The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-09-21
Blows at the State.IIOuse.

wise have been ignored.
Mr.. j. i. Thomas, Jr., the Governors
private secretary, vas standing this morn
ing in the corridor Of the State. House
in front Of the Governors office, quietly
talking to tw0 gentlemen about an
absent friend, when Col. James " Lips.
comb, Secretary Of State, came up and
injected into the conversation an UHcm-
sivc remark about Mr. Thomas friend.
According to the most credible accounts
Mr.. Thomas said, "Mr. - is my friend;
you have right to form your own opin.
ion Of him, Colonel but do not agree
with you" Col LipscOmb thcreupon
renewed his assertion in n loud tone.
Mr.. Thomas quietly reiterated his reply
and then walked into hi. office. Pre-.
scnt!y Col. Lipscomb wen, to Mr. Thom.
ass inner office aud met him at the
door, saying angrily, "fou virtually said
| lied Just now" Mr. Thomas replied,
NO, didn't ! merely took up for S
friend" Col. Lip,comb suddenly rushed
forward and slapped Mr. Thomas face.
Mr.. Thomas replied with several blows.
They then grappIed Col. Lipscomb
weighs over 200 pound' and Mr.. Thomas
is OF slight build. In their struggle they
moved to the other end Of The Office
when Mr. Thomas picked up an iron cup
from the stove and was dealing his
opponent energetic blows on the face
with II when others came in and separa.
ted them. Col. Lipscomb retired much
battered and his face covered with blood.
Mr. Thomas WAS uniiurt. The attack on
MIR. Thomas has caused much comment
unfavorable to Secretary Lipscomb.
The germ of his action was the discus.
sion several months ago about the secre.
tary's discharge of clerk without cause.
MIR. Thomas's friend had furnished the
facts for publication, and Mr.. Thomas
had joined In presenting Il testimonial 10
the gentleman discharged. Secretary
LiPscomb strongly resented both actions
and has never forgiven them Cares.
pondcnce Of the Netcs and Courier.
Spicy scqual To the Lipscomb-Tl,omas
Affair.
COLUMBIA, September 1.-THE fol.
lowing account Of an incide..: of some
local interest will appear in the Register
tomorrow
"Rumors were rife on the streets Sun
day that personal difficulty was i'm.
pending between MIR. N. G.. Gonzales.
the Columbia correspondent of the Ners
and Courier, and Col. James N. Lips.
comb, Secretary of State.
1t appears that Mr.. Gonzales was very
much incensed on account of the Ian.
guage that Col. Lipscomb had used in
regard to him on Saturday, and which
had led to the Lipscomb. Thomas diff.
Guilty, On account of which appeared i'm
Sundays Register, and had stated to sew.
eral of his friends that il was his purpose
to meet Col. Lipscomb on Monday
morning and denouncc him in unmista.
kable language. a report of what was
brewing having reached the ears of Gov.
ernor Thompson, he felt it to be his duty
to put stop to the matter at once, and
If possible prevent any serious conse.
quences from resulting.
With this end in view the Governor
sent Capt. w. X. Bachman to Mr..
Gonzales on Sunday evening with the
request that he would give his honor not
to pursue the matter any further, stating
to Capt Bachman that unless Mr.. Con.
zales would mako such promise he
would be compelled to put him under n
peace bond.
Capt. Bachman, at the Governors re-
quest, had an interview with MIR. Con
zales, and made an Intellectual effort to
obtain the desired promise from him.
The result OF the interview being report
ed to the Governor, he at once went be-
fore Justice Marshall and took out a
peace warrant against Mr.. Gonzales.
The warrant was placed in the hands
Of the sheriff and AIR. Gonzales was ar
rested yesterday morning. He demand
ed an examination, and ii O'Clock was
appointed for hearing Of the case. At
that hour Mr.. Gonzales appeared in
Court, and the examination was entered
int.
The frat witness sworn VAS Governor
thompson, who deposed as follows:
am tho Governor of the State. had no
knowledge of an impending difficulty
except on information, and my affidavit
IS based upon that. | heard a rumor
that MIR. Gonzales had made statement
that he intended to 60 to the State House
and .denounce Col. Lipscomb for his
offensive language, and felt that such
action if not stopped would result in
serious breach of the peace. sent
Capt. Bachman to Mr.. Gonzales to ask
him to promise me not to pursue the
matter any further. l asked Capt.
Bschman to say to him that unless he
gave me such promise would be COM
PEELED to have him bound over to keep
the peace. l have not applied for any
warrant against Col. Lipscomb, but will
do 30 unless he gives me his promise to.
day that he will not break the peace, and
have told his brother, Col. T. J. Lips.
comb, that I would do 80.
Cross examined by ir. Gonzales: !
did not know positively that there would
be breach of the peace if you went to
Col. Lipscomb with the Intention that
you were said to have, but, from nv
knowledge of both of you, believed
that there would be.
Capt. w. X. Bachn,an sworn I was
called on by Governor Thompson about
z O'Clock on Sunday evening. He said
he had reason to believe that Mr.. Con.
zales would 60 to the State House in the
morning for the purpose of denouncinp
Col. Lipscomb, and that he wished to
prevent it. At the Governors request I
went to SEQ Mr.. Gonzales and asked him
to give up his intention. saw Mr..
Gonzales near the Grand Central Hotel
and had conversation with him, but
did not deliver the Governors message to
its full extent. Mr. Gonzales said that
l had been correctly Informed, for he
did propose to see Col. Lipscomb. That
be could not submit to what had occur.
red. | tried to get him to drop the mat.
ter and told him that his course, if per-
sisted in, would result in serious difficult
ty. Mr.. Gonzales replied that it was i'm.
possible for MIN to stand it. That he
would do 1t if certain of being shot.
That he had already announced 10 some
ef his friends his intention. Finding
him perfectly determined in his purpose
/ made no allusion to what the Governor