Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-07-29
EARLE AND EVANS MIX.
Sensational Scene In the Court House at

EARLE AND EVANS MIA.
Sensational Scene In the Court House at
Florence.
Condensed from the daily papers.
At last it has come. For six years
the people have been looking for a
personal collision on the stump be-
tween candidates. They had about
come to the conclusion that no matter
how dirty the charges and insinua-
tions that may be flung, nobody would
resent them. But it is the unexpect-
ed that always happens. At Florence,
last Friday, Judge Earle assaulted
Governor Evans. Governor Evans
defended himself as best he could.
The friends of both principals rushed
in, and when the spat was over, Judge
Earle was bleeding about the face.
Governor Evans was unhurt. The
individual damages were not very
great; but upon South Carolina was
inflicted the disgrace of having
governor and circuit judge engaged
in scrapping match.
Judge Earle was the first senatorial
candidate to speak. He devoted him
self mainly to the silver question and
made very comprehensive argument
with which his hearers were we'll pleas
ed. He regretted exceedingly that the
campaign had been pitched upon q
plane of personalities instead of on an
instructive discussion ofnational issues.
If the candidates: could not get above
personalities, he thought 1t would be
we'll for them to go out, get in q ring
and fight it out. Then they would
feel better and the people would not
be annoyed with their differences.
Most of this was said half in earnest
and half in jest.
Governor Evans followed. He was
glad Judge Earle had pitched his
speech on such high plane, and had
hoped that the campaign would have
been 80 conducted from the first |; but
was disappointed.
Judge Earle-Who was the first TO
descend from that plane?
Governor Evans-You, at Lancas-
ter when you propounded to me 'ques-
tions which implied that / had given
my brother insurance at higher rate
than could have been gotten from
others.
Judge Earle said that he had asked
questions that had been given him by
others, and had assumed responsibility
for them when compelled to do 30.
He had not desired TO 60 into the mat
ter again at present. Evans insisted
on the proofs, and Judge Earle drew
from his pocket a bundle of letters.
In one was an affidavit from VIM.
Goldsmith, Jr., an insurance agent from
tGreenville. Goldsmith swore that he
was the agent at Greenville of the
North British and Mercantile Insur-
ance company. He had written pol
icy on the Greenville dispensary. Be-
fore the policy was out, the dispenser
had called upon him to cancel it. He
told the dispenser that it would be
cheaper for the state to let the policy
run out, as it would have to be can
ceIled at higher rate: The dispenser
said he had orders from Columbia and
had no discretion in the matter. After
ward, Goldsmith found that the insur.
ance had again been placed in the
North British and Mercantile Insur-
ance company at a higher rate than the
policy that had just been cancelled ;
but in another agency. He did not like
the idea of his company allowing busi-
ness that properly belonged to him to
20 to another agency, and he COM
plained to the company. The COM
pany answered that it had made q
contract with Mr.. B. B. Evans, a broth
| er of the governor, by which it was to
get control of all the insurance, and
that was the reason it had put the
matter in the hands of another.
By this single deal, Mr.. Goldsmith
swore that the state lost the. sum OF
$2.42. J. D. Maxwell testified that ne
lhad notified the dispenser at Ander.
son that he would give him policy at
liza per cent. on account of the re.
duction of rates by the Southern Tariff
association from 2 per cent. The In
surance, however, was taken away
from him and given to Mr.. b. b.
Evans at 2 per cent.
Governor Evans said that the COM
pany that had offered reduction of q
quarter of cent had been stealing
that much and should have nothing
to complain Of He then asked Judge
Earle for the bundle of papers ne had
exhibited. Judge Earle started to
separate from the bundle those he had
lust read. Governor Evans, however,
said he wanted them all. He had seen
letter signed by L. ]. Williams, whose
beer he had seized, and he wanted
all the charges that were to be made.
After getting the papers, he asked VINO
Maxwell and Goldsmith were. Judge
Earle assured him that they were
both gentlemen. "Of course" said
Governor Evans, sarcastically, "they
are all gentlemen" Upon hand.
ing the papers back, Governor Evans
said "Judge Earle, here are your
credentials to the United States senate.
Grover Cleveland might honor them;
but Bryan never will" Judge Earle
replied "Thank YOU"
The controversy over the reading OF
the papers relative to the insurance
grew quite warm; but was settled
without blows. Shortly afterward
Governor Evans started to read his
letter from Senator Tillman, which he
had been reading at every meeting.