The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-06-24
Trying to Explain.
Tillman and Bates Make an
Explanation of the Bond
Transaction.
THEY TELL ALL ABOUT FUND
ING THE DEBT,
But Nothing About Where the
Commission Went.
1t VIII Hardly Satisfy the People
aoho Want and Demand Explictt H.
formation Concerning the Commas-
SONS that Rhin1 Did Not Get.

formation Concerning the Comnaas-
sons that Rhind Did Not Get.
At last Senator Tillman speaks on
the bond deal matter. He stated
that he would not have anything to
saw until "some responsible party"
made the charges, but as was indi
Gated in The States special from
Rock Hill last week, he has seen the
necessity for giving the people a
statement in regard to the matter and
here it is:
To the public Il have been absent
from the State during most of the last
two weeks, making silver speeches in
thewest, and have been Ignorant of the
Juror createdaby the unsigned articles
in the New York Times, charging
crookedness in the bond matter. l
read it, as copied in the State papers
Just before leaving South Carolina,
and Immediately decided that the
author was my political and personal
enemy and South Carolinian. | did
not feel that the anonymous attack
was worthy OF notice and so stated
toa reporter On my return | find
that A. B Williams is known to be
the writer, and this statement of it.
self, will be sufficient to most men as
to the motive of the attack and truth
of the charges l learned further
that DR.. Bates had written card ex-
planning the receipt by him of com
mission amounting to about $4,000
for extra and unofficial work. but ap-
parentIy stunning or ignoring the
graver charges directly or indirectly
made of collusion with Rhind and
and the commission On arriving at
Columbia, found Dr. Bates had pre-
pared full statement of the whole
bond transaction, but under bad ad-
vice had confined his statement as
published to an explanation of the
commission paid him, which was not
at all satisfactory even to his friends,
and thereby had invited rather than
disarmed criticism. lie, submitted
this statement 10 me and now gives
it to the press at my suggestion. |
have read it carefully and can COR
roborate as true everything it con-
tains as to the facts of the case
But for the fact that there are others
involved in the so.called "bond scan
dal," would adhere to my orig.
inal purpose of treating it with silent
contempt, because Gen. Butler made
practically the same charges at Wal
terboro in 1894, and | made full and
complete answer to them then
I recognize, however, that the
shafts of SANDER and malice which
have fallen harmless from me may
wound others who are not less worthy
of public confidence l take occa
sion, therefore, to repeat what | said
at Waiterboro two years ago. ] have
never received one dollar; of Rhind's
commission, and never made any
agreement, directly or indirectly with
Rhipd or any one else that would
give me compensation for making the
contract upon the terms agreed upon.
worked in the States interest and
for her benefit wholly, and it is sim
ply damnable that the papers of the
State should give currency and quasi
endorsement to these repeated SLAM
ders and lies
/ take occasion to say that the
work done by DR.. Bates was entirely
outside of and apart from his official
duties, and that every criticism of
him for it, in my Judgments unreason
able and unjust lie consulted me as
to the propriety of doing it, and l
did not then and do not now see why
he should have refused to do the
work that in no wise conficted with
his official duties. and which did not
cost the State one cent. On two oc
casions Dr. Bates, in the plenitude
of caution for what he supposed to
be for the best interests of the State,
refused to sign the mo di6cations of
the contract which the exigencies of
the situation demanded, and l over
ruled him because saw it was our
last and only chance
The agreement to do the work for
the syndicate was made two weeks
after the last compact vas signed,
and he signed that under my persua-
zion I was associated with him
four years on the terms of the closest
intimacy. If be is not ao honest,
honorable, conscientious and high
toned gentleman, then we have none
in South Carolina.
B r TilIman.