The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-08-01

what 1T was and Tillman told the TO
lowing tale" Maj. Gary said no sue
thing and he will not verify any sue
statement. The conversation wa
brought up by Senator Irby himsel
and was simply rehash of what h
had told to me that morning, an
Major Gary, who was present, will no
corroborate a single assertion made b
Senator Irby other than the fact tha
the dispatch was not dictated by hin
to his private secretary.
Senator lrby also said by way of al
Introduction to his card that told hin
| had Just left General Farley in tn,
metropolitan Hotel. This Is ridicu
lous. General Farley had returned t,
South Carolina and Senator Irby knew
it. The rest of his story is wholly i'm
aginary and viciously false, even untt
the pa1enthetical assertion that Gov
ernor Tlllman and Congressman Till
man were not on speaking terms )" but
1t was necessary for him to inject this
statement into his tale to make il
plausible. This fact that General Far
~ had prepared an article on the poll.
tical situation in South Carolina was
no secret. He read it to me more than
| six weeks before the inauguration, and
before and since that time has read il
to many others. There was nothing
whatever in it derogatory to Governor
Tillman or any of the leaders.
This particular "Craddock" dis
patch is not the only one ever sent by
Senator Irby to the Chronicle. The
following appeared in that paper
simultaneously with the Columbia
Register. 1t was dictated by Senator
Irby to Mr.. w. j. Shelton and was filed
at the Western Union telegraph office
by Senator Irby himself. On the mar
gin in his Hrby's) handwriting is
if declined. Publish certainly"
Augusta Chronicle, April g..
His speech Urby's) was an able, ex-
haustive and concise review of the the
conditions existing in South Carolina.
* He attracted the eager atten-
tion of the Postmaster General at the
outset and held it by his intense
earnestness and array of irrefutable
fact until the close of his speech. He
spoke boldly, defantly and aggress-
"This, of course, is only very brief
synopsis of Senator 1rby's remarkably
clear, logical and impressive defense
of the Democracy, as it if now organz-
ed in South Carolina. He challenged
contradiction of any statement he had
sponsible for any illusions or facts
brought out in the course Of his re-
marks. He spoke distinctly, but i'm
petuously. Those who heard him say
that his speech was sufficient to estab-
lish his reputation as an eloquent and
logical reasoner and speaker. He
handled the subjuct and the accusers
with gloves OFF,"
| have never objected to this dis
patch, as Senator lrby's good opinion
of his own eloquence and oratorical
powers could injure no one. Then, too,
Senator Irby was not entirely sober on
this particular night, and was hardly
responsible for his own grandiloquent
ideas, thoughts and conduct. Il have
af1idavits to prove that he was under
the influence of whiskey and Senator
Irby can get copies upon application).
All the dispatches sent to the Register
laudatory of Senator Irby were dictated
by that gentleman, either to Mr.. Tighc
or Mr.. Shelton, upon all of which Sen
atOr Irby had to guarantee charges be-
fore the telegraph authorities would
accept them. If Senator Irby denies
| this, | challenge him to an inspection
of the original manuscripts now on file
in the Western Union Telegraph Office
at Washington.
Senator Irby also claims in his state
ment that he knew nothing bearing
upon the contents of the "Craddock -
| dispatch until furnished him with the
information in his room at the National
Hotel on the night of March H. How,
then, does he account for that card
which appeared in the Columbia Regis
ter, dated Washington, March o, and
/ signed " More Anon" of which he told
me he was the author. After singing
! his own praises in his usual and charac.
| teristic way he referred to Congress-
man Shell in the following language
9 1t is generally reported here that
Captain Shell has packed his baggage
and will soon land in the enemy's camp
This creates Indignation as well as con
tempt among the politicians without
bringing in a great amount of satisfac
tion to the other side" There is q re
markable similarity in the allusion tt
Congressman Shell in this card anC
the Craddock dispatch dictated and
sent by Senator Irby. For fear that il
recall to Senator Irby's mind the
time and place where "More Anon ;
made himself known. 1t was in his
room at the National Hotel. There
were present this same Mortified DR.
Sampson Pope, Senator Irby and my
self. We had just returned from
walk to Seventh street wharf and Sen
ator Irby told DR.. Pope to get the
Register and read aloud the "Mort
Anon card. DR.. Pope, who hasal
ways been accommodating to Senator
Irby, did so. No sooner had it beer
read than Senator Irby asked me wht
| thought had written it. AS tn,
article stated that the author had re
Gently travelled over the most of Soutl
Carolina my mind suggested Congress
man Latimer, and | SO stated, b,r
added that as Congressman Shell an,
Latimer were apparently on friendl,
terms the latter gentleman would hard
ly have written it. The fact that / guess
ed Mr.. Latimer seemed to tickle Sen
ator Irby and DR.. Pope and they botl
laughed heartily. Senator 1rby thel
said, Hell, don't you know Latime
can't write that good English 2" an,
DR.. Pope laughed again. After thei
merriment had ceased Senator Irb
told me that he himself was the au
thor.
1t was on this same afternoon tha
DR.. Pope rehearsed to me witt
dramatic eloquencc the interesting de
tails of his long, wcarisOme and well
known tramp through the West.
would be glad to reproduce it for tn
benefit of his friends. but Just now
have q more important subject to writ
about than tramp doctors.
There are many other interesting
facts known to me not stated there
plenty of dirty linen and have lots @
| 49,. L