The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-12-01
F0UGBT TWO ANDsFW0,
THE GONZALES BROTHERS no "a
Two cGahKs.
stetlon Of Newspaper Circulation 3

veiops into a Mixed Row-ScuAle in n
Hotel Lobby which looked ugly, But
Ended with Little Damage.
! CoLuMBIA, S. c., Nov. 24.-The SEN
sation of the night is an encounter that
occurred betweenN e.. Gonzales, editor
OF the State, and A. II. Gonzales, gen
STdt agent of the same paper, on the
one side. and j. Waiter Gray, of Green
vile, and sampson Pope,of Newberry,
clerks respectively of sthe house and
senate, on the other.
The law requires that clerks of the
two legislative bodies shall award i'd
yertisements of proposals for the State
printing to the daily newspaper in Co.
EInnbia having the largest circulation.
Gray and Pope deputed the duty of de-
Itermining the question of circulation
to W. M. Rodgers, assistant clerk of
th6 house, 6nds anSold Register com
positor. Rodgers made his report aud
last night the clefks&awarded the ad-
yertlsiDg to t~heIegister and Forwarded
q communfcationsLo The State, saying
tnat according to Rodgers report the
ERegister hadthe largest circulation.
To-day the State contained O severe
editorial calling the award an sin
fragrant and wilful lie" The editorial
said that dodgers "iu making his report
had died deliberately and maliciously
with intent to ipjure the State. which
he hates, aud benefit the Register,
which he supports" and that he knew
the Registers circulation was not half
as large as the States. The editorial
also said that Gray and Pope in accept
ing and endorsing a report so made
have broken their oaths to perform
their duties, and have carried out a
conspiracy to defraud the State of it's
reputation and to give the Register Il
reputation Which 1t could not otherwise
possess"
Gray and Pope were charged with
outrageous craftsmanship and fraud.
Tonight the matter eliminated when
AL, Gonzales met General Gray in
the crowded lobby of the Grand Cen
trail hotel. The occurrences that fol-
lowed are Co~nservatively given accord
ing to the most dispassionate state
ments from witnesses o%btainable.
Gonzales said to Gray: II have been
anxious to see you to tell you some
thing have been saying about you all
whoever is responsible for awarding
the advertising to the Register,
and the statement that the Regis.
ter has u greater circulation than
the State is Il G. ID liar and a fraud.
Any II who will assert that the Reg
lister has half the circulation Of the
State tells u willful lie"
Gonzales repeated this, and said that
IL was an outrage on the tax payers of
the State to have tho award given to a
paper with not half the States circula-
tion.
Gray asked it Gonzales had received
his communication.
About this time N, q. Gonzales came
into the lobby, and, hearing his broth
er's voice came up to him. Gray then
said SO there are two of you, are there?
Have j friend herel'
At this appeal IA number of persons
Immediately rushed up, and the cry
was heard, Eyes, lots of Them"
Gray excitedly threw of his overcoat
and drew his pistol and said"Any man
who says that / am q fraud is a id
liar.''
AT this juncture Sampson Pope came
up and shouted "Thatis what / say, and
any man who u me of fraud is a
id liar"
N. q. Gonzales asked him what he.
said, and upon his repeating it struck
him in the face with his left hand.
Mr.. Pope is said by two eye witnesses
to have made two attempts to draw q
pistol when he and Gonzales closed in
on each other.
The two men fell to the floor, clinch-
ing each other, Gonzales on top belab-
oring Pope. Pope stuck his fingers in,
Gonzales eyes and gouged them. Con
tales called out to him to stop gouging
Ihim. Gonzales states that he did this
because Pope'S friends had hold of his
arms and he could do nothing. In
| sS%e WAY the men were soon parted,
neitnGk1Gics. 1ssssuss0e.l s,go c6Stno
other. Gonzales believes hat he was
struck over the hand by u stick in the
hands of some one in the crowd.
In the meantime A. u. Gonzales had
been facing Gray, who stood with
drawn pistol. Gonzales advanced one
step, called Gray a did coward and
told him to throw away his pistol, as he
had none, andlight it out. The strug-
gle between Pope and the other Con
zales got these two separated, and Gen
erai Gray remained in a corner of the
lobby for fully five minutes standing
erect with drawn pistol and pale face.
A. E. Gonzales continued to curse Gray
and his friends, telling him he could
whip any three of them. BY this time
some of Gonzales friends had been at
tracted into the hotel and the two
brothers were taken up stairs.
The affair created the most intense
excitement, and nothing else is talked
about. 1t is probable that tomorrow
will bring developments in the matter.
Suits for perjury are talked of.
ANOTHER ROW
COLUMBIA, S. e., Nov. 25.-Another
encounter following on the heels offlast
nights fight occurred today. This time,
II was between Ale. Gonzales and M. II.
Tighe, correspondent of tho News and
Courier. Gonzales produced a News
and Courier and read Tlghe's account
of last nights fight. When he came to
the words "a. e. Gonzales raised both
hands, saying he was unarmed," he told
Tighe 1t was q id lie. immediately
Tighe raised his right hand and struck
Gonzales in the face, drawing blood
from his nose. Gonzales responded by
hitting Tighe under the left eve, MAX
ing a cash which blcd profusely.
The two men elinched and fell tolthe
floor. They struck and gouged each
other for u short time when they were
separated.
After being separated Tighe said:
You are my physical superior, but I'll
lightyou In any way 81 gentlemen ought
and you have got IL to do
Gonzales replied that Tighe could get
all the light out OF him in any way And
at any time he chose.
Inc fight occurred lust, outside the
door of the chamber of the house of rep.
r~esentatiyes and many legislators rush
ed to the scene.