Report of the Proceedings OF THE Tnvestlflation of the gbarges BROUGHT BY JUSTICE WALTER CLARK AGAINST DR. JOHN C KILQO, President of Trinity College, Durham, N. C. MADE BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF TRINITY COLLEGE, August 30 and 31, 1898, Together with Certain Correspondence and Proceedings Preliminary Thereto WITH AN APPENDIX. DURHAM, N. C: iHK Edtcator Compaxv, Printers and Binders. 1S98. ;^.!-m^:?^;i^».« Report of the Proceedings OF THS Tnvestidation of tbc Charges BROUGHT BY JUSTICE WALTER CLARK 1S4^- 1=12.^. ^\1 AGAINST •ZT^ DR. JOHN Cf KILQO, ^ ^^cAos^j . President of Trinity Colles:e, Durham, N. C. MADE BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF TRINITY COLLEGE, August 30 and 31, 1898, Together with Certain Correspondence and Proceedings Preliminary Thereto. WITH AN APPENDIX. durham, n. c: The Educator Compaky, Printers and Binders, In Exchange Duke University AUG 2 9 1934 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page. Correspondence 1-22 Meeting of Trustees, July 18 23-41 Beginning of Investigation, August 30 42 Witnesses for Prosecution 53- 72 Depositions for Prosecution 72- 86 Witnesses for Defense 99-102 Depositions for Defense 102-138 Prosecutor's Opening Speech 139-140 President Kilgo's Speech 141 Prosecutor's Closing Speech 157 Verdict of the Board . . 160 Report of Special Committee 161 Appendix 163 SUPMRVISORS' NOTM. The undersigned were appointed by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of Trinity College to supervise the publication of the proceedings of the investigation of the charges of Judge Clark against Dr. Kilgo. The stenographic reports of each meeting were made by Mr. D. W. Newsom, official stenographer of the Board. These notes have been printed without emendation or addition, so that the public might see for themselves all that was done. J. S. Bassett, R. L. Flowers. Durham, N. C, September 17, 1898. The Investigation of the Charges of Justice Walter Clark Against Dr. John C. Kilgo. The charges made by Judge Clark against Dr. Kilgo go back to the meeting of the Board of Trustees of June 7, 1897. C)n that occasion Dr. Kilgo, in his Report to the Board, made the following suggestion, as is shown in the minutes of the meeting: I. That the law which requires the election of the Faculty every year be so changed as to elect them not oftener than every four years, if, indeed, any time limit should be fixed, other than the faithful discharge of duty. This should not refer to the election of a new member of the Faculty. He should always be put on probation till he proves his fitness for permanent election. The report was referred to a committee, Judges Clark and Mont- gomery and Dr. Swindell. The committee reported non-concurrence on suggestion I., Judge Clark explaining to the Board that its adoption was liable to lead to legal entanglements. Concurrence on the other suggestions of Dr. Kilgo was recommended and then the Report, vnth the exception of suggestion I., was adopted as a whole and ordered spread on the minutes. For further evidence on this point, see the testimony of Dr. Brooks, Dr. Creasy and Revs. F. A. Bishop and A. P. Tyer, in the proceedings of investigation of August 31, 1898. About the end of June, 1897, the following correspond- ence occurred between Dr. Kilgo and Judge Clark : President's Office, Trinity College, Durham, N. C. Judge Walter Clark, Raleigh, N. C: Dear Sir:— I have recently heard that since the meeting of the Board of Trustees you remarked that my motion to elect professors for a four years' term, was really an effort on my own part to secure the presidency of Trinity College for a longer term. I am not disposed to believe this rumor, yet I think it but just to you, as well as to myself, to inform you of the rumor. If it is true, I would be very glad to know upon what basis you made the statement. I trust you are all well. Yours truly, (Signed) Jno. C. Kh^go. [5] [6] Raleigh, N. C, July 1, 1897. Rev. Dr. Jno. C, Kilgor Dear Sir: — Yours to hand. Whoever made the report to you has evidently misconceived what I said. I did not say what you state. But I have no objection to saying what I did say, if you will give me the name of your informant. Truly yours, (Signed) Walter Clark, President's Office, Trinity College, Durham, N. C. Judge Walter Clark, Raleigh, N. C: Honorable Sir: — Yours of recent date has been received. Prof. R. L. Flowers, of Trinity College, informed me of the statement to which I called your attention. I will be very glad to get this matter corrected, as it is of importance to me personally. Yours truly, (Signed) Jno. C. Kilgo. Raleigh, N. C, July 2, 1897. Dr. John C. Kilgo: Dear Sir : — Yours to hand. Does Prof. Flowers say that I had such conversation with him ? I have no recollection of any talk with him on the subject. If so, let him state time and place, so I can recall what was said. I have not the slightest objection to stating what I said about any matter that you feel any interest in, but I wish to know the party who states the conversation, that I may recall exactly and fully what I did say to him. I feel sure I had no talk with Prof. Flowers that could bear that construction, and he can certainly refresh my recollection by stating time and place, if I did. Most truly yours, (Signed) Walter Clark. President's Office, Trinity College, Durham, N. C. Judge Walter Clark, Raleigh, N. C: Dear Sir :— Yours to hand. Prof. Flowers did not tell me that he had had any conversation with you on the matter involved. He simply stated that he had heard that you made the statement to which I referred in my first letter. Rev. N. M. Jurney, who had heard of your making the statement, told me on yesterday that he understood that you made it to Mr. J. Gr. Brown. I have not seen Mr, Brown, nor have I commu- nicated with him concerning the matter. However, the only matter which concerns me is, whether you impugn my motive in making the suggestion to the Board of Trustees to elect Faculty for a longer term; All this is very painful to me, and I would be glad to have it cleared up. Yours truly, (Signed) Jno. C. Kilgo. Raleigh, N. C, July 7, 1897. Rev, Dr. John C. Kilgo: Dear Sir : — Yours to hand. I wrote you directly in reply to your first letter that the party, whoever he was, had misconceived what I said, but if you desire to know what I said I should state it, if you would say who alleged he had the conversation with me. It now turns out that Prof. Flowers told you that he heard that Rev. Mr. Jurney heard that some one else said that I had told Mr. Jos. G. Brown something like it. Thi-s is too much like ' 'the three black crows. " [7] Mr. Brown and I are fellow -trustees. As such I had a conversation with him. I did not understand that it was usual for such conversations to be repeated. In that conversation I did not use the language you state. But if you are curious to know what passed in a private conver- sation between two members of your Board, let Mr. Brown state, if he wishes, what it was. If it differs 'from my recollection in any way, I will point it out, and then you will be in possession of a private conver- sation and my personal views as fully as it will be possible for you to get information. When I wrote you in my first letter that what I had said was miscon- ceived, and when you discovered further that whatever was said was not publicly, but in a private conversation between two Trustees, whose privilege it is to discuss the management of the College in fullest freedom and confidence, I should have thought that you would have seen the propriety of letting the matter standi But if you wish to investigate private conferences between Trustees, and Mr. Brown wishes to repeat to you, I shall give you frankly and fully what I said. Most truly yours, (Signed) Walter Clark. You are at liberty to send a copy of this to Mr. Brown if you wish to pursue the matter. Trinity College, Durham, N. C, Judge Clark, Raleigh, N. C: Honorable Sir : —Your last letter has been received. I confess a great degree of surprise at what you have to say in this letter, as well as in your former letters. I do not think I am guilty of any impropriety in corresponding with you concerning this matter. I am quite capable of distinguishing between the business of the Trustees and an impeach- ment of my personal character. It is not the function of any Trustee, under any circumstance, to malign my character by impugning my motives. This is the question w;hich has been at issue and is still the question, I do not feel that I am called upon to work for any man or men who set so little value upon my personal integrity as to charge me with sinister motives. From all I have been able to learn, I regret to say that the original report has been confirmed. Let me assure you again that I am not concerned with any discussion you may have had, or may yet have, concerning the business manage- ment of Trinity College ; but at the same time I assure you that I will never submit to any Trustee assuming guardianship over my personal character. I do not so understand their duties. I regret this whole matter, and hoped in the beginning that it might be easily adjusted, but you have not seemed to be disposed to be generous in your treatment of it. No doubt you remember the time and place of your conversation. I leave you to settle that. At my earliest opportunity I will lay the matter before the Trustees for their decision. Yours truly, (Signed) Jno. C. Kilgo. Raleigh, N. C, June 14, 1897. Br. John C. Kilgo: Sir : — Yours to hand. Its tone impliedly asserts that it is a very gi'ave misdemeanor not to entertain for you the same good opinion which you hold of yourself. In conversation with another Trustee I told him of your growing unpopularity, and I expressed my thankfulness that the Trustees had defeated your recommendation which would have made you irremovable [8] for four years. Your recommendation that the Facultj^ should be elected for four years, was unheard of and unnecessary. You made no exception of yourself from its provisions, and as men are presumed to intend the consequences of their own acts, I inferred that your motive was to do exactly what your recommendation would have done (if we had adopted it), i. e., given you, as well as the professors, protection from removal for four years. The growing opposition to you, which has become intense with many, in the tobacco section especially ; your reported speeches attacking the honesty of silver men (who constitute nine-tenths of the white men of North Carolina) ; the attacks you have made on the State University ; the quarrels you have managed to get up and keep up with Dr. Kings- bury, Rev. Mr. Page, Mr. Webster and others, have created antagonism which must shorten your stay, unless you are protected by a four years' term or some influence not based on public esteem. I am sorry that your energies are so little occupied that you are even now seeking to add a controversy with myself to your amusement. The attempts of Northern multi-millionaires to capture by gifts and endowments the control of the education of the children of the people, has created a sensitiveness on that subject in the public mind". The charges in the public prints, however, intimating that the consideration of the gift by members of the Tobacco Trust to Trinity was that the youth there were to be proselyted and taught political heresy foreign to the faith of their fathers, would have had small effect with so just a people as ours, if, by your parade of your gold standard views (which must have an untoward effect on the minds of the young men in your care), and your reiterated and ostentatious assertions of your superiority to public opinion had not given color to their charge. If your persever- ance in that line of conduct shall deepen in the public mind suspicion into conviction (however unjust it may be in fact), wealthy syndicates may give you money, but the public will not send you boys. In 1868 the State University had behind it the State Treasury and the then dominant political party, but it failed, because the public opinion of those who furnish college students was against it. You may think, however, you can carry it over an adverse public sentiment. You will know better after you have tried it. I regret to write you this. Your administration promised success, and you ought to have won it with less ability than your friends credit you with possessing. I do not understand your threat to lay my views before the Trustees, but as you somehow seem to think that the Board has jurisdiction of the offense, my \dews are herein plainly expressed, that there may be no controversy as to what they are. (Signed) Walter Clark. After this correspondence nothing further transpired till June 6, 1898, when Dr. Kilgo, as he had notified Judge Clarke in his last letter, brought the matter before the Board of Trustees. The following is all as the minutes of this meeting show on the subject: Dr. John C. Kilgo rose to a question of personal privilege and read the following correspondence between the Hon. Walter Clark and himself. [See correspondence, — pp. 5, 6, 7 and 8.] [9] Rev. G. A. Oglesby moved that a committee of three be appointed from the Board to request Jndge Clark to tender his resignation as a Trustee of Trinity College. Rev. F. A. Bishop moved to amend by declaring the place of Judge Clark as Trustee vacant. After remarks by Rev. N. M. Jurney, J. G. Brown and Rev. G. A- Oglesby, Rev. T. N. Ivey moved that the whole matter be referred to a committee of five to investigate and report back to the Board, which motion after remarks by Col. E, J. Parrish was carried. The -chair appointed Rev. G. A. Oglesby, Col. G. W. Flowers, Revs. W. C. Wilson' F. A. Bishop and S. B. Turrentine, committee. . Following are the minutes of June 7, 1898. The Committee on Correspondence between Judge Walter Clark and Dr. John C. Kilgo, submitted the following report : We, the committee to whom was referred the matters of correspond- ence between Dr. J. C. Kilgo and Judge Walter Clark, after careful consideration, respectfully submit the following : Resolved, 1st, That we re-affirm our hearty endorsement of Dr. J. C. Kilgo and his administration as President of Trinity College, and pledge to him our continued support. 2d, That we deprecate and condemn the Vincharitable and unfair spirit manifested by Judge Walter Clark in his correspondence with and charges againg Dr. J. C. Kilgo. 3rd, That" we hereby, in the light of ample evidence, positively affirm that Judge Clark's charge against Dr. Kilgo as including himself to be elected as President of Trinity College for four years, which was to secure for himself "protection from removal for four years," is not only unsupported, but is actually contradicted by facts. 4th, That it is the sense of the Board of Trustees that Judge Walter Clark ought to resign as Trustee of Trinity College. G. A. Oglesby, F. A. Bishop W. C. Wilson, G. W. Flowers, S. B. Turrentine. After remarks by Col. E. J. Parrish, Rev. G. A Oglesby, S. B. Tur rentine and F. A. Bishop, on motion the report was adopted. Moved by Rev. N. M. Jurney that the Secretary be directed to send Judge Clark a copy of the report of the committee which motion was carried. The following statement appeared in the Charlotte, N. C, Observer^ June 25, 1898. JUDGE CLARK'S RESIGNATION AS A TRUSTEE ASKED FOR. It is learned in Charlotte that a controversy by letter has recently been in progress between Judge Walter Clark, of the Supreme Court, and Dr. J. C. Kilgo, D. D., President of Trinity College, and that at a meet- ing of the Trustees of the institution last week, Dr. Kil o laid the carrespondence before the Board, asked for an investigation of the charges brought by Judge Clark, and stated that if they were sustained [ 10 J his resignation would be forthcoming. The investigation was made, the result being that Dr. Kilgo was sustained and that the resignation of Judge Clark as a member of the Board of Trustees was requested. The Raleigh News and Observer^ June 26, 1898, con- tained the following correspondence given out by Judge Clark: Trinity College, Durham, N. C, June 15, 1898. Hon. Walter Clark, Raleigh, N. C: My Dear Sir:— At the annual meeting of the Trustees of Trinity College, held June 6, 1898, the correspondence between Dr. John C. Kilgo and yourself was referred to a committee who made a report on same, and I was instructed to send you a copy, which please find enclosed. Respectfully, V. Ballard, Secretary of Board of Trustees. The following is a copy of the report enclosed : [See p. 9.] . . To this the following reply was sent : Raleigh, N. C, June 17, 1898. V. Ballard, Esq., Secretary, etc.: My Dear Sir : — Yours to hand yesterday. It contained the first notice I had of the appointment of the committee or of any investigation by it. "Will you please inform me at whose instance the committee was raised, and as it had 'ample evidence' for its conclusions will you inform me what witnesses went before it, what documentary evidence was pre- sented, if any, and if any argument was made before it except on Dr. Kilgo's side. You will please state whether the report of the committee was adopted by the Board. If it was, kindly give me the names of those voting on it and if there was no roll call, please give me the names of those actually present at that time as far as you can recall them. The re-election of Dr. Kilgo is evidence that the majority of the Trus- tees (certainly a majority at least of those present) were of opinion that he is a fit person to carry on the college, as the chief agent oi" servant of the Board, I belong to the minority on that question, but I am not aware of any provision of law that authorizes the majority, or any portion of them to censure me for my divergence of views on that subject or request me to resign. As the committee must have thought they had such authority, will you please cite me the provision under which they acted. I am sorry to put you to so much trouble, but it is so unusual among North Carolinians to pass in judgment upon any man and condemn him in his absence, without notice and without opportunity to be heard, that I would be glad of any information you can give me from your records or from your own knowledge as to this very remarkable transaction. Believe me, with very great respect, Walter Clark. P. S. — If there is any of the above information which you cannot give, by sending a copy of this letter co each of the committee possibly they can furnish it. [ 11 ] The following reply was received : Hon. Walter Clark, Raleigh, N. C. : My Dear Sir ; — I beg to acknowledge receipt of your favor of the 17th and duly note contents. In my first letter to you I failed to inform you that the report of the committee was adopted, and now inform you it was. The Executive Committee will meet one day next week. I will then submit your letter to them, and write you further. I have the honor to be, yours respectfully, V. Ballard, Sec. After the committee met the following letter was received : Hon Walter Clark, Raleigh, N. C: My Dear Sir :— At a meeting of the Executive Committee of Trinity College, held yesterda3^ I submitted to them your letter. It was the opinion of the committee that your letter required no further answer, you having already had copy of the report of the com- mittee appointed by the Board of Trustees. I have the honor to be, yours very respectively, V. Ballard, Sec. To which the following reply was made : Raleigh, N. C, June 25, 1898. James H. Southgate, Esq. , President Board Trustees Trinity College : Dear Sir : — I am in receipt of Mr. Ballard's letter in which he informs me that your Executive Committee declines to permit him to give me the information I requested. As a Trustee I have a legal right to any information contained in the minutes and I should have thought as a measure of courtesy and of just dealing to one who had been afforded no chance of being heard, that you would have given me the fullest information as to all proceedings affect- ing myself even that not reduced to writing. If any portion of the Board of Trustees had stated to me in a Christian spirit that it was unpleasant to have a difference between Dr. Kilgo and myself and that it would smooth matters if I would resign, I would cheerfully and promptly have done so. I had no intention of such a wish from any one. On the contrary, at Dr. Kilgo's instigation a com- mittee is appointed, I am given no notice, no chance to put in evidence, nor present an argument, I am tried, found guilty and requested to resign. When I even then ask for the names of the witnesses and the nature of evidence, and the names of the trustees who voted against me so that I may see what weight is to be given to their wishes and if there was a majority present, lam abruptly told I am entitled to know noth- ing but the verdict. Then in addition to that, this morning information is given to the public, through the Charlotte Observer, that I have been asked to resign. The motive which actuates such proceedings is too plain to need com- ment. A verdict obtained by a jury appointed at the instance of the prosecution without any evidence or argument except from that side, and no opportunity to me to give any, and with refusal subsequently of all information as to the proceedings, will command no respect from any impartial or intelligent man. I shall give no weight to it and shall decline to accede to any request based upon it. • I think I know the 185,000 Methodist people in North Carolina, with whom I was raised and among whom I have lived all my life, well enough to say that the}^ will give no weight to proceedings conducted in [ 12 J snch a manner They will at once divine who "ran" the proceeding® and that the motive was not the good of the college nor the vindication of justice, but to gratify the wounded vanity of Dr. Kilgo, and vengeance on the man who had ruffled it. As there were expressions in my letter not gratifying to those who make their millions by illegal trusts (at the expense of the toiling masses) there were doubtless some who felt it was necessary to propitiate them by condemning, unheard, the man who had been bold enough to let it be seen he did not fear "injustice, though wrapped in gold." I would have resigned as I have said, if requested in a proper spirit for the good of the college. But if a trial had been instituted on and oppor- tunity given, I could, and would, have laid before the committee, evidence that should have satisfied an impartial body of men that I was justified in every word of my letter of the 14th of July, 1897. For eleven months I heard not a whisper about that letter and then on the 15th of June, 1898, I am suddenly informed I have been tried, found guilty and asked to resign for having written it. In his letter of July 13th, Dr. Kilgo stated that he would lay my conversation with Mr. Brown before the trustees, but I was aware they had no more jurisdic- tion to pass upon it than to try a law suit between Dr. Kilgo and mj'-self , and I did not dream, no one would have dreamed, that if the Board assumed jurisdiction any committee would try the matter without giv- ing me notice and opportunity to produce evidence — but that was the last thing Dr. Kilgo intended I should have a chance to do. This proceeding, Mr. Southgate, was not instituted for the benefit of the college. It was palpably done to soothe Dr. Kilgo 's vanity and to placate the Trust that more money might be obtained from it. None know better than yourself that the Trustees had no jurisdiction of the matter. I was not elected by them. I was their peer. If the Board are judges I was one of the judges and not subject to them. At the meeting of the Board a year ago a resolution to endorse the Common School System of the State was introduced. You spoke against it. You said that it was contrary to primary right to tax one man to educate the children of another ; that ' 'if a man would admit he was a pauper you would contribute as charity to help educate his children, and you would contribute to educate orphans who were paupers, but you protested against being taxed for the common schools ; that it was socialism, and you would not pander to such sentiments. ' ' 1 think I quote your exact language. You said more, of course, and eloquently and strongly. To the credit of the Board, the resolution was adopted over you, but such language, coming from the President of the Board of Trustees of Trinity College is more calculated to damage the College than my views of Dr. Kilgo, expressed to him in a private letter. If the Trustees have juris- diction of the views of its members, why did they not try those utterances and repudiate them by requesting you to resign ? Recently Dr. Kilgo, in an affluence of sycophancy, led a procession to the house of Mr. Duke, and in a public speech extolled him as the greatest man the State had ever produced, and as superior to all the sacrifices of blood and treasure the State had ever made; that in com- parison with his gift of money, the primacy at Mecklenburg, the thousands who had offered up their lives at Moore's Creek, at King's Mountain, and all these years down to Cardenas, were as dust in the balance. In substance he said: "My Lord Duke, Give Us Money and Your Name Shall Be Exalted Above All Names." This deification of wealth — no matter how obtained — is not Christian education. This is not the language, these are not the thoughts, which a college president should teach his pupils. How much personal gratuity had so grateful a man received ? Why did the Board not try him ? You have jurisdic- [ 13 ] tion of him. He is your elected servant to manage under your supervi- sion this great institution, which the Methodist church in North Carolina has placed in your hands. Dr. Kilgo's reputation in South Carolina was that of a wire-puller, of the ward politician type. His performances in this State have justified his reputation. Length of years has not reformed him. He was a short time in Tennessee. One of the most distinguished members of our church in that State (not a layman) said to me: "We know the fellow w^ll. He is a scrub — a scrub politician. " If your committee wanted information, I could have given it to them. Dr. Kilgo did not intend they should have it. He got up the prosecution He put in the evidence. He gets the report to suit him ; my respectful request for information as to how it was all done, is denied, and then it is promptly advertised to the public that I have been requested to resign. Trinity College has put forward its claim for patronage that it creates Christian character. Is this a specimen of it ? Do you expect Trinity to succeed when, as is now well known, that no man can remain as a Trustee who is not acceptable to this creative of the Board, who assumes to be its master ? Can it oommand public respect when the language and conduct of its President would make it an annex to Duke's cigarette factory — an asset of the trust through which boys may be educated in due respect for the superiority of great wealth, when acquired through a trust over the sacrifice of life by thou- sands (who had nothing else to offer) at the call of their country. I do not believe that any considerable portion of the board voted for the resolution, and that few of those, if any, outside the Duke-Kilgo syndicate, knew the violation of the elementary principles of justice by which it had been obtained. To the honest, fair minded, intelligent people of North Carolina, and especially to the people of the honored church of which I have been a member for over thirty years, I am willing to submit this matter, and I will accept their verdict — not vours. Yoiws truly, (Signed)" Walter Clark. In addition to this correspondence the following inter- view was published in the same issue: We asked the Judge how the matter began. He said : "At the meeting of Trustees a year ago Dr. Kilgo brought in a report in which a paragraph instantly arrested my attention This paragraph recommended that the Faculty should be elected for four years, instead of from year to year as usual. I opposed that recommendation, and it being referred to a committee, composed of Judge W. J. Montgomery and myself, we recommended that that paragraph be not adopted, and it was voted down. A few days later, having visited the tobacco belt and heard the adverse criticisms of Trinity College under Dr. Kilgo's management, I mentioned the matter to Mr. Joseph G. Brown, and said : 'You see now we were wise to vote down that recommendation of Dr. Kilgo to give him a term of four years. ' Mr. Brown asked if I thought that was Dr. Kilgo's object, to which I said that the recom- mendation was broad enough to embrace the President, and from what I knew of Dr. Kilgo's previous reputation and his course in this State, I thought he had not intended to leave himself cut — or words to that effect. ' 'This was a conversation with a fellow-trustee, and I expected to hear no more about it, but some 'Ransey Sniffles' got hold of it, and I received a letter from Dr. Kilgo asking if I had used such expressions. Desiring [ 14 ] no controversy, I replied, asking his informant. After some correspond- ence. Dr. Kilgo wrote that it was a conversation with Mr. Brown. Still desiring to avoid a controversy I wrote that what passed between Mr. Brown and myself was a private, not a public, conversation, was between us as Trustees about college matters, was not intended to injure him, and that he ought not to press the matter. Then Dr. Kilgo wrote a peremptory letter winding up by threatening to lay the matter before the Trustees. To this I replied : [For letter, see page 7.] 1^0 the letter which Judge Clark wrote to Mr. Southgate (see p. 11) that gentleman replied as follows: Durham, N. C. June 28, 1898. Judge Walter Clark, Raleigh, N. C: Dear Sir — Responding to your favor of the 25tb inst., you will recall being present at the June, 1897, meeting of the Trustees when the Presi- dent's report was referred to a sub-committee consisting of yourself, Judge Montgomery and Dr. Swindell. The first recommendation in this report was "That the law which requires the election of the Faculty every year be so changed as to elect them not oftener than every four years, it in- deed any time should be fixed other than the faithful discharge of duty. This should not refer to the election of a new member of the Faculty. He should always be put on probation 'till he proves his fitness for a per- manent election." One of the Trustees moved that the President of the College be included in this recommendation, but the motion was with- drawn at the request of Dr. Kilgo. Your committee reported non-con- currence on this item of the report, "Judge Clark explaining to the Board that its adoption w^s liable to lead to legal entanglements.'' Dr Kilgo promptly arose, explained his motive in making the lecommendation, which was to avoid having the members of the Faculty in suspense as to their election from year to year, and gracefully consented to a withdrawal of the suggestion because of the light you threw on it from a legal stand- point of observation. In all other particulars the report was concurred in and adopted as a whole and ordered spread upon the minutes In the organization of the College, its literature, in the method of approach to and disposition of this matter, there appears to be no real way to con- found Dr. Kilgo, the President, with the Faculty, or to misconstrue the benign effort of one in behalf of the other. You will further recall that later in this June, 1897, meeting, along towards adjournment, a resolution was adopted by a rising vote, you voting, cordial I3' approving and endorsing the efforts of the Faculty, especially of Dr. Kilgo. the President of Trinity College, in behalf of higher Christian education with a pledge to encourage and aid them more actively and unitedly in the future than in the past. This meeting of the Trustees was harmonious, pleasant, in which all, including yourself, ap- peared to take an active, intelligent interest. Within three weeks of adjournment reports reached the President of the College which were calculated to damage him personally and, if true, the institution which he so ably represents, the nature of which is set forth in the correspondence which follows and with which you are con- versant. [For this correspondence, see. pp. 5, 6, 7 and 8..] From this correspondence opportunity abundant was given to deny or retract, and failing to secure either, the inference was clear that you [ 15 ] meant what you said and said what you meant, whereupon the President of the College notified you in his last letter thit at his earliest oppor- tunity he would lay the matter before the Trustees for their action. In your letter of July 14th you acknowledge this notice, enlarge and empha- size the criticism, and plainly express your views that there may be no controversy as to what the}- are. You were present in the meeting of the Board when the- order was passed that its regular meetings shall be held during commencement week at the call of the President; and the Secretary of the Board informs me that he sent to you, in common with all the other members of the Board, a notice of the June, 1898, meeting, so that with your acknowledgment of the notice given by Dr. Kilgo, that this personal matter would be brought before the Trustees, and the filing of your view^s in full — that there might be no misunderstanding as to what they were, with the further notice that the Board would meet Monday, June 6th, 1898. the Trustees cannot be blamed for your absence or the absence of additions of amendments to the writlen bill of complaints against Dr. Kilgo. The Trustees met June 6th. 1898. according to call, and the following were noted present : Rev. A. P. Tyer, Rev. G. A. Oglesby, Rev. J. R Brooks, D. D., Rev. W. C. Norman, Mr. V. Ballard, Hon. W. J. Montgomery, Mr. R. A. Mayer, Mr. A. H. Stokes, Rev. P L. Groom, D. D., Mr. J. H. Southgate, Mr. E. J. Parrish, Rev. S. B. Turrentine, Mr. B. N. Duke, Mr. W. H. Branson, Mr P. H. Hanes. Rev T. N. Ivey, Rev. N. M. Jurney, Rev. F. A. Bishop, Mr. W. R. Odell, Dr. W. S. Creasy, Mr. J. G. Brown, Col. G. W. Flowers, Prof. O. W. Carr, Rev. W. C Wilson, Rev. J. B. Hurley. Two Trustees had died during the year, one had removed to another Conference, one was infirm and could not come, another was out of the State; so that out of a possible thirty-one, there were twenty-five present. When opportunity presented, Dr. Kilgo rose to a question of personal privilege, the right enjoyed by every member of a deliberative body, stated his grievance, read the correspondence between himself and you, and on motion the said correspondence was referred to a committee of five worthy men — rrien who perhaps rank second to none in North Caro- lina — in according to you honor, respect and fraternal devotion, namely: Revs. G. A. Oglesby, F. A. Bishop, W. C. Wilson, S. B. Turrentine, and Col. G W. Flowers, which reference resulted not in a trial of yourself, as you seem to think, but the investigation of statements that you had made concerning another, and if any one was on trial it was Dr. Kilgo. Neither of you appeared before the committee, which, after a careful considera- tion of the correspondence, herein referred to, brought in a report to the Board of reafiirmation and a hearty endorsement of Dr. Kilgo and his administration, with the pledge of continued support; a deprecation and condemnation of the uncharitable and unfair spirit manifested by you in your correspondence with and charges against him; a positive affirmation, in the light of ample evidence, that your charges against him as includ- ing himself to be elected as President of Trinity College for four years, which was to secure for himself • protection from removal for four years," were not only unsupported, but actually contradicted by facts, and the expression of the opinion that you ought to resign as a Trustee of the College. These conclusions, in the form of resolutions, sent you by the Secre- tary. Mr. V. Ballard, were read, discussed and carried, there being only one dissenting vote. Three of the Trustees are known to have been absent when this committee's report was adopted. One was sick, two others left the afternoon before and arrived too late to take part in the proceedings the following morning. Your request for data, made of the Executive Committee through the [ 16 ] Secretary, Mr. Ballard, could not then be granted for the reason that so far as you were concerned the case was considered closed until something else appeared. Your every complaint against Dr. Kilgo has been inves- tigated with the result as announced to you and to that you were referred. Concerning the publicity given to the subject through the Charlotte Observer, and in which you find justification for publishing your letter in the papers, the following telegrams are submitted : Durham, N. C, June 27, 1898. Mt . J. P. Caldwell, Editor Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, N. C : Item in Saturday's issue of Observer concerning Trinity College and Judge Clark was not authorized by our Board. Will you kindly inform me by wire at whose instance or on whose information the item was based. J. H. South gate. President Trustees, Trinity College. Chari^ottk, N. C, June 27, 1898. /as. H. Southgate: See to-day's Observer. It is enough for me to say that item "Clark's resignation asked" was furnished without procurement or even knowledge of anybody connected with Trinity. J. P. CaIvDWETX, Editor Observer. Respecting the question of jurisdiction: First. You will admit the right of a deliberative body to investigate charges against its members. Second You will admit the right of our Board to deal with Dr. Kilgo, an employee of the Board. Third. By reference to section three of the College charter you will find that no person can be elected a Trustee by the Conference till he has first been recommended by a majority of the Trustees at a regular meet- ing; and that the Trustees shall have power to remove any member of this body who may remove beyond the boundary of the State or who may refuse or neglect to discharge the duties of a Trustee. If a failure to respond to that part of your letter which refers to the political opinions or the professional or business calling of any one or more members of the Board should cause you to think there is an unpar- donable degree of weakness and infirmity and a species of tyranny mani- fest in the life of this beloved institution, let it go at that. The record fails to show where any one connected with it has suffered or been dis- counted for opinion's sake in matters of public policy. This record speaks for itself no less than the meritorious work the institution is doing, and this, after all, is and should be the standard by which it will be measured. So judged, it is not to succeed; it is pronounced a success. Already the pride of North Carolina Methodism its phenomenal growth has attracted the admiring gaze of the church at large. It courts not honor nor popu- larity save as these may come through right thinking and right acting. With assurances, if such be necessary, that such an institution may be depended upon to defend the character of the man who bears its standard before the people from the mountains to the sea against unjust and un- warranted attacks by whomsoever made. Very truly yours, J. H. Southgate, Pres. Board Trustees, Trinity College. [ 17 ] ■ To this letter Judge Clark made the following reply: Raleigh, N. C, June 30, 1898. J. H Southgate, Esq., President Board Trustees: Dear Sir — The day of miracles has returned: "The dumb are made to speak." Information abruptly denied to me has been (in part) conceded to an outraged public opinion, but with so little clearness that the miracle was hardly worth working. Your theory of defence, that it was Dr. Kilgo and not myself who was on trial, does credit to your ingenuity, and w^ould be convenient if cor- rect. The verdict and judgment show w^ho was intended to be tried and condemned. Read your resolutions: "We, the committee, to whom was referred the matter of correspond- ence between Dr. John C. Kilgo and Judge Walter Clark, respectfully sub- mit the following: ^'Resolved 2. That we deprecate and CONDEMN the uncharitable and unfair spirit manifested by Judge Clark in his correspondence with and charges against Dr. Kilgo. ''Resolved 4. That it is the sense of the Board of Trustees that Judge Walter Clark ought to' resign as Trustee of Trinity College." If I was not on trial, then without a trial you deprecate and '"condemn" me, one of your associates, and find that I have been guilty of beinf "un- fair'' and "uncharitable." If you did not find me guilty, upon what w^as it that you based your other resolution that I "ought to resign ?'' I would like to be informed. If only Dr. Kilgo was on trial, the resolutions ex- pressing your satisfaction with him would have ended the matter. But when you go further and condemn me you either did so by trial without notice (as I complained) or without any trial, as you now assert, which is making the matter worse. I notice you deny none of the material points of my complaint, (i.) Though the telephone in the building in which your committee sat is immediately connected with the telephone in ths court-room in Raleigh, where I was, and three trains a day went from Raleigh to Dur- ham, no summons, nor even a whisper ever came to me, in that or any other way, during your session of three or four days, that I was being inves- tigated and condemned. It will not do to say that I because I knew the Board would be in session that I was "constructively', fixed with notice that Dr. Kilgo 's threat to lay the matter before the Board would be follow- ed by my trial and condemnation. As well say that because every citi- zen of the county knows when court will meet, that when one man says to another "I will lay the matter before the grand jury," that the latter can be sentenced by the Jury, without notice and without chance to offer evidence or argument. (2.) You give no excuse why, on my application, after judgment, you refused me even the limited information you now give the public. (3.) You have shown no jurisdiction in your Board to sit in judgment on me. And if your only object was to endorse Dr. Kilgo, did he want a "whitewashing" only, for it is nothing more when no one is given a chance to be heard in opposition. (4.) If your Board is empowered to sit in judgment on the views of its members, you do not answer why it did not try your views on matters of public importance as well as my private views as to Dr. Kilgo. (5.) You say nothing as to the laudatory declarations of Dr. Kilgo that the possessor of wealth, who gives money to the college which pays his salary, is the greatest possible object of respect. These degrading views are not proper to be taught college students in North Carolina without re- buke and I know the Board by its silence would not be taken as endors- ing them. These things you do not answer. [ 18 ] As to the new matter, that after Dr. KilgcT introduced the recommen- dation for a four years' term, that in reply to my obiection he stated ver- bally that it did not embrace himself, I solmenly aver I never heard it. "The written word abides,'' and proves the fact I asserted. The recom- mendation in his report, is broad enough to embrace the President, and if he did not wish to include himself, why did he not exclude himself. If he made that verbal exclusion of himself why did he make no reference to it in all his correspondence with me and leave it unasserted till now? In my first letter to him I stated that the conversation was miscon- ceived for my rerhark was not as to his motive, but upon the fact that it would have given him a four years' term, and that we were wise to vote his suggestion down. To Mr. Brown's query, I had said, I "didn't think he intended to leave himself out." In a desire to avoid a squabble with him I wrote him it was a private conversation and that he did not have it reported to him exactly right. It is his own folly that he misunderstood my repugnance to controversy as awe for his importance. In reference to the advertisement of the matter by the Charlotte Ob- server, the information did not go from me, it must have gone from some one cognizant of the action of the Committeej Who was it.-* I recall to your attention a statement in that publication which throws a flood of light on the "true inwardness of this matter." Says the Charlotte Obser- ver article: "Dr. Kilgo laid the correspondence before the Board, asked for an iflvestigation of the charges brought by Judge Clark and stated that if they were sustained his resignation would be forthcoming. The investigation was made, the result being that Dr. Kilgo was sustained and that the resignation of Judge Clark was requested." Now look, without prejudice, at the letter of July 14, 1897, which is the only letter which can be construed 10 make any charges. What are they? Read it again, I pray you. i. That Dr. Kilgo seemed to think it an offence for me not to have as high opinion of him as he had of himself. 2. I admit- ted I had said that '-owing to Dr. Kilgo's growing unpopularity it was cause of thankfulness that the Trustees had defeated his recommenda- tion which would have made him irremovable for four years (as any law- yer looking at the report will say would have been its legal effect) and that I inferred that he intended just what his recommendation would have accomplished, if it had passed. 3. That his quarrels with Dr. Kings- bury, Rev. Mr. Page and others and his reported speeches assailing the honesty of silver men would shorten his stay unless he was protected by a four year's term or some influence other than public esteem, and that if he progressed further along that line, wealthy Syndicates might give him money; but the public would not send him boys. Read the letter over and that is all you can find in it. Yet that is the letter whose charges the committee find on "ample evidence" were not sustained, under Dr. Kilgo's threat to resign if they did otherwise, and for writing which (at Dr. Kilgo's insistence) I am convicted of high treason and requested to resign. There are many most excellent men on the board. Thej^ did not scru- tinize this matter. Your letter shows you did not. Dr. Kilgo has satis- fied the Board that he is the only man who can get big donations from the cigarette trusty that he is the only man who can "milk the cow" and when the awful threat was made that if he was not "sustained" they would lose their milker, he was "sustained" and I doubt if one in tea of the Trustees ever noticed the other part of the resolutions "condemning'' me or that it occurred to them that they were committing the injustice of passing in judgment on an absent man, without a hearing or an oppor- tunity to be heard. It is true there is wide complaint among the public that the cow makes her milk by eating up the collard patch of other peo- ple and that it is against the law for her to run at large (for both State [ 19 ] and National law declares trusts illegal) but then the milk is good and you have kept your milker. It was unjust to condemn me without a hearing, but then barbarian that I am, I ought to have said nothing to irritate the feelings of this artist in milking, whose touch is so soothing and irresistable and whose services are so indispensable. In the days of glorious old Dr. Braxton Craven the college did not find an employee of that kind necessary or desirable. It stood broad-based on popular support, and though it was remote in the forests of Randolph, his number of students ran up to a higher figure than we can now boast, with all our magnificent '"plant" and endowment. He turned out sturdy, self-respecting, young graduates who have been an honor, a blessing and an ornament to our Church and State. Such sentiments as we now hear did not then echo from the President's chair. I would that we could look upon this like again. Yours truly, WaIvTer Clark. The following interview with Dr. Kilgo was given to a representative of the press on July 2, 1898: "I have read the interview with Judge Clark and the letter from him to Mr. Southgate. I have also read Mr. Southgate's reply and think it covers all the points of which the trustees had cognizance. In this matter from the beginning till now, I confess I have been unable to understand Judge Clark. I had regarded him as a man of ability and sincerity, and felt that he would act in fullest sincerity at all times with an employee of any board of which he was a member. In my dealings with the Trustees I have always tried to be frank and clear ; so when some of my professors expressed distaste to annual elections, and knowing that Wofford College w^ith which I was connected when I came to Trinity, elected its Faculty for a term of four years, I suggested such a change to the Board. One of the Trustees moved to include the President in the suggestion, and I objected to the amendment. Judge Clark objected to the proposition oh the grounds of possible legal en- tanglements, and I w^ithdrew the proposition. The Trustees did not vote on it. I never once questioned the frankness of Judge Clark. Shortly after his action Judge Montgomery presented resolutions in which was expressed confidence in me and my work, and pledging to me and the Faculty the more earnest support of the Trustees. These resolutions were adopted by a rising vote. Judge Clark voting. Of course, I felt gratified at. this expression on the part of those under whose authority I work. In about three weeks Professor Flowers said to me that he had Ijeard that Judge Clark said that I recommended to the Trustees the election of the Faculty for a longer term in order to secure the Presidency for a longer term. I was pained at the rumor, and could not think it true, believing him a frank and sincere man. I felt sure that he would have faced me with it then and there, and saved the church and college from 'a trickster,' but nothing of the kind was intimated, so far as I ever knew. Then the Judge had stood up, thus casting his vote for the resolutions commending me. He is also a prom- inent member of the Methodist church and as such I felt sure he would .not speak any evil of a Methodist preacher, or any other preacher, unless he had just grounds, and in that case he would prefer charges in the regular way, and being a Supreme Court Judge, he would be too prudent to start such a rumor. So when I wrote my first letter to him. I said, 'I am not disposed to believe this rumor, yet I think it but just to you, as well as myself, to inform you of the rumor. ' You remember in his first letter tome he said, T did not say what you state.' But 'I have no objection to saying what I did say if you will give me the name of your informant. ' • [ 20 ] "The tone of this reply to my letter gave me to understand that he had said something, so at once I gave him my informant. In the Judge's interview, published in the News and Observer, he says : 'After that it was a conversation with Mr. Brown. ' This is not the fact as you will see by reference to our correspondence as published in your paper. I did not know that Mr. Brown had any connection with it, but wrote him immediately that Professor Flowers had told me. At that time no one had spoken to me about the matter, except Professor Flowers. As soon as I learned through Mr. Jurney that Mr. Brown was connected with it, I wrote the fact to Judge Clark. I regret that the Judge, who is ac- customed to handling testimony, overlooked this fact. To my surprise his reply to my second letter did not bring what he had said, and which he promised on condition that I would give him my informant. I com- plied with his condition, he did not. In the meantime I heard more about the matter, the Judge having carried his criticisms of me to men not even members of the Methodist church, much less of the Board of Trustees. I began to feel that he was trying to injure me for cause unknown to me. In my third letter I said; 'Professor Flowers did not tell me that he had had any conversation with you on the matter involved. He simply stated that he had heard that you made the state- ment to which I referred in my first letter. Rev. N. M. Jurney, who had heard of your making the statement, told me on yesterday that he understood that you made it to Mr. J. G. Brown. I have not seen Mr. Brown, nor have I communicated with him concerning the matter. ' In reply to this, July 7, the Judge says : 'It now turns out that Prof. Flowers told you that he heard that Rev. Mr. Jurney heard that some one else said that I had told Mr, Brown something like it. ' This is too much like the 'three black crows. ' This was such a distortion of what I had written that I became confirmed in the thought that Judge Clark did not intend to be generous and fair toward me. He tried to put me in the light of intruding myself into a private conversation about the affairs of Trinit5^ This I denied in my fourth and last letter, and being a servant of the Trustees, whose duties bound them to protect me against unfair dealings as well as to protect the college against a 'trickster,' fair dealings demanded that I should tell the Judge that I would refer the matter to the Board, and I did so tell him in my last letter to him. This seemed to enrage him, and he sent me a type-written letter, copies of which he also sent to other members of the Board. In this last letter he charges me with what he said in his first letter, that he had not said, and added new charges. I have been unable to get these contradictions adjusted in my mind, however ; other people may have no trouble with them. He knew I would bring the matter before the Board, as I had stated, for this was the statement that seemed to inspire his last letter. I knew as well as he knew, that he was not to be tried by the Board, nor did it ever occur to me that he was tried, till I read his interview. I consid- ered myself on trial before the Board for a charge which he had made. "I regret that he was not present at the last meeting of the Board, nor can I understand why he did not attend, as I had announced to him that I would lay the whole matter before the Board at my earliest oppor- tunity. In his interview and his letter to Mr. Southgate, he says that he has sufficient evidence to prove his charges, and he also intimates that I received a gratuity for the speech I made on Mr. W. Duke's porch the night of a serenade inspired by Mr. Duke's gift of $100,000, and charges that I am a low order of a politician. Yet he did not put in his appear- ance nor submit in any form this evidence. He was under obligations to 135,000 Methodists to save them from the calamity of a 'scrub politician ;' he was under obligations to Trinity College to protect it ; he was under obligations to himself to protect his assertions ; he was under [ 21 ] obligations to every young man in Trinity to save them; he was under obligations to society and the State, yet none of these brought him to the meeting, but he said in his interview : 'I heard nothing more about it, and had well nigh forgotten the whole matter.' How dare any man forget such sacred duties? I did not forget it, and h?.d I not put it before the Board I would now be open to the charge of having learned of these accusations and did not even attempt to have them cleared up. I think 135,000 Methodists have been badly ignored by one in whose hands they placed their institution. The Board of Trustees owes it to me and the college to call an extra session and investigate these new cJiarges. How long were you in Tennessee? Dr. Kilgo was asked. "Oh, pshaw! I never lived in any States except South and North Carolina. I do not kuow that I ever had a kinsman even that lived in Tennessee. I challenge Judge Clark to give the name of the Tennessee preacher who said, "we know that fellow. He is a scrub politician,'' "How long has Judge Clark been on the Board of Truetees? ' 'He was elected May, 1892. This was at the time of the reorganization of the college. He was re-elected in 1895. ' 'How much has the American Tobacco Company, donated to the college? or any trust?" "Nothing so far as my knowledge goes. Certainly nothing since I have been connected with the college. The chief benefactors of the college since I have been connected with it are, Mr. W. Duke, Mr. B. N. Duke, Mr. J. A. Cuninggim, Rev. N. M. Jurney, Mr. W. R. Odell, Miss Anne Roney and a number who have donated smaller sums. While on this subject I wish to say that I do not quite understand the attitude of Judge Clark on the gifts of Mr. Duke. Two years ago Mr. W. Duke donated $100,000 to the endowment and the Trustees meeting, June 27, 1897, the following resolution was adopted by the rising vote, Judge' Clark being present : "Resolved, That as a Board of Trustees we express to Mr. W. Duke our high appreciation of his practical interest in the cause of education, and in Trinity College espe.cially. We tender him our heartfelt thanks for his large benefaction, and invoke the benediction of the Giver of all mercies upon him. (Signed,) F. D. Swindell, J. Gr. Brown, J. H. SOUTHGATE. "That, it seems to me, would have been the proper time to enter a protest but the Judge did not make this protest. If therefore the college is iinperiled by these donations let Judge Clark blame himself as a Trus- tee as the Trustees accept all gifts and not the President. ' 'The Judge never opposed in a meeting of Trustees any gift made to the College, so far as I have any knowledge. I do not understand why he attempted to make before the public so much out of these benefac- tions, and yet assists the Board to fasten these calamities on the college. "I notice that Judge Clark in his letter to Mr. Southgate quotes you as using very strong language about Mr. W. Duke in your speech on the night of the great serenade. He charges you with saying in effect: 'My Lord Duke, Give Us Money and Your Name shall be exalted above all Names,' "'- the reporter said. Dr. Kilgo made this reply : ' 'Of course I did not use such language nor did T ever have such thoughts. It was not in the progi-amme for me to speak, but the students called me out and I said among other things, 'North Carolina is the first in very many things. American independ- ence was born in North Carolina, the first Confederate soldier was from North Carolina, the first man killed in the present war was from North Carolina, and North Carolina justly claims the greatest Southern phi- lanthropist. ' So far as I know Mr. Duke has made the largest gifts of [ 22 ] any Southern men. I wish to say to yon that Mr. W. Duke has always impressed me as a quiet and pure man, always thinking kindly of his fellow man, and faithful to his church. He is always interested in whatever his church enterprises." '•Do you teach the 'goldbug' standard at Trinity? was next asked Dr. Kilgo. ' 'No, we teach no political doctrine here. Personally, I have no connection with any subject that involves economic questions. "I am very busy these days as I have an immense amount of building and other improvements on my hands. Trinity is planning for a for- ward movement among all educational lines, and every member of the College is full of enthusiasm. I wish I had time to show all the work we have proj ected. ' ' [ 23 ] OfRcial Stenographic Proceedings of the Meeting of the Board of Trustees of Trinity College^ July i8, 1898. Mr. Jas. H. S«uthgate called the Board to order and the session was opened with prayer by Mr. Hurley, after which the Secretary called the roll. J. H. Southgate, A. P. Tyer, B. N- Duke, Walter ^lark, F. A. Bishop, Jos. G. Brown, G. A. Oglesby, V. Ballard, E. J. Parrish, W. H. Branson, W. R. Odell, J. R. Brooks, W. J. Montgomery, S. B. Turrentine, W. S.. Creasy, O. W. Carr, R. A. Mayer, N. M. Jurney, T. N. Ivey, J. B. Hurley, W. C. Wilson, Dred Peacock, and J. N. Cole. Dr. John C. Kilgo, President of the College, was also present. Mr. Southgate then read a telegram from Col. G. W. Flowers, explain- ing his inability to be present; also one from Rev. Mr. Norman. The minutes of the last regular meeting were dispensed with by motion to that eiFect. The following call for this special meeting was read by the Secretary : Durham, N. C, July 7, 1898. At a called meeting of the Executive Committee, the following motion was unanimously adopted: "That the President of the Board of Trustees be requested to call a meeting of the Trustees of Trinity College, at such time as he may deem best, to consider and determine all matters pertaining to charges made by Justice Walter Clark against Dr. John C. Kilgo." The President appointed Monday, July 18, 1898, 5 o'clock p. m. as the time of meeting, and the Secretary was instructed by him to notify the Trustees of the same. V. Bali^ard, Secretary. My Dear Sir and Brother: — Pursuant to the above, I hereby call and earnestly request you to be present. The matter to be decided is one of great importance to the college and a full attendance is desired. The meeting will be held at the Duke Building, Trinity Park. V. Bai,i.ard, Secretary Board Trustees Trinity College. Mr. Southgate, in a word of explanation, said: "This institution is not wrapped' up in the life of any one of us, but in all of us combined. We meet not to gain anything nor to lose anything; we meet not for what might be considered the ordinary selfish view of things. The life of the institution is too sacred for any view of that sort. The meeting is called in sincerity, and for the purpose of honestly dis- charging our duty as Trustees of the College and of the Church. We are not, as an institution, compelled to succeed in anything; we are compelled to do right. We are not compelled, a single one of us, as President or as [ 24 ] member of the Faculty, to be popular, but we are compelled to be true and right and noble and generous and just, so that in the life of the insti- tution which is to be here when all of us are gone, it is very essential and important that he who leads in the duties may see that we were truly guarded custodians, and that we honestly seek to do what is right, just, true, pure, good, and that we propose to be clear in our purposes in these things before all men and before one another. We want in the institu- tion's life, government and management, to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly before God, and to be fair and right at all times. So it is in the range of this spirit that we meet this evening, and I should think it is now in order to proceed to the business for which we .are called together. I would infer, according to the method of trial of the Church, that the easiest and best method for reaching this business, would be to appoint a committee of investigation which shall hold its sessions in the open Board as here assembled, and have, upon the part of the Board, some one appointed to prosecute these charges, to bring them to your attention fully and completely, that there may be nothing hid, nothing covered, but that all the light that it is possible for us to get. may be brought out. So that if it is in order I would appoint the committee, consisting of Mr. Odell, and Mr. Bishop, and Mr. Cole, to conduct the investigation." Mr. Wilson asked if it was right for that to be put in the form of a motion. Dr. K11.G0: I would like to knov/ under what law you appoint that committee. Mr. SouTHGATE: Page 115 of the Discipline. I know of no better and no wiser and more lawful way than what is laid down there. Dr. KiivGo: I recognize that I have no province for objections to any member of the committee. I regret, however, that you have appointed Rev. Mr. Cole on that committee, because before the investigation is over I will be forced to call upon him for some evidence, and it would prob- ably put it in on awkward position to have a witness and a juror in one person. Mr. Cole: Mr. Chairman, I think it is proper for me, under the circum- stances, to ask you to excuse me and put on some other brother. Mr. OgIvESBy: I don't see just the drift of your plan. What will be the duty of that committee? Can the body adopt or reject the report of the committee ? Mr. SouTHGATE: I think you will read in that section the province of that committee, pro and con. Mr. OgIvKSBy: Yes, I know what an investigation committee does, and what is understood by it. Suppose you have the investigation and then appoint a committee. I hesitate always in differing from your judgment, but it seems to me that it would be wiser to investigate by a committee of the whole. If there should be a trial necessary, then we have to go over all this trial and have it again. It seems to me that we could go over and make up our verdict and then the committee could be used. Still the Board of Trustees have finallj^ to say what the verdict shall be. We have to make up a verdict from hearing the testimony of the Trustees. Mr. SouTHGATE: While at the same time I believe that the mode of procedure in some instances should be like that set forth in the discipline, and we might hold a preliminary investigation, where a committee ap- pointed for the purpose, should make the investigation right here before us, and if their verdict be such as to call for a trial for suspension or ex- pulsion, then we may go into that phase; but I may be mistaken. [ 25 ] Mr. Brooks: What if the committee should report that this committee is not necessary? It seems to me that we could consider this matter by the committee as a whole. Mr. Cole : I think there was one point overlooked, and that is the ac- tion that takes place under a Presiding Elder. This is a matter not in the ministerial relation, but as President of the institution that has called us together, and the action under the discipline would take place under the Presiding Elder. Dr. KiLGo: The defense makes this point, that the accusations are of such a nature that, if established, must necessarily bring a vei diet against him that involves all his ministerial character, and not only his relation to this Board and institution, but his relations to the Conference and the church. Now the defense is perfectly willing to be generous in all this matter, raise no point and make no special claims, so long as it is even in the neighborhood of the train of law in our discipline, by which men's character shall be handled, and beyond that I have no claim to make. It is a matter immaterial with me whether you do it as a whole or a com- mittee of investigation; but as repsesenting myself I am opposed to the fundamental idea, as set forth by Bro. Cole. It all comes to the same thing, and involves the ministerial character of the President of the Col- lege. Mr. Parrish: Let me make a suggestion. Sometimes matters are much more easily settled and adjusted than we think, and sometimes I say something that is misconstrued. It may be'so in this case. If satis- factory statements could be made satisfying some of the parties that it is error in the intent, it seems to me that we should try and adjust these matters in a satisfactory way. Exhaust ourselves on those lines before we move out on other lines. To be plain, there was a charge of the in- tention of Dr. Kilgo to include himself in the Faculty, when it was pro- posed that they should be elected for a term of four years. Judge Clark says that he heard no mention of Dr. Kilgo's excepting himself Might not the matter be easily put to right. I take it that these gentlemen seek to do the right, and if that explanation should be made satisfactory to me I would be ready to make amends, and I do not see why such could not be brought about here. Mr. Tyer: We cannot take up the character of Dr Kilgo here as a minister of the North Carolina Conference, but we can take up any accu- sations made against him, involving the college, as we are its custodians and he our servant. But I do not believe we can take up claims under the regulations of the discipline. I ma}* be wrong. Let Judge Clark make good his assertions and Dr. Kilgo present his defense. If he es- tablishes his charges we know exactly w^hat to do with Dr. Kilgo. Dr. Brooks: I move that we proceed as a committee of the whole. Dr. Kilgo: Does the defense understand that if you go into the com- mittee of the whole that it will have a right to call upon members of this Board for testimony? This is very vital to him. "Yes, certainly," (the Board replied in concert.) Mr. OglESBy: My main reason for making this suggestion was that first of all the Board of Trustees has finally to say whether these charges are true or untrue. We cannot say, then, second-handed. We have got to get this testimony before we can settle matters. And then I had an idea that if we had a committee simply to determine, that some brother might make the complaint that some brother did not get before the [ 26 ] Board; and I should like to hear everything on both sides myself, if Dr. Kilgo does not object. Dr. Kii,Go: This is a matter of indifFence to me. The motion as previously made prevailed The committee was appointed as a whole. Mr. Creasy: I would like to ask Mr. Parrish one question, whether there had been any suggestions made looking to a compromise? At the request of the Chairman, the Secretary read the letter, first, addressed to Rev. L. W. Crawford addressed to Mr. Southgate. The following are the letters: Durham, N. C, July ir, 1898. Rev. Dr. L. W. Crawford, Greensboro, N. C.: Dear Sir and Brother: — In your editorial column, issue of Wednes- day 6th instant, N. C. Advocate, under the heading "Silence Seems a Duty" reference is made to what has been styled the Clark Kilgo Contro- versy. Please review the following sentence which appears in this editorial item: "We are satisfied that there are many material facts that have not yet been made public that will throw much light upon the matter" and if you are aware of any facts or* have any advice which will go to establish charges Judge Clark has made against Dr. Kilgo, it is earnestly desired that you should appear at the meeting of the Board of Trustees Trinity College, Monday afternoon, the i8th instant, five o'clock in the "Duke" Building and testify in the investigation proceedings which will then be in progress. The Board is clear in its purpose to employ no man in any capacity whose character is not worthy the fullest confidence a^nd will appreciate your presence and evidence in revealing the material facts which we are led to infer you have which will give light to them on this matter. Yours, (Signed,) J. H. Southgate, President Board Trustees, Trinity College. Greensboro, N. C, July 13, 1898. Hon. James H. Southgate : My DeXr Sir and Brother —You letter of the nth instant has been received and contents noted. The paragraph in the last issue of the Advocate to which you call my attention has no reference to any facts in my possession, but to statements I have heard made in the last two weeks. I learn that the Trustees are in possession of information that has not been made public, also that Judge Clark has facts to prove his assertions that are not in possession of the Trustees. I have seen no statement from Mr. Brown, in regard to the alleged conversation with Judge Clark and before I wrote the parau;raph referred to had been told that the Trustees would have a called meeting for further investigation and deliberation. Under these circumstances, I felt that before I or others could do jus- tice to all concerned additional-information was necessary Personally, I very much regret the whole matter, and sincerely hope you can devise some plan to adjust it. There is a division of sentiment and much feeling in regard to it and unless great prudence and wisdom are exercised, I think, there is trouble ahead. I have been under a hot cross fire for two years and would like to have rest for a while. Wishing your divine guidance in your delicate and difficult work. I am, fraternally, L. VV. Crawford. [ 27 ] Dr. Kii^Go: Do I understand that you put that in the testimony ? Mr. Southgate: Well, sir, I gave it to show what had taken, place in the interlude. I wrote one letter to Kilgo, one to Clark and one to Crawford. You and Judge Clark are here to answer your letters in per- son, and that is the letter in answer to Bro. Crawford's. Dr. K11.GO: Sir, when I was cited to appear before this Board I under- stood that these charges were by Judge Clark. There was included no charge made by Mr. Crawford. Now I understand that you are going to investigate charges that were made in the Advocate, and that this is your evidence. I want to be satisfied on that point. Mr. Southgate: Well, sir, I will read the report of the Board. The extract was read, beginning, ''We are satisfied that there are more material facts that have not been made public, etc." Dr. KiivGo: Then I understand, Mr. President, you simply cited him as a witness. Mr. Southgate: Yes, sir. Mr? Oglesby: Bearing upon this controversy ? Mr. Southgate: Yes, sir. Mr. Ballard read letter from Mr. Southgate, President of Board of Trustees. Mr. Southgate: Gentlemen, you will indicate your method of pro- cedure now please. I will entertain your motion. Dr. Ivey: I would like to know also if there was not a letter also sent to Dr. Kilgo? Mr. Southgate: Yes, I will state the substance. It was a direct call to him and was worded almost like the one addressed to Judge Clark, except that I changed the verbiage. The only difference was the verbal change in two letters. Mr. Bishop: It seems to me that the proceedings would be forjudge Clark to substantiate these charges separately and bring his evidence to sustain it. It seems to me that this would be be the better plan to get through with it. Mr. Ivey: I move, sir, that that letter be filed as part of the proceed- ings. The motion was carried. The following is the letter referred to: Durham, N. C, July 9, 1898. Dr. Jno. C. Kilgo, Trinity Park, Durham, N. C: Dear Sir: — The Board of Trustees of Trinity College will meet the i8th inst., in the Benefactor's Parlor of the Duke Building, at 5 o'clock p. m., for the purpose of investigating accusations against the President of the College, through the public prints, by Judge Walter Clark, of Raleigh, N. C. Among other accusations, your attention is called to Judge Clark's statements that you wished to evade the evidence he had against vou; the speech which he quotes you as making on Mr. Duke's porch, and other references to this speech; your reputation in South Carolina; your residency and reputation in Tennessee, and your record in North Carolina. [ 28 J It is earnestly desired that you present to the Board, at the mentioned time and place, in person or in writing, all the evidence you have in contradiction of these accusations. Very truly yours, J. H. SOUTHGATE, President Board Trustees, Trinity College. Mr. Bishop made a motion that Judge Clark take up each charge sep- arately. The motion was carried. Judge Ci^ark: Mr. Chairman, I received the letter which had been read (after having read the letter which gave him notice of the meeting). In obedience to that request, and in deference to the wishes of the Board, I am present. The first time that this unpleasant controversy occurred was in a communication which, in some way, went from this chamber to the Charlotte Observer. The last was from Kilgo. In reference to the harmony of the church I did not answer it. I sac- rificed my own feelings in order that the controversy might end. Then there came this proceeding, which was the only possible means by which the controversy could be revived. In saying that I do not reflect upon your motive. I wish merely to emphasize the fact that the re-opening of the controversy did not come from me. In the statements which I-have made in regard to Dr. Kilgo, I made no statement which I did not im- plicitly believe was the truth, and which I cannot nov/ substantiate. And you all know that a very large part of what I stated could not have been observed by me. I will not stand here in the presence of gentlemen and detail private conversations and read private letters, but if you wish you shall have the fullest knowledge I can give. All I ask is that I may be given some time that I may put this in good form and give it to you. If it fails to substantiate what I have stated, I am man enough to abide the result. But on the contrary, if I prove each statement I know you gen- tlemen will be men enough to say so. You have already once voted in favor of Dr. Kilgo and against me, and I know what the result would be in this case I have confidence in your Christian character, in your integrit}^ ; I have confidence in your fairness in weighing testimony, and what I say now gives me a reasonable time to lay before you these names and statements over creditable signatures, and when I lay them on the table, if they don't prove the case, then it is for you to say whether they prove it or not. These gentlemen on whom I have to rely for evidence are scattered through three States. To lay a part of it before you would be unjust to you, to me and to Dr. Kilgo. I ought to be able to place the whole case before you, then, gentlemen, you can pass upon it. The following is the letter to Judge Clark referred to by him: Durham, N. C, July 7, 1898. Judge Walter Clark, Raleigh, N. C: Dear Sir: — In your recent letters to me, given to the public through the press, there were accusations against the President of Trinity College which require investigation by the Board of Trustees. As Dr. Kilgo is an employee of the Board this investigation, which will be confined to him, is not only in order but necessary for the protection of the Trustees n their purpose to emplo)^ no man in any capacity whose character is not worthy the fullest confidence. Among others your attention is called to your statements that Dr. Kilgo wished to evade the evidence you had against him; the speech which you quote him as making on Mr. Duke's porch and other references to this speech, his reputation in South Carolina; his residency and reputation in Tennessee and his record in North Carolina. [ 29 ] The Board will meet Monday, the i8th inst., in the Benefactor's parlor of the Duke Building, at 5 o'clock p. m. It is earnestly desired that you present to the Board at the mentioned time and place in person or in writing all the evidence you have which will go to to establish these accusations. Very truly yours, (Signed) J. H. Southgate, President Board of Trustees, Trinity College. Dr. KiLGO: Mr. President, I have been arraigned before this Board and cited before you, and I appear. In so far as I am concerned, I am ready for trial; I have gone to a considerable amount of personal expense in bringing men here who could give you the facts of my past record. This is the first time I have heard of this matter. After the prosecution had all opportunities to arrange for its court, had put the accused to the trouble of preparing further court — and he always at the disadvantage — at this hour to ask a postponement of it seems strange. And if I read Judge Clark's letters correctly, as he published them, it was not testimony which he should hunt up. but which he already had; so that it is not now a question of what can be gotten in Tennessee in 20 or 100 days. What has been said to the public is already in his hands, and, so far as I am concerned, sir, I ask that the trial go on, and I understand by j^our plac- ing Judge Clark forward that he is now on the stand and now giving his testimony in the matter. Mr. Jurney: I wish to set Judge Clark right as to how this information got out. It was a mere incident. I would be the last man connected with Trinity College or my church, that would ever do anything to hurt the church, and if I ever get to heaven I expect to have the biggest lime of anybody there, because I expect to have the hardest time to get there. I was on the train with Wilson, was glad to see him, etc. He said to me, "I understand that the Trustees of Trinity College have asked Judge Clark to fesign. Hqw is that? Is it true?" He said, "Why don't you publish it?" I said, 'Tt is not the province of Trinity College to go into the papers and discuss things,' and I gave him in substance the facts without any further discussions. ''Well,'' he said, "I am going to give 'it to the papers;" and I said, "Major, don't 3^ou connect Trinity College with it because I have no desire to harm Trinity College." Now, that is the way they got it in the Charlotte Observer. The Major seemed to have a wrong impression about it, and I gave him the facts, and I cautioned him, "Now, don't you make Trinity College or anybody connected with it responsible." Mr. Southgate: Gentlemen, you have the matter before you. Dr. Kii,GO: If you wish to arraign me, I wish to deny, in toto, the accusations Judge CIvARk: I am not the prosecutor here. This Board has instituted the proceedings and I have come before you and said if you want the information you shall have it. Mr. Southgate: I think your point is well taken. Judge Clark is not the prosecutor here. He is simply a witness. You have called Judge Clark upon the stand to testify. Mr. Bishop: You, as Chairman of the Board, notified Dr. Kilgo that there were charges brought against him. Now you represent the Board, prosecuting the case, and Judge Clark is witness. The motion was that Judge Clark take the floor and bring these charges out separately. [ 30 ] Judge CivARK: I stated that I could not give this evidence now, and if you wanted it you would have to wait. The question was asked Judge Clark: "Did you not have sufficient evidence in your hands in writing these things to Dr. Kilgo?" Judge Ci,ark: Not evidence that would satisfy the Board, but that satisfied myself I said that those men who wrote to me are gentlemen, and they will furnish this evidence if you will give me time. Mr. Jurney: In these various charges, ought there not to be some that he can deal with now ? Judge CI.ARK: None that'I know of, sir. Mr. Jurney: We are crossing the stream with this college. We have been in the storm ever since I was a boy. Mr. Ogt.ESBy: Mr. Chairman, if I understand this question, this is a Court of Inquiry. We are investigating certain charges which have been made We are doing that in the interest of our college, for which we are responsible. All the parties to this whole question have been duly noti- fied to appear here at this time, and give all information they have. I am clear that it is not our business to wait. It is not justice to our college or to anybody else. If a man has made statements which he cannot verify, it is not our fault. With all deference to everybody connected, I think we have nothing to do but to proceed. Judge CIvARK: I have made no rash statements, sir; if Dr. Kilgo wants me absolved without that evidence, you may proceed as you choose. I said I have not got the evidence, but I can get it Mr. Bishop: It seems to me that you ought to have had evidence that you could use, before you put those statements before the public. And now if we are to allow you further time to get your testimonj-, then I think you should provide Dr. Kilgo with copies of the letters received. Dr. Kilgo: Mr. President, at this point I would like to have Dr. John O. Wilson recognized as assistant counsel for the defense. Mr. Bishop: I would like to ask Judge Clark how long before he would be ready. Judge Clark: At this time of the year it would be hard to say, but I should say thirty days. The usual time in court is three months. Dr. Kilgo: I would like to ask Judge Clark who are the witnesses by whom he expects to establish this. Judge Clark: I will give them when the proper time comes. Mr. Creasy: I think it was very unfortunate that our esteemed brother should have made so many charges, which have set^ everybody on their heads, and yet has not the testimony to establish his statements before this Board. If it was not sufficient to bring it before this Board it was certainly cruel to put it broadcast. I am perfectly willing to give him the time, but I think it is unfair, now in the vacation with this thing still abroad. If John C. Kilgo is such a man as these statements put it, then we ought to know it and put him out and get another. I believe that is just and fair. Mr. Tyer: In view of these statements here, it seems to me very strange that the Judge should want further time or evidence. There is Dr. Kilgo's letter saying that he would bring the matter before the Trustees. (Reads letter.) Now we clearly infer that the Judge had the evidence. I main- tain that if he had the evidence to arraign those great charges against Dr. [ 31 ] Kilgo, he has evidence enough to establish them here this evening. And I am sure that the difficulty is that which belongs to that class of men who seek to accomplish their ends. If it was evidence to make Judge Clark sign his name in a public letter, then we ought to have the evidence here, which is more private than when stated in the papers; and what we want to know are the facts in the case which the Judge had when he wrote. If he can starve this whole country and kill Kilgo, why I am perfectly willing that he should do it. If he had evidence enough to write on those matters and give to the world, then he ought to give it here. Mr. Peacock: I would like to know whether Judge Clark, in the nine days he has had', did not have time to get the evidence of which he speaks. Judge Clark: I could have produced the other; these matters which are now being investigated are entirely new matters. That letter was in regard to matters when you all tried and condemned me. I say if you don't want the evidence, all right; but if you want the evidence, then give me time. I will give you legal evidence, affidavits of parties stating facts. If you want it, all right; if not, all right Gentlemen. I am powerless in your hands; if you want this matter investigated, it will be done if you give me time to proceed. But if it is your purpose to shut it off, you have the matter in your hands. Mr. Oglesby: I confess to 3'ou that a statement like that is very unfair and unkind, that it is "our purpose to shut it off. ' Our purpose in proposing to go on is not to shut off the evidence that would go to sub- stantiate the statements which he has made; so that if you have any- evidence in the original charge which he made, then we are ready for that. I do not wish to take advantage of anybody. I have been accused by people who know me ver}^ well, of being abrupt and plain and earnest, but I have nev^er been charged by anybody that knows me, with being unkind or unfair, and I think that when the State makes a charge against a man it is supposed to be ready; when an individual makes a charge against a man he is supposed to be read}', else he should not have made it. We are right on the eaves of our next opening, to publish to the world that we are waiting on a man who has made charges against our President What does all that mean ? Just simply to say to the public: "You had better wait and see whether you can afford to send to Trinit}'^ College. Upon the presumption that the State is supposed to be ready. I think we should go on and have this testimony. It is perfectly proper for the Judge to bring evidence at any time. Mr. Bishop: I would like to ask if Judge Clark could not be ready for this in ten days. We have a great many telegraph lines and mails, and certainly he could get his testimony together in this time. Judge Clark: I think I have stated my own time. I have no desire to postpone the matter beyond what is necessary; but I don't want to come here again. I will have no excuse to say I want more time. Mr. Jurney: I have no fears that Trinity College will be hurt at all by giving more time. There are some people who are praying for you, and there are some hoping that this will kill Kilgo. But I have faith in this Methodist college, and I believe that it will live till time is no more. I have been out a great deal, and never have been embarrassed. I never have offended anybody, and I have always entertained for you the very kindest feelings. Judge. I tell you. the boys coming here have nothing to fear b}^ postponing this matter; but the enemies will go and hound it all o'er the State and say, "You would not give Judge Clark time." I would be unwilling to take snap judgments, and want to do fair and just in all things. I told them that I was going to fight for Kilgo till the}' [ 32 ] knocked every Jtooth out. Everybody knew that I fought, bled and died for Craven, When I can't be loyal to my church, then I want to get out of it Dr. KiLGo: I make this point, that the College put the names of these witnesses through which Judge Clark hopes to establish his charges. We are to decide the very point at issue now Now certainly there can be nothing in withholding the names of the parties through whom he hopes to establish his accusations. It may turn out that some of those parties are in Durham, in Raleigh, in Greensboro. Certainly there can be but one in Tennessee, for only one seems to have made a statement upon which one charge was based. Certainly there can be but a number of witnesses in South Carolina; but the witnesses concerning the speech I made on Mr. Duke's porch, and the gratuities I received from Mr. Duke; the witnesses to establish my political career in North Carolina, are cer- tainly here in North Carolina, and so on through ; and that I evaded, or had no intention whatever in allowing him to present his testimony, the witnesses are right here in this room who saw the other investigation; so I don't see how in the world, upon what grounds of fairness and open generosity, that he should withhold the names. Now certainly if I had violated private conversations in telling it to the public, I should take the gnat if I had swallowed the saw-mill, and would certainly let the names be known. I came before the Board as an honest, plain, Methodist preacher, in the hands of his brethren, to meet accusations which, if true, unfit me for a place among them, and so long as they stand as they are, leave grounds for an impediment in my work. I came in answer to the call of this Board, and in justice ot me; but, mark you, the court owes as much to the prisoner at the bar as to the man who makes the arrest, and if there are families and reputations on the one side, there are those also on the other. For very nearly two years I have been under this fire. It is not a thing which started yesterday. I have private correspondence showing that it has been going on quite a while God forbid that I should ever lock in my desk that which, if given to the public, will save a man's character and family. God forbid that I should ever write a word on a sheet of paper that will damage a man's character, and be unwilling for that man to see it. Now, sir, there is this other side to it. I have been a very busy man ever since commencement, but I have corresponded with men in Tennessee, and have letters that had to go to the home of parties and then be remailed. I have had time enough for that; time enough to write to Dr. Wilson and write a second time and get him here this morning; to see Dr. Creitzberg and get him here; Mr. Bass, and get him here. If it is a matter of time, I can pull the South Carolina Con- ference here for you. If any man goes into a paper and makes a positive statement, and says this man does not belong to the laity, but is a minister, and knows the party so clearly, and is so positive that the party's statement is true as to give to the public that which will defame a man, and then come here and say "I won't tell you the name of that party; I won't even give you his name," I shall ask your Board, as a matter of economy to myself and my friends, if you don't care to take testimony on your side, to please take the" testimony I have, and then I ask the privilege that at your future meetings, if I am to be dragged around, I ask you when I come, take what I have and give me the chance, if more is necessary, to get the more. This is a queer procedure. Dr. Brooks • I think it is very clear that Dr. Kilgo has a right to pur- sue the course if he wishes. Mr. Jurney: I move that thirty days be'given Judge Clark to produce his testimony, and that the Board take the'testimony of Dr. Kilgo. [ 33 ] Dr. KiLGO: I still call for the names, sir; if I am not entitled to them I want the Board to rule that way. Mr. SouthgatE: Is it the pleasure of the Board of Trustees to ask Judge Clark to furnish the names of the witnesses that he proposes to bring in ? Mr. Parrish: I want to separate the motion. Idr. Bishop: I move to amend that motion to have the next meeting of. the Board of Trustees to the 15th day of August, and by that time that ]w^?;e Clark furnish to Dr. Kilgo all the evidence he wishes to offer. Mr. OgIvESBY: I move as a substitute that we proceed to have this in- vestigation here and now. Mr. Bishop : I dislike very much to differ from him in any of his mo- tions, but it seems to me that we had better stop and get at the bottom of the facts that Judge Clark could have before us at that time; and for that reason I offered that amendment. Judge CIvARk: I don't think I could give it in that time. Mr. Bishop: We are not running on the order of civil courts. You see the College will have to open soon ; we want to get clear of this in that time. Judge C1.ARK: I come here and say if you will give me certain time I will give you th? evidence. That is all I can do. Now if you want the evidence you will simply have to wait. Dr. W11.SON: Does that not intimate that Judge Clark has made state- ments which he cannot prove ? I recollect that he said that if he had been present at the other meeting he could have defended himself, and now he is not able to prove any of them, but it comes up a new matter. Dr. Brooks: It appears to me that we could proceed to the investiga- tion by examining the witnesses who are present. I know Dr. Wilson. He is a busy man, and it is no small sacrifice and no little expense that he is here to-day, and I think that we could proceed with the investiga- tion. I think it is due Dr. Kilgo and these gentlemen. Mr. Odei.1.: I don't know, but if I were Dr. Kilgo I should not present my evidence unless the other side presented theirs. Dr. Wii^son: If yoa will permit me to interrupt you, I will say that I will come back. If it is in the interest ©f my church I will certainly come. Try not to put your meeting on Monday, for very frequently I am off on that day. Let me go just a step further. I do not know what is the practice in North Carolina, but some years ago I had some little •knowledge of the practice of law in South Carolina, and whenever a party wanted continuance it was expected that the material witnesses who were absent, that their names should be given. I have known this man here ever since he was a boy, but I think it is better for the testimony to come in its proper place. Mr. Jurney: I think I know what I am talking about when I say you would hurt the College and Methodism and everything that is good by going into this trial now. Judge Clark has asked for time, and I declare that you have nothing to fear by waiting. Now if you don't do that, those who are our enemies can talk and say a great many things that hurt. Mr. Bishop: I would like to say that if there is any postponement here I think we have a right to ask for the names of these witnesses that Judge [ 34 ] Clark proposes to introduce. We have a right to those names. Isn't that customary, Judge? Judge CIvARk: No, sir. Mr. Bishop: Haven't we a right to demand the names of the witnesses and when they are to be given ? Judge CI.ARK: The Judge has a right to refuse. It is entirely at the dis- cretion of the Judge. He can give the names, cost, etc. Mr. Bishop: I would like to know in this case who is the judge, and if he cannot demand these names. Judge CI.ARK: I can't give them now. I will just say that if you will give me time I will give you the evidence. I cannot do it otherwise. Mr. Bishop: Well, Judge, if the prisoner was before you and the names should be refused to be given, the Judge would not give a continuance. Judge CI.ARK: If these gentlemen here suspect that I am not in good faith, and if this Board suspects that I am not in good faith . . . Mr. Bishop: I was just bringing up this suppositious case in order to get at what I wanted. But it is just to the other side. Judge Clark: The Judge never requires that except when he suspects the good faith. Mr. Parrish: Now it seems to me that we should extend the time, but it does seem to me that Judge Clark should furnish Dr. Kilgo a copy of his testimony. I second Bro. Jurney's motion to give Judge Clark 30 days time, though I must say that I believe that Judge Clark is forced of neces- sity to have that time. I would like for the Judge to at least agree to furnish Dr. Kilgo at least ten days before the meeting of the Board of Trustees, copies of his testimony, if we should extend the time, but I do want to settle so that the matter can finally be adjusted at the next meet- ing; but there might be trouble because of Dr. Kilgo's ignorance of what Judge Clark may present. However, I am ready to vote to extend the time and run the risk of having to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Jurney: I say right here that it is not hurting Trinity College to extend this time. Now I don't say that to hurt anybody. I am scouring around to get money for Trinity College. I don't know whether we have prayed on this thing. I have. In my prayerful judg- rnent, we have nothing to fear by postponing this matter. I may be wrong in my judgment. I want Judge Clark to have all the advantages and everything that is fair and honest and just. It's all right. I move that the Judge be given 30 days and that he furnish Dr. Kilgo all the evidence which he proposes to bring. Judge CiyARK: The objection to that, Bro. Jurney, is that it gives me only ten days. Dr. KiiyGO: I am not a lawyer, but I know quite enough about some general principles of Church law, to know that the court has been pro- ceeding along anything than Methodist, legal lines, because we have allowed it to run free and easy — because I think that a better way to get all matters; but it is still a question with the court to decide whether those names are available or not; and I renew, sir, my call for the names of those parties, and if you give me the names I care nothing about your furnishing me the testimony. Then we will not need any ten days. I am satisfied in my own mind that some of those witnesses are in the State [ 35 ] of North Carolina, and I renew and appeal to the court to decide that matter. It is not with witnesses nor with jurors to decide this. Mr. Southgate: We have dispensed with the substitute motion. Mr. Ogi^KSBy: I made my motion for these reasons: First, that Judge Clark said he was not the prosecutor, and for the further reason that he has already . . . our Board. And so I think I am perfectly willing to put off the matter, but I do not see anything to be gained from it. But I do think that he should give us the names of his witnesses. All cases that come into court have the plaintiff and the defendant and the wit- nesses on both sides given, and I think if the time is to be extended the names should be given. Mr. Southgate: There is a motion that we give Judge Clark thirty days, and that fifteen days before the meeting he furnish Dr. Kilgo with all the evidence he secures. Mr. Parrish: I would like to amend that motion by extending the time to forty days, and that ten days before the trial, Dr. Kilgo be given the evidence. Mr. Jurney accepts the amendment. Mr. Southgate: We have now a motion that forty days be given Judge Clark, and that ten days previous to the meeting of the Board, he furnish Dr. Kilgo a copy of the evidence which he proposes to give. Dr. Creasy: I rise to offer an amendment, and that is that this time is granted that Judge Clark may procure the evidence; that his own state- ment is, tkat he has not the evidence now, and that we give him the time to get it. Mr. Tyer: What I want explained is this: He declines to be the prose- cutor. The President of the Board says he is not the prosecutor, but that he is simply a witness. Now tell me where he gets his prerogative to go around and get witnesses ? Dr. Kilgo: The defendant was just about to raise that point, and I wish it to go down as a part of this meeting, that this court has not yet appointed a prosecutor. You have summoned a witness who says from his personal knowledge he knows nothing. The court rules that this witness is in no sense the prosecutor in this case. The court then adjourns, giving the functions of prosecutor to this witness, who declines being prosecutor in any sense. Now do I understand that by this action the court appoints Judge Clark prosecutor? As a witness he knows nothing. The Board appoints him prosecutor. He denies and thl^ Board denies that he is in any such relation to the Board. Now I, simply as a matter of right, want the Board to determine his relations. Does he go out now as prosecutor, detective or witness.? Judge Clark : So far we have avoided any personal reflections. I hope the Doctor will withdraw the term "detective." Dr. KiivGo: Just as you like. Before you go further in your proceed- ings, I make this call, that you appoint some one to take depositions, and let the witnesses, such as I may think best to carry before that commis- sion, be examined. In case Dr. Wilson could not come back because of death or sickness, we would have his deposition taken by this court. That will be sealed and put in possession of this court, and will not be opened until you convene again. Mr. Oglesby: I move that the Chairman be instructed to appoint a committee to take all depositions, and that no . . . letters, or anything of that kind, be taken as evidence. [ 36 J Judge Ci^ark: That will simply cut me off. I can't go to the expense of employing lawyers. Mr. Bishop : The date we have fixed brings us to Sunday, and I think we had better fix it to the 30th day of August, (Mr Parrish moved to this day). Dr. KiLGO: Regarding these names, I still leave the responsibility on the court to mako the decision. I ask you if the motion made by Bro. Parrish met your demand, or shall it be brought up as a separate matter? I would rather have that question put before me when this other question is decided. Before any motion was made, I asked your Board to decide this question as to whether I had a rigiit to the names of those witnesses. The two witnesses that you have brought seem to know nothing; but they say that they can testify to the names of the parties who can furnish testimony. I want this court to decide whether it shall be put in possession of those names. I don't see how the court will ever get up that testimony otherwise. Suppose you appoint Mr. Oglesby prosecutor, and you send him out to get testimony, he has no names and knows not to whom to go. If for any cause your witness say, "Well, I don't care to pursue the matter any further," people will say ''It is true he did not present them, but he has them," and I will be left here in the same predicament, and I want the court to decide that question, whether I shall have the right to those names, or whether the court should have them. Mr. Bishop: Now it is with the court whether they be given, and I move that the decision of the Board be that the names be furnished. Mr. Oglesby : I move as an amendment that all testimony shall be in the form of deposition, and that all parties shall be duly notified of the time and place. Judge Clark : That will be absolutely impossible for me to do. Mr. Oglesby : I beg to say that you are not the prosecutor, and it is not your province to determine this question of the Board. Judge Clark: I will state that if that is done it just cuts off my testi- mony. I am lawyer enough not to have business enough to travel around three States and get up evidence. If you will give me thirty days I will get the evidence. I will furnish you affidavits taken by magistrates, but can't furnish you depositions. When you say that no testimony that I put in shall be evidence unless I take depositions, you simply cut me off. Mr. Oglesby: 'If you are not prosecutor why are you for putting in testimony? Mr. Tyer : Before we vote on this, I want to understand. By this motion we are to give Judge Clark time to secure evidence, and yet Judge Clark is but a witness. Dr. Kilgo is the defense; you have no prosecutor. The witness you call on declines. Now we cannot vote on this motion till we have a prosecutor and know whether the court is going to appoint Judge Clark prosecutor. This is a question of putting the matter of hunting up the evidence in the hands of one witness. This motion gives Judge Clark forty days and appoints him to get up the testimony. Mr. Jurney : I understand you have nothing else to hunt but that you have all the evidence. Judge Clark : Gentlemen, I have to return to-night, and I would like to decide this matter. [ 37 J Dr. KiLGO : I think if you will act on your resolution you will be ready then to adjourn, but I want to ask you to appoint some one to represent you in a committee to take depositions from gentlemen who are here, and I want that taken to-nignt before these gentlemen get away. Just one other point. You are losing sight, and I am satisfied you are not intending to do it — of what an awkward position you a^e putting the defense in, by not having a prosecutor, not having some party who is responsible for this. And the point which Bro. Tyer raised is a very necessary point, not only to you but to me, because I want the attitude of Judge Clark to this court settled. Mr. Cole : It seems to me that it would be proper that the motion should carry its history with it in the minutes, and should be made that Judge Clark had been before the Board and was not furnished with the evidence. Mr. Bishop: I move that Brother Oglesby be appointed prosecutor in this case. Mr. Tyer : You have decided to postpone, when there is only one side of the matter presented. I do wish, brethren, that you would recon- sider that. You are agreeing to discontinue a case here without the agreement of both sides. Mr. JuRNEY : Why can't we decide this matter right now? Mr. Tyer : You have put the whole matter of hunting evidence upon Judge Clark, who is not the prosecutor. There is a motion to reconsider the motion of giving forty days. It was moved and carried that this motion be laid on the table till a prosecutor had been appointed. Dr. Peacock : I move that a prosecutor be appointed; and that Judge Clark be appointed the prosecutor. Mr. Jurney : If there is any reason why you can't decide this matter now then why not give the reason? Dr. KiLGo : The defense has gone along in a very generous way. He will demand the right to examine every witness that the prosecutor pro- poses to bring here, and will object to any testimony that will not be brought here in a legal way. I also ask your prosecutor to meet and examine here to-night, and take depositions of Bro. Wilson and Bro. Creitzberg. and of other parties I may be able to secure. You will not give me your case, that is very evident. The defense now must put its case into the hands of the original prosecutor and original accusers. Judge Clark : So far as that matter is concerned, if Dr. Kilgo wishes to take depositions of . . . Dr. Kilgo : I object to that. I want your prosecutor to be present. Judge Clark : I cannot come here to-nignt for I must return on the night train. Dr. Kilgo : I wish to ask Judge Clark if this legal testimony is docu- mentary testimony, where there has been no possibility or opportunity for the opponent to cross-examine the witness? Is not that ex parte tes- timony? Judge Clark : I have just said that I am given thirty days, and in that time I will examine the witnesses. Dr. Kilgo : That is not the point, Judge, that this court who appoints you bears your expenses. [ 38 ] Judge Clark -. I haven't the time nor the interest in it to do it. Dr. Peacock: I think the prosecutor is incompetent ... Judge Clark : I move that Peacock be appointed prosecutor if proper. Mr. Oglesby : I move to amend that motion by striking all that part ... I do not think we can try any case where there has been no op- portunity for the facts to be fully brought out Mr. Tyer : Do I understand that when we adjourn we adjourn till 13th of August? Dr. Brooks: I would like to inquire, Mr. President, whether the mat- ter upon which we acted six weeks ago is to be brought up again? Does Judge Clark expect to produce any evidence on any other points, other than those which have been brouglat up? Dr. Creasy : I want to know something of this testimony. Is it to be sworn testimony. Dr. KiLGO : I wish to ask this question now : Is this court proposing to take the testimony of a common negro, or a common bar-keeper, or any other man in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, who probably may dislike me for my prohibition views and allow him to go before a magistrate, behind my back, and swear to a thing that he would not say in my presence, and you take that as testimony? I give you notice now, that the testimony that comes here will come here by deposition. There is no court on the face of the earth that would not grant me that protection. You have a right to send any one to ex- amine all of the testimony that I shall present. If you are so unfortu- nate as to have a prosecutor who cannot attend to this matter, you un- derstand that your court and not the defense, is to blame for it ; and I shall give your prosecutor due notice that if he fails to attend, it is your fault and not mine. I shall demand the same right to be notified with sufficient time to take depositions and cross-examine depositions. The prosecution says that without the shadow of a doubt he can prove it, and that it will be established when it is here. I propose to be there and examine those witnesses, or to have a representative who will do it. Now if you are in the predicament that you have not, and cannot get it, then it is your lookout. You have forty days, and you have that forty days at the demand of a witness, not at the demand of a prosecutor, without asking the defense whether it would suit him or not. He has had nothing to say. If my character is not worth attending to, and not worth the attention of this Board, then what is it worth? Now I want no mistake about this matter. I am willing to abide the truth before the Lord whom I try to serve, and take the consequences ; but mark you, I will not abide half truth, and I will not consent to any body of men, or any man's drawing a conclusion on me that way. It was charged as one of the crimes of this Board it dealt with ex parte testimony. I want to call your attention to something else. You have called me here to answer for this charge, "But that was the last thing Dr. Kilgo intended I should have a chance to do." Where is the witness to prove that? That I absolutely came in here, wrought upon you terribly, and had the intention to keep your Board from get- ting all the facts. Further, he charges me with sycophancy, and lead- ing, in an affluence of sycophancy, a procession to the porch of Mr. Duke, and in a public speech extolled him, saying, "My Lord Duke, give us money and we will give you a name above all other names." Is that witness in Tennessee? That speech was made here in the bounds of Durham. I must wait, though, forty long days, and that too w^hile this witness is running from one end of the State to the other. Where [ 39 ] did he get that testimony? Who reported that speech? I stand here to- night and say that never such a word escaped my lips. But we must hunt the United States over , to find whether it is true. "How much personal gratuity had such a man received?" Where will you get your witness for that? But still I must wait forty days, and that statement must go unanswered. I declare that there is not a man that can pre- sent any testimony that will intimate anything like it. Then "Dr. Kil- go's record in North Carolina." His "performances in this State," etc. They are not claimed to have been committed outside of this State. By day and by night, in your Sunday School room and by your firesides, and on your streets and on the railroads this record has been made, and certainly my record has not been one behind the door; but I must wait forty days. ' 'He was a short time in Tennessee. ' ' Where will you get any wit- ness in the whole range of existing beings to testify that I ever lived in Tennessee? "One of the most distinguished members of our church in the State, not a layman, either." That was not said yesterdaj^, mark you ; that statement was made two weeks ago. It was made the last of June, and published then nearly twenty days ago, and it has gone all over the country. It may be just to say before that time, this man made the statement. That name is still kept a secret. This is the class of charges, sir, I am to answer, and mark you, one or two of these out of the whole eight, with witnesses possjbly outside of the State, and the crime committed outside of the State; and yet with a great deal of satisfaction that they are all true, and yet not the name of a man furnished me by this court. If that is justice then I have stud- ied justice in other schools and measured it by other standards, I do hope you will not adjourn this court with a man as your prose- cutor who can't go with rae to the ends of this earth. You do me an injustice to appoint a man who can come back to this court and say that sickness kept him from being there. I want those names, and I will be there. If you think I intend to stop this matter without being on the rock-bottom of justice, you very much mistake me. I don't want anybody to come here and say that I have misdealt with them, and I hope that you clearly understand me now. Judge Clark : I decline to accept the position, I give no reason. Make the most of it. Mr. Branson : I think that a very cowardly thing in Judge Clark. Judge Clark : Mr. Chairman, I come here as a gentleman to be treated as a gentleman, etc. Mr. Tyer: I hope this court will not put it upon the Judge if he says he can't accept it. Mr. Peacock .- I said that of course I thought Judge Clark would be the proper man to prefer charges, and I wish to state th^t when I said somethmg about his inability I had no reference to the Judge's ability but as to his time to look after it. Motion that Mr. Oglesby be made prosecutor was carried. , Mr. Oglesby : As Dr. Kilgo wants a thorough investigation of the matter in a short time, I would like to have Mr. Ivey as assistant. I renew my motion to strike out that part which says that Judge Clark shall have ... Dr. Kilgo ; There is a very important point in that, because if you say you put the defense in the lead ... [ 40 ]. Mr. Tyer: I move that Judge Clark be respectfully requested to give to the prosecutor the names and postoflQces of those parties from whom he proposes to get testimony. The motion was carried. Mr. JuRNEY : I move that the prosecutor and his assistant be empow- ered to appoint any one to assist in taking depositions. Dr. KiLGO : I wish to notify you now, that at nine o'clock we will take the depositions of Dr. Wilson and Dr. Creitzberg. Dr. Peacock : I would like for it to go on record that Judge Clark was appointed prosecutor and declined without reason. Dr. KiLGO : I wish to call your attention to this, that in taking depo- sitions for the defense, that the prosecution will be expected to appear. Dr. Creasy : Were the proceedings of this meeting to be kept secret or are they to be known to the public? Mr. Tyer : This is very important, because men have already asked me to tell them as soon as I get back. Judge Clark : T would like to know whether the proceedings here are to be kept to ourselves or to be made public? I am willing to either. Dr. Creasy : I move that the proceedings be made public. Mr. Parrish : I think that if they are to be made public it should be just what the Secretary has. Mr. Bishop: I would just like to say that some of us have only a little while, and I would rather sit up here all night long than to have to come "back. Mr. Ivey moved that the meeting be adjourned till nine o'clock. Adjournment. Night Session, 9:45 o'clock. Minutes were read and approved. Dr. Creasy : I move that the records be opened to the public. Mr. Wilson : I move that as a substitute for Mr. Creasy's motion, that the Executive Committee be authorized to prepare a statement. Mr. Bishop : At the close of our session, Judge Clark brought up the question, "shall the proceedings be public or private," and we left here with the understanding that our proceedings were to be kept quiet, and now to come back to-night and reverse this might possibly open up the way for some adverse criticism. We may let our records be open. Mr. Southgate : There is a time for such things to be made public and a time for them not to be made public. I believe something is going to be said by somebody about it. I believe what is said ought to be officially said, and if anything is to be said at all, let it be at the consent and knowledge of those about whom it is to be said. However, I am not particular about that, I am not only in favor of what we have done here being' made public, but I am in favor of publishing ten thousand copies in the Post. This is not the time to open up the proceedings. I believe the old general was right when he said, "Just keep still till you see the whites of the eyes of the enemy show, etc." Dr. Creasy's motion was carried. [ 41 ] Mr. Oglesby: Suppose a newspaper reporter asks what did you do? and we state the germain facts, would that be a violation? Mr. Parrish : I am somewhat like Mr. Tyer. Everybody knows we have had this meeting, and everybody is going to be asking about it: As for myself, nothing can ever be traced from this meeting through me. If anyone would like to know from me about this trial, I would just say that Judge Clark asked for further time, and it was granted. Dr. KiLGO : I wish to again repeat my notice, that I want to take depositions to-night of Dr. Wilson and Dr. Creitsberg, and Mr. Bass, so that the parties of the Board will be notified, and I will ask the deposi- tions to be made before Mr. Tyer. Rev. N. M. Jumey moved that D. W. Newsom be recognized as official stenographer of the meeting and all further meetings in connection with the investigation. Motion carried. The Board adjourned to meet according to the resolutions adopted. [ 42 ] Proceedings of Board of Trustees of Trinity Col- lege, Durham, N, C, August 30 and 31, Reported by D. W. Newsom, Ofi&cial Stenographer. August 30, 5 p. m. — The meeting was called to order by Mr. J. H. Southgate, President, and Dr. J. R. Brooks led in prayer. The Secretary called the roll, and the minutes were read and approved. The following were present: Rev. A. P. Tyer, Mr. J. H. Southgate, Mr. B. N. Duke, Hon. Walter Clark, Rev. F. A. Bishop, Rev. G. A. Oglesby, Mr. V. Ballard, Mr. E. J. Parrish, Mr. W. H. Branson, Mr. W. R. Odell, Col. G. W. Flowers, Rev. J. R. Brooks, D. D. , R. H. Parker, Hon. W. J. Montgomery, Rev. S. B. Turrentine, Dr. W. S. Creasy, Prof. O. W. Carr, Rev. N. M. Jurney, Rev. T. N. Ivey, D. D., Rev. J. B. Hurley, Rev. W. C. Wilson, Dr. Dred Peacock, Mr. A. H. Stokes. Messrs. P. H. Hanes and Jos. G. Brown were reported absent because they were out of the state on important business. Mr. Jurney : I move, Mr. President, that the stenographer appointed to report the proceedings of this and other similar meetings, be sworn in by a competent officer. I think this is prudent, and I presume Judge Clark has no objection. Mr. Bishop ; I second the motion. Mr. President : You have the right to do that if you so desire, but I know no one here authorized to administer the oath. If you do so, it is all right with me. I think, gentlemen, in proceedings of this kind there is nothing added by swearing, any one. He merely states facts upon his honor, and is as much admitted to credence as if sworn. But how will you get about it? Mr. Jurney : Somebody might criticise the action of the Board by saying that Dr. Kilgo appointed a fellow to report the proceedings. If I go to give testimony in the court they make me swear to it. Is it not usual, Judge Clark, for an official stenographer to be sworn? Judge Clark : Official stenographers are always sworn. Mr. Bishop : I am with Brother Jurney in that. In case of future need, if this were published, it is well for it to come from one sworn. Judge Clark, at the request of this Board, can administer this oath. Mr. President: Brethren, you have beard the motion; Is there any discussion? Mr. Creasy: I consider this a church court, and I have never known anything like an oath to be administered in such ; and I take it we are here as Christian men in the fear of God. I know that I feel that way as much as I ever did when I was trying a case in the church. An oath would put the matter in the secular field which we do not claim to occupy. I take it that the witnesses, stenographer and all these men recognized by the Board feel that way about it. It would be a straAge proceeding if we had a church trial with sworn witnesses. [ 43 J Mr. Odell : I am opposed to it. If we have the witnesses sworn then it is all right. I am on the same platform as Brother Creasy. Mr. JuRNEY: I hope that my young frieivd, the stenographer, does not think that I distrust his word. When we last met here, the news- papers published a falsehood the very next morning. I am going to do the square, honest thing, if the heavens fall. I write long hand, and some of us don't write much at all, but I want the thing square and honest, and I see no objection to swear the stenographer. But I am perfectly willing to leave it to the Board. I suggested it as a matter of caution. Mr. Wilson: If we can't trust him without swearing him, let's swear him. A fellow that will lie without path, will do so on oath. Mr. Bishop : In case a dispute should arise, it will be seen that the stenographer is sworn in by Judge Clark, and that certainly would have weight before the public. I see no impropriety in doing it. Mr. President : This Board is self governing. Swear a man if you see proper, or not swear him. So, if you favor the motion made by Brother Jurney, please say "aye.'' The motion was lost. Mr. President: It is in order, brethren, for you to arrange any pre- liminaries that you wish to arrange in this investigation. Judge Clark ; Before you proceed, gentlemen, I have a preliminary motion I would like to submit to the Board. Here Judge Clark read the following paper : "This BoUrd has met for the investigation of mattei's of fact. Its duty is similar to that of a jury. In order that its findings may have weight outside of this room, the Board must present to the world the stern neutrality of impartial judges of the facts. It is an inherert principle of justice that no man should sit in determination of disputed issues of fact who has any bias, or is in any wise interested in the result, or who has formed and expressed his decision in advance. Having myself ex- pressed an opinion adverse to the defendant I should not think of voting upon any question in this trial, and as a member of this Board, as well as in the capacity of one who has been requested by you to procure and present evidence and is therefore entitled to have it impartially weighed, I have a right to ask that no one shall vote who has formed and ex- pressed opinions in favor of the defendant, or who sustains relations to him or to this controversy, which would disqualify him as a juror. In making this demand for an impartial jurj'^ I intend no reflection upon the moral character of any one present, since the similar challenge in courts of justice is not so held. It is not a reflection upon the part3^ challenged, but a demand for impartiality. It would be no benefit to Dr. Kilgo, or to this Board, if a result is declared by those who in part or as a whole have already prejudged the case. Therefore, with the greatest personal respect I call the attention of this Board to the following facts : On June 7, this Board adopted, in my absence, the report of a committee, that ' 'after careful consideration of the matter of correspondence" between Dr. Kilgo and myself, they found me "unfair and uncharitble,' heartily endorsed Dr. Kilgo and his administration and asked me to resign. And now I am asked to lay before this Board evidence which calls in question 'this endorsement of his administration and this condemnation of myself. This is require the matter to be considered by the very jury that has once decided it and to ask you to sit in your own case and condemn your own conduct. [ 44 J This would not be permitted in a petty case involving the petty sum of $5.00 in a court of justice. N6 matter how honorable the members of the Board may be they can not be absolutely impartial in passing upon evidence calling in question the correctness of their former find- ings. Mr. Southgate says that the following 21 Trustees voted on the resolution, only one of them being against its adoption i. e. Revs. N. M Jurney, T. N. Ivey, W. C. Wilson, G. A. Oglesby, F. A. Bishop, J. R. Brooks, A. P. Tyer, J. B. Hurley, W. S. Creasy, P. L. Groom and Messrs. B. N. Duke, W. H. Branson, V. Ballard, R. A. Mayer, A. H. Stokes, J. H. Southgate, E. J. Parrish, P. H. Hanes, W. R. Odell, G. W. Flowers and O. W. Carr, all of whom have thus formally passed upon the controversy, though I have been informed that Mr. Southgate was in error as to two of those named who, it is claimed, did not vote upon the resolution. Furthermore, at the called meeting on the 18th of July I was present in consequence of your request that I aid you with evidence in the investigation begun at his instance, I presume, as he had stated in the press that he would call for it. I stated that not having laid any charges before your Board, I was not prepared with legal evidence but that if the Board would give me time I would try to furnish it, if desired. That I believed every word I had stated in respect to Dr. Kilgo was strictly and literally true, and stated nothing except upon good authority but being matters not upon my own knowledge it would require some time and trouble to get the evidence in legal shape. On his return home Mr. Joseph G. Brown, one of the Trustees stated to a gentleman (who was not a Trustee) that the entire Board was for Dr. Kilgo to a man, and against me. This expression, of a jury as to a cause pending before it would disqualify it in any court of justice. The Trustee referred to is a careful and observant man and his con- clusion agrees very nearly with my own on that occasion when I was received not as an invited witness to aid the Board in a bona fide inves- tigation but rather as if I were defendant in the cause and your Board were co-prosecutors with Dr Kilgo. Furthermore since the I8th of July at the meeting of the District Conferences, pending the investigation of this very matter whether the Board should endorse the administration of Dr. Kilgo, and while he was under investigation by you, may of this Board have voted I am informed for Resolutions endorsing Dr. Kilgo, and some of them, I am told were influential in having such resolutions passed. After, this triple decision of the issue before you, it would be difficult to convince your Board to a contrary effect, unless members who have been so decided in their convictions in favor of Dr. Kilgo are eliminated from the hearing. In addition to these, are other occasions still, in which members of this Board have expressed themsfelves upon Dr. Kilgo's side as to the matter now to be investigated, I respectfully submit there are personal reasons why several of the Board should feel themselves incapacitated to sit. Mr. B. N. Duke can not possibly, from the nature of the case, be held an impartial juror in a matter which calls in question the propriety of Dr. Kilgo's attitude in regard to the Cigarette Trust and the relations of the Duke family to this college. Rev. Mr. Brooks, Rev. Mr. Cole (and possibly others) I am told are witnesses for Dr, Kilgo and they could not be proper jurors when they are to pass upon their own evidence contra- dicted by conflicting testimony. Their own tesimony is necessarily a decision in advance against the other side, controlling their own votes and necessarily influential with those sitting with them. At the meet- ing of th'e Board on July 18th as aforesaid. Revs. F. A. Bishop and T. [ 45 ] N. Ivey, Messrs. Dred Peacock, W. J. Montgomery and possibly others were present aiding and advising Dr. Kilgo and making sug estions to him, acting as an associate counsel as it were, and it would be without precedent that they should sit as jurors; with expectation of being abso- lutely without bias in favor of the side they had counselled. If either of these gentlemen will say I am mistaken as to him I will strike out his name. Rev. T. N. Ivey has besides during this controversy indicated in the Advocate so clearly his convictions in favor of Dr. Kilgo, to whom also his relations are so well known, that I presume he will not offer to sit as a juror. Mr. Southgate, presiding oflScer of this Board, had a controversy with me, which was published in the papers, over the very points now to be decided. After such public expression ot his views, it is possible, of course, that evidence might persuade him that he was wrong and I was right, but it would assuredly require, according to ordinary human nature, considerably more weight of evidence th^n to retain him in his publicly expressed views. At the aforesaid meeting, on i8th July, Rev. Mr. Jur- ney advocated, as a matter of policy, giving time to get up evidence, and then, as if fearing his position might be misunderstood, he said to this Board, "I am a Kilgo man. I told the District Conference at Rocking- ham yesterday I was coming here to fight for Kilgo; that I should fight for him with my fingers and with my teeth, and when my teeth gave out I would gum it for him. " He is also an agent in the service of the present administration of the College. He himself will hardly contend, I should think, that he is a competent juror in the investigation of a party for whom he is prepared to "gum" it. At the same meeting, on July i8, W. H. Branson, forgetful of what was due to himself, to your honorable Board, and to myself, who was here at your request as well as in my capacitv as Trustee, used grossly insulting language to me in your pres- ence because I said I could not get. up the evidence you wished unless time was given. I alone rebuked him and further reminded him I stood here alone, one man against twenty-three. Mr. Southgate did say to me that I should be protected, but I told him I did not need protection, I could protect myself; that what I wanted was decent conduct. Mr. Bran- son is also, I am informed, an employee of the Dukes. If any one else present showed disapprobation of Mr. Branson's remarkable conduct it is known to himself. Certainly it was not sufficiently pronounced to pro- cure up to this moment any apology from Branson either to myself or to your Board, so far as I am informed. At that same meeting, on i8th of July, another of the Board, insisting that no time should be given to get up evidence, suggested that failure to lay before you evidence sufiicient to convince you of the correctness of my views might be followed by expul- sion. I think this was Rev. Mr. Tyer. If it was not he. I will be glad to have him correct me. If, therefore, failure to convince this jury that my views of Dr. Kilgo are correct is ground for expulsion, there is additional reason why I am entitled to an impartial jury, none of whom shall have formally expressed opinions strongly in favor of Dr. Kilgo and condemna tory of myself. It is true that the letter of the President of your Board announcing this investigation and requesting me to aid with evidence says "the investiga- tion will be confined to Dr. Kilgo,'' but on the former investigation, though both Mr. Southgate and Di. Kilgo say that he alone was on trial, yet in some unaccountable way the verdict and judgment were rendered against me. Therefore, as a member of the Board — as one invited by you to lay evidence before you, and as one whom one of your Board has threatened with expulsion if the evidence is not sufiicient to convince the Board (and therefore sufficient to change the views of those members who have expressed opinions favorable to Dr. Kilgo), I demand a right which [ 46 ] the justice of the English speaking race has always and everywhere granted to the humblest — a fair, unbiased and impartial jury in the ascer- tainment of the facts — and that each member shall be examined whether he has formed and expressed an opinion as to any of the points in con troversy. I do not doubt the entire sincerity of those members of the Board who have so frequently, and some of them so violently, expressed their opin- ions upon this controversy in favor of Dr. Kilgo. Their absolute convic- tion is what disqualifies them. The early martyrs were tortured and put to death by men absolutely convinced that they were doing God service. Dr Kilgo is a minister, and there are some ministers (though I hope very few) who think, erroneously, that a criticism upon one of the order is an attack upon the whole order, and, therefore, in their opinions, upon the church and upon religion itself, and I stand here a layman before a tribunal a majority of which present are probably ministers. I have been pronounced in my views against the illegality of trusts, and I have con- curred with the resolutions of the Western North Carolina Conference against the sale and manufacture of cigarettes, and I stand here, by. the terms of your invitation, in "Benefactor's Parlor, Duke's Building," a room thus doubly labelled with the reminder of the cigarette business, the influence of whose vast accumulations is like the darkness of Egypt in that it cannot only be seen but can be felt. This institution becomes itself a partner in that very business by being the holder of a large block of its stock, from which it derives no small part of its income. As an act of justice to yourselves, to the College and to myself — an act of justice that no North Carolinian should ever seek in vain — I ask that the triers be polled and that no one shall sit on this investigation who is not absolutely and altogether impartial and uncommitted by former de- liberate expressions of his views. [See report of the committee to which this challenge wasYeferred.] Mr. Jurney: Judge Clark misquotes me in reference to what I said about standing by Kilgo. I have no objection to state my meaning. It is sim- ply this: I remember turning to Judge Clark and saying I was in favor of giving him all the justice and fairness he was entitled to, but said I am going to stand by Kilgo and Trinity College, and it is my duty and priv- ilege to do that until these charges Judge Clark has made are proved. I didn't say I came here for Kilgo, but for Kilgo and Trinity College. I said I would fight for them till my teeth were knocked out and then I would chew for them with my gums. Judge Clark: How would that do for a juror? Mr. JURNE\ : I said just as sure as God reigns if you prove these charges it will have its weight. So far as I am concerned, in all my speeches for the Memorial Hall throughout the District Conference, I have not alluded to this matter in a speech. Parties have asked me lo explain, but I have never brought it into any speech. Mr. OgleSBY: As prosecutor I ask the privilege of making a statement. If I understand it, sir, this is a proposition upon the part of the Board of Trustees of Trinity College to investigate Judge Clark's charges against Dr. Kilgo. I do not understand that this is Judge Clark's matter or any other man's. I do not believe that there is a man here who will treat him unfairly. I do not believe that any man here will weigh one feather of testimony unfairly. I think Judge Clark's paper is entirely out of or- der, far-fetched, and a practical putting of himself, so far as he is person- [ 47 ] ally interested in the matter, beyond any man for anything else than the straightest, sternest justice at the hands of every member of this Board. I do not hesitate to say that he has had all the latitude a man wants in getting up testimony, and he has had the entire forty days in which to do it. I hope he will withdraw that paper. I do not know a man on the Board that could be hired to do him or any other person an injustice. I do not think a man here could be induced by favors to give a partial trial. This paper practically would put the whole question out of the court. Dr. Brooks: lam not one to hang around court-hou.ses. I had rather be at home in the work of the church than to be here to-day. Judge Clark is mistaken as to my being summoned as a witness. As for the first reason given for our being incompetent to set on this case, viz., that we* decided another case on June 7, I have this to say: The correspondence was referr .d to a committee and report was brought before this Board and adopted. I thought that ended that matter, as to this Board. I remem- ber that on July 18 I called up that question two or three times and asked the Chairman it were to take into consideration in the meeting the cor- respondence submitted in the June meeting. I understood that was al- ready decided and would not come before the Board. But the statements would be considered which were made by Judge Clark in his letter or in his interview with newspaper reporters, after this was reported Conse- quently I think our action in June has nothing to do with the action of today. Dr. Creasy: As I said a while ago we are not here as a legal body but as a church Court; and as I see it I think Judge Clark's paper should go on the records of this meeting. It is a very remarkable paper. The public must decide on this thing. We want it to know everything that has been said concerning the matter. Let Judge Clark's complaint goon record and the evidence that is produced, and let the public say whether these men deserve the inuendoes that have been cast at them this afternoon. Let all the testimony be printed and circulated and then the world can decide whether we have decided to hold up a man i/ he is guilty. That is the way out of it. We are not here to swear men; we are here as a church court, and I make the motion that we proceed and let all, the papers be recorded and published and that we proceed with this investigation, and that this paper go on record hs the statement of a witness. Mr. Bishop: I want to ask Judge Clark if the paper was produced by him and his associate. Judge Clark: The paper speaks for itself. Mr. Creasy: You refuse to be prosecutor, what other relation do you occupy? Judge Clark; I was requested lo bring what evidence I could here, but I am not a witness. Mr. Tyer: I want to know if, when the question was up at the last meeting and the motion was made that the Judge be prosecutor, the [udge did not state that he was only a witness, and if the Chair did not rule that he was a witness. Mr. President: I said the Judge was not prosecutor but I don't think I said that he was a witness. .v.r. Tyer: I would like to ask what is the recollection of the Board. Mr. Creasy: I am willing for his paper to go as a part of the proceed- ings. [ 48 ] Dr. KiLGO: The defense would like to have the motion read. Motion was read. Mr. Parrish seconded it. Moved that the paper of Judge Clark on record as part of the proceed- ings, and that all valid testimony in this investigation be spread on the minutes. Dr. Kii^GO: I protest against the word "testimony" as it appears, unless the court defines what is meant by testimony. Whether it be valid testi- mony or not the defense will not consent to any amount of bosh and ru- mor and falsehood to go on record in this case, brought here in an illegal manner. If Dr. Creasy will introduce it as "valid testimony" the defense will not object. Dr. Creasy accepted the suggestion and the motion was adopted. Judge Ci^ark: I wish to ofifer this paper. It will take very little time. "The lack of power in this board to procure the compulsory attendance of witnesses renders it impossible to place the evidence before you as otherwise could readily be done. Out of more than a dozen witnesses of 'repute in South Carolina who are known to have stated recently that Dr. Kilgo was well known as a wire-puller and politician only two obeyed the notice issued by this Board to take their depositions — some verbally reit- erating the statement but declining to give depositions. Out of a large number summoned here to testify in person only three are in attendance. Even in civil courts where attendance of witnesses can be compelled it is easier as every one knows, to procure witnesses to prove good character than to get those to testify whose evidence is of a contrary tendency. When your request to get up this evidence was accepted, it was under- stood that Methodists, and especially Methodist ministers, would obey your supoena. But as this is is not a church trial many of them refuse to do so, and not being a civil trial no process to procure witnesses can be enforced. The investigation under these circumstances is so disadvantageous that the evidence as to the truth of every charge, which is abundant, can only be brought here in much diminished quantity. The plan prescribed by your Board of requiring the other side to be furnished the names of wit- nesses in advance necessarily gave to the friends of the defendant every opportunity to work upon their fears and prevent their testimony. It would open up a new controversy to allege that this opportunity has been used but it may be frankly said that two important witnesses, now in this State, who know thoroughly Dr. Kilgo's reputation in South Car- lina, and have repeatedly stated it to be that of a wire-pulling politician and expressed their readiness to testify, if su-bpcenaed, have now declined to testify before your Board, because they aver it will expose them to in jury at the hands of Dr. Kilgo's faction and the large business interest which is backing him. Others have expressed the same fear of vengeance as ground for refusing to testify to statements they have made as to Dr. Kilgo and which they still affirm to be the truth. If such fear should be held groundless by you the result is still the same and in the absence of power to compel witnesses to attend, it is submitted to your Board that the investigation will be so one-sided under such circumstances, that as a search for truth it will leave very much unproven which otherwise could be proven." Dr. Kilgo : Mr. Chairman, the defense has a right to say something at this point. The first motion which your witness [Judge Clark] made to this court is to block any investigation. That is what it means ; it means nothing less. Beginning with the first correspondence there was [ 49 ] great dodging of the issue, and then at last there was failure to be here when the letters were before this Board. After a number of days' notice, at your called meeting in July, there was still another failure. Now, at your call meeting of August 30, there is a paper presented which means: "I do not want a trial." It was not worth while to pre- sent so long a paper to say that. Every time, sir, the defence has been here, ready. Now the charge that is made in that paper, that the Board intended to give to the defence the names of witnesses, giving him suffi- cient time to intimidate those witnesses, is to me, sir, the worst coarse- ness I have ever known thrown into the face of gentlemen. But what are the facts ? Those names were not given to the defence till thirty hours before the defence had to be on the road to take the depositions. These are the facts. As to the charge that men in South Carolina were unwilling to testify in this matter, I repudiate it in the name of every honest man whose name was presented as a witness, I know those men, sir, as colleagues in the ministry, as colleagues in various other work, and to fling into the face of such men as James H. Carlisle, George Cofield. Jesse Clifton, and George Waddell, the intimation that they would talk behind my back what they would not say to my face is more than I will stand as a man, as a brother, and as a Christian, when they are not here to answer for themselves. No man in this room would go before their faces and say that they will gossip around street corners. What are the facts, sir ? I have a letter here in my possession showing what one of those men testified to. The testimony of some of those witnesses did not suit the prosecution. I ask your court, sir, have you a deposition from Jesse A. Clifton, of Sumter, S. C. ? Mr. Chairman : Mr. Beckwith informs me that there is a certificate from Mr. Clifton. Dr. KiLGO : Certificate ! That is the point. Why was not that man sworn by a Magistrate or a Notary, as others ? Why did the prosecution bring a certificate here that is valueless, knowing the court must refuse to take it ? There is one of your South Carolina maligners, and I know what he said when approached. He sent a copy of this certificate to me also. I will not be untrue to the laws of right, and offer his letter to you as testimony. Where is the deposition of George H. Waddell? These men don't know how they got to be witnesses. They never promised a man they would testify, or corresponded about it. They know nothing of Judge Clark, and to say that those men said one thing and then backed down ! These are the facts. I wish to say to the Board that so far as the defence is concerned, let this investigation go on. We are not charletans and I am not dodging anything. We will go on with the testimony. Mr. Cole : According to my best memory, Judge Clark, at our last meeting, asked for more time — thirty days — saying that his evidence was of a private kind, of private conversations which he could not make public, but that if he was given thirty days' time he would have the evidence in, and that if those men refused to testify, he would be willing to state publicly that he had been lied to and would withdraw the charge. That is my recollection. Mr. JuRNEY : I remember distinctly that I turned to Judge Clark and said : My understanding is that Judge Clark already has the evidence in possession, and I said : Is not that so. Judge ? And he said it was, and all he wanted was time. Mr. Chairman : Brethren, are there any preliminaries ? Mr. Bishop : I want to say in regard to Judge Clark's demand that these Trustees be sent off the jury, that we were appointed by the [ so ] Church in North Carolina to look after its interests. If Judge Clark has evidence that they are dishonest in our action here, he can prefer charges at the Annual Conference. Mr. Oglesby : It seems to me, sir. we might proceed. This is a mat- ter, brethren, in which the Board proposes to investigate the charges of Judge Clark against John C. Kilgo, President of Trinity College. The sum of the whole thing would amount to his unfitness to be President of Trinity College. The following charges were specified: 1. That his reputation in South Carolina was that of a wire-puller of a ward- politician type, and that his performances in this State would justify this. 2. That he was in Ttnnessee and was known there' as a scrub politician. 3. Sycophancy in reference to Mr. Duke. 4. That he had received a personal gratuity from Mr. Duke. 5. That Dr. Kilgo intended to prevent Judge Clark from having an opportunity to present testi- mony. 6. That in some of his lectures or sermons, he advocated trusts. 7. That he had gotten up a controversy with John R. Webster and Dr. Kingsbury, and was trying to get one up with Judge Clark. These are the statements as charged in the papers. Dr. Kilgo : I wish to call attention to the bill of indictment furnished me by your President : Durham, N. C, August 12, 1898. Mr. B. C. Beckwith, Raleigh, N. C: Dear Sir: — The charges referred to in your appointment as deputy for Rev. Gr. A Oglesby, and concerning which depositions are to be taken by you, are as follows : 1st. That Dr. John C. Kilgo wished to evade evidence Judge Cl3.rk had against him. 2d. The speech Judge Clark quoted him as making on Mr. Duke's porch, and other references to this speech. 3d. Dr. Kilgo's reputation in South Carolina. 4th. Dr. Kilgo's residency and reputation in Tennessee. 5th. Dr. Kilgo's record in North Carolina. These charges you will find in Judge Clark's recent communications addressed to me as President of the Board of Trustees, and printed in papers which are accessible to you. Judge Clark is expected to furnish you at once with the names and addresses of the parties whose depositions are to be taken. These you will please, without delay, transmit through me to the defendant, that he may arrange to be present in person or by proxy when the depositions are taken. Yours truly, G. A. Oglesby, Prosecutor. By J. H. S. Mr. Oglesby : I have tried to quote the exact language. Dr. Kilgo : Read your two last charges [they were read]. No, I never had a controversy with John R. Webster ; the Lord knows I didn't. Mr. Chairman : Let us have no misunderstanding. Do the Trustees expect to act in a judicial capacity and decide on points of law ? I want this point settled now. This, it seems to me, is neither a civil trial subject to civil proceedure, nor an ecclesiastical trial subject to ecclesi- astical proceedure. You are a self-governing body, subject to natural and regular regulations. Now I want this understood, that nobody here is personally on trial. We are not to swear jurors to try either Judge Clark or Dr. Kilgo. But you sit here as Trustees of an institution to [ 51 ] hear charges and to vote on the evidence unfolded to you, not on what you know of your own personal knowledge. We seek to do nobody an injustice, but honestly seek the truth. Now before you proceed further with those letters have no misunderstanding as to the charges and the specifications thereunder. Mr. Oglesby : I think it is your function to decide questions of law in regard to testimony. I think it would be quite wrong to say that the* Board should undertake it. Mr. Chairman : I have been waiting to hear something to the contrary of my suggestion. We proceed now, provided there is no misunder- standing between you as to the nature of these charges. If the defence complains that he has not had notice of these things, let him have justice now and the same with the prosecution. Mr. Oglesby : I am ready to agree with the defence as to the form of the charges presented. Dr. KiLGO: I was just waiting for you to organize. Do I understand that you [the chair] settle these points of law, or the Board ? Mr. JuRNEY : Let the chair decide and we can appeal from that. Dr. KiLGO : In the last two charges made by the prosecution the mat- ter was taken from the old correspondence, which you settled in June, i. e. , in reference to the controversy with Mr. Kingsbury and Mr. Page, and in reference to my political views I understood that you sum- moned me before you for the new charges, and you so sent me those charges, and to those charges I come to answer, and for those charges i have secured testimony, and these are your charges, which are dated August 12, 1898. [See bill of charges.] Mr. Chairman : Will the prosecution read the charges to see if they harmonize ? Mr. Cole : It seems to me you can act only on the charges that were given to the defence. Mr. Chairman : I understand that the prosecution and the defence differ as to the subject matter of these charges. Dr. KiLGO: I have no objection to your investigating any charge. I have a clear conscience before God, and you may drum up anything and investigate it till the judgment ; but when you send me charges — charges that I was to answer to now, sir, I am not going to dodge them. It is my clear opinion, on what seems very good evidence, that under this new charge, not before given to me, there will be an attempt to treat me unfairly, and I say candidly to you I do not expect fair dealings from those who prosecute this matter, and I therefore make my demand in law. If you want to arraign me for another charge, appoint your meet- ing and I will meet you ; but I will not answer to the charge you bring. So far as my political views are concerned, I say it in this presence, it is nobody's business. I am not here to answer for them, nor for any con- troversy that Dr. Kingsbury had with me. I do not deny it. I plead guilty. I stand by every word I wrote, and you need go no further in that matter. If I am arraigned for that I plead guilty, and I retract to-day not one word. I want the court to decide what I shall answer to. Mr. JuRNEY : I move that we proceed with the charges furnished. Mr. Chairman : I would say here before starting the investigation, that it might be well for us to adjourn for supper. [ 52 J Mr. Tyer : I suggest that we fix every preliwinary nom. Mr. Odell: I move that we adjourn till 8:30 p. in. Mr. Oglesby : I have here the correspondence concerning this matter between myself and Judge Clark and Mr. Southgate, which I want to place in the hands of the court. I don't know that there is anything in It of importance, but I want it preserved. Dr. Creasy: I second Mr. Odell's motion. The motion was put and carried. NIGHT SESSION. [For colloquy concerning extra stenographer, see appen- dix.] The minutes of the afternoon session were read and approved. Mr. Chairman: That was the understanding of the charges we had in hand when we adjourned. Judge CIvARK: I want to call 5'our attention to one thing you have left out. That is the fourth charge, "his record in North Carolina. " Look at all three of the letters and you will find that his record in North Carolina is not there. "You will find in the fourth charge in the letters to me and Mr. Beckwith his record in North Carolina." Dr. KiLGO: The defence makes the point that no such charge was ever made. The prosecution has quoted the very words and letter this meet- ing was called to investigate. Produce the letter and you will find those are the very words. The defence is not here to answer his four years in- cumbency of his office. He is here to answer the charges made in the published letter of Judge Clark. Judge CI/ARk: When you go to trial you go for the matter which you present, and when you turn over to me, Dr. Kilgo and Mr. Beckwith a letter in which one of the charges is "his record in North Carolina," you e;xpect to try him by that charge. Dr. KiIvGO: Who drew these charges ? Judge Ci^ark: Mr. Southgate presented them. Mr. Ogi^KSBy: I had the charges formulated. Dr. KiIvGo: What do you mean by record in North Carolina? Mr. OGiyESBY: I quoted the identical language, "His performances in this State justify his former reputation." Dr. KiIvGo: It brings up my record here to prove my South Carolina reputation ? That's what you say ? Mr. OgIvESBy: That your record here is in keeping with your record there. Dr. KiivGO: That is what I want to know. Judge CIvARk: May I have read the letter Mr. Southgate wrote me ? L/Ctter was read. [See p. 28.] Mr. Chairman: Is the prosecution ready ? Mr. Ogi^esby: Yes, sir. [ 53 ] Mr. Chairman: Is the defence ready ? Dr. KiLGO: Yes, sir. I deny every one of the charges, unless you wish to maintain the charge of my record in North Carolina. Mr. Chairman: There are some personal witnesses here. I think it would be well to examine these first and take up the depositions later. What do you desire about it, Mr. Prosecutor ? Mr. Ogi^ESBY: Any way, sir. . Mr. Chairman : What suits the defence ? Dr. Kii,GO: It makes no dififeience to me. Mr. Jurney: I move that the witnesses here give their testimony sepa- rately. Mr. Chairman: Unless there is objection the witnesses will retire till they are called. Mr. Parrish: Is it necessary to pass that motion ? Judge Clark: It is a very unusual one, gentlemen. Mr. Jurney: It is no reflection on the witnesses. I only want to go into this work. I am willing for them to stay. I withdraw the motion. Mr, Beckwith^s Mvidence. Mr. Beckwith was put on the stand. Examined by Mr. Oglesby: Ques. What is your full name ? Ans. B. C. Beckwith. Ques. Where do you live ? Ans. In Raleigh, N. C. Ques. How long have you lived there ? Ans. Twenty -one or two years. Ques. Do you know John C. Kilgo ? Ans. Yes, sir, I know him. Ques. Do you know his general character in South Carolina ? Ans. I think I do, if you mean his general reputation in South Caro- lina. Dr. Kii^GO: I want that answer very positive, Mr. Beckwith. Mr. Beckwith: I do. Ques. What is his general reputation in South Carolina ? Ans. As I gather it, sir, it is that he is a manipulator and wire-puller, and now if you will allow me I should like a word of explanation. (Dr. Kilgo objected to this.) Ques. You observe, Mr. Beckwith, that the charge is that of a wire- puller of the ward politician type. Do you find that to be his reputation in South Carolina? Ans. If you will allow me to explain — (Dr. Kilgo again objected, calling for a direct answer.) Mr. Beckwith: I think I should be allowed to explain. [ 54 ] Dr. KiivGO: Mr. Chairman, he has no right to explain that matter. He has been asked a direct question. Let him answer it. Judge CiyARK: I have been in the practice of law over thirty years and never knew that request refused in any court of justice, I have known it asked time and again and never knew it declined. I ask that he be allowed to explain his testimony. Mr. Bkckwith: Mr. Chairman, in justice to myself I ask to be allowed to explain. In obedience to a subpoena — Dr. Kii,GO: I wish the court to decide on that question. Mr. Chairman: The Chair rules that he be allowed to explain his tes- timony. If the defence objects, let it be noted in writing, Dr, KiivGo: Then I understand you admit it as testimony. Mr. Chairman: I think he should be allowed to say why he formed his opinion. The exceptions can be noted. The Trustees may give such weight to it as they will, Mr. Beckwith: Mr. Chairman, I wish to say that in obedience to a subpoena issued by Jas. H. Southgate, President of Board of Trustees of Trinity College, I am here on this stand, I obeyed that because it came from this institution. I am a graduate of Trinity College. While at my home attending to my own affairs I received this, your letter, hereby ap- pointing me to represent the prosecution as deputy for Rev. Mr. Oglesby for taking depositions. In obedience to that commission, on the 15th day of August I left my home and went into South Carolina to perform a very unpleasant duty, I entered South Carolina at Rock Hill, and from the 15th till the 23d I was in South Carolina. I met a great many men, and will say here that whe'n I entered South Carolina I did not know a man in it, A list of names had been furnished me and I was authorized to take their depositions. I met quite a number of gentlemen and talked with them. I went there under your commission to find out the truth of this matter, or the reputation of Dr. Kilgo in South Carolina, I met some of the leading men in the State, a great many of them, and man after man said to me — (Dr. Kilgo interrupted, saying, "I object to that as hearsgiy testimony- He had a chance to take their depositions; why did he not do it? Such evidence would be ruled out in any court,") Mr. Chairman : The witness is endeavoring to explain. Dr. Kilgo : He is endeavoring to give rumors here from witnesses that the defence had no chance to know. Judge Clark: What is reputation. It is necessarily hearsay. It can be nothing else and when a witness wants to explain why he has formed his opinion, he can give nothing else but hearsay. Wait till he gives the testimony. Mr. Beckv^^ith : I don't know anything about his character except of hearsay, because when I left North Carolina, I did not know that he had a character in South Carolina, except by hearsay, Mr. Chairman: In explanation, you took deposition? Mr. Beckwith : I took depositions. Mr. Chairman: With the men of whom you took depositions and came into contact with legally — I understand that is what the Board seeks. This is your opinion from those you came in direct contact with? [ 55 J Dr. KiLGO : I wish that you would decide now who is the prosecutor in this case. Mr. Chairman : The Board. Dr. KiLGO : I hope you will act as prosecutor. I mean no reflection on Mr. Oglesby ; but if the Supreme Court of North Carolina declined to be prosecutor at one time and now assumes to be prosecutor, then I would like to know it openly. Judge Clark : I am under the impression that I am a member of the Board and if I am I have a right to ask questions, just as any other member. [Here Judge Clark made a statement about the nature of hearsay evidence, but he spoke so low and so rapidly that the stenographer could not get it coherently.] Dr. KiLGO : I understand that you have ruled on that point, that it is hearsay testimony and not in order. Mr. Chairman : My ruling was this ; that he could explain his opinion from facts that he ascertained on his own knowledge from personal con- tact with through his own efforts. Mr. Beckwith : That is the only way I found it out. Dr. KiLGO: I raise objections to the point. He started to tell what some one else told him about my reputation. Any one can see that there is quite a difference between reputation being the general opinion of a community into which he went and a stranger "going into that commu- nity and asking some one what is this reputation, and getting that and bringing it here second-handed. Why did j^ou not put these witnesses on the stand? Mr. Beckwith : I will answer that by saying they they declined to go on the stand. Dr. KiLGO : That is just the point I made. Mr. JuRNEY: I hope you will not permit heresay testimony to come into this court. I can go down into South Carolina and get hearsay testimony to hang any man. Testimony brought here should be depo- sitions. Mr. SouTHGATE : I don't understand the witness to be giving in evi- dence here at this point but as asking the privilege of explaining why he entertained an opinion, and the court can attach to the explanation whatever importance they wish. Mr. Bishop : We ought to take up no time on this hearsay evidence. Mr. SouTHGATE: I want to make this point, "We can't complete this work if every member reserves the right to interrupt the progress of the case when there is a witness on tne stand. When the prosecution and defense have finished and the cross-examinations have been made if there is any one of you who wishes to explain anything, you are at liberty to ask questions, but please be quiet until the prosecution has finished. Mr. Tyer: We understand that we have no right to ask any questions until that is finished. [ -56 J Mr. SouTHGATE: -Yes. Then if any one wishes to ask a proper ques- tion it is all right. Dr. Peacock: That applies to all the Board? Mr. Chairman: Yes, sir. Mr. Beckwith: I knew nothing whatever of his reputation in South Carolina, till I went there at your command, a very unpleasant duty. I obeyed your subpoena. I did not run from it. I am not accustomed to run from them and especially those of a church. I am here at your command. I said that I knew Dr. Kilgo's reputation in South Carolina. You asked what it was, and I said it was that of a wire-puller and a manipulator and then I asked to explain. I gather that from conversa- tion with gentlemen in South Carolina— men who know Dr. Kilgo and his reputation, those men said to me— (Here Dr. Kilgo objected). I am not going into detail unless you want it. I was explaining upon what I based my testimony. I only know his reputation in South Car- olina from what others say and that is the only reputation a man has. I went there to investigate this matter under your authority. I took depositions and had a list of names. Frequently they talked to me and very freely ; but declined to go upon the stand and I had no method of compelling them to do so. They talked with me and from that — and I think I must have talked with fifty or seventy-five about this matter — I come here and say I know his reputation in South Carolina; it is that of a manipulator and wire-puller. Dr. Kilgo : Mr. Beckwith how long were you in South Carolina? Mr. Beckwith : I think about ten or twelve days. Dr. Kilgo : Do you remember the day you went into South Carolina? Mr. Beckwith: The night of the 15th. Dr. Kilgo: What day did you leave there? Mr. Beckwith : I think- on the 23d. Dr. Kilgo : That is not ten or twelve days. Mr. Beckwith : Well, somewhere, eight or ten days. Dr. Kilgo : Were you appointed as a deputy prosecutor to take depo- sitions or were you given the additional prerogative of a detective? Mr. Beckwith : I answer that by quoting from the instructions filed with me. They are as follows : [Here Mr. Beckwith read a letter from James H. South- gate authorizing him to take depositions.] [See letter, page 50.] Mr. Beckwith continuing : His reputation in South Carolina, that was my commission. Dr. Kilgo : To go to South Carolina to take the depositions of parties whose names had been iurnished you in North Carolina? Mr. Beckwith: I did. Dr. Kilgo : Did you furnish those names to the defense? Mr. Beckwith: I did. [ 57 J Dr. KiLGO : And those were the men that you went there to take dep- ositions of? Mr. Beckwith: Yes. sir. Dr. KiLGO : Did you have authority from this Board to take depositions from other men"? Mr. Beckwith : Additional authority to take any others that I might Dr. KiLGO : The question is did you have authority to take any you might suggest? I ask you the question: Were you authorized to take depositions of other parties outside of the names furnished you? Mr. Beckwith : I think so. Dr. KiLGO : Are you positive? Mr. Beckwith : As positive as I am that the English language carries the authority. Dr. KiLGO : Then you mean to say that you furnished the defense only a part of the names before you left North Carolina? Mr. Beckwith : I furnished every name that was furnished me. Dr. KiLGO: That's the point. Now were you ordered to take the depositions of other men? Mr. Beckwith : I shoud certainly have done so and served the notice upon you. Dr. KiLGO : You would have done that under your own will? Mr. Beckwith: Under the scope of this authority that I hold in my hand. Dr. KiLGO : You were in South Carolina eight days? Mr. Beckwith : Eight or ten days. Dr. KiLGO : Do you remember what you said in Mr. Kirby's office that afternoon of the court, just about the time we were finishing, about how lonesome you felt. Mr. Beckwith: Yes, sir, I was pretty lonesome there. Dr. KiLGO : Did you not put Mr, Jennings on the stand? Was not that a deposition? Mr. Beckwith : Yes, sir, but a very poor one. Dr. KiLGO : Do you recall what you said to me just outside of Wright's Hotel door? Mr. Beckwith: I think I might if you suggest. Dr. KiLGO: Did you not say, "I have gotten nothing so far?" Mr. Beckwith: I did. I had only one deposition at that time. Dr. KiLGO : Then if you got nothing in the legal deposition that was to come before this Board, why would you want to come here and say that you had gotten quite enough? Mr. Beckwith: I did not say that I came here with depositions. The question was asked if T knew j'^our reputation in South Carolina. Dr. KiLGO: You said you talked with fifty or seventy-five persons? Mr. Beckwith : I suppose so in all. [ 58 ] Dr. KiLGO : Did all of these men tell you that my reputation was that of a manipulator and a wire-puller? Mr. Beckwith ; The Governor of the State said that your reputation was as good as any man's. Dr. KiLGO: What did his Secretary say to you? Mr. Beckwith : That the Governor was at school with you and he would answer you. Dr. KiLGO : Was Mr. Clifton one of your witnesses? Mr. Beckwith : He was. Dr. KiLGO: What did he say? Mr. Beckwith : He declined positively to give a deposition. Dr. KiLGO : I say what does he say about his reputation? Mr. Beckwith: Doctor, I met Mr. Clifton on the train. He intro- duced himself to me and I told him who I was. He came up and spoke to me. I met him at the depot, and he came over and began a conversa- tion with me, and in the course of it said that his name was Clifton. We sat down and I told him why I was there, that I was there to investigate Dr. Kilgo's reputation in South Carolina. I put question to him after question and he declined to answer. I asked him if he had been to the Laurens Conference and if certain things took place there and he declined to answer. Dr. KiLGO : Did Mr. Clifton tell you that my reputation is what you say it is? Mr. Beckwith : He wrote a certificate which is filed yonder in which he said he never had known a more upright, Christian man. Dr. KiLGO: Didn't you leave Columbia just after I gave you a notice that I would take the deposition of Governor Ellerbee and Senator McLaurin? Mr. Beckwith: I did. Dr. KiLGO: You could have been there? Mr. Beckwith : Five minutes before the train, at which time I had made arrangements to go elsewhere. Dr. KiLGO : Where were you going? Mr. Beckwith: I went to Leesville to meet some gentlemen. Dr. KiLGO: What gentlemen? Mr. Beckwith : Rev. T. G. Hubbell and Prof. L. B. Hanes, the Presi- dent of Leesville Seminary. Dr. KiLGo : You went to see Mr. Hanes? Mr. Beckwith : Yes, Mr. Hanes and Mr. Hubbell. Dr. KiLGO : Why did you not tell the defense that you were going to see Mr. Hanes? Mr. Beckwith : Simply because I wished to see them before I said anything to you about it. Dr. KiLGO: Did you ever say anything to me about it? Mr. Beckwith : I did not. [ 59 ] Dr. KiLGO : Your judgment of my reputation was made up on con- sulting men when I was not present, had no notice, and when you intended I should not be present? Mr. Beckwith : I was forming my testimony by Dr. Kilgo's reputa- tion in South Carolina as a wire-puller. I was not taking depositions then. , Dr. KiLGO : I want this answered. You talked with men on this mat- ter when Dr. Kilgo wasn't present, and did not know that you were talking with them, and you said a while ago that you did not intend to let him know it. Mr. Beckwith : No, sir, I did not. Dr. K. Were Hanes and Hubbells among the number given you ? Mr. B They were not, and out of the number given me, seven or eight were not in the places where I expected to have met them. Dr. K. How many places did you visit in South Carolina to stop over and talk? Mr. B. Rock Hill, Greenwood and Spartanburg. Dr. K. How long in Greenwood? Mr. B. I think four or five hours. I stopped also at Abbeville, Colum- bia, Sumter and the excursion taken to Leesville. Dr. K. And you base your opinion on what jou heard these men say behind President Kilgo's back? Mr. B. Absolutely so. Dr. K. Gathered from those few places? Mr. B. Yes, sir. Dr. K. Do you know how you got to be appointed as deputy? Mr B. No information in the world en it. The first I knew of it the appointment was brought to me by Judge Clark. Dr. K. Do you know whether there was an attempt made to influence this court to appoint you? Mr. B. No information in the world on that. I presume it was done solely because I am a neighbor of Judge Clark, and am a graduate of the institution here, and a friend of the institution. Dr. K. And you recall distinctly saying to me in Columbia that you had nothing? Mr. B. I remember saying that I had a pretty lonesome trip, I had no means of compelling the attendance of witnesses. Dr. K. In law, is the word of a man good or worth anything when he talks behind another man's back and will not talk on the stand? Mr. B. Yes, sir, it goes to make up reputation. Mr. Bishop: In forming your opinion of his reputation, was the evi- dence you received in the formation of those opinions received from any man who would give his written evidence? Mr. Beckwith : These men said to me this : We decline to go into a matter of this kind, and if we were properlj^ subpoenaed we would answer. [ eo ] Mr. Bishop : The point I was after was, that no man gave testimony on which you had formed your opinion, who was willing to give testi- mony. You have the testimony of some that he is a wire-puller? Mr. Beckwith : Yes, sir. There are probably two taken at Sumter. Dr. Brooks : Will you tell us why you did not go with Dr. Kilgo to take the depositions of Governor Ellerbee and Senator McLaurin? Mr. Beckwith : Yes, sir, I had to reach the train. Dr. Brooks : Did you not feel that you should not take the depositions of these men? Mr. Beckwith: I said, "I am not dealing with a lot of thieves and scoundrels. Go on and deal as you please." And as I meant to be. Doctor, I am as cold-blooded as a frog in this matter. Dr. Kii,GO : I understood you to say you had depositions from other parties in Sumter. Mr. B. I think two. Dr. K. Did you give the defence any notice of them ? Mr. B. I had the name of only one man in Sumter. Dr. K. That is not the question. I want to know whether you gave the defence notice ? Mr. B. I did not. Dr. K. Did you know before you left Columbia that you would take those depositions ? Mr. B. I did not, but under the scope of power given me here, I thought it my duty to find the truth, and I proceeded to find it as best I could. Not knowing a man in the State when I went there, I had to walk up to some lawj'er and ask him to introduce me to the Methodist lawyers in the town, and they would introduce me to others. In the course of meeting these gentlemen, I talked with them, and in the course of the conversation I gathered what his reputation is. As to the character of those men, I was very cautious to go and ask another man, "What is the reputation of this or that man,'' and invariably I got the answer, "As well as any man in South Carolina." And upon that was based my testimony here. Judge Ci^ark: Dr. Kilgo asked you about your conversation between yourself and gentlemen. Will you please state that ? Dr. Kii,GO: I object. I asked him nothing about it. I was not asking him what he had to say. Judge CI/ARk: I ask the Chairman if he did not . . . Dr. K11.GO: I made that point on Mr. Clifton, because Mr. Beckwith had summoned me to take that deposition. He had not summoned me before Mr. Hanes or Mr. Hubble, and I object to his repeating hearsay testimony, when he admits that men would not state it in my presence. Dr. Creasy: I think the minutes will show the kind of evidence that was to be taken, and everything that was done and said shuts out all this sort of testimony. And yet this man goes around and finds what this man heard and that man heard. That is the record, and that would shut out all this, because it is purely hearsay, and Judge Clark would not accept such testimony. Mr. Ogi^EvSBy: There is no question, sir, in many minds here as to the kind of testimony upon which a man forms an opinion as to the general [ 61 ] character. I don't see that it is necessary for us to consume so much time over this question. The question has been asked: "Do you know the general character of this man in South Carolina?" He has answered it and he has explained the reason. I do not wish to be understood as. being thoroughly in sympathy with the idea of hunting the country over, picking up this and that item against a man, and yet the widest latitude was allowed to the prosecuting witness in getting up this testimony, and the prosecution had to avail himself of the advantages of it, I do not think it necessary for us to consume further time upon hearsay evidence. Of course he forms his conclusion from what he heard. You and I might have formed a different judgment, but that is his judgment Mr. Jurney: I hope we will not be delayed by any such foolishness as this. There is no man in this house but what knows that any court will not allow hearsay testimony on trial, and I hope you will go on with the proceedings. Judge CI.ARK: Suppose the depositions of A and B were taken, how did those men get their information ? They get it by what others have said. Now, he is in the exact position of those men. If you take B's deposition you could say, "What is the reputation of Dr. Kilgo?'" Mr. Jurney: Didn't Judge Clark know that if I want to find some one in North Carolina that said you were mean, I would not go to your State. I can find men in North Carolina that have something hard and harsh to say about any of you. You can get all sorts of- testimony. Dr. KiivGO: I wish to read you this: On the contrary, when the fact in controversy is one in which all the members of the community have not an interest, but those only who live in a particular district, or adventure in a particular enterprise, or the like, hearsay from persons wholly un- connected with the place or business would not only be of no value, but altogether inadmissable. Besides he gets his testimony after this matter has been raised and he goes and states it to them, and comes here and makes his statement on things that were made after the charges. Another important qualification . . . is that the declaration so received must have been made before any controversy arose. — Greenleaf on Evidence. The Secretary read resolutions passed at the last meeting. [See page 36.] Dr. Kii^Go: That's just where you miss it. This thing is not just now. Mr. Beckwith: I am not the little tow-head lawyer from Scotland. I did not come here unknown. I came here with some friends probably I don't have when I leave, but I came here at your command from a sub- poena to answer the questions put to me by the prosecution here under your authority. I have answered those questions in the light of what I gathered in South Carolina, an absolute stranger. I did not go hunting here and there, seeking his enemies or his friends. I had no intimation who were his friends and his enemies. I did not know whether he was a Holiness man or not. I did not know his friends in the South Carolina Conference. I did not know whether any of them were his enemies or not. I simply went there in the interest of truth, and thought that your commission was broad enough to go to the bottom of truth. I went there for the purpose of going to the bottom of this matter, in the interest of truth, and I defy any one to say that there is any one who loves it better than I. I don't care whether Dr. Kilgo stays here or goes, whether Judge Clark stays here or goes, it is a matter of absolute indifference to me. I obej'ed your order, as a Methodist and as a man, without fear, without [ 62 ] favor. If you want it I will give it to you. If not, I will sit down. I don't care one continental. If I represent the prosecutor of this court in South Carolina, then I conceive it to be my duty to find the truth. Did you want me to go there and come back with nothing ? If you want it, so help me God, I will give it to you. I am not here of my own volition, and if you don't want me, take my commission from me, and send me home. If you want what I know, and how I got it, then you can get it. I told Dr. Kilgo when I went there, I am cold-blooded as a frog. Now, gentlemen, if you want to know what I say, then go ahead. My com- mission is not a very private one. Judge CI.ARK: I ask what Mr. Hubble said ? Dr. Kii,GO: Did I understand you to rule that he is to tell what Mr. Hubble said? Mr. SouthgaTE: Yes, sir. Dr. Kilgo: I appeal from the chair. I make it on this ground, that the direct testimony has no right to call for that. I did not ask him of those witnesses that he summoned me before. There is a very great difference between those two things. Mr. SouTHGATE: He asked that question, Doctor, that any Trustee could ask a question. Dr. KiLGO! I object to it as an invalid question, a matter of hearsay, and I appeal -to th^ Board [The chair was overruled.] Mr. Boone^s Evidence, Mr, Oglesby: What is your full name? Mr. Boone: R. B. Boone. Mr. O. Where do you reside? Mr. B. In the town of Durham. Mr. O. How long have you been living in Durham? Mr. B. Sixteen or seventeen years, I suppose. Mr. O. Did you ever live in South Carolina? Mr. B. Yes, sir. Mr. O. Do you know the general reputation of Dr. John C. Kilgo? Mr. B. I can say that I know it only' from what was said to me in the city of Spartanburg. Dr. Kilgo: I object. Does he know my reputation? There is an ef- fort again at repeating "hearsay.'' Mr. OglESBy: Do you know his general reputation in the town of Spartanburg? Mr. B. If what people say about him is his general reputation. Dr. Kilgo: I insist that he say whether he knows my reputation or not. Mr. Boone: I know nothing of Dr. Kilgo except what I have heard. But as I understood it, the Board had ruled that you would not hear hear- say testimony. From what those people told me (Dr. Kilgo objected here.) [ 63 ] Mr. OgIvESBY : Do you know the general reputation of Dr. KiJgo in Spartanburg? Mr. B. I am lawyer enough to know that a man's reputation is what people say about him. Mr. O. Do you know his general reputation in Spartanburg? Mr. B. I should say I do? Mr.-O, What is it? Mr. B. It is not good, in the way of wire-pulling. Dr. Kir,GO: I object. Mr. Boone: I heard nothing against Dr. Kilgo. Dr. K11.GO: I object. Mr. Boone: From my own knowledge I did not know. Mr. OgIvESBY: I understand, Mr. Chairman, that the witness answers, first, the question, "Do you know John C. Kilgo?" I do. "Do you know his general reputation?'' I understand you to say "I do.'' Mr. B. Yes, sir. Mr. O. Now I say, What is his general reputation? Mr. B. I found it to be that of a wire-puller and manipulator. That is what I found out. Dr Kii,GO: I object. I object to any testimony concerning Spartan- burg. Mr. B. I said I did not know it if what the people in Spartanburg told me isn't true. Mr. O. I should think that anything that could be proven from any part of South Carolina should be admitted Mr. Chairman: I should think the defense should have the right to ask the whole State, under those charges. Mr. B. I don't want the court to understand me to say I heard anybody outside of that town; but if what those people said there is true, his char- acter in South Carolina is that of a wire-puller. Dr KiivGO: You say you know positively the reputation of Dr. Kilgo in South Carolina? Mr. B. I have answered that question two or three times. Dr. K. But you have left in your testimony an "if." Mr, B. I know what your reputation is if what those men say is true. Dr. K. Tio you know what my reputation in South Carolina is? Mr. B. Nothing except what those men say. Dr. K. You just got those rumors? Mr. B. I can give you the parties' names. ' Dr. K. How long since you left South Carolina as a resident? Mr. B. I suppose twenty-five or thirty years. Dr. K. You were in Spartanburg since this trouble began, since the i8th of July? [ 64 ] Mr. B. Yes, sir, or somewhere in the neighborhood of that. Dr. K. Was there an eflfort made to appoint you as a deputy? Mr. B I do not know, except what Mr. Southgate told me about Rox- boro. Dr. K. There was something said about your being appointed deputy to take depositions in Roxboro? Mr. B. Nothing except that he had agreed to appoint me. Dr. K. Did you know Dr. Kilgo when you resided in South Carolina? Mr. B. I did not. Judge CI/ARk: You said that Mr. Southgate agreed to appoint you, or had been asked to appoint you? Mr. Boone; He said that he had telegraphed Dr. Kilgo and that as soon as he could get an answer he would. I told him that I would take it and give the Doctor notice as soon as he gave me the power to do so. I went there and remained Wednesday night, but I had no power. Mr. Chairman: You said also that you could not do all the work. Mr. BOONK: Yes, sir, that I could not go to Caswell county. Dr. Kii,Go: Where were you educated? Mr. B. I have never had the fortune to be educated. What little I have I got by hard work at night. Dr. K. Where did you take your law course? Mr. B. At the University under Dr. Battle. But that was under him; there was no law school attached to the school. Mr, Gattis^s Evidence, Mr. GaTTis: Mr. President, may I be allowed to state my reason for be- ing here now? Mr. Southgate: I should think it would be in order for the question to be asked you by the prosecutor, however, if the defense has no objection, you may do so. Mr. GaTTIS: I would like to make the explanation beforehand. I wish to say that perhaps a month ago I was requested to be here as a witness and declined positively to do so. The matter was pressed upon me. I still declined, and stated that under no circumstance would I testify for either party, unless my Conference and Bishops should require it at my hands. I was informed a day or two ago that if I declined my name would be used here, and friends advised me to be here and hear what would be said I suppose that is suflficient. Mr. OgIvESBy: What is your name? Mr. GatTis: Thomas Jefferson Gattis. Mr. O. Where do you reside? Mr. G. In the town of Durham. Mr. O. Did you ever live in South Carolina? Mr. G. No, sir. Mr. O: Did you know John C. Kilgo, President of Trinity College? Mr. G. Yes, sir. [ 65 ] Mr. O. How long have you known him? Mr. G. I think five years. I am not positive, perhaps a little longer than that. I formed his acquaintance at Asheville, possibly six or seven years ago, in I891. Mr. O. Do you know his general reputation in South Carolina? Mr. G. I think so. Dr' Kii,Go: I wish you would answer that question positively, Mr. Gattis. Mr. G. Well, I know it. Mr. O. What is it? Mr. G, With regard to what, sir? Mr. O. I want to know his general character. Mr. G. For what, truth? Mr. O. For everything. Mr. G. For some things it is good, for others it is bad. Mr. O. He has been charged with being a wire-puller of the ward type, is that true? Mr. G. I have never heard that word "ward." Dr. Kilgo does have the reputation in South Carolina of being a wire-puller. Dr. K11.GO: You explained. Mr. Gattis, that you came here underpres- sure, pressure from what ? Who pressed you ? Mr. G. The prosecution. Dr. K. Mr. Oglesby ? Mr. G. No, sir; Judge Clark. Dr. K. You state that you were advised that your name would be used; who advised you as to that ? Mr. G. Two or three parties. Dr. K. Well, I want to know them. Mr. G. Judge Clark. Dr. K. Who are the others ? Mr. G. I don't feel that I should give them. Dr. K. Why, Mr. Gattis? Mr. G. I don't think it proper or necessary. Dr. K. Are they members of this Board? Mr. G. No, sir. Dr. K. Do they live in Durham ? Mr. G. Yes, sir. Dr. K. Have they anything to do with this court ? Mr. G. I decline to answer, Dr. Kilgo, any further questions in regard to that. Dr. K. I asked you a simple question, for I wish to know whether out- side parties have been working in this matter. This is an important ques- [ 66 ] tion and I call the attention of the Board to the fact that Mr. Gattis will not say whether they have any connection with this court or not. You still decline? Mr. G. Yes, sir. Dr. K. You say you never lived in South Carolina? Mr. G. No, sir. Dr. K. Have you any business in South Carolina ? Mr. G. I have. Dr. K. What is it? Mr. G, I am appointed by the South Carolina Conference as Colporteur. Have been for three years. Dr. K. Did Dr. Kilgo go with you when you were appointed, and say something good to try to get you appointed? Mr. G. He went with me before I was appointed. Dr. K. But did he not try to help the brethren to understand you, and get you appointed to that position ? Mr. G. Dr. Kilgo was my friend, so far as I know. He said some good things for me on the Conference floor. Dr. K. And you have known him from '91? Mr. G. Well, sir, I was introduced to him in '91, and have not known him except when he came to North Carolina. Dr. K. When he came to North Carolina did he try to help you in your work ? Mr. G. I think so for a time. Dr. K. Did he not tell you of books, and make speeches on the Confer- ence floors for you? Mr. G. Yes, sir. Dr.K. Have you not talked a great deal about Dr. Kilgo in the last year or two? Mr. G. Not when I could well help it. Dr. K. Did you not say awhile ago that you understood that the Dukes were out with Dr. Kilgo ? Mr. G. I did not. Dr. K. Did not say you had ever heard it ? Mr. G. Yes, sir, I think I said I heard it. Dr. K. Did you say anything to Dr. Kilgo about it? Mr. G. No, sir. Dr. K. Have you not talked about him otherwise ? Mr. G. I do not remember, sir. Dr. K. Have you never talked with Judge Clark about him ? Mr. G. I had one conversation with him about several matters, and Dr, Kilgo was mentioned. [ 67 J Dr. K. Did you not tell Judge Clark about his bad reputation in South Carolina ? Mr G. I think it very likely that something was said of that kind. Dr. K, Now, Mr. Gattis, don't you know that you told Judge Clark that? Mr. G. I told him that I had no recollection of a single sentence that I expressed in regard to you. Dr. K. But did you not tell Judge Clark about his South Carolina repu- tation being that of a wire-pulling politician ? Mr. G. I am not able to answer that question. Whether I did or not, that certainly is his reputation. Dr. K. I ask you whether you did not tell Judge Clark that ? Mr. G. I decline to answer. Dr. K, But you say Judge Clark told you you must come here or he would use your name. Why did he. tell you that? Mr. G. I don't know, sir. Dr. K. You were not coming without his putting that pressure upon you? Mr. G. No, sir. Dr. K. Though you had talked to him about Dr. Kilgo ? Mr. G. Yes, sir, I had a conversation with him. Dr. K. Has not Dr. Kilgo quit going to your store ? Mr. G. I think he has. Dr. K. Do you know why he quit ? Mr. G. Yes, sir, I think I do. Dr. K. Have you talked with other people besides Judge Clark ? Mr. G. Yes, sir; you have been a general subject of conversation both in North and South Carolina. I have very frequently avoided conversa- tion about you. You are not quite of so much importance as that I want to talk about you all the time. Di . K. Have you not the reputation of talking too much about your brethren ? Mr. G. I don't know, sir. Dr. K. Isn't it your habit to talk about your brethren ? Mr. G. I am not here to be questioned ^bout those things ; at least to answer them. Dr. K. Haven't you frequently brought very kind messages to Dr. Kilgo from South Carolina ? Mr. G. Occasionally, yes, sir. Dr. K. Told him of his friends ? Mr. G. Yes, sir. Dr. K. Did you ever tell him that was his reputation ? Mr. G. No, sir. [ 68 ] _ Dr. K. To the Presiding Elder ? Mr. G. No, sir. Dr. K. To his pastor ? Mr. G. I don't remember. Dr. K. So you have no recollection now of telling it to anybody but Judge Clark ? Mr. G. I decline to answer. Dr. K. Do you suppose that Judge Clark would have ever made the statement that you made, unless you had had the conversation with him that you had ? Mr. G. I decline to answer. Dr. K. Did Judge Clark go to see you the other day ? Mr. G. I decline to answer that. Dr. K. Why do you decline ? Mr. G. Because I don't think you have any right to ask those questions. Dr. K. Wasn't your son in Trinity, a while ago ? Mr. G. Yes, sir. Dr. K. Did the College charge him any tuition ? Mr. G. No, sir. Judge Ci^ark: How long did you travel in South Carolina as Colporteur? Mr. G. This is the third year. Judge Ci^ark: Did your business take you into all parts of the State? Mr. G. In nearly all of the large towns. Judge CIvARk: You know personally nearly all our ministers down there ? Mr. G. Nearly all of them. Judge Ci^ark: Do you know the leading laymen ? Mr. G. A good many of them. Judge Ci/ARK : I want to ask Mr. Gattis one question. Do you know the reputation of Mr. T. C. Ivigon, of the South Carolina Conference ? Mr. G. Yes, sir. Judge Ci,ark: Well, what is it ? Mr. G. Very good indeed, so far as I know. [Here Judge Clark sought to introduce John R. Webster, of Reidsville.] Judge Clark: This witness is brought here to prove the record of Dr. Kilgo and he has been brought here to testify to a lecture of his in Rock- ingham county, in which Dr. Kilgo said: "In looking for some things you do not go into the dark corners of the State but to the institutions of learning,'' etc. Dr. Kilgo: I object, Mr. President, to the examination of the witness. [ 69 J Mr, Ogi^ESBy: To be perfectly fair in this matter, I asked him for an interview and told him I was prosecutor. I asked him what he was here to testify to, and he said I don't know what Judge Clark wants me to testify to; I refer you to him. I do not see how we can introduce his testimony under the specifications. I am ready to introduce every wit- ness who knows anything bearing on those specifications. Anything outside of that is not in court and I cannot with fairness to all introduce a witness to testify to things that do not come within the range of the bill of indictment. If he knows anything bearing on the case I am willing to introduce it. Judge CI.ARK: I said he was unfit, in my judgment, but the majority of the Board seemed to be of a different opinion. I think Mr. Webster's testimony is competent to prove that fact. Mr. OgIvESBY: You can see, brethren, how the prosecutor is in a meas- ure hampered in this matter, because of certain facts which Judge Clark has kept away from me. Here is a witness and I have not been able to find out why he was summoned. You see why I have been awkward. I have never been furnished a list of the witnesses nor a single regularly taken deposition by an assistant prosecutor or by Judge Clark. I am simply-doing the best I can — running on in the dark. I do not say this to prejudice you against the assistant prosecutor or against Judge Clark, or against anybody else. [Here Mr. Beckwith protested that the depositions had been sent regularly by express to the Chairman.] Mr. OgIvESBy: There is no complaint as to that. I do not accuse you of wrong. Yet as the regularly appointed prosecutor I have not been given the names. Judge CIvARk: Do I understand that Mr. Webster's testimony goes out? Mr. OgIvESBy: I will put him on the stand if he has evidence in regard to specifications. [Here the specifications were read.] Mr. Ogi^ESBy: My information is very limited as to what Mr. Webster knows about this matter. [Mr. Webster here was stood aside.] Mr. Oglesby called for reading of deposition of Mr. T. C. Ligon, of South Carolina. Mr. Chairman here stated that in a case like this it was usual for the prosecutor to take charge of depositions. They should remain with the Chairman of the Board. You will find that these packages are unbroken They were kept so by agreement until they could be opened in the pres. ence of the prosecution and the defence. Mr. Oglesby: The prosecutor is supposed to prove certain charges by a witness on the stand. I certainly should not introduce a deposition here, if I could avoid it, if that deposition was seriously against me. I should know what is to be proved by the witness and whether I want his testimony at all or not. I make this statement in simple justice to myself. [Here the point was made that the personal witnesses be examined first and that the depositions be taken up after- wards.] 5 [ 70 ] Mr. CounciVs Evidence. Mr. OglESBY • What is your full name ? Ans. Z. P. Council. Ques. Where do you live ? Ans. In Durham, N. C. Ques. What is your occupation ? Ans. Printer. Ques. Were you once reporter for the Durham Sun ? Ans. Yes, sir. Ques. Did you report Dr. Kilgo's speech on Mr. Duke's porch in the first days of June ? Ans. Yes, sir. Ques Did you report him correctly ? Ans. Yes, sir. Ques. Tell the Board what Dr. Kilg^o said. Ans. I don't remember the words. Here is a copy I made: Dr. Kilgo said, "The first white child was born in North Carolina, the first Declara- tion of Independence was signed in North Carolina, the first blood shed of the civil war and present war was shed by a North Carolinian, but greater than these the greatest philanthropist of the South is a North Carolinian." Ques. You testify that is the exact language ? Ans. Yes, sir. Dr. K11.G0: Mr. Council, do you think Dr. Kilgo's spirit on that occa- sion was an "afiluence of sycophancy ?" Ans. No, sir. Dr. Kilgo: Did you hear him say that Mr. W. Duke is the greatest man the State has ever produced a-nd as superior to all the sacrifices of blood and treasure the State had made — that in comparison with his gift of money, etc. ; did you hear him say that ? Ans. I did not hear those words. Dr. Kilgo : Did he impress you that he was trying to say such a thing? Ans. Not at all. Dr. Kilgo: Was he called out to speak by the student body, or did he speak as part of the program ? Ans. There seemed to be a call from those present. Dr. Kilgo: Did he speak as if he was uttering a prepared speech or just in the jubilancy of the hour? Ans. He spoke more like it was an impromptu speech. Dr. Kilgo: Did you intend to report him as committing a very serious crime in his speech ? Ans. No, sir; my intention was to speak well of Mr. Duke's liberality. Dr. Kilgo: Did you intend to make the impression that is made here? (Refers to newspaper containing Judge Clark's charges.) Ans. No, sir. Judge Clark: Do you recollect any other language- that he used on that occasion ? Ans. Yes, sir. Judge Clark: What was it ? [ 71 J Ans, I have it here: This (meaning Mr. W, Duke's house) is the Presi- dent's house. We are just permitting Mr. Duke to use it a while. Over there on Chapel Hill street (pointing to Mr. B. N. Duke's residence) is the house of a member of the faculty, and there (pointing to Duke's factory) is our industry, and we have a bank down town. Judge CI/ARk: You say in substance he said that on that occasion ? Ans. Yes, sir. Dr. Kii,Go: Object to this as being irrelevant* Mr. Chairman: What is the charge ? Mr. Ogi^esby: It is an affluence of sycophancy and lording Mr. Duke. Dr. Kiilr. Beckwith become prosecutor in this case? By your appoint- ment, or by Mr. Oglesby's? Or how? Mr. OGiyESBY: That is embraced in the correspondence which I have placed in the Secretary's hands. Dr. K. That correspondence has not been read and there are some facts I want to get at just now. ^ Mr. O. I was compelled to go on vacation for a needed rest. I saw that I would not get back in time to do the work before it was too late. Before leaving home I asked Judge Clark to receive the list of names and to appoint a suitable person to take such depositions as were proper, and so he, at my instance, representing me, appointed Mr. Beckwith as pros- ecutor. I did that in which I regard simple justice to all parties inter- ested. Dr. Kii^GO: I understand that. That is not the point. Did Judge Clark ask you to appoint Mr. Beckwith? Mr. Chairman: I will say he was appointed by agreement, but his name was suggested by Judge Clark as a suitable person and he was se- lected for that purpose. Dr. K. Did not Judge Clark bring the matter to the court and ask you to appoint him ? Mr. C. That is what I stated, sir. Dr. K. Were you asked by Judge Clark to appoint any other prosecu- tor m the case. Mr. C. Yes, sir. Dr. K. Who was that? Mr. C. Mr. R. B. Boone. Dr. K. Did you know that Mr. Ivey had been appointed as assistant prosecutor? Mr. C. Yes, sir. Dr. K. Was there any effort to oppose his acting. Mr. C. No, sir. Dr. K. He was perfectly acceptable to all parties? Mr. C So far as I know. Dr K. I wish to ask you to put in evidence the letter of Judge Clajk to the President of this Board in which he makes these accusations. Mr. C. Have you the letter, sir? Dr. K. I have a printed copy of it here — what appeared in the paper. If that will be acceptable I can give you a copy of it. [ 90 ] Mr. C. If the prosecution does not dispute the letter it is all right, [See letter, page ii.] Dr. K. It is printed in the Christian Educator, copied from the other papers. Is theletter in the minutes — the one Judge Clark wrote to Mr. Southgate.-* Mr. C. No, ?ir. Mr. Ogi^ESBy: I would like to know for what that letter is oflFered. Dr. Kii/Go: In order to secure the defense against the attempts to run in irrelevant testimony, and as a link in the chain to show the spirit and the purpose. We want the original document; the defense wants it. Mr. O. I beg to call your attention to the fact that the charges have .been specified, and I do not see that it is necessary for us to go outside of our bill of indictment for further specifications. There might arise from those specifications sqme things that have escaped my mind. If there should be, of course, I should feel called upon to produce testimony to support any additional charge Dr. K. Mr. President, in the bill of indictment sent me, dated August 12, there are specific charges. Now the court knows that there has been an eflfort to run in irrelevant testimony and to put various interpretations on these statements in these charges, and if the defense is not allowed to put in the original document, then he has nothing in the hands of this Board by which to establish his position and to protect himself. Mr. Chairman: Well, what is your request? Dr. K. That you put in testimony the letter of Judge Clark to you, Mr. C. Letters or letter ? Dr. K. The letter in which the charges were made. I wish you would say yes or no. If the court will not order it, say so. Mr. C. I will say so time enough. The court is certainly entitled to any parts of that letter which bear on the specifications now being investi- gated. The court wants nothing to do with any part which does not bear upon them, and \ see no objection in the world. I will note an objection from the prosecution if he wishes. Mr. Oglesby: I wish to serve notice that if there arises anything in that that is not in these specifications (pointing to the bill of indictment) I shall ask for the right to produce testimony. Dr. K. I furthermore ask that you put in the bill of indictment sent J. C. Kilgo, because it carries this, and your bill of indictment is not iden- tical with the bill given the defense. This bill I have says Judge Clark is expected to furnish you at once with names and addresses of parties, etc. Mr. O. Mr. Chairman, there are two things at least on that sheet of pa- per. One is our statement of the charges to be proved, the other a request that these may be placed in the hands of the defense. Certainly the lat- ter is not part of the charge against him. Dr. K. It is not, Mr. Chairman, but evidently the Board understood that these names should be furnished me. They were not furnished me. Mr. Chairman: What names do you mean ? Dr. K. To all the names that were to be presented here as witnesses- [ 01 ] When I was arrested it was on that statement of the charges against me. The defense has been maliciously dealt with and this an important point, Mr. Chairman: Do you take it that no names were presented to you? Dr. K. I do not say so. But one name not presented to me may work me a great injustice. I should think the court would be willing to stand by the warrant. Mr. C. That is what it does, sir. Dr. K. And you admit a copy of this identical bill to your testimony. Mr. C. Yes, sir. Dr. K. I wish to put in testimony a catalogue of Wofiford College for 1896 97 in which is a list of . the alumni of the institution, 'showing the size of the classes especially of those when I was connected with that col- lege. Is there any objection? Mr. OgIvESBY: None, sir. Dr. K: I wish to ask the court the extent of the authority given to Mr. Beckwith when sent to South Carolina, whether sent to examine specific par i?s or to go at his own will and look up rumors from any sources he chose. Mr. Chairman: You will find all of that information in the letter to Mr. Beckwith on file here. . Dr. K. I know, Mr. President, but I have not seen that letter. Mr. C. It was read last night. Dr. K. Will Mr. Beckwith identify this letter I have, dated August 11, 1898,, unless the prosecution will admit it without that. It is written to Mr. Southgate and now in my hands. RAI.EIGH, N. C, August 11, 1898. James H. Southgate, Esq , President Board Trustees, Durham, N. C: Dear Sir: — Will you please notify Dr. Jno. C. Kilgo that as represen- tative pro tern of the prosecution I will take the deposition of the follow- ing witnesses: Rev. T. C. Ligon, at Rock Hill, S. C, Tuesday, the i6th of August. At Spartanburg, S. C, on Wednesday and Thursday, the 17th and i8th of August, 1898, W. E. Burnett, J. K. Jennings, George Cofield, S. A. Weber, W. R. Richardson, Dr. Carlisle and Prof. C. B. Smith. At Abbeville, S. C, on Friday, the 19th inst.. Rev. J. W. Daniel. At Columbia, S C, on Monday, the 22d inst., Rev. G. W. Waddelland Dr. G. M. Rice. At Sumpter, S. C, on Tuesday, the 23d inst, J. A. Clifton. At Wilmington, N. C, on Thursday, the 25th inst, T. B. Kingsbury and J. A Crews. At Kelford, (Bertie Co.,) N. C. on Saturday, the 27th inst., H. P. Har- rell, W. H. Evans, J. B. Bryant and A. J. Connor. At each of these places I will get some magistrate or notary public to take depositions. It is immaterial who he is as he is merely a clerk with- out any judicial function. And Dr. Kilgo 's representative and myself can readily agree upon some notary or magistrate at each place. Very respectfully, &c , B. C. Beckwith. That was a notification for me. Mr. Chairman: That was a list of names you were entitled to have so that you might be present. I see no objection. [ 92 J Dr. K. The point is this: I want that entered. I want no ground of denial left. If Mr. Beckwith is here he can identify the letter. (To the Chairman.) Can you identify it? It is written to you. Did you receive it from Mr. Beckwith and forward it to me? [Here the Chair identified the letter. The defense then presented his witnesses.] Prof. Flowers^ s Evidence. Dr. Kii,GO: Where were you the night of the serenade of Mr. Duke dur- ing commencement week? Ans. I was at Mr. Duke's house. I got the procession up and went down with it. Dr. K. Do you know anything of President Kilgo acting in a manner of sycophancy toward Mr. Duke on that occasion. Ans. Nothing that I construed in any such way. Dr. K. Did you hear President Kilgo extol Mr. Duke as the greatest man the State has ever produced, etc? Ans. I heard you make your speech but there was nothing of that na- ture in it or that I thought could be construed that way. Dr. K. Anything that approximated that ? Ans. No, sir. Dr. K. In your observation of Dr. Kilgo is he a man that resorts to tricks and schemes? Ans, In my relation to him, ofi&cial and personal, I don't think I have ever known a man who was freer from anything of that kind. He was always free and open. Dr. K. What is your name? Ans. R Iv. Flowers. Dr. K11.G0: Your occupation ? Ans. Professor of Mathematics at Trinity College. Mr. Ogi^KSBy: Did not Dr. Kilgo say on Mr. Duke's porch that greater than all these North Carolina has the greatest philanthropist ? Ans. He did not. I can tell you very nearly the exact words he said; but he said nothing that indicated that he was extolling him over the other men of the State. Mr. Oglksby: Did you hear the testimony last night ? Ans. Yes, sir. Mr. Oglesby: Did he use the language stated? Ans. I don't think he did. He used some words that approximated Mr. Council's words. Judge C1.ARK: Did you take down notes, sir ? Ans No, sir. Prof. Pegram^s Mvidence. Dr. KiivGO: What is your name? Ans. W. H. Pegram. Dr. K. Your occupation ? Ans. Professor of Chemistry in Trinity College. [ 93 ] Dr. K. Do you know the President of Trinity College ? Ans. I do. Dr. K, In your dealings with the President of Trinity College have you found him a man given to trickery, or is he an open, frank man ? Ans. He is open, very frank, and very impartial. Mr. OGI.ESBY : Did you hear Dr. Kilgo's speech at Mr. Duke's ? Ans. I did. Mr. O. Did you hear him say, after citing some extraordinary things, that greater than all these. North Carolina produced the greatest philan- thropist ? Ans. I remember about the substance ot the speech, but I cannot recall the exact language. I can't recall anything that impressed me- as objec- tionable. Mr. O. Did he not say that as to King's Mountain, Mecklenburg De- claration, Bethel — that greater than all these North Carolina produced the greatest philanthropist of the South ? Ans. I don't remember that. I remember his speaking of the greatness of Mr. Duke's gift, but I could not testify as to the exact manner, and could not say whether he said ''greater than all these.'' Dr. KiivGO: Did President Kilgo say what is in the letter that I have just read? (This was after reading extract from Judge Clark's letter, in which extract Judge Clark brought the charge of sycophancy.) Ans. Why, no; no such impression was made on my mind. Mr, MeriWs Evidence. Dr. KiivGo: What is your name? Ans. A. H. Meritt. Dr. K. Where do you reside, and your occupation ? Ans. Durham, N. C, and teacher. Dr. K. Where do you teach ? Ans. At Trinity College. Dr. K. You know the President of Trinity College ? Ans. Slightly. Dr. K. Has he impressed you as rather a scheming, tricky man, or rather as an open, frank man, trying to deal with his fellow men honestly ? Ans. He dealt squarely with me and all I know anything about. Dr. K. Did you hear him speak at Mr. Duke's. Ans. I did. Dr. K. Did he make that speech that I read ? Ans. Nothing that sounded like it. Mr. OdeIvI*: You say you know Dr. Kilgo slightly -* Ans. Well, I know him from five or six years' acquaintance. Dr. Kii,GO: Are you and Dr. Kilgo intimate in your associations? Ans. Yes, we have worked together five or six years in the College. Mr. OGiyESBv: Were you here last night? Ans. Yes, sir Mr. O. Did you hear Mr. Council read the clipping from the Durham Sun? Ans. Yes. sir. [ 94 ] Mr. O. He cited the fact that Dr. Kilgo said "greater than all these,"' etc. Did you hear him use that language? Ans. No, sir. Mr. O. You are certain of that ? Ans. Yes, sir. Mr. O. Did he not put the fact of Mr. Duke's magnificent gifts to Trin- ity College above all these things ? Ans. No, sir. Dr. BasseWs Evidence, Dr. Kilgo: What is your name ? Ans. J. S. Bassett. Dr, K. Where do you live, and your occupation ? Ans. Professor of History in Trinity College Dr. K. Do you know President Kilgo of Trinity College ? Ans. Yes, sir. Dr. K. What is your observation as to the type of man and his general dealings with people ? Ans, As a man of great candor, frankness and impartiality. I have often thought of him as a man who would not keep a secret. Dr. K. Did you hear him speak the night of the serenade at Mr. Duke's? Ans. Yes, sir. ^Dr. K. Did he read that speech ? (reading the extract referred to.) Ans. No, sir. Dr. K. Did you ever hear Dr. Kilgo use any blasphemous language ? Ans. No, sir. I think I should have noticed any. I am professor of History here and think I should have noticed it. Dr. K. Well, is he given to blasphemy ? Ans. He is very reverent. Dr. K. Do you know Rev. T. J. Gattis, of this town ? Ans. Yes, sir. Dr. K. Did he ever talk to you about Dr. Kilgo ? Ans. Yes, sir. Dr. K. Did he talk kindly of him? or did he seem to want to rather reflect on him ? Ans. I think he spoke insinuatingly. Mr. OgIvESBY: I don't know about that class of testimony. I am will- ing for anything to come in legitimately. Dr. KiLGO: It is direct testimony. Mr. Chairman: Do you want to know the course of facts he seeks to bring out by that ? Dr. Kilgo: I want to show that Mr. Gattis has talked to more than one party reflecting in a manner on President Kilgo. (To the witness.) Can you tell us any instance in which he talked to you about him ? Mr. OgleSBY: Mr. Chairman, the court has not ruled upon that. Dr. KiLQO: I withdraw it. Let it go. Mr. O. You say you are interested in North Carolina history. You heard what he said. Did he not cite some history down there that night? Ans. Yes. sir. [ 95 ] _ Mr. O. Can you tell what he said? Ans. He spoke of the first soldier killed in the Civil War and of the Mecklenburg Declaration, and of the fact that North Carolina had the greatest Southern philanthropist. Mr. O. Did he not say that greater than all these, etc. Ans. No, sir. When I saw the published statement I recalled very clearly that he said "added to these." Judge Clark: Did you take any notes at that time ? Ans. No, sir. Dr, Cranford*s Evidence, Dr. KiLGo: What is your name? Ans. W. I. Cranford. Dr. K- Where do you reside and what is your occupation ? Ans. At Trinity College and teacher in the college. Dr. K. You know Dr. Kilgo, President of Trinity College ? Ans. Yes, sir. Dr. K. What about him in his dealings with men, from your observa- tion ? Ans. I think he is very frank — very independent. He has his own opinion and expresses it fearlessly. He is, I believe, the most open, independent man I know, or as much so as any man. Dr. K. Have you ever noticed anything in your association with him that made you believe that he toadied to men of wealth and influence? Ans. Not the least. In fact, he struck me as being on the other extreme. Dr. K. Did you hear the speech he made at Mr. Duke's. Ans. I did. Dr. K Did he make this speech which Judge Clark quotes ? Ans. Nothing like it. Dr. K. Has he impressed j'ou with being an irreverent man ? Ans. He never has. Mr. OgIvESBy: You heard the paragraph read last night ? Ans. I did. Mr. O. Was it reported correctly? Did he not say greater than all these, etc. Ans. On that point I am quite sure that the paragraph was incorrect. Mr, Bivins^s Evidence. Dr. KiLGO: What is your name? Ans. J. F. Bivins Dr. K. Where do you reside? Ans. At Durham now. Have been living at Albemarle, N. C, for the past year. Dr. K. Do you know President Kilgo, of Trinity College ? Ans. I do. Dr. K. Were you a student under him ? Ans. Yes, sir. [ 96 ] Dr. K. In his class-room talk to his students were you led to think that he was a man who toadied to wealth and who wanted the students ta worship wealth ? Ans. His attitude was just the opposite. He always encouraged the poor boy and never laughed at povert}'. He rather gave us to understand that it was fortunate for a boy to be born poor. Often it was a greater incentive to him than to be born wealthy. Dr. K. In his dealings with the student body, did he deal with them as trying to carry out little tricks ? Ans. No, sir; he was always open and frank and true, and you had no trouble to understand where he stood. I have never known him to be deceitful. Dr. K. Was he a reverent or irreverent man in his dealings with the students ? Ans. Always very reverent, and from the time he came to the college those qualities began to be noted among the boys. We had the biggest revival we ever had in the history of the college, so far as I know, after he came; and he had a great deal to do with that. I was a member of the Y. M. C. A. at the time, and could know his influence with the boys with whom I associated- Dr. K. What is his reputation among his students ? ' Ans. Well, his students look on him as being the soul of honor and truth. They always admire him for his manhood and I have never known a boy to say anything against his personal character. Mr, Grissom^s Evidence. Dr. KiLGO: What is your name? Ans. W. L. Grissom. Dr. K. Where do you reside? Ans. Greensboro. N. C. Dr, K. Were you ever a member of the N. C. Conference? Ans. I was. Dr. K. Ever had any association with Dr. Kilgo, President of Trinity College? Ans. Yes, ^r. Dr. K. What is your observation of bis dealing with men? Ans. As being a man of openness and candor. Dr. K. Is he a man who talks his opinion out or is he what you might call an unscrupulous diplomat? Ans. I think if we have any man among us who speaks his convictions he does. Dr. K. Were you in the Advocate office [at Greensboro, N. C.,] on the 18th of July, or thereabout. Ans. I was in there the day during your first meeting of the Boards Dr. K. Can you tell us anything that occurred that day that had ref- erence to this trial? Ans. I was in there during the afternoon. Dr. Mclver came in and said to Dr. 'Crawford that Judge Clark had come up on the train with him to Durham to attend this meeting and that he only had a word with him [Clark] to go ahead, he [Mclver] was with him in the fight Dr. K. And that was told to Dr. Crawford by Dr. Mclver? Was that the Dr. Mclver who is President of the Normal State School? Ans. Yes. sir. [ 97 ] Dr. K. Did you go from here last night with Rev. Mr. Gattis? Ans. Yes, sir. Dr. K. Did he have any remarks specially to make about his gladness to testify? Ans. He said he regretted very much to do so ; that he would not hav(e done it for |100, if he could have avoided it, but he was pressed to do so. Mr. Oglesby : You say you know Dr. Kilgo very well? Ans. I do. Mr. O. Did you never suspect that what seems to be Dr. Kilgo's open, frank way, was a matter of policy with him? Ans. No, sir. Mr. O. Might not a man have that as a part of his scheme? as a way of appealing to the public patronage in driving his enterprises? Ans. I think I have always known where to find him on any ques- tion. Mr. O. It would not foUow because he had an outspoken way that he was trying to manipulate things? Ans. I have never detected it, nor seen anything to believe that he would. Mr. JuRNEY : Didn't Dr. Mclver tell Dr. Crawford, speaking of Judge Clark, "I tell you he is loaded for it!" Ans. I don't know that he said just that. He said he thought he was prepared, but there was no telling what he would do, that he always does what you do not expect him to do. That was what he said of Judge Clark. Mr. Parrish : Did I understand Mclver said to Crawford that he had a conversation with Judge Clark and that he (Mclver) was with him in this fight? Ans. Yes, sir. Mr. JuRNEY : That explains a great deal, brethren. Dr. Kilgo : What is the general character of Dr. Kilgo? Ans. I think it is good. Dr. K. I wish to get on the records in this trial the exact facts con- cerning the suggestion which the President of this College made to elect the Faculty for a longer term, and I want to ask this court to put these facts on record. I wish to ask Dr. Brooks to take the stand. Did Presi- dent Kilgo include himself in that motion as you understood? Mr, IVEY : Does that come under any of the charges, Doctor? Dr. Kilgo : Yes. Dr. Brooks: I want to say in the outset that this is the first notice I have had served on me. I do not remember that you included your- self. Dr. K. What is your^istinct recollection? Mr. Oglesby : I would suggest that you get his name. D. Brooks : John R. Brooks, Salisbury, N. C. Dr. Kilgo : Your occupation? Dr. Brooks : Minister of the gospel. Dr. Kilgo : Member of this Board? Dr. Brooks :' Yes, sir. [ 98 ] Dr. KiLGO: Were you present at the meeting in June, 1897? Dr. Brooks: Yes, sir. Dr. KiLGO : Do you remember anything Dr. Kilgo said in his report concerning the election of the Faculty for a longer term? Dr. Brooks : Yes, sir. My recollection is that you recommended in your report, and I got the impression from the report, that you were not included in the Faculty and made no effort to be included in that recom- mendation, and from that I moved that the President be included in the election for four years— if the Faculty should be elected for four years. Dr. K. Did Dr. Kilgo say that he wanted that done? Dr. B. I do not remember any statement that you made after I made the motion. I think you made a statement in connection with the pre- sentatio» of your report to the effect that you did include yourself in that, and my motion was based on that statement to include you with the Faculty. I do not remember any statement you made in connection with the motion. Mr. CoLE: What became of your motion? Dr. Brooks: I think it was adopted. Mr, Oglesby: You said you made the motion becaue Dr. Kilgo gave you to understand that he did not include himself in that suggestion? Dr. Brooks : I have a distinct impression from his report or from his oral statement I was moved to make that motion. I had the impression he was not included. Dr. Kilgo : I don't know. I have not talked to any Trustee about this matter. I have not told Dr. Brooks that he would be brought up. But I want the truth and I would like for any Trustee to state whether I excepted myself or not? Mr, Bishop's Mvidence, Dr. Kilgo: What is your name? Ans. F. A. Bishop. Dr. K. Where do you reside? Ans. Fayetteville is my headquarters. Dr. K. Are you a member of the Board of Trustees of Trinity College ? Ans. I am. Dr. K. Did you attend the June meeting of 1897 ? Ans. I did. Dr. K. Do you recall any facts concerning a recommendation that Dr. Kilgo made to elect Faculty for longer than one year ? Ans. I recollect the recommendation in the President's report that the Faculty be elected for the term of four years, and the motion was made and Dr. Kilgo excepted himself from it. A motion was made to include the President, and at Dr. Kilgo's request it was withdrawn. It is very clear in my mind. Dr. K. 'It was withdrawn at President Kilgo's request? Ans. Yes, sir. [ 99 ] Mr, Creasy^s Evidence. Dr. KiLGO: What is your name ? Ans. W. S. Creasy. Dr. K. Where do you reside ? Ans Winston, N. C. Dr. K. Are you a member of the Board of Trustees ? Ans. Yes, sir. Dr. K. Did you attend the meeting of June, 1897 ? Ans. Yes, sir. Dr. K. Tell us what you recollect about Dr. Kilgo's suggestion in his report to elect the Facultj' for a longer term than one year. Ans. My recollection is distinct that he recommended the election of the Faculty for four years, and gave as his reasons -that they were a first rate Facultj-, and there was danger of losing them unless they gave them some inducement to remain; that other places wanted them and that it was important to keep this efficient Faculty. That was the reason. He was not included in it himself. In fact, he said he was anxious about the Faculty. Dr. K. Do you recollect a motion of Dr. Brooks to include President Kilgo? Ans. Yes, sir. Dr. K. What did he [Dr. Brooks] say about that motion ? Ans. He said he did not see why the President should be omitted; that if we elected the Professors, as a matter of fact we ought to elect the President. President Kilgo made a speech, and said he hoped we would not adopt that, and at his own request it was withdrawn. Mr, Tyer^s Mvidejice, Dr. KiivGO: What is your name ? Ans. Andrew P. Tyer. Dr. K. What is your occupation ? Ans. Member of N. C. Conference. Dr. K. Where do you reside? Ans. Wilmington. Dr. K. Are you a member of Board of Trustees of Trinity College ? Ans. Yes, sir. Dr. K. Did you attend the June meeting, 1897 ? Ans. Yes, sir. Dr K. Do you recollect the recommendation of the President to elect the Faculty and what occurred in that recommendation? Ans. My recollection is that the President recommended in his report that the Faculty be elected for four years, and that the matter was, on motion, referred to a special committee, and that some one made the motion that the President be included, and that to that the President objected, stating that these professors were laymen and men who had to provide for themselves, and had a right to know, longer than one year at a time, where they would be and what they would do When the special committee had reported a legal diflSculty, it was withdrawn. Dr. Kilgo said it was much like the Judge to see the legal difiSculty, and that in view of that consideration he would withdraw the recommendation. [ 100 J Dr. K. How long have you known Dr. Kilgo ? Ans. Since 1884. Dr. K. How did you come to know him ? Ans. I was stationed at St. John's, on the South Carolina line, when Dr. Kilgo was the preacher on the Bennettsville Circuit, and from then till now we have occasionally helped one another in work. Dr. K. Were you at Pineville once ? Ans. Yes, sir; two years. Dr. K. Was that near Rock Hill ? Ans. Yes, sir. Dr. K. Did you have association with any South Carolina people along there ? Ans. Frequent. Dr. K. What was his general character as you know it? Ans. I never heard anything against him by any man, except some liquor sellers at Rock Hill. Some men down there said that if they did not get Kilgo out of Rock Hill they would have no Presbyterian church and no more bar-rooms. That is the most derogatory statement I have heard. Dr. K. Was his character good or bad ? Ans. Good. I make that statement universally. /. W. Kilgo's Evidence. Dr. KiivGo: What is your name? Ans. James W. Kilgo. Dr. K. Your residence ? Ans. Charleston, S. C. Dr. K. Your occupation ? Ans. Minister of the Gospel. Dr. K. Are you a relative of J. C. Kilgo? Ans. Brother. Dr. K. Did you attend the Conference in Rock Hill ? Ans. I did in 1895. Dr. K. Was there any complaint that the Conference brought against Mr. T. C. Ligon ? Ans. There was. Dr. K. About what ? Ans, In regard to his encouraging disloyalty to local preachers in his going into a district over the protest of a Presiding Elder and three preachers. The complaint was brought by Clifton, Young and Stokes. Dr. K. He was encouraging Mr. I^eech to go into these men's pastorates? Ans. That was the accusation. Dr. K. Did these men protest? Ans. They did. Dr. K. Why? Ans. Because it was thought that Mr. L/Cech would do great injury to the church. Dr. K. Was Mr. ligon in that district ? Ans. No, sir. [ 101 ] Dr. K. Is Mr. Ligon regarded in your Conference as a man of rather strong second-blessing proclivities ? Ans. Very. Mr. OgIvESBy: You say you are a brother of Dr. Kilgo ? Ans. I am. Mr. O. You know Mr. Ligon well — his general character? Ans. I know him as well as a person could. I have been associated with him in the Conference for ten years. Mr. O. What is His general character ? Ans. Nothing against his general moral character. Mr. O. You said he had very strong Second Blessing proclivities. Is that specially hurtful to a man? Ans. That would be a mere opinion of mine. I don't know whether I have a right to give in mere opinions. Mr O. Do you think Mr. Ligon's tendency in that direction leads him to feel unkind to a man who would not agree with him? Ans. I could not say that it would. Dr. Kii