The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-03-08
The Governors Mistake.

ing to be very thorough" SAID tne gov
ernor, shutting his teeth down on his
Habana, and closing is eyes retrospect
lively.
"When was it ?" We asked.
"Not 30 long ago." said the governor.
"Do any of you think look like fel-
on ?" he asked. The replies were not
unanimous.
"Well, was arrested as one, within
the last two years." be said. "When I
came into the governorship I thought I
would be very thorough, and one of the
FIRST things I Investigated was the con-
vict system. The newspapers said l had
made promises that I would give honest
labor show. Perhaps I had. So one
day 1 slipped uff by myself, and went up
to the mines and see how the thing was
being worked when no one was expected. l.
The charge had been made that the les,
sees ran things very differently when an
investigating committee was expected,
from the way they usually ran them, and
that ordinarily the treatment was very
harsh. intended to 60 down into the
mines, and put on an old suit of clothes,
in which T used to hunt occasionally.
They were torn and muddy, and l congrat-
lated myself that no one would know
me.
"In the pockets were all sorts of odds
and ends, such as string, wire, knife,
nippers, etc. I got the conductor to let
me off the train at q crossing, and walk
ed mile or two to the mines. As got
near them, thinking 1 would look over
the ground before going out in the clear.
ed space, turned out of the path and
struck up the hill through the brush. I
took survey, and saw small group oi
men around fire, one or two of them
convicts, one or two perhaps visitors, and
one guard with a double barrel shot
gun across his arm. I was thinking o1
going down, and took step or two,
when some one behind me said, "Hold
on come back here I turned, and
there, thirty steps from me, was guard
an ugly old fellow, long and bony, stand
ing with his shot gun across his arm
what do you want?' 1 asked.
"'I wants you,' he, said, 'and I wants
you quick. Come here
"I went over, moved rather by Curl
osity. We'll, what do you want with
me?'
"'1'm going to take you to the warden,
he said.
"'But won't co. said. I don''
want to go to the warden and will mol
go.'
"'You won't? Well, we'll see ifyou
won't. If you don't, you'll git q load O
buck shot in you,' he said, dropping bis
gun, and pulling back the hammer slow
ly.
"I saw that be had me, and determin
ed to explain. Il am visitor up here,
said.
"'Yes, no doubt; that's why I wants
you. wants you to finish out your visit
We can't bar to part with you. Walb
along there
But l began.
"'But nothing said he; you don't
want no but, but this and he gave me
crack with the butt of his gun which
nearly knocked me over. March on be
said.
"'Look here; I sm the governor o.
the State said I, trying to look impos-
ing.
"He looked at me quizzically. you're
pretty-lookiu gov'nor-I'm glad to see
you; I'm gwine to help yo' finish out 20
term. Walk along thar and shet up yel
jaw. I'm gittin' kinder tired on it, ane
I've a good mind to let you have loao
of buck shot anyways, jest to teach yor
msnners.'
"Well, that old fellow marched me
down and made convict go through my
clothes. The things in my pocket were
positive proof of my guilt, OF course, ane
you never heard such lambasting as he
gave me in your life, all the time keep
ing runLing fire at me, asking what
was 'iu for, etc. The circumstantial evi'
dence was that I was burglar, but they
all agreed that l looked like pickpock-
ct, and one man aven suggested that
had picked a burglars pocket. That waI
the worst of all. Then he marched me
off to the warden"
"What became of the guard 2" asked
one.
"He's my manager on my farm" ssio
the governor, "and he still makes me