The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-08-07
COL. HASKELL
TO COY. EVANS.
HE DENOCNCES HIM AND MAKES
STATEMENTS.
Says He Was Made n Railroad Director
to Euy Him OT-Touches on Bond
and Insurance Matters.

cation to the Columbia State from
washington county, Virginia, Of re-
cent date. has this to say in rerly to
the Governors speech at Cheraw:
have seen your paper of the 23rd
! and 2lth; III the first there Is report
o: the campaign meeting ut Chcraw, in
which Mr.. John Gary Evans is report
cd rs saying: John Haskell says the
Evans boys howled Hampton down,
but he knew it was lie" For several
years have carefully avoided express
sing in public my opinion of the humi-
hitting events that havo occurred in our
old State, culminating in the dcep dis
grace which put this vile little dcmago-
! que III tho governors chair. He has
| gone out of his way to make wautou
attack on me and seeks to make politi-
cal capital out of it. | don't believe
that the people of our State, if they
kucw him, would support him for any
! position and | believe that many who
disagree with mo in politics, will not
hesitate to believe anything that say
and this induces me to take notice of
what | would otherwise treat with the
utter contempt that l feel for this
person.
First, as to his charge, when he pre-
tends to quote me, he knows that he
willfully lies. General Hampton went
TO Aiken, not rs n candidate, but rs an
invited guest. 4 few of tho audience
treated him with great rudeness; no
man, who knew anything of the facts,
doubted that Evans encouraged them
in this conduct. He has denied it
then and doubtless, if it serves his pur-
pose, will lie about it again. l never
spoke of the Evans boys, for did not
suppose that he had any followers,
even among those who insulted Gen
cral Hampton.
And now n word to his career. 1 was
member OF the Legislature when he
first came there and was counsel for
the Richmond and Danville road I
heard of him as n lawyer of rather low
standing ut the Aiken bar. From con-
versations | mad with him l came to
the conclusion that he wanted to be
employed by the railroad. Soon after
my professional connection with clear
ing the titles of coal and iron property
in Virginia and North Carolina took
up SO much of my time that / resigned
Us counsel for the Richmond and Dan
Vile Railroad. | was consulted by the
officers ns to who to retain, and among
others, advised them to employ ip-
some capacity, Mr.. John Gary Evans,
as J. warned them he would give trouble
if not bought. Very soon he was put
on rs Il director of one of the branch
reads in Carolina. Within few days
of his appointment, his brother from
Edgcticld, and his uncle, from Geor-
gia, appeared for the first time in the
General assembly as attorneys for tho
Da' vile Railroad. They did the same
at the ensuing sessions until Mr..
John Gary Evans was dropped from
the boarl.
Now l challenge him to write to the
party who employed him and see if he
will say that this appointment of broth
er and uncle was not made to secure
his influence against hostile legislation.
Don't let him just deny it; of course he
will be ready to lie out of it. He
knows who employed him; let him ask
that man in writing.
As to the bond matter, Mr.. Rhind
stated to the syndicate that of the
large commissions which be retained,
the bulk hnd to 20 to parties whose in
ilucncc was needed in tie South Caro-
lima General Assembly. Ifhc dnrcs to
do it, Let him ask Hhinl who he re-
fcrrci to. |! he dnrcs to 10 it, let him
ask DR.. Bates to answer the categorical
question as - who got the money. If
he dnreS 10 do il, let him have the