Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-01-09
this district at the last election ;!

this senatorial eleCGlOu Aoo DSeA w
fore the people I would have beaten
Patterson ten a votes to one. The leg
islators are the representatives Of the
people, so we must conclude that
there is something wrong"
Suppose Mr.. Patterson is not al
lowed to take his seat 2
well, then, there will have to be
another election. Then if he can be
elected without money, all right
nobody should complain. But this
thing of buying up whole Leglsla'
ture is disgraceful. 1t ought I, not OF te
be encouraged"
Perhaps not; but 1T will never be
stopped in South Carolina The last
Legislature could be bought, and
was bought time and again, This
one isl still more, disgracefal gang
Of political prostitutes, and II the pex1 e J!
one will likely be worse. There Is
no Improvement, but year after yea1
the rotten demoralization in this un
happy State continues. Elliott knows
this to be true; Scott knows it; they
all know it, and in confidential mo
ments they will say as much.
HOW THE LEGISLATURE WAS BOUGHT
By the law Of the State the frs
ballot for, Senator is taken in thu
Senate. The result is then announc
ed to the House, and the House bal
lots. Patterson wanted the mora
effect of a large vote in the Senate
and there he shelled out freely. L
is said that on the first ballot there
sixteen votes cost him not less thar
twenty-five thousand dollars. At al
events, he had been sufficiently lib
eral to get a majority. When the re
suit was known in the House there
was a stampede to the standard o
the golden Patterson. The darkey
were told that his election was sure
and that if they did not come up Il
the work they would not "get any
thing" The hope of something more
in addition to what they already had
was of healthy effect; for the on.
ballot taken resulted in. the over
whelming election of honest sJohl
Patterson. He got more votes thar
all the rest put together.
The bribing business was at frs
pretty well covered up, but on th'
home stretch, when mattersgot warm
ed up, the thing was carried onsil
open daylight. Twenty minutes be
fore the vote was taken a member
Fortune Giles by name, was called Il
one side by W. b. Worthington, Pat
terson's agent, and
A ROLL OF GREENBAcKs
handed him. His colleague was thel
called, and roll given him, afte
which they voted for Patterson. Fou
credible witnesses saw this transac
ton, as it occurred rightin the House
On the night Of the election victo
rious Patterson was
ARRESTED FOR BRIBERY
on the affidavit of one Miller. whom
he had offered from five hundred t.
a thousand dollars to vote for him
which Miller would not agree to do
Either he is an honest man, or tn
price was not high enough. Their
were also other afidavits, and I'hat
copies of them to inclose in this let
ter, but the overly neat colored lad.
who cleans my room by sweeping
everything into the fire has made n
exception in the matter of the afiida
Wits. Patterson was arrested, AM
taken befor., Trial Justice Kirk b,
Officer Hendricks. A mob assem-
bled and made matters pretty livel..
for the trial justice. Patterson swore
and, in the estimation of the justice
insulted the court. For this he wa
sentenced to twelve hours imprison
ment as punishment for the ALLEGED
contempt. He was followed to du
rance vile by concourse of hi
friends, who were determined to se
him "out" in more senses than one
Others ran for Judge Mackey, VIII
happened to 5e in town, for writ o
habeas corpus, which they got with
out trouble. Patterson was brough
out. Kirk was sent for to come ant
show cause" why the prisonershoult
not be released. The officer sent tt
notify Kirk found him entrenched IL
his own house with the doors barri
caded. Kirk stuck his lips to tht
crack and told the officer to 60 tt
hi, and the officer left. Mackey
released Patterson, and his friends
carried him to the nearest grocery
where they g.
ALL TOOK A DRINK.
The Legislature cut off Kinks head
next day, but not until he had re-
turned the papers in the case to court
Well informed people don't see how
the grand jury next term can fail to
indict Patterson. There is an abun
dance of evidence. Attorney-Gen-
eral Melton is reported to have sufi-
cient backbone to thoroughly sift the
whole matter. Under such sitting it
is a matter Of srievous doubt wheth-
er Patterson will 90 to the Senate OF
to the penitentiary.
The report has been telegraphed
over the country from here-and per-
haps the luckiess senator elect WAS at
the, h"itom Of it--that lll, investig;.-
':on is.,> iilI!rn through ard that III
ii.n!< i.," ."''- hnca on l:,rtr
.,.li,rr <w-.'i';;,n. It's ,r.l llu-. lii,
i-lvrsl:gati". ks ever <d nnrll ii
(. Wig la.len trough. H. rrn,ni>e-
to b a ia her tough aul .,1.i9 live
III .lr.
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