Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-01-26
The sslIerbe, aonxa.eal, Deal. (

The III bee G G0nsase8 Deal. g N
II CoLUMBIA, January 15. ~ egisIation
has boon completely oYershad dowei dur
ing the past week by the Ellerbe sensa.i
tion. Tho law-makers have contented
themselves with preparing their bills and
getting them started, aud then talk about
the Gubernatorial expose. There have
a,soeii some atiher soYete things said about
the affair and there seems to be no cham j
pions in the adeal.n Governor Ellerbe 10
getting an all-round ralsing, but there is
no likelihood OF anything being done, un-l
loss ho wants 1t, IL Governor Eilerbe
asks for an inquiry or 7indication, then
there will be lively times, but there does
not appearto be any movement at pre-
sent towards taking any proceedings
impeachment or ctherwiso against Gov
ernor Ellerbe.t There has hean .tsel r Init
no one will take the !,ead, and very many
mombers say tho incident is not Buffi-,
cientlyi grave to warrant impeachment
proceedings, but that tho members and
people generally can and will come to
their own conclusions about the affair.
There is mroh surprise that Governor
Ellerbe has had nothing to say "for pub
lication'' about the charges; not word.
He is as mute as can be imagined He
says he may have something TO say, but
that merely covers remote contingency.
Wednesday, Thursday, Frid~y,. Saturday
and Sunday have passed. and not word
yet. Two days have been spent at tho
Mansion, some thought in the prepara-
ton of the eagerly sought for statement;
but It came not.
They say Governor Eiierbe mas been
advised to ignore tho "wastings" and ex-
posure, and to 20 on in tho oven tenor of
his way. He is doing this, whether it
be "by and with the advice of his
friends" or not >ra.[sE :.
Much curiosity has been expressed to
know what Governor Ellerbe's view of
the matter really ie. He has never told
me, although he has talked about the
matter several times. @, ..#.
1t comes from ono of his friends that
he claims to have been badly fooled. He
does not allege that there has been bad
faith in d criminal way, but that his
friends and their ardor fooled him and
Mr.. Gonzales. He claims, 80 1t is said,
that he never made any overtures, di-
rectly or indirectly, for the support of
the State, but that his friends did =,
without his knowledge and in their zeal
for his cause. Mr.. Weston, &c it is said,
was talking with him and told him his
view was that the liquor question should
be left to the people to vote between the
diepensary and prohibition. To this
Governor Ellerbe assented and said that
this was also his view. Mr., Weston
thereupon suggested that if he wrote
that it might be used to advantage in
Charleston--favoring vote between pro-
hibition and the dispensary. The letter
was written with the understanding that
1t could be shown Mr.. j. M, of Char
lesion. Governor Ellerbo contends that
he never know Mr.. Weston showed the
letter to Mr.. Gonzales, and contends it
was never 80 intondod. AS to tho inter-
view in tho executive Office, at which he
is said to have told Mr.. Gonzales he
would favor local option as between high
license, prohibition and tho dispensary,
he denies the interview and states he
never made any such statement. AS TO
tho Duncan interview, he claims to have
boon misunderstood.
Now this docs not come from Governor
Ellerbo, as he has nothing to say ''for
publication" but tho story comes from
q friend.
Mr.. Weston went to Charleston with
tho letter-exnenaes said to have been
paid by Governor Ellerbe-showed tho
letter to MIR. j. M. No encourage
ment. Sent to Mr.. j. B., who told
him there was no use to talk about Char
leston's vote being controlled, as he had
heen told before. Then he went to SOC
MIR. j. r., who was out of tho city.
Finding things 30 discouraging in Char
lesion, ho returned to Columbia to await
the result OF the contest, in which he had
taken such an active and earnest part as
the friend of Governor Ellerbe. Mr..
Weston had already been elected to the
House, and had nothing to gain, and
wantod nothing, 81 he has very RESPONSE
BILE positions and stands high here.
If there is any new development most
likely 1t will be in tho shape of state
mont of some sort by Governor Ellerbe,
possibly in his inaugural, of the incident,
but nothing otherwise seems to be OK
pected. Some seem to think that what
ever will happen Gin re William Fl. FL
lerbe" will be on tho occasion of the in
augaration, which Is likely to be on the