The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-07-25

os"tN. AAS VOC 0AA' 0Voo @AuH uHaoo0o'
He had several times put 10 word or
two during Buffers speech. This time
be cried: "He denied all that in Wash.
ingtoO, though" (probably referring to
the Hamburg riots.
Gen. Butler did not recognize the
speaker. but quick as fash he turned
in the direction of the voice and said:
''J.'s lie /; don't care who said it,
It's lie"
Mr.. Atkinson did not reply. He ta-
tooed on the reporters desk with bis
umbrella, but made no sign Of answer
ing.
The scene that followed was terrible
It was serious. 1t was desperate. Men
rushed up towards the stand with their
bands on their pistols, others cursed,
and the danger signal was ont. Yet
there were hundred women within a
few feet of the stand; but that made
no apparent difference. Fully "a dozen
of each faction--Butler and Ti!!man-
made for the stand to join those already
there. Henry Townes and Charley
Hammond were the first to mount the
stand. Townes turned on the accuser
and cried out: .'It's lie, and that
mau knows it..
Gen Butler tapped him on the shoul-
der and said: Henry, I'll take care
of myself; get down from the stand. y
But the lie has been given, replied
Townes.
That's all right. For Gods sake,
let's have 20 trouble, y replied Gen.
Butler.
Mr.. Cogburu and some one got into
a loud dispute. Then Mr.. Hardee, a
friend Of Gov. Tillman. had words.
Said one to another
t'Now, look here, put up that pistol
for you ain't the only one with a pistol.
When I draw mine I'm going to
useit
Governor Tillman vas asked to have
his friend accede. His pistol was
put up. Jack Bladon, lion in deter.
mination, forged to the front and had a
tilt with Cogburn.
But these are mere incidents. Add
dozen are more of them aud there
may be something like picture of the
situation. Gen. Butler urged bis
friends to get off the stand. He plead
for quiet. Governor Tillman perfectly
cool, asked all who were really his
friends, to be quiet, and after deal Of
persuasion things quieted down and
Gen. Butler continued bis speech.
From then on every one was on the
qui vive but fortunately all passed of
quietly. As soon as Butler resumed
his speech he took, occasion to say !:
"Whoever states at any time, on any
occasion to anybody that l denied my
participation in what vas done 10 Ham
burg, tells, 1 won't say a lie. because
there are ladies here, but that which
is not true"
Gen. Butler also took occasion. after
the serious incident. to say in de-
cidedly vigorous way:
'.When I blistered him, his myrmi-
dons, bleating like meaningless don
keys, tried to drown my voice with
their wild talk aud yell Common
jackasses can bray, but it takes man
of sense and prudence to convince the
Judgment aud not arouse the passions
Of the people. That sort of treatment
doesn't intimidate me. | have seen too
much Of the real dangers to be throt.
tied in my free speech by lot of
blatant wild jackasses,I love free speech
too much aud will fight for it,
The Hamburg aAidavits we're pro-
duced and read aud were received with
dread Governor Tillman on this line
took occasion to say that he would meet
any one who told him personally that he
was not at Hamburg and wanted to
make an issue of it.
Perhaps the next most important hap.
pening was the proposition of Secre-
tary of State Tiada!. He boldly prophe
sled that the reform party would be
irreparably injured if it declined to
give all candidates fair showing be-
fore the people. He made proposition
that the delegations to the nominating
convention be proportiouately divided
upon the actual vote received by each
Of the candidates in the clubs and
aggregated at the county convention
How the suggestion will take remains
to be seen. Anyway he thinks 1t the
true safety valve for the movement:
Ellerbe and John Gary Evans did
some lively basting Of each other, and
their personalities seemed to please the
crowd Of about thousand. Mr..
Evans was in his element and spoke to
advantage. Mr.. Ellerbe's friends
claim tue county to be about equally
divided.
Prayer was offered by the Rev. John