The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-06-27
BUTLER AND TlLLMAN.
THE GREAT SENATORIAL RACE BE-
GUNAT ROCK HILL.

Senator Evans Made Speech and Had
Some Passes with the CTowd-Pops and
TIndal DO Their Devoir-The her
Candidates Did Not Speak.
Rock HILL, June l8.-The great
Senatorial contest has begun. During
the early hours of the day hundreds OF
people were congregated around Turn
er's Hotel, where both Butler and Till
man were quartered, and 1t was Butler
crowd, the followers Of the G overnor
not coming up into town IN large rum.
bers.
Two hundred Butlerites arrived yes.
teriaY. Fifty of them came from Edge
field and the remainder from Greenyille.
At6:30 this morning the train rom Col
umbia brought $50 more, al wool-hat,
hardy looking fellows, from Union,
Fairfield and stations aloog the G. c..
s. A. road. A good many others came
in about 1920 fiona the direction OF
Charlotte. The audience at the meeting
numbered sbout 1000. Oae Of the not
able passengers from Columbia was
Newbold, the dispensary detective. He
had to stand some mild guylng from the
country boys.
Shortly after I0o'clock this morning
Senator Butler made q ten minutes talk
to $50 ofhis supporters in Armory Hall.
He started that rumor had been cir.
culated and telegraphed that Governor
Tillmau was to be assassinated prompt
Iy at noon by prearrangsd plan. He
desired to state that so far as he knew,
the rumor was unqualifedly false. He
had never, he said. done or said word
to cause breach among the white
people, nor would he. He hoped his
friends would scatter themselves at this
meeting ss they would at any other
meeting. He thanked them for their
presence and hoped they would go TO
York7ille tomorrow. He had no fear
for himself, and he did not see any rea-
son why anybody should wish to Kill
him, but he supposed he could as well
afford to die now ss ever.
The Senator remarked that the
State executive committee had passed
rule recurring candidates to announce
themselves by June II, and that IN COM
pliance be had written the following let
ter:
Edge6eld, S. G.. June Is, 1894.
To MIR. D. H. Tom pkins, Secretary OF
Democratic ExactiVe Committee,
Columbia, S. c.:
Dear Sir: ! hereby announce myself
as q candidate for the United States
Senate for the term beginning March 4,
1895.
I presume the candidates Tor the
Legislature, which will elect a United
States Senator, will abide the result OF
the primaries set for the S0th of August
next.
I hereby re quest that separate box
be provided by the State executive CON-
mittee at each and every voting precinct
IN the State, in which each voter may
express by his ballot his preference fer
United States Senator, said separate
boxes to be managed unGer the same
rule as other ballot boxes in the prima'
ries, and hereby pledge myself to abide
the result OF the vote thus cast at the
said primary. An early reply will oblige.
Very truly, II. G BUTLER.
The Senator said that Is he could
get fair primary he would abide by it,
and not whine at the result If the people
preferred the other man. He could re-.
turn to Edgefeld and fish for the remain
der Of his life and spend 1t free OF public
cares, What he wished was to get the
people to listen to argument.
THE REGULAR MEETING.
The speaking was at Mocre's grove,
halt mile north Of the centre OF the
CITY. Congressman Strait was given
thirty minutes, the senatorial candidates
one hour each and ten minutes for reply
and the candidates for Governor thirty
minutes each. At precisely two minutes
past eleven, Senator Butler and Con.
eressman Strait arrived on the ground.
TIE staud is an ordinary wooden plat.
form, built against q majestic white
oak. It stands in the midst OF splerdld
grove.
AS the Senator steps upon the stand,
sttired in blush cambria negligee shirt,
scarf, ard black clothes, some one
shouts, ''Hurrah for Butler" and con-
siderable cheering follows. One voice
shouts for TIlman.
In moment Governor Tlllman, wear
ING white helmet and black alpaca
coat, low quartered shoes and greenlsh
yellow socks, follows, and cheers, scarce
" so general as Buffers, greet him. He
takes a seat at the rear Of the stand and
leans against the oak. John Gary Evans
seats himself at his right elbow and TIN,
dal directly behind. Samps Pope, Ell
Ierbe. Buchanan, Watts, John Walter
Grsy and Mayfsld seated themselves
around the stand, with Butler holding
the lett fanklDg seat.
President White of the Rock Hill
Democratic Club called the meeting to
order. Rev. ". G. White prayed and
the band played.
President White introduced Congress-
man Strait as the first speaker. No
BODY chez ed as he faced the crowd. 1t
began to sprinkle rain gently, dampsr'
ing the spirits of the assemblage, and the
Congressman's remarks appeared to
have q similar effect.
GOV. TILLMAN SPEAKS.
At the conclusion of Congressman
Straits speech President White, after
cautioning the crowd not to Interrupt
the speakers, introduced Governor
Tillman.
The GRO Nd had waited patiently fol
the Senatorial guns to fire and broke
into applause when Chairman White
introduced Governor Tillman and an
noupced the erder Of the remainder o.
the speaking. The Governor advanced
in the cool, deliberate manner usual K
him. He said he was the only man IL
South Carolina who had tried to canvas
the state three times, county bv county
He brought applause and loud laughte
when he said he was glad to meet tn
onaienca face To face even though man