The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-09-01
SUMTER S. c., WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 1897.
New Series-Vol. XVII. No. 5

West End, Long Branch. N. j.. Aug.
24.
Hon. j. L. NJ. I5by, Georgetown
S. c.:
The charge that loaned ycu money
For the purpose Of irdaencing your vote
in senate at my dicsatioo 90 Wilson bill
or any other measure is absolutely ard
unq ua!i6ediy false.
EDWARD MURPHY.
Who is Murphy? He is big heart.
ed, noble hearted Irishman and seua-
tor from New York. [ have dash of
Irish 10 me and it's the best blood in
me- Murphy was elected senator in
'o4, but We were friends as far back as
's2. Ga, friendship came about iu
this way: Murphy was friend Of Sen
ator Hill | desked with Hill in the
senate and was friend of Hill and
wanted him nominated for President in
'92. The South Carolina delegation.
Of which I was member. all worked
for bis nomination aud through this
my friendship for Murphy sprang up.
Murphy is noble hearted, generous,
muti-milionaire. l was sitting one
day in the senate cloak room with
Senators Blackburn. Murphy aud others
when Murphy asked what caused the
great revolution 10 this State 10 go.
I answered him. You'll be surprised,
bu. it was caused by the high rate of in-
teress collected from the poor people
under the lien law. The merchants
simply measured up mans pile and
took it through exorbitaot rates. "
Murphy asked what the rate was and
told him it ranged from 50 to 500
per cent. under the lien Law. He ASK
ed ne about banks and told him it
was l per cent. per month.
Murphy wanted to know if I vas
borrowing any and /. answered that I
had borrowed $4,000 from the Loan
aud Investment company of Colam bia,
but had paid part with my salary un.
til 60 longer owed but 81. 100. The
Interest with the fees and dues told
him amouoted to from between II aud
o. per cent.
Murphy said ..Why l can let you
have noney at per cent" told
him I would be mighty glad if he
would and that would make him Sc
cure. He vent to New York aud did
not return for three weeks. When be
get back I asked him if he
had arranged to lend me the money he
had said be would.
Murphy wanted to know what arrange
ments | had made. told him that I
had made the Loan and Investment
company safe with a mortgage on all
my property aud besides was gradually
paying of my Indebtedness with my
salary I offered, If he would let
me aave the meney to haze the
mortgages transferred to him and to
pay hin $3.50 per month Of ny salary,
leaving me only SIG mont tho live
oa. lie said if I would do that he
would let ne have the money, but that
he would charge me uc interest cn 1t
We went before the secretary Of the
senate aud | had all my checks made
out for three years in advance aud it
was fixed SO that Murphy would get
$3.50 each month until he was paid off
then .eiegraphed Col. Willie Jones in
Columbia to have Mr. Woodrow TO
turn over the mortgage be had on my
property to him. But before Murphy
would let me have the money he had
the. the papers p. s's and and everything examined
The State said I borrowed $4,000.
That's lie; it was 81, 1000, but it's i'm
material what the amount was. The
property which had mortgaged was
worth from $4,000 to $4,000 and
there vas no chance for Murphy to lose
his money.
never would have paid that mort
gage Win JIG OlR RATE Va tueotSso Wv
for this man. When I did get out Of
debt I gave fcee barbecue to the pso-
pie of my county to celebrate.
Some one 10 the crowd called Col.
Irby's attention to the fact if he bad
had his checks for $3.50 month made
over to Senator Murphy for three years
that it would amount to about 50, 600
Col. Irby accepted the correction and
said be had II checks, he thought.
made out to Murphy, but he had not
had time to look the matter up or pre-
pare and figures.
Murphy never said anything OF at
tempted 10 any way to influence my
vote. He did own collar aud cuff
factory and would never have consent
ed to the Wilson bill being passed
until his goods we're protected. Mur-
| nh v's vote was necessary to secure the