The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-01
MACUNE DEFENDED.
He Borrowed Money from Pat Calhoun, but
There Was no Funny Business
About ;t-1he Whole Matter
Fully Explained.

TO the public: \ letter purportiug tc
have been written to w. S. McAllistel
in March last giving points drawn out
in the investigation of G. w. Macune's
connection with the Georgia senatorial
election has been published in the
Memphis Commercial and Nashville
American, accompanied by editorials,
and endeavoring to place me in a false
position before the public. 1 therefore
ask space to reply, believing that the
public is always willing to give . fair
hearing to any one in or out of the
Farmers Alliance. 1t Was never my
intention through the public press or
| other public channels to discuss the in
vesligation of &. w. Macune or any
other matter that would be regarded
as a violation of secrecy of our national
body. Any member Of the order in
good standing has right to know what
took place in the national body, or in
the investigating committee room, but
the people in the outside world have
no more right to know than they
have to inquire into the secrecy Of the
trial Of brother in the Masonic lodge,
which is never made public. But since
traitor to our cause has made public
by publishing (my private letter writ
ten to him. some of the points brought
ont before the committee in that inves-
tigation, and wilfully and knowingly
placed me in a false position and posi-
bly, in injury to the order in putting
one of our national officers in false
light, will, as far as my obligation
will allow under the circumstances, eX-
plain to the public my position aud
knowledge of the facts in the matter.
w. S. McAllister attended our Ma
tional Alliance meeting at Ocala, Fla,
and was introduced to me as a gentle
man and member in good standing.
We became intimate friends, attended
the national Legislative council at
Washington last February and came
home together. invited him to &C
cept the hospitalities of my home,
which he did. Therefore | trusted
him as brother and gentleman whom
I felt that I could trust in private cor
respondence with any information l
might have in compliance with his
often repeated impurities for same. So
regarding him, l kept no copies of any
letter written, and therefore do not
question the correctness of the letter
published, lot remembering the Ian
guage used by lie in that correspond
ence.
In the Investigation at Ocala, Fla,
Brother Macune voluntarily filed a
statement showing that the losses on
the Economist to that date had been
$4,000; that Macune borrowed $1,000
from Pat Calhouu-after the senatorial
fight was over-that Macune actively
supported Calhoun for the United
States senate after the caucus of Alli-
ance men in the legislature elected him
as their choice; that Macune bought a
residence in Washington at IS, 900, pay
ing 81 1000 cash and 500 per month
thereafter, and that Sledge and Macuue
bought the majority stock in the South
ern Alliance Farmer, Sled dge furnishing
all the money.
With these statements before us un-
explained by any evidence satisfactory
to meet thai time, I felt that other evi-
dence from Georgia and Washington
which want of time during the national
meeting prevented our getting-should
be had before we decided e. w. Ma
cune guiltless Of indiscretion or wrong
doiug, and I drew up report opposed
to the one agreed upon by the commit
tee. But after a thorough discussion
Of the matter in the committee a large
majority disagreed with me, contend
ing that without all the facts and further
testimony, which we could not get then,
it would be wrong to condemn him,
and in a spirit of fairness to a man
whom I believe to be guilty of some
indiscretion or wrong doing-though I
did not have the positive proof-with-
drew my minority report after every
other man on it had agreed with me
that it was best, but determined dur
ing the intervals between the national
meetings to make a complete investi-
cation and bring the matter before the
next national body if got facts to
convict Macune. l have made rigid
and careful investigation since that
time by correspondence and personal
communication with men in Washing
ton, and Georgia, and since my CORE
spondence with McAllister 1 have be-
come convinced that Macune is not
guilty, and is prosecuted and a SLAM
dered man, and thus believing I could
not honorably do less than say so. My
investigation made among Macune's
enemies and friends has developed the
facts, with proof unquestioned to my
mind:
Ten men owned the Economist, and
the losses on it until it got to making
money above expenses were met by
the ten incorporators and not by Ma
cunc.
That the company owning the paper
paid Macune a salary Of $500 month
as editor in chief and manager, and
with this salary he was enabled to make
his monthly payments on his home as
thousands of other poor men in cities
do under the building and loan assocla-
ton plan.