The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-11-19
TAKING a SERIOUS TURN.
The Governor Takes n Hand in tho Barn
weil Affair.

COLUMBIA, Nov. S.-The McFail case
has taken quite serious turn. The fol
lowing letter to Governor Tillman and
the instructions of Governor Tillmau
to the Attorney General will explain
themselves:
BARNWELL, November 5, 1891.
Dear Sir: | received Mr.. Tompkin's
letter Of the 4th acknowledging my let.
ter of the I'd. suppose you received
mine Of the Sd today. | see by Tho
News and Courier of today that MI. &.
| w. NJ. Williams has written you a let
ter (which reflects upon me and to which
desire to reply.
1t must strike your EXcellency as
somewhat strange that MIR. Williams is
champiOning the cause Of his clients
captor, and is trying to aid him in re-
covering tho reward offered for his
vices. lie Is taking a course which de-
prives his client Of the credit Of having
voluntarily surrendered, and grows ex-
Ceedlngly WrOthy and severe upon those
| who dispute the claims of the reward
| All OF this, too, without his name being
connected with the matter in either Of
the communications addressed to your
| EXcellency on the subject. Mr. Williams
says: "Col. Aldrich was by some means
brought into the case to assist me in
the defehce of McFail." This language
is usually employed to indicate that
lawyer has inSinuateu himself irregu.
larly into a case, and ] have no doubt
that Mr.. Williams intends TO create
that impression Notwithstanding that
he knows that l consented to assist him
by tho request of McFail, his father and
| Williams himself, which writings from
each of them are in my possession and
Will show that my services are purely
and entirely gratuitouS.
| admit that Mr.. Williams is Mr.. Nc
Fails principal attorney, and as he has
shown by his letter that my connection
with the case is unpleasant to him, |
have severed my relations with it, as |
told Mr.. Williams, Mr.. McFail and the
elder Mr.. McFail / would do if any at
tempt should be made to defraud the
State out Of the reward in the way it
was rumored it would be done, and
which has been done.
Mr.. Williams called at my house on
Monday evening in company with Hill
and informed me that McFail was in
the hands Of the sheriff. l asked him
ifhe had gone to the sheriff and surren-
dered himself as ] advised. Williams
replied: "Well, practically so. l Thought
1T bttter to have some one with him
coming along, as | didn't know what
certain parties might do
was very much pressed for time, as
, it WAS salesday and l. had several i'm.
portant land sales to attend to, and the
hour of sale was near at hand, and very
few words passed between Mr. Williams
, and myself. l ask ed him to call on me
= that night for a consultation and he
replied: "That he was going away that
evening, but would see me in day OF
two
| a u oil 1
that day or since. He remarks that
said nothing to him about my intention
|, write to you. | had no intention of
writing to you then; my suspicious
were aroused afterwards. Nothing can
be more despicable than the inSinuation
that | wished to, prevent Hill collecting
this reward, because McFail is wit
ness in another case of mine, nor do |
SEQ what possible connection the two
things "an have with each other. | can
furnish you with proof as follows:
First. That McFail came to BarnWell
on Sunday night in company with
Williams and i1ill and the three stayed
together at the hotel
: cond. That IN the morning Will
iams and Jill went to the sherIlf's
house, quarter of mile away, TO in
form him Of McFailS presence in town
leaving McFail alone at the hotel.
Third. That McEail told Probate
Judge l.. O. Patterson on the morning
of the surrender that he was acting lm-
der advice Of Williams in doing So
Fourth. That Williams went to G.. NJ
Hunter, county auditor, before the sur
render and told him they had concluded
to give up McFail and wanted some
friend OF his to take him in charge and
deliver him to the sheriff and claim the
| reward and tI1rn IL tC NfnlrniI n
; Williams to pay the expenses of his
case, and that they had selected Mr.
Hunter to do that work, which work
Hunter refused to do whereupon Will
liams said he would have TO get some
one else.
Very respectfully and truly yours,
Robert Aldrich.
Governor Tillman, IN relation to the
above has written the following letter
COLUMBIA, November 7, 1891.
10 the Hon. Y. j. Pope, Attorney
Gtneral-Sir: From letters in my pos.
session and circumstances connected
with the case, / am led to believe that
an attempt has been made to defraud
the State of the sum offered as re-
ward for w. l.. McFail. There is sufli
Gent evidence to warrant the belief
that conspiracy was formed for this
purpose by certain parties, and that
possibly the sheriff Of BarnWcll was in
cOlluSiOn with them.
4, have had reason to think that the
State has been defrauded more than
once in this matter Of rewards, and to
Know that some Of our Sherifts are very
derclict about making arrests. desire
that tho present case be thoroughly
slftcd and an example made. You
viii, therefore, proceed to Barnwcll on
Monday morning to make thorough
in iestjgation, and cause an Indictment
both for conspiracy and perjury to be
issued if the proofs obtained will war
rant it.
have every confidence in the solicit
tor Of that circuit, but desire that you
investigate in person and press for a
speedy trial II a prosecution is deter
mined upon.
Yours respectfully,
B. IL. TILLMAN, Governor.
According to instructions Attorney
General Pope will be in Barnwell to-
morrow, where the Court of General
Sessions opens in the morning.