The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-08-16
The following is the communication

The following is the communication
sent by Captain Tillman TO the News
and Courier, for publication, and re-
turned by that journal to him, with the
above letter. The italics are the por-
tions undcrscored by Captain Dawson,
and constitute the alleged objection
able features upon which his refusal 70
publish the communication was based:
Editor NCUs uud CDuyicr:-The fran
tic efforts being made by the News
and Courier to connect me with
Mr.. Bigham and his charge against
eX-Governor Thompson require no.
tice at my hands, though | feel
that it is Il arostc Of time TO pay
attention to these co'cdrely and sldndcr-
ous attacks any longer. 1t "W continue
to sic like truth, drad yet most 'r"LyHc,"
and there is no 3ruy Mct En0tc Ot to
Molo it.
What Mr. Dean said when he r.
ported the resolution requiring the
Secretary OF the State to take charge of
the Governors mansion, and take
receipts for State property, &c., was, ;Is
near as / can remember, as follows:
THAT the committee had examined
the Governors mansion, the key OF
which they found in the possession OF
an old negro, and found nothing in II
but some old carpeting, i few chairs
and an old table or two. Further, that
the architect of the State house. too,
accompanied them, and, after eXanl-
nation, reported that the building
could be put in good condition for i
small sunl"-two hundred dollars, |
think. What struck me so forcibly at
the time and caused me to remember
so distinctly what was said, was the
resolution accompanying the report.
While there was no charge or hint OF
Governor Thompson having taken any
furniture or other property from the
Mansion that resolution could mean
but one thing. That there had been
gross negligence on the part of some
one, and a public building with its con-
tents left in charge of Irresponsible
parties and liable to the depreciation of
thieves Can it be supposed that any
resolution at all would have been intro
duced and passed had the committee
found everything as they had expected
and as they had right to expect?
Now let Mr. Dean deny making such
report and giving his reason for intro
ducing the resolution before any one
undertakes to fastsn the charge of
falsehood anywhere.
I have epeeII;er endorsed Mr.. Bigham's
charge, and l am not defending him:
7 think it was wholly unjustifiable and
have said so, but Mr.. Dean did report
substantially as have said and l don't
believe he will deny it. I believe he is
gentleman and true man, and ha
owes it to the State to speak out over
his own signature, not through any
newspaper editor. a direct, square
statement is what we want, from MIR.
Dean himself. The whole House of
Representatives heard him, and the
clamor against Mr.. Bigham cannot and
will not justify any suppression OF facts,
because these facts cannot 90 more
than make it appear that Governor
Thompson had left the house in IRE
sponsible hands, and that some OF It's
contents had been stolen. But even
should Mr. Dean deny making this
report, which cannot believe he will,
there are plenty of men who heard
him. and it has not come t1 pass i'll
South Carolina yet that one mans
word is better than another's Of equal
character and honor, and such an
assumption on the part Of the News
and Courier only shows how far 1t
can go. -.
Now there are some other things
about this business that needs eNplanil-
ton. Twenty-three hundred dollars
were spent during Governor Thomp-
sons incumbency 'for repairs and fur
niture for Executive Mansion" Now
if there was so much furniture in it
when Governor Richardson's term
began, and if it only required 5000 to
repair the building, why did the Leg
isIature appropriate s., 700 to repair and
furnish it 'S6? And if it did not re-
uuire that amount why appropriate
81 $40 more for this same purpose III
'S7!' That is terrible house % keep
furnished and repaired. l said at
Sumter there was something "tishy"
about this business, and say SO still.
I was dragged into this matter at
Sumter and have been dragged into 1t
again by the great ''pofcr and crushcr." !"
When he answers these questions If
he don't let ne alone perhaps ! may
ask some more that he won't like so
we'll. 3. r. TII.LMAN.
Ropers, S. c., Aug. 7th, 'SS.