The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-09-25
FROM THE REPORT OF THE
CLARK-KILGO MATTER SUP
Piled BELOW.
THE WRITER ASKS THE PUBLIC
To Judge Between Dr.. Kilgo and Him. He
States that the Board Declined TO Hear
Material Parts Of his Evidence in
Regard to Spartanburg
Durham, n. c., Sept. %, 1898.

To the Editor: / regret the necessity
of entering into a newspaper controversy
with any one, for l care nothing for
notoriety as do some people. | am, how
ever, in justice to myself, forced to no
tice that part of DIR. Kilgo's speech relat-
ing to my testimony, which speech he has
had circulated over this State and
South Carolina. The speech relating 70
nv testimony is as follows, to-wit:
.sMr. Boone did not know anything
about the matter until he went to South
Carolina. He went to South Carolina
since August. He went to Spartanbufg,
and in a few days came back and states
that my reputation is that of WIRE
puller. Bishop Duncan, Maj. Duncan,
Prof. Rempart Brown, Mr.. Meadows,
Governor Ellerbe, Senator McLaurin
DIR. Wilson, DR.. Creitzburg and others
say his character is good, his reputation
first-class. But, gentlemen, Mr. Boone
SAYS it isn't. Let the public judge be-
tween these men,"
This is the statement Of my evidence
by him. and a comparison of it with
that which he says was given by Bishop
Duncan and others bearing titles. There
is no excuse for this false representa-
ton of my evidence. He knew what my
evidence was, or could easily have found
out. as it was taken down by HIS
stenographer. and was at his command
His stenographer did not take my evi
dence in full, there being numerous omis.
sions (some of which are shown by mat
ter in brackets below. As soon as
read the speech / went to Mr.. james
Ell. Southgate, president of the Board OF
Trustees, and called his attention to the
injustice done me, and told him thai
DR.. Kilgo had falsified my evidence
and it must be corrected; that | would
not submit to it from DIR. Kilgo or any
one else. Mr. Southgate, president OF
the Board of Trustees, went with me
to the printing office and we got a copy
of my evidence, which, being short,
will give later on in this letter. Mr.
Southgate said he would do all he could
TO get the matter adjusted and have me
set right before the public. / told him
/ desired it done in the speeches which
DIR. Kilgo was having printed in great
numbers to be scattered abroad. When
came TO my office from dinner. | found
lying on my table this little slip, which
Mr.. Bryant said was left by Mr.. South
gate. and to inform me it was tele-
graphed or sent to Raleigh to be placed
beneath the paragraph relating to me
in the great number of speeches to be
issued and then being printed. The slip
contained the following:
"Since my speech was delivered,
find Mr.. Boone testified that he did not
know my reputation in South Carolina
except as he was told by others in Spar
tanburg. AND NOT OF HIS OWN
KNOWLEDGE. / therefore make this
correction and withdraw the comparison
Of his evidence with the positive evidence
Of Bishop Duncan and others to the con-
trary referred to in the above para
graph. J. G.. X"
DIR. Kilgo did not have it printed, so
far as / can find, except in a supplement
to a paper published in the town of
Durham, which l suppose has not many
subscribers outside the town, as it makes
no great professions in the way of a
State circulation. With this paper alone
did l find the contents of the above
slip. / attach no blame to Mr.. South
gate. Why did DR.. Kilgo thus deceive
me? Did he suppose / read no papers or
would take his word that it had been
inserted; or did this great man think that
my acquaintance and reputation unlike
his own extended only to the town and
county of Durham? If he thought either
of these, / beg he will permit me to cor.
rect his impressions. Since / have been
so deceived and misrepresented so will
fully, his word unsupported would
be the last thing on earth that | would
take; indeed, would even rather risk the
truth of the bark of his "yallow o'possum
dog" which he so humorously refers to
in his speech. TRUST NOT HIM
THAT HATH ONCE BROKEN
FAITH" is safe rule. There
is another true saying which
well applies in dealing with DR.. Kilgo:
Trust that man in nothing who has not
conscience in everything" Dr. Kigo.
in his speech, which he has had scattered
everywhere almost, in the Carolinas, do
sired to make the impression that after
two or three days stay in Spartanburg
/ came back and stated that / knew his
character personally, and then, to kill
the effect of what he said l said, ne
places it along side of Bishop Duncan
and other titled gentlemen, and virtually
asks the public to say whether / told the
truth or did they. He could not have in
tended otherwise. When he was making
that great speech" he must have been
entirely forgetful of the truth and obi
viOus to everything except his own won
derful self / am not a Bishop with "A
half million dollars as understand
Duncan is, nor am 1 a Prof, Maj, Dr.,
Senator or Governor like the gentlemen
named, but am an humble citizen, striv-
ing to live an honorable life, and speak
only the truth. / have no widespread rep
utation like some others, and have not
so many at my back as to be able TO
drive man of 20 years of age out of
the State, and / do not wish to have.
Such an awful power might blind me
and make me forget the truth in my
greatness and the glory of my elo-
quence. / have no ambition to be great
as some regard greatness, but my am
bitiOn in life is to have the confidence