The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1899-06-10
VICTIM OF CONSUMPTION
Brief Sketch Of His Life=--Lieutenant
Governor insolvency viii Fill
Out UneXpired Term.

ney, lieutenant governor, succeeds to
the office and r. B. Scarborough,
young lawyer Of Oconee county, be-
comes lieutenant governor.
Sketch of Gov. Ellerbe's Life.
William H. Ellerbe was inaugurated
as governor of South Carolina for the
first term on January Is, 1897, being
elected by an almost unanimous vote,
was at that time one Of the youngest
men who had ever held the position,
being just thirty-four years OF age.
His home was in Marion county, and
he had lived there always except while
attending college and serving as comp
troller general.
Governor Ellerbe was a practical
farmer, and in his early youth his
hands were hardened by constant con-
tact with the plow and hoe handles.
He always applied himself steadily to
his business, and was very successful
in his chosen pursuits, and whilst 1t
was not necessary after he reached
manhood's estate that he should en-
gage in the manual labor of the farm,
he was fully qualified for work OF any
kind that should be found necessary.
In the memorable campaign OF l09O,
the same convention that nominated
Captain B. II. Tillman for governor,
and of which the refOrmers, of course,
were largely in the majority, there
were two men nominated for comp
troller general, Messrs. Stokes and
Ellerbe, the latter being a smooth
faced, young man, very boyish in ap-
pearance and entirely unknown in pol
itics. He was regarded by. bis friends
as a moderate reformer. His opPo-
nent was q much more extreme Tarti-
san. The vote showed Ellerbe's OPP
ponent to be in the lead, but at the
solicitation of Columbia newspaper
man four of the Richland delegation
changed their votes before the result
was announced, and Mr.. Ellerbe was
elected by q small majority. He
did not make q speech in that cam
paign.
In 1892 Mr.. Ellerbe was renominat-
ed and elected comptroller, this i'm
portaut Office, for the four years he
was Mt its head, was acknowledged on
all sides to have been ably, honestly
and impartially conducted.
In 1894 they had what was called o
reform primary. Mr.. Ellerbe entered
this rs n candidate for governor
against Evans, Tindal and Pope. He
was opposed ts4 the plan which shut
him fffrom ihe support of all the peo-
pie, but in the conditions then existing
he was helpless. The result of the con-
test was the nomination of John Gary
Evans.
In the summer of 1896 Mr.. Ellerbe
<Once again announced himself can
" didate for governor and received sew
enty odd thousand votes, as against
1900 as the combined strength OF
Messrs. Harrison and Whitman, al-
though Senator Harrison was man
of considerable political strength in
the state.
Governor Ellerbe assumed the
gubernatorial duties with large fol-
lowing of all classes, more than any
governor has had since Governor
Richardson's retirement, and every
one predicted for him o safe and pros
porous administration.
Time rolled on. The Charleston
metropolitan police force and other
complications, too numerous to men
ton, characterized his administration.
He had hard time of it from first to
last.
Then the campaign last summer
came on. The governor stood for re-
election. The story of that campaign
is still fresh III the minds of all. Gov
ernor Ellerbe attended practically oil
the campaign meetings, and really
broke himself down.
Then came the close election, thu
second primary, after several days o
doubt assuring him Of second term
The race between the governor ant
Mr.. Featherstone, the prohibition
candition, was one of the closest an(
most exciting ever known in the his
tory of the state. Before the legisIa
ture had adjourned there were somt
sensational Incidents to the admins
traitor, and it was at least fortnigh
before the session came 10 an end tina
the governors health began to fai
him utterly, and since that time h
has been at the state capitol only one
or twice. Steadily the disease that h
had fought against for some year
forged its chains about its victim, an
his friends soon gave up hope of hi
recovery.
Governor Ellerbe was married con
paratively early in life, and leaves
widow, whose devotion to him in lii
soothed many troubled hour, and q
interesting family consisting of se'
eral children, all quite young.
Governor ElIerbe was inaugurate
for his second term on January 1Stl
of the present year.
The New Governor.
The Hon. ". B. insolvency
whom, on January Is, 1898, was al
ministered the oath of Office as lieutel
ant governor for his first term an
who now, owing to his reelection
that office, becomes governor of Sout
Carolina to fill out the unexpired tern
is good example of what pluck an
perseverance will do for any one agaiu
the most adverse conditions. Your