The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-08-01
TILLMAN AGAINST IRBY.
AN EXPOSURE OF POLITICAL
SCHEMES.

AN EXPOSURE OF POLITICAL
SCHEMES.
The "Craddock Telegram was Sent
Against the Correspondents Ex-
press Instructions.
Capt. James H. Tillman, the "war" +"
correspondent the of Augusta Chronicle
has furnished the daily newspapers
with lengthy statement in regard to
the peculiar transaction between him
self and Senator Irby, as to the send
ing of a certain dispatch from Washing
ton, which was signed "Craddock." The
statement is too long for our columns,
but as q part of the current history of
the State, involving prominent men
and affecting the political situation to
some extent, we will give it in con-
densed form emitting such parts as are
not necessary to u clear understanding
of the matter:
There are many reasons why regret
being drawn into the controversy be-
tween Senator Irby and General Far
Icy: Both have been friends of mine
and in the capacity of newspaper
correspondent I have never hest
tated to extend to them court
estes in return for courtesies.
throughout the State on July
14th did me gross injustice and
wantonly imposed upon the pleasant
relations which have heretofore existed
between us. 1t is only from q strict
sense of duty which owe to myself, and
none the less to General Farley, that
l submit to have my name dragged be-
fore the public in O wrangle undigni-
fed as it is unpleasant.
1t Is not my purpose to eXonerate
General Farley from any alleged
charge or to magnify the faults of Sen
ator Irby, but to clear myself of impli-
cations of duplicity which are both
false and malicious. l cannot permit
even Senator Irby to clean his own
skirts of stencil if l must bear the
odium. have said, as I believed, that
Senator Irby dictated the dispatch now
tary as I was informed by one of the
operators at the telegraph office that
the message was typewritten on Sena-
torial paper, but it proved to be a mis-
take. (WhenI added the postscript to
my letter to General Farley, | gave
him my reasons for thinking that
Senator Irby had dictated the article
to his secretary and quoted the opera
tor alluded to as my authority. Gen
eral Farley will bear me out in this
statement. If it is desired, [ can
secure an affidavit from the operator,
stating that he told me dispatch was on
Senatorial paper and typewritten.)
have just returned from Washington
where went for the purpose Of prov
ing the dispatch to have been written
as had said. I wished to be convinc'
| ed that any charges L might pre-
| fop xuapa frun boA fhpnnht Snnotn,
| Irby capable of deceit, but only when /
arrived there did learn that he was
INSCRIPTIONS. With authority from the
Hon. Patrick Walsh, editor of the
Chronicle, to examine all specials sent
to his paper, / began search for the
"Craddock dispatch, and after dill
gent labor, the officials of the Western
Uuion Telegraph Company found the
original manuscript.
| TO my utter astOnishment, it was il
my own handwriting and signed with
my nom de plume, the same dispatch
dictated to me by Senator Irby ant
which 1 returned to him, refusing tt
to be party to a scheme to misrepre
sent public men whom [ knew to be m,
friends. In handing the dispatch bacl
to Senator Irby, I said: You may
send this Of your own accord to tht
Register" 1t never once entered my
mind that he would dare to use theNdis
patch as has been done. His conduc
shows him to be farsighted and astute
doubt not but at that moment h,
thought that | could never disprOv,
having sent the special even If should
ever dare to make an expose of him
1t is perhaps proper for me to assign
my reason for not promptly repudiat
ing the authorship of the Craddocl
dispatch. | had hoped at the tim
that the affair would blow over with
out injuring the parties maligned
Moreover, l am free to confess tina
Senator Irby had placed me, as h
thought, under more or less obligation
to him when he endorsedmy application
for consulate. Inasmuch as he free
ly put his name on my paper did fee
kindly to him.
His endorsement was not entirel
necessary, as had the names of ever
other member of the South Carolin
delegation, with the exception of MI
Talbert, whom | did not ask, beside
: the endorsement OF Speaker Crisp an
Vice President Stevenson. 1t wa
through the advice of the Vice Pres
dent that first contemplated maxim
} an application at all, Mr.. Stevenso
, having been in Congress with m
, father for number OF years and one {
his Warmest friends.
1t was only when / returned to Sout
Carolina and found that the dispatc
| had injured General Farley, as Sen,
3 tor Irby had foreseen IT woulc
that told him all knew abol
8 the matter. / was simply promp
: ed by a sense OF justice to pursu
j. such ncourse as | had nothing
: gain and realized that would forte
Q Senator Irby's friendship aud that b
would do all he could In the future