Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-08-18
Was the Senatorial Campaign
Meeting at Yorkville.
MR.. MAYFlELD WITHDRAWS
From the Race, Having Failed to
Prove McLaurin a POpuiist-
Evans Severely Arraigns Nc
Laurin, Who, After Finishing
His Speech, Faints-Irby Also
Sick.
Columbia Register.

paign that have been full of pei
sonalities, others that have bee
verging on the sensational, but tc
days meeting was dramatic. Gov
ernor Evans made some referenc
to it but it was even more intense
ly dramatic than one might sup
pose from the mere statement o
that fact.
At times, although the audienc
showed its partiality, there was al
absolute quiet and deathlike still
ness in tn, courthouse with it
e007or 700 people. First of all, il
manly and straightforward way
Mr.. Mayfield admitted the wronl
that be had done Mr.. McLaurin by
charging him with trying to organ
ize the populist party in this State
and then to redeem his pledg'
made at Chester yesterday, for
mally withdrew from the race. l
was unexpected. The style, tn
provocation and the consumma
ton are all so unusual i'm South
Carolina politics that it made i
all the more startling, and wher
Mr.. Mayfeld concluded he was
cheered to the echo for the posi-.
ton be had taken.
Then came Governor Evans, who
threw unusual fire, and, as Mr.
McLaurin said, ''unwarranted per.
sonal feeling" into his discussion
Mr.. Evans spoke longer than
usual and 80 enthused was he and
determined that he rose on his tip
toes to emphasize what he regard
ed as the lack of loyalty OH the
part of McLaurin to his friends
and his false position.
The exonerating statement of
Mr.. Mayfeld and the severe ar
raignment of Governor Evans had
spurred Mr.. McLa,lrin up to a de-
cided pitch. He had said nothing
from his seat, and when he arose
it was plain to see that be was 60
ing to make one of the speeches of
his life, which he did. He spoke
with all the ardor and feeling that
be had, and at one time during the
reading of a letter from Congress
man Bailey, justifying his vote on
the wool schedule, he gasped for
breath and came very near reeling
over, but he manned himself and
went on with even more than his
wonted vigor, and it WAS but
after he had finished his
speech that he fell to the floor like
/ log, completely exhausted. 1t
vas the work Of conflicting emo
ion, exertion and the heat, and it
ook nitro-glycerine tablets to en-
iven the sluggish heart. 1t was,
however, nothing serious, and soon
.fter McLaurin was taken to his
lotel, where he recuperated.
Then Col. Irby, one of the GEN.
ral figures in the play of the day,
7as absent. A severe attack Of
holera morbus had incapacitated
i'm from attendance, and he, too,
uring the afternoon was sufi.
iently recuperated to be out.
THE INCIDENT OF THE DAY.
But the incident of the day was
be withdrawal of Candidate May
eld. Mr.. Mayfield had made his
ustomary speech, attacking the
ariff views of Mr.. McLaurin and
insisting that he was not now nor
ever had been in 3 combination,
hen he went on to say that yes
'rday and on previous occasions
9 had charged McLaurin with
aving written the populist plat
,rm and attempting to organize
lat party in South Carolina. At
partanhurg he denied the charge,
ut after getting what he regarded
, further evidence, as we'll as that
ssterday of DR.. Strait, he would
ithdraw from the race and if he
.oved them McLaurin himself &
lould withdraw. He said he I
ade the charges in good faith
I'd that he never misrepresented :
~ one. He was now satisfied Y
om what he had heard, and from v
inclusive proof shown him by t
cLaurin, that he did dictate the I
'pulist platform and that Nc h
lurin did succeed in striking out f
at portion relating to organiza- t.
IN in this State, and to Mr.. Nc a
.urin more than any one else "
.s due the credit that there was y y
populist fight in South Caro-
IA. He believed that the state d