The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-07-18
that there was a ring 10 the funding OF
the State debt.


minutes and will say the last word of
it right here"
Confusion cofounded ensued ard the
Governor went back to his seat.
Gen. Butler then read brief Of all
the transactions in the funding Of the
State debt. The foregoing statement
suggest the following inquiries:
l. How much Of the appropriation of
$4,000 was expended in the funding
transaction, and for what?
2 How much of the funds of the
sinking fund commission was expend
ed. and for what?
3. Who received the S124, 4,16l,s5?
II paid to Mr.. Rhind and his asso-
ciates as appears to be the fact who
were his associates?
5. Whom did Mr.. Rhind represent,
and to whom was he to look for COM
pensation.
6. What was Mr.. Rhind's financial
standing? Was it such as to justify
his employment in so grave and In
portant q financial transaction involv-
ing 80 much to the taxpayers OF the
State?
1t is claimed that the funding of the
State debt was great achievement in
view of the existence of a distressing
panic l would not rob anybody of the
credit properly due them, but / must
say that in my opinion the conditions
were not favorable for funding the
State debt. 1t was true the Leglaisture
had armed the commission with the
fullest powers. The entire property of
the people of the State was mortgaged
to secure the debt. Millions of dollars
were locked up awaiting inves .ments
in good interest bearing securities.
Government bonds were drawing only
per cent. interest. Georgia had re-
funded her debt at 3 per cent. and our
bonds ought to have been fl )ated at par
and at the highest per cent. IT they
had been floated at that rate of inter-
est without cost to the State you can
readily calculate saving there would
have been during the life time of the
bonds, theirty years, believe. One-half
per cent. on $5,25O,OOO for thirty years
would have saved q good round sum to
the taxpayers. lam credibly Informed
that some of your leading banks here
took 100000 of the bonds and paid
par for them, which is a pretty good
Indication of their value.
Gen. Butler was heartily applauded
when be declared that he had never
done anything to divide the people.
Secretary of State Tindal was the
next speaker. He was well received
and made good speech. After Mr..
Tindal came John Gary Evans. He
was greeted with cheers ard Kisses.
He said he didn't mind the rattle.
snake bisses, but it was humiliatlng
spectacle. He cherished no malice
against them and when in the Govern
or's chair he would pardon every one
of them because they did not know
what they were doing. All the blind
Mics had congregated here under st.
Micheals.
Voice-"How much do you weigh
when you are fat?'
Mr.. Kirby Tupper asked Mr.. Evans
if it was true that he had been paid
81 900 for protecting the palmetto brew
cry and that he had gotten a royalty
on the sale of the beer.
"No, it's lie," replied Evans; and
Topper called for three cheers for him.
Evans also said it was an Internal lie,
about his having gotten $4,000 for as
sisting in refounding the State bonds.
He declared that the Charleston peo-
pie would not support their own insti-
tutions, but invested their money out
side of the State. That was not patri-
otic and the young men ought to stamp
it out.
Voice-"Shut up"
II am here to say what l believe and
you have got to swallow IL"
Voice-"Tell us about the Black dis
tirict."
Evans-Your own Congressman told
me that 1t was easier to carry it this
way than if it had been left us II it was
"What'e his name?" asked Kirby Tup-
per.
"William H. Brawley," replied
Evans.
otis lie" shouted Tuppsr over and
over again.
Evans replied that if Tupper wanted
to call him a lie to come at him when
he was off the stand.
Tupper bounded forward and was
making for the stand when he was
grabbed by a policeman and q half
doZen friends aud rushed back into the
crowd.
Evans continued. You know me.
Tupper, and 1 know you, and you know
| will slap your face so damn quick you
won't know it. If that man wanted to
fight, let him come to me somewhere
else. It is fashionable to call men liars
these days when they are on the stand,
but it is no evidence Of anything but
the coward"
Evans thanked the crowd for their
"kind attention." whereupon there was
sort of 'hell-broke.loo Georgia"
time.
Comptroller EIlerbe got some rous.
ing cheers as he was introduced. He
wanted those who thought his record
was all right to vote for him for Gov.
ernor, and those who did not could
vote for his cousin John Gary. (Crles
of "Oo, no!") Evans had pitched into
him at Bonneau's where he thought he
had lot of friends, but played the
dunghill today in not repeating it here.
He then cracked some jokes at john
nie's expense, getting cheers from the
crowd. His remarks about Cleveland
not being in sympathy with the pro.
ducing classes of the South and West
met with assent from score OF
throats.