Edward Clay, thief

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 14:49:37 -0500

Edward Clay was expelled for petty larceny.

According to "The Colonial Records of North Carolina," Volume XIX, (p.783) Clay allegedly stole money at a store run by a Mr. Haryon.

Haryon testified before an investigating committee:

Yesterday morning a Gentleman came to my store. I did not know his name. He asked the price of coffee and put his naked hand on the counter on the money lying on the Counter, he then drawed his hand up with the money in it; I then took hold of his hand opened it and took the money from him. I shewed him to Mr. Martin and told him I thought he was an Assembly man. I ordered him out of the store upon which he went off.

Haryon told the commitee he though Clay's "intention was thievish," in part because he had his left glove half on.

Another customer who saw the alleged theft testified that Clay beat him two or three times with a cane for saying he was a thief.

Who has been expelled from the legislature?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:05:23 -0500

Answer:

At least 13 people were kicked out of the legislature between 1757 and 1880.

Below, the year of their expulsion, their names, districts and alleged crimes.

1757: Rep. James Carter, of Rowan County, for embezzlement.

1758: Rep. Francis Brown, of Currituck County, for perjury.

1770: Rep. Herman Husband, of Orange County, for libel.

1779: Rep. William Gilbert, of Tryon County, for fraud.

1784: Rep. Edward Clay, of Caswell County, for theft.

1786: Sen. Benjamin McCullock, of Halifax County, for a military pay scandal.

1786: Rep. Henry Montfort, of Warren County, for a military pay scandal.

1787: Rep. John Bonds, of Nash County, for a military pay scandal.

1809: Rep. John Clary, of Perquimans County, for fornication with his stepdaughter.

1816: Sen. John Roberts, of Carteret County, for fraud.

1835: Rep. Robert Potter, of Granville County, for brandishing a gun during a fight.

1875: Rep. J. Williams Thorne, of Warren County, for publishing a "blasphemous" pamphlet.

1880: Rep. Josiah Turner Jr., of Orange County, for calling other legislators names.

In 2007, two House committees decided to consider expelling Rep. Thomas Wright of Wilmington.