By the Associated Press
Spruce Pine, N.C., Sept. 29—With national guardsmen on duty about the streets here and on hand at the station to give protection to any negroes who may elect to return to their homes and work, this little town, high up in the mountains, is quiet tonight, following four days of what is described by citizens as unprecedented excitement.
Acting on orders from Governor Carmeron Morrison to preserve the law of the state and to give protection to whites and negroes alike, the soldiers began the task today of reaching out into adjoining sections, where the deported negroes are reported to have gone with the purpose of returning them to highway camps in order that road construction, which has been seriously interfered with, may proceed.
None of the negroes returned here today but it is expected by officials and militia officers that they will begin their return tomorrow. Full protection while they are at work will be afforded them by the soldiers, it was stated tonight. Since Wednesday, when the majority of the 200 or more negroes ordered away by angry citizens, left for adjoining counties there has been no disorder.
At Rock Creek, 12 miles from Spruce Pine, no negroes will be allowed, according to reports reaching here tonight. Some of the deported negroes were engaged in construction work near Rock Creek. Authorities here are not inclined to take reports from Rock Creek seriously, however, as it is pointed out that Governor Morrison’s orders to the militia are explicit, and that in the event Rock Creek citizens molest the negroes who return the militia then will handle the situation in accordance with their instructions. At the present time soldiers on duty are merely resting and awaiting developments, if any, which may occur when the negroes begin to return to work.
Merchants of Spruce Pine stated tonight that today had been the quietest Saturday in town for many years. This afternoon Major E.O. Robertson of North Wilkesboro arrived here and took active command of the two companies of militia on duty.
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Spruce Pine, N.C., Sept. 29—A story of a four-day man hunt which, had it been successful would have resulted seriously for the hunted man, was told here when Jester Buchanan, Mack Buchanan, deputy sheriffs of Mitchell county; Wilburn Thomas, Melles Thomas, and Clyde Ledford, returned from Hickory following the capture of John Goff, the negro convict who is charged with having attacked an aged white woman near here last Wednesday, the alleged attack having brought about the ejection of more than 200 negroes from Spruce Pine vicinity.
The five men, there of whom are close relatives of the woman who was attacked, arrived at her home shortly after the incident is alleged to have occurred last Wednesday. One of them had seen the negro further down the road and a young sister told of what happened.
There was no hesitation on the part of the men, according to the story which they told tonight. Obtaining their shot guns they set out in the direction which the negro had gone when leaving the farm. Experienced in habits of woodsmen, they were able to trail the negro part of the way through woods and over mountains, never stopping for sleep or to rest. Through territory which is practically uninhabited, they went, firm in their determination to capture the criminal and to mete out mountain justice, they said.
When they reached Hickory this afternoon, and officers there learned of their hunt and of the nearness of the fugitive, deputies went out in all directions, and his capture was only a matter of a few hours. They returned to their home tonight.
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Asheville, N.C. Sept. 29—John Goff, escaped negro convict, charged with assaulting an aged white woman at Spruce Pine Wednesday, precipitating wholesale expulsion of negroes and calling out two companies of national guardsmen, was caught by the sheriff of Burke county near Hickory. It is learned from the Asheville Citizen’s Morganton correspondent.
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Raleigh, N.C., Sept. 29—John Goff, escaped negro convict charged with the attempted attack on a white woman which precipitated the wholesale deportation of negroes from the vicinity of Spruce Pine, tonight is enroute to the penitentiary here under heavy guard, according to the governor’s office. Goff was captured late today near Hickory, N.C. He denied, according to officials, that he lured the woman from her home with any other intention than to steal a pair of shoes and asserted that he (last line obscured).
From the front page of the Durham Morning Herald, Sunday, Sept. 30, 1923
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