The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-08-11

CfdbS iOreVoT.
Voices: No, you can't"
The crowd was not listening at q
at Mr.. Duncan. They were yelling c
making remarks or laughing at eac
others alleged jokes. Two young me
from the start of the meeting had bee
most boisterous in their demonstra
tions and frequently interrupted tn
speakers. They made themselve
obnoxious to all of those who wante
to hear as we'll as to the speakers
Chairman Lyles had frequently aske
them to keep quiet but his effort
amounted to nothing. They create,
so much disorder that Chief of Polio
Gilbert tried to make them stop. FL
couldn't do anything with them an,
then attempted to arrest them.
Dispenser Stevenson, who was stand
Ing by the two men, told the chief tha
this was a public meeting and that a.
one should be- arrested. The chic
naturally resented such interference,
| with his duties and star ted to take tn,
men Off. Mr.. Stevenson attempted t,
prevent him and then the crowd rushed
In to keep the Two men from beins
carried of. Mr.. Stevenson was quite
excited and several of his friends STOOD
by him, swearing that he should bt
protected. The policeman was in the
meantime pushed back and the crowC
seemed to grow more desperate.
Curses were hurled at tho policeman
and at the town people, the chairman
SO far forgetting himself as to Jump OF
the stand and say that "the country
people had been imposed upon long
enough by. the town people and tina,
hereafter the meetings woulC be held
in the country" This but added fuel
to the Hames and the crowd grew more
angry and seemed to be in mood to
tear somebody or anything to pieces.
Governor Evans was sitting In the crowd
but he got up Immediately when the
row commenced and did all in his
power to stop it. He finally mountuu
the stand and called upon the people
to keep quiet. Sheriff Ellison and
cltizens well known to the people did
the same thing and after q few minutes
comparative quiet was restored. While
every body seemed to be mad there was
no light Tor there was nobody to fight
but the Chief of Police and he had IN the
meantime been ordered not to arrest
the men by the mayor, it is said, who
did so in order to prevent trouble
There was intense excitement during
1t all but luckily nothing serious re-
suited, because, as has been said, there
was nobody to fight although it must
be admltJed that the whole thing was
one of the most disgraceful events OF
the campaign hardly excepting the ex-
pistols were drawn, many of the crowd
skipped in anticipation of shooting
during the fracas.
Mr.. Duncan continued his speech
while great disorder prevailed. Only
q word or two Or sentence or two
could be heard.
Mr.. Duncan stated that he had said
to Tillman that if his election meant
the disruption of the Reform move
ment he would quit.
Cries: "You wouldn't. You are no
good"
Mr.. Duncan went on to try to speak,
but 1T was a futile effort. He was con-
stantly interrupted by howls and yells
and nothing he could say was connected.
lie said If Evans wasn't afraid of being
shown up he would get the people to
listen. Though Mr.. Duncan was not
ilstened to he perse vered amid cries,
Get down." Times up" etc. He
said all he wanted was the people to
listen to him and they could vote for
Evans if they wanted.
Voices: " Wen do that all right"
Mr.. Whitman was yelled down be-
fore he uttered word. After about
two minutes Of pandemonium q man in
the audience charged Mr.. Whitman
with having been guilty of an act, the
details OF which are unfit for publica-
tion.
MIR. Whitman, with great indigna-
tlon, pronounced the statement an in
famous lie. He said: You are an
lnlarlous liar, sir, and If you were
worth shuck l would make YOU
answer for it in the courts"
A voice: did you ever live in
Wlnnsboro ?"
Whitman Eyes. and [ made a
Vlcaricus sacrifice of myself, and Pm
making 1t now for you"
Mr.. Whitman, finally getting half a
nearing, proceeded with his speech.
He made his usual remarks abou,
Illlman and papsuckers, which were
met with cheers for Tillman and
Eerbe.
Mr.. Whitman said that the crowd
was packed with Dispensary constables
to howl him down.
A voice; Boys, will you stand
that 2"
Other voices: "No, we won't, that
amt So"
Mr.. Whitman had very little chance
to say anything, so constantly was he
Interrupted, but he said he would stay
there until November, but what he
was heard. He wasn't listened to,
however, and he said that the people
above Columbia were trying to choke
him OF, but that meant choking the
Reform movement. Py their action,
he said, they were doing for them
selves that which would result in a
political Vesuvius.
Mr.. Whitman said great many
other things, but few people heard
them for the demonstrative part of the
crowd kept up their yelling. Mr..
Whitman, although be usually keeps
up his speech notwithstanding howl
ling down, had finally to quit and
satisfy himself with the distribute OF
his tracts among the crowd.
Senator Harrison was introduced,
accompanied by cries for Ellerbe and
yells :" Hes no good" Mr. Harrison,
in opening, said he believed there
were those in the audience who wanted
to hear and If there were those who
didn't, they ought to go off or keep
quiet. He said he was running on his
own responsibility, and needed no con
stable to defend him. When it came
to that, then free Democratic govern
mont in South Carolina was at an end
Mr. Harrison was much interrupted
at first, but after he had proceeded
awhile he got d respectful hearing
When he went to talk about the Dis
pensary, he was Interrupted by voices
aging: We don't want to hear it.
Nevertheless Mr.. Harrison went on Il
discuss his Dispensary scheme. He
said ne didn't know whether the Dis
pensary had anything to do with the