The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-10-20
Col. w. A.. Neal Tells Why
He Went to Keeley for
Treatment.

Columbia, Oct. 15.-Col. W. A.
Neal, superintendent Of the State
penitentiary, who was charged by
ex-Gov. Evans, during the campaign.
with Drunkenness, has come back at
his accuser and proves him to be a
sIanderer if not worse In addition
to his card published herewith, Col.
Neal produces number of afidavits
from prominent and reputable men in
substantiation of his assertions Only
two of these letters are reproduced
here, as no others are needed to
show the nature of she case made
out by Col. Neal His card is as
follows:
On the 26th day of August last. ex-
Gov. John Gary Evans 10 his campaign
speech at Kingstree made use of the
following language: Last year while
| was governor l had to send Neal to
the Keeley Institute because he became
incapable, of attending to bis business.
Instead of beiog the superintendent Of
the penitentairy he should be dressed
in stripes ard put to work as con-
vics' He also said at Chester and
elsewhere all over South Carolina last
summer during the campaign, on the
street corners, railway trains asd hotel
Hobbies. that be sent Bill Neal to the
Kelley Institute for drunkenness and
telsgraphed T. j. Cunningham to come
to Columbia and put him in charge of
the peni.en.iary for one month"
l very much dislike TO make public
my private home affairs, bat many Of
my friends insist that should do so in
justice to myself aud family. have
delayed making public this statement.
that the smoke of political battle may
clear away, with the hope of acalm.
cool, deliberate consideration of what |
may say.
ldeoy that Mr. E7ans sent me to the
Kelley Institute or that be knew any
thing about my entering or necessity
for going. antil the evening before. |
sent for him aud told him. of my pur
pose, as tbe governor of the state | felt
it my duty to inform hin.
Ibid take treatment at the Kelley
Institute for morphine habit. contracted
In 1891, at the earnest solicitation of
my wife and physicians, Drs. Dockett,
Orr and Pope. | did not take treat
ment for the whiskey habit; am glad
to say that l have never used whiskey
to excess in my life aud have never
been drunk since | arrived at the age of
maturity.
| fought the morphine habit for more
than foar years With all the manhood
and will power possible TO commspd.
but at las: was forced to take scientific
treatment to save myself from utter
ruin and destruction. | was thorough
iy cured 10 thirty days aud have 20 de-
sire for the drag. nor have | had
any bad effects left and am cow
sound man mentally aud
physically. The ex-governor and
would-be Uoited States senator states
publicly that I should be wearing COZ
vict stripes could, MIR. Editor. make
the same statement as TO his excellency,
and could doubtless get many hundred
men 10 South Carolina to agree with
me, but that would be unmanly TO SLAM
der hin without proof.
I defy his exoellency to place bis
fnger upon oue act of mine. either
public or private that would warrant
the uae of the vile slanderous remarks.
He was governor Of the state for two
years. ! am sorry to say. while | was
superintendent Of the state peniteo-
tiary. aod as governor be vas ex off
clio chairman under the Law of the peui-
.eutiary. aud if ne koew anything thai
was wrong connected with my public
duties he should have said so then, and
l demand that be specify NOW, or be
branded as a slanderous liar by the
good people Of the State Below please
publish the afidavits of q few of my
friends to substantiate what have
stated above Let the people be the
JUDGES as to who has spoken falsely.
w. A. NEAL.
DOUGLASS, Oct IA. 1897.
Col. w. A. Neal, Columbia, S. G..