Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1892-08-25

UcGU
If Gov. Tillman denies the truth of
this statement which | make. desire
him to do so in my presence.
AS Col Youmans made this statement
he turned and faced Gov. Tillman and
awaited his answer.
There was wild cheering from both
factions. the Conservatives crying, Make
him answer, Youmans. and the Tlllman-
ties shouting, Answer him, Governor.
The Governor scowled, but did not str.
Col. Youmans stepped several PAGES closer
and detiantly called upon Tlllman to
know if he had any answer to make.
The Governor manner and attitude were
such that for few moments 1t seemed
as if he would have no answer to make.
The cheers and cries of the factions
increased.
Finally the Governor arose and said:
..TEis is next to the last meeting OF the
campaign of 1892. have told this man
that | declined to sink to the level of a
blackguard. and that wonld not notice
any questions coming from him. and !
repeat it.
rhe scene that followed was wild. Gov.
Tillman sank back into his seat and the
crowd yelled until it seemed as if the
very branches of the trees were shaken
by the vocal storm that arose from the
throats of the two factors.
"Stand to it. YoumanS. go it, Ben.
Such were the words of encouragement
that came from the friends of the belllg-
erent politicians.
Col. YoumanS answered like nash.
"Lo you. us Governor of South Caro-
lima, condescend to apply to me, a rpt!icc
speaker. on the opposite side, the teln3
Of blackguard?''
Tillman replied from his chair:
have your answer.
- -,--,,,.a,ac -ad~aaninct- - ~.
= TilIman. lin an still retaining his chaif15s
leaning forward ready to spring j
said: I say you have your answer.
With this Youmans shook his index
FINGER at the front of Gov Tillman,s face.
and responded firmly, but coolly
"Gov. Tillman. that is all evasion.
Will Won please be man enough to state
positively whether or not you lntaid 70
apply to me the epithet OF blackguard
and unite my hands, ~,
By this time all was excitment. Inc
two belligerents We're staring at each
other like beasts ready to spring INTO
deadly combat. Tillman was apparently
about to spring at the throat OF You,
mans: his face indicated that he would
strangle Youmans without hesitation;
Another second and the two men would
have grappled. .,
An unexpected denoument occurred.
Just behind the Governor dozen Dill
nantes bounded upon the stand. Their
we;obt elevated the other side. upon
which Tillman and Youmans stood.
Tillman jumped up toward Youmans to
prevent being thrown from his feet.
The enraged crowd misunderstood his
movement. 1t appeared 70 them that
Tillman had sprung forward to destroy
Youmans. Yells rent the air. hundreds
of pistols were drawn and fiourlshed
above the heads OF the crowd. The
charge was made upon the speakers
stand The Shepparditcs charged TO Kill
Tillman: the Tillmanites TO protect Their
Governor.
It was a fierce charge. Tillman' Edge
! field followers were clustered around hlm
in an instant. Every man Of them had
his pistol out ready for action. Shep.
nard,s and Youmans' friends were around
those. surging to the center to put oul-
lets into Tillman's brain. The Jam was
so complete that pistols were useless. "A
man was as apt to shoot friends as 1oes
had he fired The newspaper correspond
ents were brushed aside, and ouril
farmer. with gun, clambered upon one
OF the tables with the evident INTENTION
of shooting over the heads OF the llSht-
ing mob and killing one or the other o.
the candidates. But he was quickly
thrown aside and prevented from 1lrnS
The enraged crowd on the platform
was cursing. yelling and swaylng back
wards and forwards when suddenly there
was a crash. The platform fell, mixing
the infuriated men and broken plank:
into what seemed for momentan ,nsep
arabic mass of debris.
This incident averted bloodshed and
perhaps, saved hundred lives. At tha
moment the crowd was so wrought NJ
that everybody momentarily expected
terrible riot in which men would hav,
been killed right and left. 1t was crit
cal moment and spectators shuddered a
they awaited the results.
The falling of the stand had Che eilec
of cooling off the most turbulent spirit
and causing +hem to take second sobe
thought. Many Of them were badl
. bruised and mashed. The men OF bot
sides were now apparently more anxlou
TO save themselves than to destroy thel
enemies. Gov. Tillman was hoisted o
the shoulders of his followers, and, wit
whoops and hurrahs, they began to rid
him around. finally landing him on tn
edge of the reporters stand, where the
clustered around him. Above the nois
the Governor was heard to exclaim: III
ashamed of the whole county.
Most of .he Conservatives had RENAME
in front of the stand and they were lustil
!. calling on Col. Youmans to speak.
I the interim scores of his friends ha
shouldered him and placed him on
: table on the press stand, within fe
feet of Gov. Tillman.
!, Order was called for in vain, the I'll
q NANTES around the Governor shoutir
| and jostling about so that it was imposs
J. bic for Col. Youmans to begin A bur
Tillmanite. with coat OIL and slesV.
i rolled up, was trying to punch a no
: through somebody, and wound up !
Il hurting one-armed Conservative 10 u
ground. a friend of the latter saw hi
roll to the ground, and, jerking out h
pistol. started for his friends assalian
but he was quickly grabbed 6y oth
Conservatives, who persuaded him tn;
n the fall was an accident :,
e After lapse of about ten minutes Il
!. Governors crowd again put him on the
:, shoulders and carried him to hou
9 close by. Then Tillman said:
If sI am sorry things are as they are.
" am not responsible because this m;
;s has been told at least three times befo
. this that I would not sink to the level
blackguard and this whole disturban1
SIS an evidence that they are whipped a.
are irving to create row. have COZ