Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-08-04

cause ue WOulu IeuoSo oho mo'ioPoh
tan police. The campaign meeting
was held in Charleston and then Gen.
eral Ellerbe said: ~ will remove the
metropolitan police from the city of
Charleston whenever 1 am given as.
surance that the dispensary law will
be enforced"
This statement was made after the
the "friend" had pledged
General Ellerbe to the removal of the
metropolitan police. 1t was made in
the presence of the members Of that
caucus and face to face with the voters
of Charleston city.
1t was made for the purpose of get
ting the vote of the city of Charles
ton. The people of Charleston voted
for Ellerbe because of this understand
ing. After the primary election and
before he was inaugurated, Governor
Ellerbe was visited by 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
under stand that the metropolitan po-
lice would be removed.
During the session of the last legis-
lature, Thos. w. Bacot, of Charleston,
had frequent interviews with Governor
Ellerbe about the removal of the met
ropolitan police, and told Governor
Ellerbe that DR.. Illerton was going to
introduce bill to repeal the metro
politan act. Representative Illerton,
of Florence county, and the represent.
ative of Anderson county, both talked
with Governor Ellerbe and he assured
each of them that he would remove
the metropolitan police from Charles
ton. These representatives believing
that the governor meant what he said,
took no steps themselves, and prevent
ed any legislation upon the metropoli-
tan police.
Before the adjournment of the legis-
lature, Governor Ellerbe assured a
select few that he would not remove
The metropolitan police until every
member of the city council signed all
agreement in writing to enforce the
dispensary law.
At the time Mr.. Bacot was working
so zealously for Charleston, Governor
Ellerbe promised several persons that
he would exact from the mayor of
Charleston an agreement in writing to
be signed by every member of council,
to enforce the dispensary law.
This is admitted by Governor Eller-
be in this interview. But did the
governor tell Representatives Illerton,
Ashley and Bacot of this? No. 1t was
kept a profound secret from them. I
knew nothing of it. Twas fighting the
dispensary law. 1t was known only to
"the favored few" and was carefully
guarded. Governor Ellerbe knew that
of the "a aldermen, that at least 6
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 he imposed. On March
1st, Mayor Smyth was informed by
Governor Ellerbe, that he would take
up the metropolitan police matter af-
ter the adjournment of the legislature,
March 4th.
Mayor Smyth fixed the 9Th for the
conference.
Now mark. Mayor Smyth in this
conference proposed to have the coun-
Gil pass an ordinance to enforce the
dispensary law. This could be done
by a majority, or at most two-thirds
vote of the council.
But, Governor Ellerbe said he would
not humiliate the people of Charleston
by having them pass an ordinance.
Governor Ellerbe had in advance pre-
pared a typewriter agreement and
presented it 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 everyone of the aldermen ?
No. Mayor Smyth says he never for a
moment thought it was to he signed
by all. If he had he would not have
carried it to Charleston. The paper
was presented on the 9th for the coun-
Gil to sign it. Of the "a, II signed, six
refused to signed, one was out of the
city but afterward signed. The paper
was sent to Columbia to Governor FL
lerbe as signed. He refused to remove
the metropolitan police because all did
not sign.
Did Governor Ellerbe give the may
or of Charleston the assurance he had
given "the favored few ?" No. Did
Governor Ellerbe tell Mayor Smyth
that he, as late as the 2Sth of Februa-
ry, had assured friend that the met
police would not be removed
until each of the aldermen signed No.
A friend of Chief Martin wrote Gov
ernor Ellerbe and said II have writ
ten to friends in Charleston that you
would not remove the metropolitan
police until all the aldermen signed it.
l have no wish to misstate your posi-
tion, so wish to know if l am cor
rect"
This was written after the adjourn