The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-24
JONES SCONCHES SHELL.
Bitter Denunciation of the Congressman
Accusing Him of DeviatinG from the
Paths of Truth and Righteousness.

WASHINGToS, d. e., January 80
70 lhe EiitGr Il The Greenville News:
feel called upon, in view Of all that
is being said against my friend, who Is
loyal and true 10 the people at home
and in Washington, to have a few
words TO say myself.
am d member Of the State eXecu-
tive committee, and represented the
county of .Abbevile as Tillman's cam
paign organizer in 1892. | feel as deep
All interest in the welfare and success
Of The movement of 1890 as any man
in South Carolina, and while my friend
is being traduced and imposed upon
by the Register, the Reform organ, ]
feel it my duty to let the people of the
, State know how some other folks are
acting when they are away from home.
It has been an open secret, ever since
I came to Washington, that Captain
She'll was acting in concert with oul
political enemies here. There is not q
true Reformer in Congress, or in Wash
ipgtoD, who has not seen it and who
does not realize and recognize it. He
has played Congressman Latimer and
myself false in matter that shows bis
duplicity and want of that trait that
is necessary to make an honorable and
reliable man. He promised my friends
in the spring Of last gear to endorse
me for the Office Of statistician of South
Carolina, with the further declaration
to them that Mr.. Morton, Secretary of
Agriculture, had given him the re-
fusal of this place I went to work
and got up petition, which was
signed by all the Democratic Congress-
men who had chance to sign it..
While I was expecting the appoint
ment, | saw, through the columns OF
the papers, the appointment of Col. J.
Wash. Watts, an inveterate and i'm
placable enemy of the movement, who
had denounced US as vile horde, and
who had refused in 1890 to sign testi-
monial of character for Mr.. Shell.
This Congressman Latimer did not
understand, and, when Congressman
IIatimer approached Shell be denied
having endorsed Watts aud afterwards
when he was knocked down by a street
car and taken to the Metropolitan Ho-
tel he called MIR. Latimer to his bed
side and made dying confession. AS
to whether he believed he was going
to die, some people have their doubts.
hl said "dying confession" be told Mr..
Latimer that he had never endorsed
Colonel Watts for this position. After
wards, in order to verify this state
ment, which was generally doubted,
Mr.. Latinler and I went to the agri-
cultural department and found letter
from Captain Shell endorsing Colonel
Watts for this place and saying, among
other things in the letter, that he would
be endorsed by General Hampton and
other prominent Conservative citizens
of South Carolina.
New, Mr.. Editor, if this is the kind
of man that is to be selected by Mr..
Bo.den to lead the Reform forces in
South Carolina, may God save the
movement. I have never been prom
inent other than in the manner stated
above, but wish it distinctly under
stood by all parties that this kind of a
man cannot lead ME. i want to be led
by men who have never faltered and
can be relied upon in daylight or dark.
I suggest humbly that the leading
true Refornsers of each county be
called together and inaugurate the
campaign, in order that justice may be
done to all parties. If that is not done
trouble is bound to come, and the
abuse and destruction of our leading
men by the Register will not tend to
save this movement. I say give US an
open and fair field, and, if Bowden's
and Shells SCI. can contral this con-
vention, then the movement is too
weak to have stood anyhow; but / do
not believe that the Reform Democrats
of this State are ready for any such
leadership.
Very respectfully,
J. Y. JONES.