The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-29
THE GOVERNORS STATEMENT
rSnecial TO News and Courier.

COLC CMBlA, Jauualy --c.-NofSAti ti"A
Tillman read to-day in the Sunday
News and in Gen. Bonham's manu-
script the letter OF the latter in reply to
the Governors letter granting him
permission to leave the State. Cover
nor Tillman was called upon to-day
and asked ifhe had replied to the letter.
He, however, dictated the following
statement to the representative OF the
News and Courier:
"Before the matter was arranged
Yesterday Gen. Bonham and Col. Alfred
Aldrich came into my ottlce, accom-
panied by Attorney General Pope.
After some discussion as to where the
money should be deposited and as to
the necessary preliminary steps to be
taken, it was agreed that the money
should be placed to the credit OF AdJu-
tant General Bonham in the Carollna
National Bank and that they should
bring a certificate of deposit from the
cashier of that bank. That was done,
with the information that sufficient
amount had been placed in bank to
cover the expenses of protests and also
the fees of Mr.. Summers, the expert
accountant, the latter being paid IN
my presence by Col. Aldrich. The re-
quest was then made by Attorney
General Pope, Col. Aldrich implicitly
acuuiescing, that 1 write Gen: Bonham
a letter, stating that he could leave the
State. I wrote the letter asked for IN as
brief and polite terms as knew how; l
was surprised that the request should
have been made, and that my compl-
ance with the request should have oeen
met with such discourteous re]olnder.
That is all | care to say"
THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF BoNHAM 5
ESPIONAGE.
It was learned to-day that the fol-
Lowing are the circumstances under
which Gen. Bonham was placed under
espionage: On the night that the news
paper men we've asked to withhold tie
news of tie shortage, Governor Tillman
sent for Sheriff Rowan and instructed
him to act according to certain state
mcnts made, which have not been
made public. 1t is not known whether
this condition was known to Gen. Bon
ham and his friends, at least until yes
terdav. When Gen. Bonham's accounts
had been settled yesterday, or soon
thereafter, Sheriff Rowan came out OF
the Governors office, and it presumed
had then been relieved of this lnstruc-
tions.
From what Governor Tillman said
to-day, and from what Attorney Gene
ral Pope and Gen. Farley have frequent
lv said, they never regarded Gen. Son-
hams actions in the light OF any
criminal intent. If they had SO regarded
it, it is plain that the officers oflhe law
could not or should not have even
puni he'd the offence. Either way 1t IS
q hard nut to crack; bit the acton OF
the State officials must certainly be re-
parded as a complete eXOnerauon OF
Gen. Bonham if he ever needed testi-
monial. The talk about past, present
and future prosecution is the apotheo-
sis of Gosh and newspaper slush.
COL. ALFRED ALDRIcH's STATEMENT.
Especial to News and Courier.
COLUMBIA, January 26.-Col. Alfred
Aldrich called at this office to-day ana
desired to make the following state
ment relating to the circumstances
under which the letter to Gen: Bon
ham was written by Governor llllmah:
"There is no foundation whatever
for the statements made by Cover
nor Tillman that I acquiesced IN any
request that he extend permission TO
Gen. Bonham to leave the State. L
heard no such request made by Gen
pone and do not believe that he made
it.
"After paying Mr.. Summers for his
services and receiving a receipt there
for. rose to leave the Executive cham
Der, saying, L believe there IS nothlnS
else to be done, and will 60 Cover.
nor Tillman said, Wait moment
and began writing. After writing a
short time he called his secretary, and
handing him a sheet Of paper SAID,
Copy that I had no idea what the
paper contained. When the secretary
returned With the copy Governor MI
man folded the sheet Of paper, put II
in an envelop, addressed it, and handed
II to Gen. Pope. Gen. Pope asked me
to 60 to his office with him, ana there
he gave me the communication "hlch
Governor Tillman had handed to MN,
and which proved to be the 'permls-
SION to leave the State, to which Gen.
Bonham properly took umbrage. ,,
Learning later in the day that the
newspapers had also been furnished 3
COPY of this petty attempt by a parvenu,
clothed with a little brief authority
TO humiliate an unfortunate gentleman
~ force of circumstances, in a false ana
position, I advised Gen.
Bonham to write 2 communication
which would in my Judgment have
met the case, and to be de-
ivered by me to Governor Tillman IN +!
person. Other counsels prevailed, and |
Zen. Bonham mailed instead the reply.
published in to-day's News and Cou" !
.ieC.n ". +. j.