The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-04
He prOclaims Himself Chief Of Police Of
South Carolina.
ASSUMES CONTROL OF ILL POLICE.
A Proclamation Issued to that Ehect-De-
Ilvers a speech mt Columbia Explaining
the situa,iop-Defends His spies.

Governor shall have authority, whenever
in his Judgment IL shall be necessary, TO
arm the constabulary, and in any emer-
gency to assume the sole control Of whole
or any part OF the municipal police
IN cities and incorporated towns, ana 20
authorize the chief constable OF the state
or any deputy chief constable TO com
rnand assistance In the execution process
suppressing riots and IN preserving ene
peace" and
whereas il is made the duty Of and the
nower is given said police 10 enforce the
statute known as the dispensary laws but
instead OF obeying the requirements OF
said law the said police, except IN very
Few towns. have been an Obstruction and
are active aiders and abettors " those
who are defying the law, and
Whereas. under the State statute the
Governor is given power TO appoint state
constables for the purposes OF It's enforce
ment; and
Whereas. the rebellious and lawless ele-
ments OF society have bounded and in-
suited these officials, and seduously edu-
Gated the public mind 10 resistance. caus-
ing several encounters, resulting In blood
shed between constables and Illicit whisky
sellers. producing intense excitement and
danger TO the peace and welfare Of the
state.
Now, therefore l, Benjamin r. Tillman,
Governor Of the State OF South Carolina,
do issue this my proclamation, giving full
and official notice TO the municipal officers
Of every city and incorporated town in
fhe State OF South Carolina. and 10 the
police and marshals thereof. that under
the powers given me by said section bl9.
the emergency contemplated has arisen
and does now exist, and that / do hereby
assume sole control Of the whole force
of municipal police and marshals of the
several cities and incorporated towns OF
this State. They are hereby ordered TO
enforce all laws on the statute books, to-
eefher with all municipal ordinances and
orders from municipal authorities not in
consistent with the purposes Of this pro-
CamatiOn. AS soon as the emergency
which is now upon US shall no LONGER
exist. / Will relinquish control and restore
the former status.
tSgned) B. r. TILLMAN, Governor.
Ry the Governor:
j. J.. TlNDALI4 Secretary ofSState.
Til man Makes Speech.
AT the State Capitol this morning Gov
ernor Tlllman spoke follows
Citizens. soldiers. volunteers, and fel-
Iow citizens: South Carolina to-day is
attracting the attention of the whole
United States. The situation here is so
grave and anomalous that Il Is
% go forth and that an analysis of the
causes which have brought it about
should be given TO the public. AS the
Governor of the entire people for have
never sought 10 be anything else) that
statement can best come from me-
we are all familiar with the occur
renees of the past four days-the con-
fct between citizens and officers of the
lw You are aware Of the contention
made by those who are resisting the law
the dispensary law-that it is tyrannical,
that IL is an invasion of private liberty,
that IL IS unconstitutional. and that 1t
shall not be enforced. That contention
should not be settled, as ! have already
said by arms.
Ncw, let us look for a moment at the
Incidents. If the claim set forth thai
private residences shall not be searched
for whisky is once admitted II simply
repeats the disrensary law. and it re-
peals 1t IN am unconstitutional manner;
for II whisky can be sold from private
residences If a mans house can be turned
into a saloon. If a private residence can
be made 70 bar from which whisky can
be transmitted in pockets, or by other
means. % regular saloons. and We are
not permitted 10 90 I'm that private resi-
dence search for and seize cCntfaband
goods YOU can readily see il is useless
90 pretend 10 say that we have a dls-
pensary law. IL is law, it was enacted
by the Legislature, and II is on the
statute books /, as Chief Executive
have sworn that the laws Of this State
shall be obeyed and respected. and until
the dispensary law IS repealed legally, so
help me God. J viii exert all the power |
have TO see that all the laws are obeyed
Cheers.
who Is TO Blame?
Vow. gentlemen, we Will not discuss the
reasons. why's. and wherefores, and ad-
lantages and disadvantages Of the dis
pensary law. that will be a political issue
i'm the coming campaign. and you, the
SOVEREIGN people Of South Carolina, will
pass on IL at the ballot-box.
When unfortunately. the collision oc-
CURED az Darlington the news was flash
ed from one end Of South Carolina 10 the
other that armed men hundreds of men,
Il was said were mounted and in pur-
suit OF the States officers charging them
with having wantonly provoked a con-
flct and murdered innocent citizens. HOW
do the facts bear out the statement?
The constables had discharged their
duty and had gone 10 the depot. They
had been sent TO Darlington because the
six who were on the ground had been
nearly mobbed the first day. had 10 de-
sist from the execution OF warrants and
return 70 their hotels and when the chief
was ordered there with reinfOrcements
the Mayor had allowed them to be in
suited and cursed 10 their faces, and an
armed mob had broken into the armory
and stolen the guns of the military COM
pany. and the spectacle was presented
of citizens SELLING the arms of the State
for the purpose Of shooting down officers |
OF the State. ! ordered out the local |
company, and the captain teegraphed me |
he had recovered the guns Not trusting |
his command. / ordered the Sumter |
company 10 20 there. When they re- |
ported everything was quiet 1 ordered |
them TO return home.
Now when the constabies got to the |
depot two boys striplints.. got into a |
fight one got whipped and ran OF ana |
got achievements, and came back with |
twenty-five or hfty I'VE don't know how I
many) men, armed 10 the teeth They !
rushed down 10 the depot and picked a |
quarrel with the constables. The COLI |
sion occurred; men were killed on both |
sides. and the fault cannot be clearly |
placed yet. II IL is ever clearly placed. |
Now. tia Mayor of Darlington said that |
the taking Of the arms by the mob was |
fu1-the same Kind Of fun we have seen |
elsewhere ia the State The armories |
we're broken into here. and the armory |
at Chester was broken into, and some OF |
the militia have been In open mutiny |
against the commander-in-chief, and have |
refused % obey orders: but. thank God, |