The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-02-23
THE OTHER SIDE.
THE FACTS IN THE CASE OF REV. A.
M.ANO MRS. ATTAWAY.

Circuit, the Scene OF tho Unfortunate
Preachers Labors Last Year.
CoLUMBIA,S. g., Feb. 15.-The charge
that Rev. A. M. Attaway and wife had
been made insane by poverty is stirring
up a considerable rumpus In church
circles. On last Tuesday the following
communication Oh the subject appear.
ed In the State:
SPARTANBURG, S. c., Feb. Ill no.
ticed In your yesterdays issue, an arti-
Gle from the pen of Rev. j. L. Alta
way, brother Of the unfortunate Rev,
A. M. Attaway. who. with his wife, was
committed to the asylum on the 4th
inst, in which article an attempt (un-
intentional and indirecU Is made to
saddle the insanity of this unfortu
nate man and wife upon the in
human neglect of the people whom he
served as pastor during the past year.
and In substance alleges that the phy-
slcians who were called upon to pro-
nounce upon the sanity or insanity of
Kev: MIR. Attaway and wife and to set
forth the supposed causes, have sup
pressed the truth and have imputed
their insanity to religion, because he
the physician. "is we'll known to be an
enemy to religion. and especially sane
titication.D
We pass over his first reason" as the
physicians (for Cwo attended Rev. and
Mrs. Attaway) are able to take care of
themselves. What we wish to do is to
repel the sIander perpetrated (uninten-
tionally) upon the 300 MethOdists of
Butler circuit and upon that section of
country In general. Having spent the
years of our short career within five
miles of the Butler circuit parsonage,
and having personal knowledge of
these people who have "let their preach
or be starved to insanity" and unwill.
ing that so uncalled for false impress
sion should be made concerning that
people, we feel that we can speak with
some authority, and can give some facts
that will, in the minds Of all intelligent
men, be sufficient to show that the in
sanity in question cannot be attributed
10 poverty or want Of food, or any
thing of the sort.
To begin with: The community in
which Mr.. AttaWay lived Is unbounded
IN It's hOspitality-the old fashioned at
that-and never has there been case of
such dire poverty" want of food or an
insufficient subsistence known to us in
all that country.
On the other hand, as in all sections,
thOse who are not afraid of work are
ilDerally rewarded for their toll. They
nave plenty of the necessaries of life,
and little to spare; and | am proud to
say that they are far enough removed
from barbarism not to let q fellow hui
man being be driven "insane by power.
ty,'' unless be willfully and Intentional
refuse to let them know he Is on the
verge Of starvation. While they may
not have had the cash to pay In full the
assessment (for the majority Of the 3l4
members are children), yet we doknow
that these together with the Baptists,
Lutherans and non.members Of the
community, would have shared their
last crust, II 1t had been necessary, with
the pastor.
Now for some figures: BY re ference to
the minutes of the last South Carolina
conference. page 36, 1t will be found
that, according to Rev. Mr.. Attaway's
report, he collected, of the $500 assessed,
$34O.l6. The circuit which he served
owns neat parsonage, and it furnish
ed, land for garden and patches, and the
nearest members furnish pasture for
q COW. While we acknowledge that
the salary, If every cent had been paid,
was little enough. yet we leave 1T to the
candid Judgment of every man who
knows one iOta of the cost Of living
comfortably in the country, sixteen
miles from a railroad, that there is no
necessity for prea cher and his wife or,
anybody else, with house and 1t fur.
nished, land for garden and patches of
various kinds, pasture for cow, with
wood OF the choicest variety and in un-
limited quantities, all free of cost to-
gether with paid salary Of $S34O15, to
be compelled to "subsist for some
months on corn bread, made from corn
raised by their own labor" and finally
from the failure of this to be driven
insane by poverty" and want of some
thing to eat.
Ihenext fact we wish to state is that
long before the corn bread" period
mentioned In the article of Rev. j. =.
AttaWay commenced (viZ, during the
fall OF 1922, Rev. MIR. Attaway and
wife both showed symptoms of insanity
Especially was this 30 during a protrac-
ed meeting, when their actions called
forth much comment by the congrega-
ton. Their complete insanity was con-
stantly expected, and some went so far
as to express fears for their children, 1t
being the habit of q crazy person, es-
pecially a mother, to murder, her child
rem and then commit suicide.
Remember, all this occurred during
the summer when both preacher and
wife were attending protracted meet
ings.
Under reason ~" of the article already
mentioned, Mr.. Attaway's brother
quotes the following saying of Mrs. At
taWay which he thinks cOnclusiyely
substantiates his charge. to wit: that
she and her husband were driven insane
by poverty. 1t reads: IL will leave my
husband, for God does not require me
to live with man who will only give
me corn brend TO eat"
These words, he says were uttered In
November. AS matter Of fact, SINH
lar statements. and others of more
insane nature, were made by the unfor.
tunate lady during the summer months
preceding the alleged "corn bread" pc.
riOd
In conclusion let us say that It Is
with exceeding regrets that we felt i'm.
PEELED to reply to this charge upon the
people of Butler circuit, although it
was not directly against them. But in
order that wrong impression be not
longer entertained concerning this Deo-