The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-04-20
GRgENVILLE'S MEETING.
A HowL1NG MOB DIDN'T CARE TO HEAR
sPEEBHES.
4 Great Multitude of People Assem-
bic at the Appointed Time,
April I6.
Grnenville News.

Gr1enville News.
Never was there Il farer, brighter or criSper
April day than yesterday. II was an ideal
day for Il joint discuSsion-clear and warm
with breeze bearing just n suggestion oi
frost to prevent discussion from the heat and
TO keep the blood in circulation.
Doubts as to whether there would be large
attendance OF the joint discussion appointed
for Yesterday were soon settled. The trains
brought in people by scores and hundreds from
all directions anG on every road the people
came in horseback and muleback and In
vehicles of many kinds, sizes and styles. Oi
Greenvile county probably 800 were present
and there were | 600 men from other counties
OF the Piedmont belt. Anderson. Abbeville,
Pickens, Spartaburg and even York and New.
berry were in the gathering of The clans, and
there were scattering delegations from Oconee
and Laurcn>.
AS there were no organized bodies to be
moved and manoeuvered everything was
done on time A little before 10 80 two hand
some carriages drew up ut the Mansion hOuS?
and they moved away promptly. the playing
of the Union Star band having drawn the
people who were scattered along Main street
or gathered about an enterprlslng ittnerant
purveyer who began an endless Oration at
one corner OF the court house. There was
some cheering around the carriages.
The first of these contained Governor Till
man, Ex-Governor Sheppard, Mayor Gilreath
Iieutenant e @ Governor Gary, Col. J. L. Orr, ex:
Governor w. l.. Mauldin and Attorney Gen.
eral McLaurn. Several private carriages
with distinguished guests followed and sew.
eral hundred men trailed along, interperSed
through the somew hat disjointed procession
The stand. in the park, was reached little
before IL o'clock. Most OF the people had
gone there early TO secure places. There was
no attem pt at decoration. The stand was In
all the nakedneSs of unplaned plank and
darkened by the weather OF some years. 1t
Is the same on which the first joint discussion
of the famous campaign of 1890 was conduct
ed.
About $3.50 people were present. An en-
thusiaStic supporter o. Governor Tillman
declared that 5000 men were there, but he
was talking through his hat and ignorant OF
OF the fact that 5000 people make an enor-
nous asSemblage. A fair and full estimate
max es the number $500, including one or two
hundred ladies' who apparently did not share
the fear fe't by many men OF uuSeeinly words
or scenes or general disturbance.
It would have been difficult for even the
strongest voice TO nave reached the outskirts
of the meeting, arranged as IL was, If there
had been absolute Silence. II Is doubtful
If one third OF those present heard any OF
the speeches in connected way or carried
away definite impressions Of what was said
on the stand by the speakers
AT II o'clock Gen. j. Walter Gray. chairman
of the committee OF arrangement, advanced
to the front OF the stand and raped with q
gold headed cane upon the plank placed
across the opening OF the structure as rest
for the speakers. He looked out upon sea
OF faces rising upon the hill side with the
lurge group of brightly dressed lalies on his
left and toward the rear. just In front OF the
stand was q banner composed of page of the
Evening Democrat bearing upon 1t u bright
hued game cock, surmounted by goat and
having the inscription. "Tigerville club ~
for TilIman" and the letters IF. A. supposed
to represent the Farmers Alliance.
On the stand there were, besides the speak
ers and some members OF the committee OF
arrangements, Superintendent OF Education
eral McLaurin, Superintendent of the Pen.
itenti;try Ia! bert NJ. +. Tighe, Senator 1rby's
private secretary and Others. Gen. JOS II.
Earle and Adjutant General Farely appeared
later and took seats. Representatives were
present from the News and Courier, The
State the Columbia Register, the Spartan
burg Herald, The Augusta Herald, The Cotton
Plant, the Evening Democrat and THE
GREENvILLE News. The stand was guile
crowed. Governor TIllman at first sat on n
ben IN at the back, but later chair was Sc
cured Tor him and placed in the middle OF the
stand where he sat with a note book, appar-
emily filed with newspaper clippings and a
lead pencil with which he occasionally took
notes. General Gray announced that proceed
ingS would be opened with prayer by the Rev.
speeches were delivered by Governor Till
man, Hon. J. c. Sheppard, Lieut.. Governor
Gary and Hon. ]. l.. Orr.
So far as could belearned, the sentiment OF
the substantial farmers seemed to be one OF
hear Orr or Tillman.
The "antis" were jubilant last night over
the display OF strength they had made ut
'TIl,man meeting and over the governors
failure, as they view IT.. They said that his
famous "rocks" seemed TO be few and scatter
ing. and claimed that he became con-
ratified.
There was much bitter comment on the
that ut q meeting where Sheppard and
Orr were invited guest they were allowed,
altogether and counting time allowance for
utes, while Governor Tillman alone took two
hours and fifty minutes and Governor Gary
torty-five.
The last part of Governor Tillmans speech
was disjointed. He lost his temper and de-
voted much time to personal controversies
with persons in the audience. For half an
hour Il constant series of howls and cheers for
Sheppard and Orr drowned his voice entirely