The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-11-14
DEFIED THE AurHoK,rIEs.
A Dtspensary Sensation at the Fair
G:ounds-Goyernor Tillman Insult

A Dfspensary Sensation at the Fai
i Grounus-Goyernor Tfllman Insult
ed ana Dehed by a Rice Beer Dealer
/ The Columbia Register gives th
following account of the exciting Incl
dent at the State Fair on last Thurs
day, which. has attracted SO much at
tention throughout the State. w. b
MeetZe ts the man who killed Clark
year or two ago on the streets of Co
iumbia, and is reckless, defiant char
acter:
/ Notwithstanding the fact that tn,
rice beer which was being sold at tn,
Fair grounds had been analysed ant
pronounced to contain more alcoho
than was allowed, and the parties sell
Ing 1t had been arrested and gave bono
10 appear at the hearing, they contin
ued to sell it yesterday morning.
When Gov. Tillman arrived on the
grounds about IL o'clock and learned
I the fact he was very much wrought up
at the defiance Of the States authority
He said he intended to stop it il he
had to call out the military to do it.
He descended from the high. dignity ol
his Office, which was mistake he
made, for he placed himself in a posi-.
tion to be insulted and was insuited
he, in company with two of the Peni-
tentlary guards, went to see Mr.. w. B.
|
stop selling the beer. Mr.. Meetze re-
fused to do so, and told the Governor
that he had given him permission to
| sell the beer and he proposed to do it
and was very insulting in his language.
lie said the Governor had gone back
on his word to him. The Governor
then told him he would have the Peni-
tentiary guards to arrest him. He re-
fused to be arrested without warrant,
and said he would kill the first man
who made the attempt. Governor
Tillman then retired and sought Trial
Justice Clarkson, TO whom he gave in
structions to issue warrants. He said
he would have the parties arrested and
sent to Mr.. Clarkson and he could then
issue the warrants.
In the meantime he ordered the con-
stables to make the arrests and in Mr..
Meetze's absence they arrested Mr..
Haiford, Jacobs and others.
When Nv. Meetze returned and
found that his men had been arrested
he was very indignant. A constable
guard from the Penitentiary to make
the arrest, but MIR. Meetze babe them
defiance without a warrant, and would
Kill any man who tried it. Capt. AL
len told Mr.. Meetze that he did not
want any trouble, but he was there as a
posse for the constable and if the con-
stable gave the order he would arrest
him IL it cost him his life. The con-
stable would not give the order and of
course Capt. Allen could do no more.
Quite crowd gathered around and
as Mr.. Meetze was breathing out his
defiance and abuse of Governor Till
man some of the crowd cheered him
and indulged in loud cursing. There
were present also men who were deter
mined and ready to assist in the enforce
mont of the law. There was consider
able excitement and trouble was mo-
mentarily expected.
Mr.. Meetze told the Governor and
the crowd afterwards that he would
submit to arrest by child or even the
blacklist negro in the country without
resistance provided he had warrant,
but he would not be run over or bull
nor Tillman of unfairness, for he said
nine other men in Columbia were
allowed to sell rice beer and they were
not troubled.
A constable then came off down town
to get warrant for Mr.. Meetze's
arrest.
In a short while Mr.. r. A. Love,
president of the Fair society, in COM
pany with Mr.. Childs paid Mr.. Meetze
visit. Mr.. Meetze was told that no
beer privileges has been sold and he
had violated the contract he had made
with the society. Mr. Meetze denied
that he had violated any contract in
that Col. Holloway told him he did
not sell beer privileges, and If he did
SO he must take the chances, and
Colonel Holloway had taken his money
after he knew he was selling rice beer.
Mr.. Love then asked Mr.. Meetze if he
would stop selling the beer inside of
five minutes. He said he would not,
when Mr.. Love said, WE'LL we'll
bring our policemen and have it
stopped"
Instead of sending the policemen to
stop 1t, Colonel Holloway and Mr.. r.
L. Roche came and had tall5awith
Meetze. They also told him he had
violated his contract and he contended
that he had not and he proposed to sand
on his rights. He said he had told
Mayor Fisher that if he said for him
to stop 1T he would do it, and told Col,
Holloway that if he ordered him to
stop he would do SO. Colonel Hollo-
way and Mr.. Roche turned away to
hunt the policemen, but soon stopped
to consult with other members of the
executive committee, and that was the
end of that. 1t was q big game of
oiuh thi DdCh-uO"n UnS
and Mr.. Meetze was let alone The
committee did not have the backbone
to stick to their first position.
Mr.. Meetze, however, said that he
only had a few more bottles of rice
beer left and as soon as he sold that
he would stop, but would not bo bull
dozed into stopping by anybody. The
few bottles were sold, when Mr. Meetze
announced that it was all gone and he
would sell no more. Matters then
soon became quiet.
During the afternoon n warrant was
issued by Trial Justice Clarkson and
I, Mr.. Meetze was arrested without
trouble and gave bond for his appear
ance at the preliminary hearing to be
[ held to-day. The hearing in the Other
cases will also be heard to-day.
Later in tho afternoon committe o.
the Fair society consisting of Col. II. j
Moore and Messrs. j. b. Humbert and
Il. j. Cunningham waited on Govern
nor Tillman and stated that they haG
revoked the privileges of selling
liquors at the Fair and asked him tt
| eject Mr.. Meetze. Governor Tillmar
advised the committee to go ito Judg,
Hudson and get an injunction, and 1
they could not do so that he woult
have him elected this morning ifit tool
the military to do it,
Some of-Mr, Meetze's friends wer,
very defiant yesterday and proposed T.
stand by him, and Mr.. Meetze himsel
said he had two hundred friends at hi
back.
The affair was the subject OF genera
comment on the grounds, and the Gov
ting himself in the humiliating posi-
fion 0f fpuinp to atom tho aola ~ th.