The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-05-13

orably and without prejudice to the
Statc's interest. would not ask them
to DO otherwise, and they would not
were | 20 so request.
| In writing to MIR. Howell had moth
| ing to gain personally, and no axe to
grind save to help my friends, and, rs
| any secret OF standing by and working
for my friends and lighting my enc
| mics. | have DCver received, aud new.
or tried to get, and neither would
receive. under any circumstances, one
cents rebate. But | brought the Dis
pcnsary law to this State, and deter
mined to weed out rascality if discov-
cred, and it was in my power to do SO.
My reference to the explanation to be
made by Mr. Wood in tho letter was
that he might explain to Mr.. Howell
the position he wanted was as agent in
our State for Blumcnthul x Bickurt
MIR. Wood went to Atlanta and re
turned to Spartanburg in IL day or so.
Elo came into my Office and in reply to
an inquiry stated that he did not soc
Mr.. Howell, but had left the letter with
Mr.. Bic kart, and who said that there
WIS no necessity for delivering it, a,
he had nothing TO say in the OllHs mat.
ter, and that gentlemen had refused
his offer to receive pay for shipping out
his liquors first.
thought ~ m""~ " g., ..... =.
there was n'.n,uS IN IL that cared for
the public 20 see. But during the last
meeting Ut the State Board IL friend
from Colu nbia wrote me thata certain
letter, purporting to have bee. written
by myself to MIR. Clark Howell, was
being privately circulated and shown
q md Il Iii
contents. | replied as stated above.
then wrote to Hon. Clark Howell, stat
ing the ci! cunStanccs. and in reply re-
cGivCd a Litter from Mr.. Bickart, say
ing that MIR. Wood had never shown
him the Howell letter, and he would
not have been guilty OF such an outrage
us to break the seal OF IL private letter
directed to other than himself MIR.
Wood afterwards said that he might
have been mistaken about giving the
letter to Mr.. Bickart, that he could not
remember just what he did with it, but
that he had never turned il over to any
one in Columbia.
y few days after Mr.. Woods return
from Atlanta | was in Columbia, and
went into MIR. OUTS Office and tod him
just what had heard and what | had
done toward investigation, and the re-
port was found TO be unfounlrd. | then
told him that | WAS hands of in his
race, and WAS hands or. | have moth
ing to conceal about that letter, and
what did did openly and not through
any bushwhackiug methods. | nave
always helped my friends, and intend
10 continue to do until they prove
trcachcrous and unworthy o! trust. No
one has ever acsuscd me, on will over
accuse me Of handling IL dirty shilling,
f,,r l.. y =.
| crime to use every honorable end tO
ferret out reported public venalty. and
TO work for your friends, then ! an
guilty, and Will remain guilty.
But, MIR. Editor, let me ask YOU. a.
| likewise every honest and honorable
man, what do you think OF any man, or
set OF men who would thus secure pos
session Of private letter written to /;
stranger whom they did not know and
marked "personal, and then dclibcr.
atcly break the seal and use the con
tents? Why, | wouldn't trust them
with either public or private money
as far as could throw Il locomotive
by the cOw-catchcr. They will bear
watching, and close Watching too.
Were SO inclined, could have de-
MED the authorship Of that letter, for
my name was not signed to it with pen
and ink, but printed with atypcwritcr
But | wrote every word therein, am
not ashamed to own it, and if Occasion
ever arises vii! do the same thing over
again. Respectfully,
i. l.. GANTT.
II. S.-l do not believe tnaI Mr.Wool
betrayed my confidence and gave away
the Litter, but that it was lost by him
or stolen by those who are using it.
am also convinced that neither did Mr..
Howell or Mr.. Bickart ever see that
letter. Any one who has IL letter from
me is at liberty to publish the same
to the world, us have nothing TO Gov
cr up or conceal AS before stated,
always work for and stand by my
friends.