The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-08-10
GOV. ELLtRBE'S ALLEGED DUPLICITY.
MIR. NIAYFIELD's STATEMENT AT
PICKENS.

He Makes q Flat Denial of tn
Statement Given Out by the Cover
nora CircumstantiaI Account O
the Metropolitan Police Matter.
The expected revelation of Mr.. S. G
Mayfeld in regard TO the double deal
ing OF Governor Ellerbe, as to the re
moval of the metropolitan police il
Charleston, formed the conclusion O
his speech at Pickens, and is as fol
lows:
Governor Ellerbe has given the pa
pers a carefully prepared interview, ir
which he does not deny the charge
which | made at Orangeburg, in which
charged him with "duplicity" ia
dealing with the metropolitan police,
and If he denied it | would prove it.
Here Is what he says: 81 would like to
have the proof Of any double dealing
on my part in reference to the metro
pol'tan police or any other public mat
| ter"
| will give the proof.
During the campaign OF 1896 eau
Gus was held in the city of Charleston.
Ihis caucus was composed of leaders
In thought, activity and journalism in
South Carolina. The question to be
| decided was: Shall the people of
Charleston vote for Senator John II
Harrison or Gen. VIM. II. Ellerbe for
governor?
Mr.. Elierbe has not written any let.
ters, buta friend, personal and politi-
cal, was member of that caucus. He
pledged and vouched for Mr.. Ellerbe
The removal Of the metropolitan police
He spoke "as one having authority"
That caucus decided to give Mr..
Gllerbe tho support Of Charleston be-
cause he would remove the metroDoli-
tan police. The campaign meeting
was held in Charleston, and then Gov
Ellerbc said: IL will remove the
metropolitan police from the city of
Charleston whenever / am given as.
surances that the dispensary law will
be enforced"
This statement was made after the
caucus, after the friend" had pledged
Governor Ellerbe to the removal of the
metropolitan police. 1t was made in
the presence OF the mcmbers of that
caucus and face to face with the voters
OF Charleston city. 1t was made for
the purpose Of getting the vote of the
city OF Charleston. Tho people of
Charleston voted for Elerbe because
OF this understanding. After the pri-
mary election and before he was in
augurated Governor Ellerbe was visited
by IL correspondent of the News and
Courier and written up in great shape
| know the correspondent and he no
doubt told the whole truth about that
interview. He gave the reporter to
understand that the metropolitan
police wocld be removed.
During the session Of the last legis-
laturc Thomas w. Bacot of Charleston
had frequent interviews with Cover
nor Elerbe about the removal of the
metropolitan police, and told Governor
Elerbe that DR.. llderton was going 70
introduce q bill to repeal the metro
polltan act. Representative IldertOn
OF Florence county and representa-
tive OF Anderson county both talked
with Governor Ellerbe, and he assured
each Of them that he would remove the
metropolitan police from Charleston.
These representatives., believing that
the governor meant what he said, took
no steps themselves and prevented any
Legislation upon tae metropolitan
pol ce.
Before the adjournment OF the legis-
lature, uGovcrnur Ellerbe assured
select few that he would not remove
the metropolitan police until every
member of the city council signed an
agreement in writing to enforce the
dispensary law.
at the time Mr.. Bacot was working
SO Zealously for Charleston, Governor
Eilerbe promised several persons that
he would exact from the mayor OF
Charleston an agreement in writing,
to be signed by every member of the
council, to enforce the dispensary.
This is admitted by Governor
Ellerbe in this interview. But did the
governor tell Representatives Ilderton,
kept as u profound secret from them.
| knew nothing Of it. | was lighting
the dispensary law. 1t was known
only to "the favored few" and was
carefully guarded.
Governor Ellerbe knew that of the
~ aldermen at least six were political
and personal friends of Chief Martin,
and some others would not sign any
paper to enforce the dispensary law.
Before the adjournment OF the legis-
lature Chief Martin knew the terms
which would be imposed. On March
lst Mayor Smyth was informed by
Governor Eller6e that he would take
up the metropolitan police matter fter
the adjournment OF the legislature,
March 4th. Mayor Smyth fixed the
9th for the conference. Now mark:
Mayor Smyth In this conference pro-
posed to have the council pass an ordi-
nance to enforce the dispensary law.
This could be- done by majority
or at most two thirds, vote OF the coun-
| Gil. But Governor Ellerbe said he
| would not humiiiate the people Of
Charleston by having them to pass an
ordinance. Governor Ellerbe had In
advance prepared q typewritten agree
mont and presented 1t to Mayor Smyth.
The paper was an innocent looking
affair, and with some notifications
Mayor Smyth took it to Charleston for
signature. Did Governor Ellerbe tell
| Mayor Smyth that the paper must be
signed by every one of the aldermen?
No. Mayor Smyth says he never
Tor q moment thought it was to be
signed by all; IL he had he would not
have carried it to Charleston. The
paper was presented on the 8th for the
council to sign it. or the twenty.four
seventeen signed, six refused to sign
ono was out OF the city, but afterwards
signed. The paper was sent to Colum
LIZ