentlemen of the Cau cus, Ladies and Gentlemen: "I thank you for this demonstration of regard for me, and in replying fo this call I can say for myself, to adopt words from the speech of a noble North Carolinian: 'In the land of Sci when a soldier lost his buck ler there was no regret because a soldier found it." "I may say tonight that for the first time in my life I have been defeated in a contest for an office I sought. I did want this office which I have been ask ing at your hands, an office, the greatest that a Southern man can aspire to, the greatest honor ihe people cf the State could bestow, the highest rosition with in their gift to a citizen of the State. I MM i i had hoped for it. an! of it I would have made a place of intellectual and moral development, and a place where I could have given the people of thi3 great State my best service." j "But the representatives of the pce : pie have met and alter a long delibera tion, in their wisdom and justice have bestowed this position upon another, upon a worthy son of the State, whose rec ord is clean, whose character is pure, whose intellect is clear, one who will give devoted service to the State. To your choice I bow willingly and cheer fully." "For twenty years I have served the State in serving the Democratic party, but it owes nothing to me, just as it ov.es nothing to any ether man. It is to the Democratic party that every man within the States owes a deep and lasting gratitude." "With the election of Lee S. Overman the great victory begun in 1S98 has finally reached its height, and now North Caro lina will be represented in the National Congress by ten Democratic Congress men and two Democratic Senators. It is the climax of a great victory, and I believe, nay I know that the man you have selected will wear worthily and well the mantle of the great Vance, be neath whose portrait he sits, and I be lieve that the days of Vance will come rgain in spirit in North Carolina he- cause of the man elected tonight who will represent us in the Senate of the United States." "I am a young man, and to the young men who have so gallantly supported me I pour out the deepest gratitude of my heart. Right nobly and gallantly have they stood, as did the noble three hundred at Thermopylca. I would rath er . have such devotion as that which has been shown by them to me, and be worthy of it, than be without it and Senator tonight." "There are other opportunities com ing in which I will have chance to serve my State, as will aiso that great old Roman, Cyrus B. Watson, and in the I pledge to you my best service to the State of North Carclina and to its peo pie." HON. C. B. WATSON SPEAKS. and a great people. He will be elected by the representatives of this great peo ple, a Legislature that is among the purest ever elected, and he will have attained this high position in a contest from which has come no scandal and no reproach, one which loaves no antagon ism in the breast of a single man' "I can say tonight, and say truly, that I feel more kindly toward Lee S. Over man and to Cyrus B. Watson than at the time when the contest began, for there has not been aroused in my breast one bitter feeling. As we go home let us go with the purpose of doing good for the State, of building it up, and of per forming every act for the perpetuation Oi' th Democratic party and be ready to sacrifice ourselves for its principles which mean so much for all of us." "Again, my friends, I thank you, and again I say that the day will not come when I will not put forth my band and render the best service that in me lies for the State and for the Democratic party." THE CLOSING ; SCENES. There was a burst of applause as Mr. Craig concluded, and then, with Hon. R. A. Doughton in the chair, the following resolution was adoptel: "Resolved by the ' joint Democratic caucus, that the thanks of the caucus are due Hon. Geo. L. Morton, the able chairman, for his uniform courtesy and impartiality during the protracted ses sions of the caucus, and that thanks are also due Hons. Walter Murphy and Fred. L. Carr, the secretaries, for the efficient manner in which they have performed their duties." These resolution being adopted with a unanimous voice, the joint caucus was declared adjourned. The great crowd dis persed slowly, many taking the oppor tunity to meet the . Democratic nominee and the gentlemen who had contested so gallantly with him. Out in the halls of the capitol and on the streets there could be heard cheers for Overman as those who had witnessed the stirring scenes Dasserl on homeward. Today the General Assembly will ratify the choice of the caucus, and the solid Democratic vote will make of Hen. Lee S. Overman a Senator of the United! States from North Oaroiina, the goal for which he has made so splendid a con test. GENERAL ROBERTS' SPEECH. One of the pleasantest scenes of the electing for Mr. Overman was the pre sentation of a beautiful bouquet of car nations to Senator Overman by two of Raleigh's North Carolina's beauties Misses Janet and Kate Badger. Of course the presentation was handsomely done by the brace, gallant and chivalric Roberts. In the rooms of Mr. Overman, surrounded by a host of the brave men who con tested for Overman, Watson and Craige, i Gen. Roberts spoke as he fought, splen- j didly and superbly. All through this great ! and graceful fight for United States Sen ator Gen- Roberts was for Watson, "the man who carried the gun." He graceful- j ly and eloquently referred to his associa- j lion with friendship for the great Lee and j Stuart, and in touching, telling terms, spoke of the love of thet-e mighty men of the South for North Carolina soldiers, of j whom Watson was a peer of the best, j He told of this, their love as he saw and iheard it from Lee and Stuart themselves. His hearts love went, out to the soldier Watson, but now that the Democratic party had spoken with all the enthusiasm and high sense of duty that a true sol dier can feel, he was for Lee S. Overman- Wilmington, N. C, Jan. 23. Capt. Gil bert and crew of seven men, who made a miraculous escape this week from the barquentine Nineveh, New York to Maysport, which was foundered and sunk off this coast last Thursday, reached the city yesterday and Capt. Gilbert left to day for New York,, where he will be as signed to another vessel. Warm friends are more plentiful in summer than in winter- mmm mmam WERE PEII OFFICERS CRUEL AND IN That Charge is Made by Mr. Bird of Marion. SUPI". MANN DENIES IT Detailed Statement of Management ot Convicts Invites the Fullest lnves'ifia!ion of Every Act of the Offers. The public and the penitentiary man agement unite in a demand for an in vestigation into the charges that conic fiom Marion. Certain charges of cruelty to convicts at Marion were published a few days ago. They were copied into the News and Observer, and the peni tentiary management promptly denounced them as false. Governor Aycock sent the News and Observer clipping to Su perintendent Mann with a request for a full statement as to the reports. Yesterday Mr. J. C. L. Byrd, a lawyer at Marion, sent the following letter to the Charlotte Observer: To the Charlotte Observer: Col. Olds may disclaim responsibility for the article copied in your paper from The Atlanta Constitution and The News and Observer may declare it "a big fake story"; but it was the naked, unvarnish ed truth. In fact, the author of that ar ticle did not do the subject justice. He told only a part of the truth, for the conduct of the penitentiary authorities in removing those convicts at the time, and in the manner it was done, is a shame and a disgrace to a civilized people. The camp where they had been quar tered is 26 miles from Marion. The road is the worst in North Carolina- Super intendent. Mann had driven over it only a day or two before in the best rig the livery cbuld furnish, and he was loud in his denunciation of the condition of the road. The weather was intensely cold. The streams on the Mitchell side of the mountain were frozen over, and the con victs walked across on the i.ce. Shackled together, two and two, they marched over the frozen mud to the top of the moun tain. On the McDowell side, it was not frozen hard enough to bear up the weight of a man. so the men were forced to march in mud, in the middle of the road, from six inches to two feet deep and wade the streams. As the men dragged one foot after another, a shoe would come off in the mud, the' convict would falter to get it, but the guard, as I am re liably informed, would jab him with a gun, curse him and order him to move on. When they arrived in Marion, just before nightfall, after marching 26 miles that day, they were wet and literally be draggled with mud to above their knees. The shackles that bound them together were covered with frozen mud, and in many instances were large as the arm of a man. The mud was so deep that the shackle could not be held above it, and yas dragged through it. They were wet. muddy, tired, worn completely out, and almost dying. The guards would not al low them to march on the fetone side walks of the town, but kept them in the middle of the muddy streets- Two poor fellows, who had fainted on the wajr, came in behind the others. One of them faltered in the mud in the street, and said he could go no further. He was or dered to move on. A citizen, John Yan cey, Jr., begged the gard to march tho men on the sidewalk, and thus, they wcro partially relieved. They were marched to the cars, fed on nothing but cold bread and cold fat back. They were given a very small por tion of corn whiskey, about a gallon for 160 men. Fifteen to twenty of the men were un able to walk, and were hauled in wagons. In one wagon were five men unable to (bold up their heads, so a driver informs me. One of the drivers of the wagon told me that they would groan and beg for water. They were given water about twice on the way. Finally the guard be came tired of listening to the groans and requests for water, and told them, "You need a damn good whipping; shut your damn mouths." These men were removed from the wagon at the door of the car. One of them had ever appearance of be ing dead he was stark and stiff, and his face was covered with a Cloth. Mr. John A. McDonald, who saw this, says he looked like a dead man. About a month ago a lot of sick men were brought from the camps and shipped to Raleigh. When they arrived at the depot, they were ordered to get out of the wagons. As they did so, from sheer weakness, some of them fell and their faces were bruised in the mud- They were unable to extricate themselves. Af ter a time, a guard ordered the stronger ones to pull those who had fallen out of the mud, and they were laid on the plat form of the depot. Mr. George I. WTiite, cashier of the First National Bank, saw this sickening sight. When the convict3 were first sent to the road in Mitchell county about a year ago, it was a very cold time. When they reached Toe river, near Spruce Pine, the river was running with mush ice- The convicts were ordered to wade tho river, and they did. I am informed by men who say they were present and saw it that THE GUARDS RODE ACROSS THE RIVER ON THE BACKS OF THE CONVICTS. There can be no excuse offered why it was necessary to remove those men in such weather. There is n human reason why a number of men who are too sick to hold up their heads should be dumped into a wagon and hauled in such wath"r and over such roads, 26 miles in oneway' Superintendent Mann was conversant or ought to have been, with the condition of the men under him; he knew what the weather was, and he knew the condition of tho roads. The physician in charge it soems, might have prevented, for th sake or humanity, the removal of these sick men. If it was- necessary to remove th-'n certainly any reasonable man knows that HUMAN 26 miles Is too far to march nsen. phachlcd together, in one day. One mile i to r to march theia through mud as kep the mud is on that road. Such conduct of the authorities deervea th mot se vere condemnation, and should bo at once investigated. The Solicitor of the dis trict. Hon. Joseph F. Spainhour. has been notified of the occurrence, and it's up to him to see what ho will do at the next term of our court. The following gentlemen, among the best men in town, know the truth of the above statements, viz.: B. 11. Price, George I- White. J- CI. Neal, W. T. Mor gan. D. X. Lonon. W. W. Cooper. John Yaneej-. Jr.. It. S. Cooper, W. B. Itatliff, J. A. McDonald, D Brutz Cutler. Dr. G. S. Kirby and a score cf others. Respectfully, J. L. C- BIRD Marioc. N. C, Jan. 29, 1?03. INTERVIEW WITH SUPT. MANN. The above letter from Mr. Byrd was shown yesterday afternoon to Superln ttndent Mann, of the State rrl3cn. Mr. Mann said that he had written a ltttr to the Governor giving the f..cts a tout the movement of these convicts. Ho iaiJ in addition that one of the rontons fr moving the convicts was a humane one, He wished to move all exct-nt the heart iest convicts to a less sever climate. "I invite the fullest Investigation of the matter. There is not a siiigl.' thing that I have hidden from the ruMic about the movement. Kvery care w:i3 taken to move the cenvicta in the way that woul.l not subject them to any severer hard ships than was possible to avoil and I am greatly surprised at the statement published by Mr. Byrd. An investigation will show that there Is n? blame to be attached to the penitentiary authorities. I wish every act thrown open and widely known to the end that the public may know every detail and cvry act by every employee of the penitentiary. The movement was ordered by the Board of Directors, and I went myself to the camp to make all the arranseracnts and used every effort and care that v.- possibl? to make the march as easy and as com fortable as it could be done. I w.is rot present on the march and of course 1 cennot say there was no cursing by any crnnrfla nr pmnloveos. but H is against the regulations for anything or this kind to occur, and I would punish it by dismissal, and the guards all know this. "The movement was a humane one and curht to have been made. There is nothing about it that I wish to con ceal, on the contrary 1 wish the people, of North Carolina to know everything that was done from first to last. If there was any inhumanity on the part of any of the employees of the penitentiary, I wish to know it specifically. I will taR immediate steps to see that no person is continued in the penitentiary who is shown to be guilty. This will be done at once -without waiting for a meeting of the Board of Directors. The manage ment of the penitentiary has always treated the prisoners with every proper care, and there is not a single act of my entire administration that the people of North Carolina are not welcome to know. I invite an investigation throughout from first to last. "No complaint has been heard from a single convict, though if any had been made it would have received prompt consideration and investigation." LETTER TO TIE GOVERNOR. The follnwini is the full text of th." letter addressed by Superintendent Mann to the Governor: Raleigh, N. C, Jan. 28, 1903. His Excellency, Governor C. B. Aycock, Raleigh, N. C. My Dear Sir: I am in receipt of your letter of January the 25th, enclosing a clipping from The News and Observer n reference to a movement of some prison ers from Spruce Pine to Raleigh and charging that two of them died en route and that all were compelled to undergo severe hardships. I bog to state that the report contained in the clipping is absolutely and unquali fiedly false. No prisoner who started from Spruce Pine died anywhere en rout:, although some very sick onos wto moved and arc now in the hospital at the pris on. Not only is the report untrue, but a reporter at Marion, whence this special report to the Observer was sent, inquir ed of two of the officers of the prison while at Marion if two of the convicts had not died on the way from Spruco Pine and while waiting at Marion, and was informed on two separate occasions that this report was untrue and that none had died, and by one of the officers Ehe was especially requested not to re port any such tal3e rumor to the press. It may be of some interest to you to learn more particularly of this move ment about which so many falsehoods have been told. At the last meeting of the Board of Directors of the prison it was decided to remove from the moun tains the men who had been at work at railroad building there for the past eighteen months. The company for whom wo had been working agreed that thU might be done on the 20th of January, although they greatly desired them to continue the work. Having determined upon the movement, I visited the camp, arriving at Spru. e Pine on the evening of tho 17th. While there I made every arrangement for as safe and comforta ble a movement as I possibly could. On the 20th I returned to Marion. There was at that time much ice in the moun tains, some snow, and a great deal of sleet. One hundred and eighty-five pris oners and employes left Spruce Pine on the morning of tho 21st at daylight. An abundance of provisions had been pre pared for them during their journey. Be fore leaving tho camps each man was provided with a pair of new woolen pant3, a good woolen coat, a pair of good un-der-pants, two good cotton shirt3, a pair of new shoes and a pair of new socks. All had good caps with flap3 to protect their ears. By ray directions, a single wagon and a large caldron and an ampte supply of coffee had bceu snt ahead a day previous to a point half way from Spruce Pine to Marion, with instructions to have a supply of good, strong hot cof fee prepared for the men by the time they should reach the half-way point. Four or five four-horse wagons accompanied the men, carrying blankr-ts, provisions and - such necessary articles, including extra shoes. &c.. as m:ght he needed on the trip. Tlmre were five sick men -t the camp two. of them quite sick with pulmonary trouble. The other threo while not able to work, were- still, but slightly, sick. Those who were brt slightly sick rode on the wagon; tho-, who were very were carried in th body of the wagon, which had been filled about half full with comfortable blankH None who wero at all sick were required to walk a step of the way from Sprue Pine to Marlon. M dh dr.. ;c. taken a Ionic and ad-nini?t-r. , ' men according to th- A:t , camp physician, Pr. K. H. : : had beca previously cr ed that these men rr.ivht i '; trip. Thfl dlatsr.ee fr t.i F; Marlon 5s s.!d to be t..:,:- The road, fcr the isoft -lnsly rough an I l a !, nn! ; miles before reaching U.. must undoubtedly ro tho v, -v in North Carolina, tartir.s the men reached Marion at-.-. : p. rn. tired, of cour.o; .-.; , ceived oa the way a fair!. K with n plenty of good. !-. fre and without havir.r l i : march more than two r.iib . number of mules had born ! ufo of the guard? and r. ; : one mule for every i,o v.: v. 1 th,e body arrived nt M.ir'fv. nearly all of the.e rntil o h.t 1 rendered to the convict? wV tired and the . rnployes . ?. walking. The supervisor hi T a ronvU-t on his tuci v vlt h . . 5ldrrablc pcrtkn of the- jen ; rearh'.ng Marlcn the remi ts v.; in passenger enrhes, , nnl t ado as cotnfoitaMo . Af cr ih were pltro 1 ton t!.. prisoner as glvn mi;;m r . ! cf whiskey, which Monv 1 t... much good. They n ir..-inl during the right of t!: IM-r. ; started on their jo-jnn y to...:; ;;. nt nine o'clock of tho 2Jr. 1. dred and fifteen prisoners, iff In fineon employes, stoprod a! lh ; the remainder arrived ht-ro v. o'clock on the night "of tho ::.'! ; sonally saw them di? r.;l :r r, car hore and had them upsl : made ns comfortable ns !- ;' r diately on their arrival. .Th- ' were taken at once to the hi . , .; nre still there, and 1 ;r,i hi: the doctor that all arc ii:r,!t.: tho exception of the two h t - . fering from pulmonary tic:': these, to say the least, :w r. when they h ft Spruce Pino. 0;i V the 2Cth, I wont to IIi!Il,oi- t the men left at that point, : that tho quarters provided for t!i . . not as comfortable as th.-y oush.t t i been and that the company ha i such preparation as had h n ; , upon and not wishing" ; 1 tN to any hardships that rould 1. ;i , I made hurried arrangement: ml ! : the entire camp to Halei;:h tl.it evening, although the-o men. if ! : Hillsboro, would have br n carnim than J100 a day. Here fiey at.- ; us nothing, but are costing t:s a deal. Captain J. C. Lnshloy was in : of the movement from the mount;' i; Raleigh. He has been In the . m, ! the prison for many years and (. the most intelligent and ce.mp t. n in the service. He h.ir, stated to i:.. this movement was one of th 1 t most carefully arranged as well -. of the most successful with uhi ! had ever had anything to do. 1 , : i that I can truthfully say that r movement was to bo made aia'a. I 1 of nothing whatever that I ) more than wns done for there :;!:. less it be to hire carriages am! for their transportation, and we !; ) ploy on thi ? oensmn j rai t irallv : ;' wpgons that were to be had and ;.'.! mules that were to be h.-ul in the borhood of Spruce Pine. Trusting this explanation will ! isfactory to you. I am, Yours very truly, (Signed) .T. S. MANN Stiporinten.il AEP.ESTED FOR EELUCTION. f eqnel to the Separation cf E. N Ilawn Frcm His Wife. (Special to News and Ohs.i rv r ) Hickory, N. C, Jan. 2i. - -Quite ;, ;,,, tation developed here lolay when V. ; Holler was arrested in ;i civil anio. brought by E. N. Ilawn. for th.- 1' tion of his (Dawn's) wife. Th - ;.;:.. d ' of damages asked by Tho;?. M. II;i;,' .. ; and Self and Whiiner, attorney Hawn, in their complaint, is f i v and dollars. Holler gave bon 1 for f'.: thousand dollars. Ilawn and his wife sopnrr.tM b'eit year ago and Ilawn brought suit ii--'.--her, naming Holler as co-res-.r ;, . . . few days ago Holler returned Iron I-; diana, where ho has resided sic. th reparation. It is suppoacd that he :;. to testify, for the woman in the di-, ... case. Almost immediately aff'-r hi , m turn ho was arrest ed. E. II. duo : : Mayor Yount represent IloIP-r. McLEoD DIES OP BLOOD PJIlOI.'. His Companion Poyce, is Improving and roubtlfiSB Hccovar. (Special to New ar.d Obr-erv r. Charlotte, N. C, Jan. .;-. After an unequal struggle against d,;'h two weeks, O. R. M' Leod, of Lu::.! : the North Carolina medical Ktudef!;.. with his room-mate J. M. Dm; i , . Infected with septaoaomia from h ing a cadaver f.u'x-uinbod this n. :: at eight o'clock. McLcod had an abrasion on hi:-; ). and through this tho pr.5'-;on from corpse was conveyed to his l.k.o-1. M poison developing In twenty four , Every remedy known to rncdi.-;il .s' including tho now famous formalin ;." ment was tried but in vain. Th v -o of tho deceased student roar-hid '' lotto this afternoon and v ill ) t through to his home tomorrow f',r u ment. It was accompanied by v fellow students who aetod as an - -Boyce who was similarly inf.- t - ; the same moment Is improving i ). and is believed to be out of ,.,;:- r. Richmond Pearson, tho T'r.it Minister to Persia, arrived in yesterday. d CELEBRATED Eotjr Etcrnn- Indigestion, J-ys.p psia, ':'jft& ..T- Malatn, Ft-vr " L.. . ana gac, 7" t22y remedy i -. fea stomach :v 0 m M v Give il k 'i i i: 4 XV, X