The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-08-25
MAYF[ELD RET[RES.
a DRAMATIC INCIDENT AT THURS.
DAY MEETING.

Tho Act !. PIP 'auded. Made Oei tain Cha, & rs
Agairst McLaurin Which Gould Not be
Proved Kept Bio Word.
II ere have been meetings during
this campaign that have been full OF
personalities. others that have tfen
verging on the sensational, but Thurs
days meeting at Yorkville was dram.
attic. Governor Evans made some re-.
ference to it but it was even more in
tensely dramatic than one might sup.
pose from the mere statement of that
fact. at times, although the audience
showed its partiality, there was an alb
solute quiet and deathlike Stiffness in
the court house with its 6C0or 700 peo.
pie. First of all, 10 manly and
straightfor ward way, Mr.. May field
admitted the wrong that he had done
Mr.. McLaurin by charging him with
trying to organize the Populist party
in this State and then to redeem his
pledge made at Chester Wednesday
formally Withdrew from the race. 1t
was unexpected. The style, the pro.
vocation and the consummation are
sll so unusual in South Carolina poll
tics that it made it all the more start
ling and when MIR. May field concluded
he was cneered to the echo for the
position he bad taken. Then came
Governor Evans. who threw unusal
fire, and. as Mr.. McLaurin said, "un-
warranted personal feeling" into his
discussion.
Mr.. Evans spoke longer than usual
and so enthused was he and determin ed
that he rose on his tiptoes 10 emphasizs
what he regarded as the lack of loyal
ty on the part Of McLaurin to his
friends and his false position. The ex-
oneratiug statement of Mr.. May field
and the severe arraignment of Cover
nor Evans had spurred MIR. McLaurin
up to a decided pitch. He had said
nothing from his scat and when he
arose it was plain TO see that he was
going to make one of The speeches Of
his life, which he did. He spoke with
all the ardor and feeling that he had
and at one time during the reading Of
a lettler from Congressman Bailey,
justifying his vote on the wool sche-
dule, he gasped for breath and came
very near reeling over but he manned
himself and went on with even more
than his wanted vieor and it was but
minu ''er he fell to the floor like
log, c leteIv exhausted. 1t was
the WORK OF conflicting emotion, exer-
tion and the heat and it took nitro
glycsrine tablets to enliven the slug
gish heart. II was, however, nothing
serious and soon after Mr.. McLaurin
was taken 10 his hotel, where he re-
cuperated.
Then Col. Irby, one OF the central
figures in the play OF the day. was alb
sent. A severe attack of cholera NOR
bus had incapacitated him from atten-
dance and he. too, during the alter
noon was sufficiently recuperated to
be out.
But the incident OF the day was the
withdrawal of Candidate May field.
Mr.. May field had made his customary
speech. attacking the tariff views OF
Mr.. McLaurin and insisting that he
was not low nor never had been in a
combination. When he went on to
say that yesterday and on previous
OCCASIONS he had charged McLaurin
with having written tins P)pujist plat
form and attempting 10 organize that
party in South Carolina At Spartan
burg he denied the caarge bat af.er
getting what be regarded as further
evidence, as well as that yesterday OF
DR.. Strait, he would withdraw from
the race and if he proved them Nc.
Laurin himself should withdraw. He
said he made the charges in good faith
aud that he never misrepresented any
one. He was now satisfied from what
he had heard and from conclusive
proof shown him by McLaurin, that
he did dictate the Populist platform
and that McLarin did succeed in strik
ing out that portion relating to or
eanization in this State and to Mr..
McLaurin more than any one else was
due the credit that there was no Popu'
list fight in Sou.h Carolina. lie be-
lieved that the statement made by Dr..
Strait was correct as he understood it,
but he further believed that Mr.. Mc
Lsurin was telling the truth. He now
saw that Mr.. McLaurin rather than
violate personal affairs had declined
to make anv statement and with con-
elusive proof that he now lad was
willing to say that he had misTepre
sented McLaurin aud to add that he
had worked to prevent the destruction
of the Democratic party in this State.
He then said that IN view OF what he
had stated at Chester and for personal
reasons he would announce his with
drawal as a candidate for the United
States senate. This, he said, was not
in the interest of Mr.. McLaurin, Mr..
Evans or Col. Irby, but because he
thought it was right and because he
meant what he said. Hs said he mad
not mentioned his intention of with
drawing except confidenlially and did
not expect any mention of it as it was
unwarranted. He would moi waive
his hand for or against any candidate
for he differed with all of them on
some matters at issue and they were
all men of ability, and then, with a
beautiful peroration as 10 the brighter
day that was ahead for South Carolina
| ana thanking his audience and the
people for the attention shown him,
| he withdrew from the field with much
applause.
Mr.. McLaurin, as Mr.. May field was
walking back to his seat. met him,
clasped his hand and thanked him for
what he had said.
Mr.. May field, i; his speech at Ches
ter, said: