The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-02-16
Lee I.' County Bill Passes
The House.
ONLY TWENTY MEMBERS
WASHED TO VOTE TIE
MEASURE DOWN.


sentatives taken yesterday, there will
soon be al counties in the State. The
latest is Lee. composed of portions
af Darlington. Sumter and Kersbaw
s. counties, with Bishopville as the
comfy seat. The bill establishing
this county has been passed. Prac-
tically the whole of the morning
session was devoted the consid-
Grafton Of this bill yesterday Mr..
Bacot Of Charleston was in the chair
most ofsthe time during the discus
sion
LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIA-
TIGNS.
When the house got ready for
work the legislative appropriation
bin wac called up and took the right
of way over everything. It was be
ing slowly proceeded with. when the
debate was adjourned in order to
give time for the preparation OF
amendments.
Timmermsn called for the
county government bill. and Mr
Skinner asked that the Lee county
Bill Be taken up. He moved to dis
charge The special order on the coun-
~ government bit for cne hour.
There was some discussion over the
mater Of taking up the Lee county
Bill. Mr. Blythe thonght that they
ssiou)d consider the bill the com
mitfee had made careful inyesti
cation If It was left to the next
house, that body would have to- go
al over the matter again
Hr. Meares objected to the bills
sconsideratioD. Both sides should
bave q fair show
LEE COUNTY BILL
The bin, the s.tle Of which was as
/ fellows. was then taken up go Gre
ste fhe coannty Of Lee from portions
os Kershaw, Darlington and Sumter
counties, wisn boundaries as herein.
alter described, and to provide for
I the erection Of cenrt house and jail.
for the holding Of courts and for the
election Of county officers =
There were majority and minority
reports MI. Sturkie wanted the
speeches limited TO Is minutes each.
ssfr Perritg and Mr Stevenson were
opposed to any limit. Finally one on
each side was about to be allowed un
limited time and the others were to
be held down to Eve minutes, when
! sMr. Rogers protested against any
! limitations. Alter some further dis
cnssion The debate went ahead with
ous q time linit On speeches.
Mr.. Meares moved to strike out
\ Sshe enacting words.
PerIitt opened the debate He
did not propose to give any ex parte
sstatements. He lived in the old
county. He felt it was his duty TO
try 70 hold the balances of justice
evenly. The new county advocates
) would say the old county people had
the right TO appoint commissioners OF
election. There were only two pre-
cincts TO be cut off from Darlington
He gave the votes Of these two pre-
ciiDcts Tie total s,yes" votes lack
ed only IA of having the required
two-thirds majority He believed in
leaving all such things TO the people !;
lie vas at neither election The
election at Ashland precinct was held
10 q small back room with two win
dows and door There were three
new and TWO old county men in there
There was some question about two
or three votes. but that was all He
argued that the election aud the count
must have been perfectly fair The
box was locked and sealed and given
iato the custody of new county
man. There was no question as to
the vote at this box at that time
they appeared to De satisneo- twas
alleged that some of the old county
people bad tried to make the custo
dian Of the box drunk in order to
steal the box. When the custodian
found the box gone. he went to a
lawyer and the statement OF the
figures was inserted in a skeleton
form. He did not propose to i'm
pugn the motives Of any man.
When they came here they found af-
fdayiss on ,he other side. No copies
had been served 90 them Afddavits
there said that people were not al
loved to vote that was not evidence
that they voted and their votes we're
sos counted. He complained of the
ehort time allowed those on mis- eide
of she question to get up their evidence
The evidence before the committee
eorroborated what be bad said. he
didn's believe they would reoder a