The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-08-23
A BRISK FIGHT
BETWEEN TWO POLITICIANS IN A
HOTEL LOBBY.

"c-So"FioiS <A"Hch ou "r. NOebter
from the Rear.
COLUMBIA, S. g., August 16.-A per-
sonal difficulty in the lobby of the
Jerome Hotel yesterday afternoon be-
tween George II. Koester, editor of |
the Register, and w. Gibbes Whaley
OF Charleston, a delegate to the State |
caused some excitement on
Matu street. 1t iS unnecessary to 20
into details. The following is an &C.
count of the trouble as given to the
reporters Of other papers by the princi-
pals:
FROM MIR. WHALEY.
Mr.. Whaley being asked for state.
ment Of the causes leading to the trOu-
BILE between himself and Editor Koes-
ter, said: IL sent Mr.. Rooster note
this afternoon at about o'clock, stat
Ing that in an editorial OH the 14th
instant he had willfully perverted
told deliberate falsehood. Mr.. Koes.
ter called at the hotel this afternoon
and had conversation with me con-
cerning this note. He stated that he
had in a measure implied in conver.
sation whilst in Charleston that was
q coward: I told him I would ask him
a simple question: Did he mean to say
that was coward?' He begged the
question and had to repeat the ques-
tion several times, stating that he must
give a positive answer, yes or no. He
finally answered yes at once slap.
ped his face. He struck at me, slightly
grazing me. The crowd in the lobby
at once rushed in and separated us. L
regret to say that one Of my friends In
separating US struck Mr.. Rooster. I
would have preferred attending to the
matter myself. L stated that 1 was
then and there entirely willing to finish
out the matter with Mr.. Koester. by
that time the crowd had collected in
the lobby of the hotel, and got upon
| one Of the benches and stated to the
| crowd that Mr.. Koester had made a
| statement in one Of his editorials
which had denounced as absolutely
| false; that had desired to slap his face
and l had done So"
FROM MIR. KoESTER.
Tuesday morning published In the
Register an editorial severely CRITICS.
ing Mr.. Whaley for the part he had
taken in the ring tactics adopted at
the meeting Of the Tillman Reform
Club, in Charleston, Saturday night.
Among other things l stated that an
outsider (myself) had told Mr.. Whaley
that he was too big coward to repeat
to any one Of the men excluded from
the meeting an insinuation he had
just made to me that they were not
there in good faith. Today received
in the paper In which Mr.. Whaley Oh
jects only to that part Of my editorial
containing statement above narrated.
The statement that he had been called
a coward he denounced as q falsehood.
AS soon as l received this letter /
| walked over to the Jerome Hotel and
saw Mr.. Whaley engaged In conversa-
tion. When he was through I walked
up to him and told him that had re-
ceived letter from him which would
like to discuss for few moments in
public or private, with or without
! friends being present. He said that
either a public or private discussion
suited him but finally decided on hav.
ing the matter ventilated in the hotel
lobby. He commenced calling up va.
rious members Of the Charleston dele.
cation, while 1 asked Mr.. w. w. Price
to be present as my friend. There Is
no necessity for going into all that was
said. 1t amounted to this: That I
stated to Mr.. Whaley that possibly l
had not used the word coward but
that l had used words to the same
effect and that l had certainly called
Infatuated was not at the Charleston
meeting In good faith and had told
him that he did not dare repeat to him
the insinuation he had just made to
me. Mr.. Whaley kept asking did I
mean to say he was a coward. l told
him that did. He then struck at mo.
He struck at me again and gave him
a lick. Friends then interfered and
pulled US apart. While 1 was being
ehoved away was struck three or four
times from behind, one Of which was
neck, just below my right ear. do not
know what outsiders interfered In such
coWardly manner
MIR. WIIALEY'S OARD.
The following is the card Of Mr..
Whaley which brought on the trouble:
COLUMBIA, August Is.
&. Il. Rooster. Esq, Editor the Colum-
bia Register.
Dear Sir: have only today seen ar
editorial in your issue Of the 14th inst.
The editorial Is an attack upon my
self, and amongst other things you say
"Mr. Whaley said to an outsider that
not there In good faith. He was
promptly told that he was too big 6
coward to repeat that SANDER to any
one Of those men face to face" The
outsider you refer to Is yourself nd
you Will recollect that the conversa
tien was as follows: told you that
you knew that combination had beer
formed by yourself, Terrell and +. w
Wagner by which number of mer
were to be rushed up to the meeting a.
tho last moment with the intention o.
capturing the meeting and that th'
men were not there In good faith. IOl
said in high flown style: "You vii
not undertake (or you will not dare) t.
say 80 to these men," 1 laughingl!
and satirically replied: "Oh, no, l hav
, no intention of saying anything Of tn
, kind to them" You know we'll tina
, the word coward was not used. 70,
J have wilfully perverted the converse
tion and In my opinion told deliber
, ate falsehood. 1 must request you II
/ give this note equal publicity witt
, your editorial, but as l much doub
your doing so, will give copy t.
another paper. Very truly,
w. GIBBEs WuALEY.
MIR. PRICES STATEMENT.
L. lnx.. IL