The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-07-27
THAT LESTER AFFIDAVIT.
A Counter Statement Denying that Pope
and Sigh are Third Party Men.

To The Public: Whereas J. Marcellus
Lester made an affidavit on the 9th day
of July, 1892, in which, among other
things, he says "that he was in the Alli-
ance caucus at Newberry on the I'd day
of May last, which was held iD Trial
Justice Maybin's office, and that Rev.
J. A. Sigh and DR.. S. Pope declared
shat they were in favor Of the third
party, but that the time ihad not yet
come to make an open avowal of the
same,n we assert that We were delegates
to the County Democratic convention
and were present in this caucus referred
to, which was not an Alliance caucus,
but was a caucus of the delegates to
the County Democratic convention,
who favored the election of 3. R. Till
man for Governor.
Mr.. Lester was not a delegate, and
as this caucus was only for delegates
favoring Governor Tillnlan, be was
there as a spy on our proceedings. No
such words as be puts in the mouth of
Rev. Sigh or of DR.. Pope were spoken; !;
nor was anything said that could by
any means be tortured into such con-
struction, except that DR.. Pope did
say that he stood by the Ocala demands
within the Democratic party; aud Mr..
Lester cannot now put his construction
on those words as an excuse for swear
ing that "Rev. J. Il. Sigh and DR..
Pope declared that they yaCere in Jauor Of
the third party, but that the time had
not get come to make on open ovoacal OF
the sc1me.' (The Italics are ours). He
has sworn point blank to words that
we're not spoken. Nor was anything
said about the third party. Rev. J. A.
Sigh and DR.. S. Pope have; been out
spoken against going intoa third party,
and have always stood up for The De-
mocratic party.
The State Democratic Convention
incorporated the Ocala demands in its
platform, as did the conventions of
several other States. The National
Democratic Convention also incorpo-
rated some ofthem in its platform. Our
State convention metin May last. The
Peoples party net afterwards on the
fourth day of July. They are outside
of the Democratic party, and have
party Of their own; because they adopt
ed the Ocala demands almost entire is
nothing to US. We are fighting as De-
.mocrats, within The Democratic party,
with the Ocala demands asa part Of
our platform.
To say that We are not Democrats
would by parity of reasoning, say that
high tariff Democrats are not Demo-
Gratis because the Republican party
favors a high tariff, or that those De-
mocrats who are opposed to the free
coinage of silver unless the amount Of
silver in the dollar is increased are not
Democrats because the Republican
party favors their views, and yet there
are none so blind as to take this posi-
ton.
We are all Democrats, fighting above
all other things for white supremacy
and for what we conceive will be for
the general welfare of our people. No
two of US exactly agree on any one
question, except it be the question of
standing together in the Democratic
party. to resist force bills and all other
legislation calculated to endanger white
supremacy.
(Signed)-J.. S. Hair, NJ. II. Folk, J.
R. Perdew, B. F. Cannon, ]. w. P.
Harman, P. NJ. Derrick, R. I. Stoude-
myer, F. Y. Capers, P. w. Sheely, J.
N. Feagle, J. r. Robertson, Theo. n.
Kibler, II. n. Kinard, J. A. Riser, J.
P. Harman, w. P. Pugh, G. NJ. Sing
ley, G. S. Moore, He Wilson, J. P.
Cook, L. n. Fellers, many others,
whose signatures could be had if they
could have been seen.
Newberry, S. g., July Is, 1892.
Mr.. LESTER ASSUMES ALL RESPONSE
BILITY.
Press and Reporter, 20th.l
Ex-Trial Justice B. 3. Hair on Mon
day handed US the following with a
request for its publication:
"wHo rs BACK OF THIs?'
I, J. Marcellus Lester, do positively
affirm that B. 3. Hair had nothing
whatever to do Nth influencing me
to make affidavit exposing he ~olitical
position of Rev. ]. A. Sigh and DR.. S.
Pope. I did it of my own free will an6
accord, and am personally responsible
for it. J. MARcELLUs LESTER.
July 10, 1892.