Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-01-18
WILL HE OR WILL HE NOT q?
Everybody Is Listening For a Statemen
From Governor Ellerbe.

WILL HE OR WILL HE NOT?
Everybody Is Listening For Statement
From Governor Ellerbe.
August Kohn in News and Courier.
COLUMBIA, January 15.-Legisla
ton has been completely overshadow'
ed during the past week by the Eller'
be sensation. The lawmakers have
contented themselves with preparing
their bills and getting them slated, and
then talk about the gubernatorial ex'
pose. There have been some rather
severe things said about the affair and
there seems to be no champions of the
IDEAL" Governor Ellerbe is getting
an all.round raking; but there is nc
likelihood of anything being done, un'
less he wants it. If Governor Ellerbe
asks for an inquiry or vindication then
there will be lively times; but there
does not appear to be any movement
at present towards taking any pro
ceedings-impeachment or otherwise
against Governor Ellerbe. There has
been talk but no one will take the
lead, and very many members say the
incident is not sufficiently grave tt
warrant impeachment proceedings
but that the members and people gen
orally can and will come to their own
conclusions about the affair.
There is much surprise that Govern
or Elerbe has had nothing to say "fol
publication" about the charges not d
word. He is as mute as can be imag
ined. He says he may have some
thing to say; but that merely covers
a remote contingency. Wednesday
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sun
day have passed and not word yet
Two days have been spent at the Man
sion, some thought, in the preparation
of the eagerly sought statement; but
it came not.
They say Governor Elerbe has been
advised to ignore the "wastings" and
exposure, and to 20 on in the even
tenor of his way. He is doing this
whether it be "by and with the advice
of his friends" or not.
Much curiosity has been expressed
to know what Governor Ellerbe's view
of the matter really is. He has never
told me, although he has talked about
the matter several times.
1t comes from one of his friends that
he claims to have been badly fooled
He does not allege that there has been
bad faith in a criminal way but that
his friends, in their ardor, fooled him
and Mr.. Gonzales. He claims, so it is
said, that he never made any overtures
directly or indirectly, for the support
of The State; but that his friends did
so without his knowledge and in their
zeal for his cause. Mr.. Weston, so il
is said, was talking with him and told
him his view was that the liquor ques
ton should be left to the people to vote
between the dispensary and Prohibi
ton. To this Governor Ellerbe as
sented and said that this was also his
view. Mr.. Weston thereupon suggest
ed that if he wrote that, it might be
used to advantage in Charleston
favoring a vote between Prohibition
and the dispensary. The letter was
written with the understanding that il
could be shown Mr.. J. NJ, ol
Charleston. Governor Ellerbe con-
tends that he never knew Mr.. Weston
showed the letter to Mr.. Gonzales, and
contends it was never so intended. As
to the interview in the executive Office,
at which he is said to have told Mr..
Gonzales he would favor local option
as between high license, prohibition
and the dispensary, he denies the in
terview, and states he never made any
such statement. AS to the Duncan
interview, he claims to have been
misunderstood.
Now this does not come from Gov
ernor Ellerbe, as he has nothing 10 say
"for publication )" but the story comes
from a friend.
Mr.. Weston went to Charleston with
the letter-expenses said to have been
paid by Governor Ellerbe-showed
the letter to Mr.. j. M. No en-
couragement. Sent to Mr.. j. b,
who told him there was no use TO talk
about Charleston's vote being conlroll-
ed, as he had been told before. Then
he went to see Mr.. j. B., who was
out of the city. Finding things SO dis
couraging in Charleston, he 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 wanted
nothing, as he has very responsible
positions and stands high here.
If there is any new development,
most likely it will be in the shape of a
statement of some sort by Governor
EIlerbe, possibly in his inaugural, of
the incident but nothing otherwise
seems to be expected. Some seem to
think that whatever will happen Sin
re William H. Ellerbe" will be on the
occasion of the inauguration, which
is likely to be on the 18th of the month,
Wednesday.
Letters For the Soldiers.
Friends of members of the Second
South Carolina regiment should ad-