The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-07-25
EXCITING SCENES.
PISTOLS DRAWN AT TIE EDi3EFlEi-O
CAMPAIGN MEETING.

ator Bntler and GOyernor TlIman In
troduces Counter Atfid.vft-At One
Time Riot Was In Sight.
EDGEFIELD, S. c., July 19.-The same
Providence which has before prevent
ed the shedding of blood at campaign
meetings in this State interposed again
today. With eyes glaring like tigers
with hands on pistols and with open
dirks and knives ready for deadly exc
cutiOn, it lacked only one overt act,
only one blow, TO have precipitatei
battle which would have left q hundred
dead and wounded men on the platform
and grounds of Academy Grove. limo
cent women and children would have
suffered and the consequences would
have been horrible.
have seen tT0ub la in crowds before
have seen the eyes Of men dance and
the muscles quiyer. | have seen the
hand go to the pistol pocket, the glIm-
mer Of the bright weapon and the
smoke clear away after the trigger
was pulled. but | have never seen wild
er or more fer0ciOus expressions in the
eyes Of human beings than was eXhib
tied here today. | looked at any mo-
ment to see q shot fred and to see the
| fray commence.
The scene Of the trouble was on the
speakers stand. Right here it is we'll
| to remark that the lives Of every pub
lie man are endangered by permitting
anybody on the stand but those enti-
tied to be there. With packed stand
and every man possessing pistol few
bullets will 90 astray. at the first in
timation of trouble desperate men
| crowd on the stand to be in the heat
of the fray. If everybody was forced
to stay Cn tie ground the danger
would not be so great. In case Of a
row there would be room and oppOrtu-
nity for innocent people to get out Of
harms way.
The row occurred just before the
closing Of the meeting and during Sen
ator Buffers speech. 1t was precipita-
ted by the uncalled for remark Of a
man to Senator Butler. 1t would have
come, however, with almost anything
or any remark. It was in the air, and
nothing was needed to cause the explo-
sioD. Senator Butler did not intend it,
but if he had not lost his temper to
some extent the trouble might not
have been so intense. The veteran of
| battles and bullets let passion get the
! better Of him for few minutes. He
not only called man liar who had
insulted him, but repeated it two or
three times. He had become eXaSper-
ated by the cheering for Tillman and
was in mood to vent his anger on
any man.
The crowd numbered 1900 people and
was made up of the most peaceble and
the most desperate men in EigeLi ED
County. Governor Tillman had the
majority OF the crowd by several hun
dred, although Butler supporters were
! to be seen IN all directions. As the in
terest to the public will centre in the
speeches of the Senatorial candidates
and in the trouble which was the out
growth of those speeches, l will only
give them. | will simply give the facts
and let the public make up its mind as
it sees fit.
During the speeches Governor Till
man sat toward the b2oI Of the stand,
talking with friends and listening to
i the candidates. He has changed his
white helmet to dingy yellow one Of
the same style. Senator Butler sat
near the front of the stand. He wore
the old straw nat which has crowned
his head from the first day at Rock
Hill until now. In his right hand he
held the long walking cane which
some friends gave him and which he
cheTishes.
vILB OYER TILLMAN.
Governor Tillman was greeted when
he advanced to the front with tu-
mutt of applause. wild cheering and a
waving of hats Ills partisans rose to
their feet and jumped in the air and
yelled.
| have known Governor Tillman for
years and have reported many q
speech of his, but never saw tear in
his eye until today. 1t came when he
opened his speech by saying that his
| heart was filled with gratitude to the
people of Edgelield, to home people,
those who mad stood by him on every
| occasion. lie talked Of MS previous
campaigns and what he has done for
the people.
Voice: "How IS it that taxes are
higher?"
Tillman: "They are not and you
know it,"
Governor Tillman said that the peo-
pie are divided, but 1t was through no
fault of his. lie said that Butler now
spoke Of the ants and the uncles. He
told how the uncles had been imposed
on for years until they rebelled. But
Ter is hustling to geo the votes Of the
uncles, but will not get them. If ever
man tried tc ride two horses my
friend, the General, is that man. lie
has lost the love and respect Of the
men who supported Sheppard. but they
are goiug to support hirn because they
| hate me.
One of the produest days CT his life,
| Governor Tillmaa said, was when the
! Edgeiield Rifles came to his assistance
| ring the Darlington trouble and were
followed on the next train by the Edge
| field Hussar5. Irrespective of political
feeling, the men of Edgield were SOL
| diers.
a literal volcano of applause fol
lowed the Governors remarks on this
subject.
| Mr.. Tindai advises, said Governor
Tillman, that the uncles allow the an :
It's to come back into the family. |
don't object If they are penitent and
honest, and if they 10 longer claim to
be the best people on earth. For God's
sake let's have peace if these people
really want it"
The Governor turned his attention
to national politics and said that a
shaking up of the ants is needed in
Washington. daughter and applause.
Taking silver dollar from his pocket,
Governor Tillman said: "The News
and Courier and those other little lice
dogs say this is dishonest dollar"
Voice: "Hand it over here; will
take it,
About fifteen minutes was given to
national affairs and Governor Tillman
ended his speech by saying To Butler:
II want to notify you that uule5s you
withdraw your accusation that ral
at Hamburg I am prepared TO prove
that the men who make that charge
are liars" The Governor said this IN
the most dramatic manner imaginable
and set down amid WhirlWind OF ap-
plause, and waving Of hats which was