The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1898-08-18

nave been lbl 1t years llleIlDel
of the Board OF Steward for ihi>
circuit and for l6 years District
stewards, and 10 years a member
Of Tie Methodist church.
T.. ms mad ambition and desire
- rAari congress. honOrably i
possible, out l"Gily if necccssar.,
J l. hiierbe in his attack on my
church record and character runs
deliberately III the face OF the iac;S
as shown by these records and
ruthleSsly and wiiful!y fa}<iiies
them.
have been continuously an OIL
clai in J + kllerbe's own church.
in which he is also a steward, for i
period nearly as long a. Ellerbe
has lived. Does he SANDER the
church OF his choice or It's member.
} l. Ellerbe knew these facts at
BennettsvilIe and knows them
now.
J L Ellerbe further charges
that prior to primary IN 1897 ior
congress, there was al agreement
betw cen lis winch | violated. This
statement OF his is tlatly untrue,
Eight mutual friends were agreed
upon contidentiai!y to say which
was the stronger in Marion county.
Ellerbe then pretended to be very
much opposed to the election OF
j NJ johnson, and wanted the
strongest man only TO run. Let
Ellerbe say why he opposed John
son. This confidential arrange
ment was at the house Of a
mutual friend, } d Montgomery.
He, Montgomery alone OF the
eight talked to US both together
on the subject. These mutual
friends. DR.. w A Oliver, DR.. d +
Miles. j w Smith, + s Ayers:
Douglas Mcintyre, j ID Montgom
cry, w Il Evans and J ID Moody,
refused TO act and did not decide
the question They met salesday
in June 1897, and with a letter
bearing date Is June, Mr.. Ellerbe
sent me a request signed by tour
of these men-nOt one word about
stronger man, and received more
than two weeks after | had seen
Mr.. Ellerbe. HIS claim to an
agreement is as absurd as untrue.
Six of the eight mutual friends
supported me for congress and
only one, j q Moody supported
Ellerbe, and this because Ellerbe
in 1896 had tried TO make Moody
Auditor over Mcclellan.
AT Kingstree. by j 4 Ellerbe
himself on the stump, was the first
mention | had ever heard of the
South Carolina College $250.0O
steal as Mr.. Ellerbe called it. |
know nothing Of it, and never hav-
lns heard about it could not have
circulated any reports about it du
ring the campaign.
am not au angel by any means.
not pertection, but have always in
ny church Affairs and State bold
ly fought for what | regarded as
best regardless oi what men like
} + EE!lerbe might say or do. This
! shall do in the future trusting IN
the justice and judgement OF my
God and my people.
Whatever of fault and shortcom-
ingS J i Ellerbe may have, these
things are between him, his Gcdand
his people. ! have nothing to do
with them, and except only as far
as my own defense Is concerned,
shall and let him pursue his
own course. | am willing, yea.
court the fullest glare OF the search
light of truth to be thrown around
and over my private aud official
acts In church or State, at home
and abroad, hot hoping for a life
to be shown free from faults, but
one under the lights obtainable
devoted to ths best interest Of my
Reighbor, my country and my peo-
pie. Better than political tri-
umphs is the integrity of purpose
and character. The facts that my
relghbors know, appreciate and
honor me, that my county, my
congressional district, and my
State have never turned me down,
but have honored and trusted me
for quarter of century, leave
me assured that the ofthurled
poisoned arrow of falsehood re-