The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-08-23
BItOOKER AND DERHARI.
The Lilo ls Passed and n Fight Mar.
rOwly Averted.

rowly Avcrted.
The following Ia from August Kolm's
account...of the campaign meeting at
tidgctield on Thursdays
| Everyone who has boon reading the
accounts knows that there has been
friction between Mr.. Derham and Mr..
Brooker and that they have been
throwing rocks at each other In each
others estimation. Mr.. Derham in.
sists that Brooker started the mud.
Singing by dragging his father and
his reputation into the contest and MIR.
Brooker claims that Mr.. Dorham
started the racket by publishing card
In which he spoke Of his pocketing"
sinking funds and Ovordra wing his &C.
counts. So they have been going from
stump to stump. at u previous meet
ing they assumed lighting posture
ana today 1t took half u dozen on the
stand to stop genuine encounter.
Yesterday Ut Aikel Mr.. Brooker
said he would no longer indulge In
personalities and call things quits.
Ho had nothing to apologize for but
regretted having said any thing un.
called-for but would not admit saying
anything unfounded.
lesterday it was q pleasant cross
lire but to-day 1t broke loose In good
style. After the Aiken meeting MIR.
Derham WAS handed a copy Of u cir
cular letter which he supposed had
been given general circulation. MIR.
Derham was tho first speaker and
when he got up he was trembling all
over and he had tho offending circular
folded in his hand. Mr.. Derham in
starting out in his speech said he
wished to say something about himself
told ha hn -,
and how he was elected county super.
lntendent, State senator, member Of
the constitutional convention and to
other places, continuously since 1888
This was to show the confidence OF his
people In him and then he related the
story OF his father, being q one-armed
man and coming hcre from ireland
and turning over his funds to Hamp-
ton and that he WAS not responsible
Tor his father, but had himself always
been Democrat.
Then opening the folded circular, he
said Mr.. Brooker had promised not to
indulge IN personalities yet here was
circular that had been handed him.
In the corner OF the circular was the
Masonic emblem, by what authority
, le did not know. He did not care to
| read the whole circular, as he WAS too
much wrought up but just wanted to
| read this one paragraph, and then
read the following from tho circular +:
| Masonic TO Democratic Voters.
Emblem Norton w. Brooker, Candi-
IN corner date for Comptroller
| General.
Two paragraphs omitted.
Who is this man j. =. Derham who
would now try to drag me down snC
asked to be continued In the highest
office OF the State The people who
have been deceived and defrauded b,
him have just right to know. He va,
arm in arm with the negro agains,
the whito people in the dark days
AS matter OF record (see State
tre asurer's oilice) his father, j. II. Der.
| hahn, not native OF South Carolina,
happened here and was appointed
treasurer OF Horny county by Itobt. X.
Scott, governor, Jan. 7th, 1869, and
served under Scott, Moses and Cham.
berlain until kicked out by Governor
Hampton In 1876.
Three paragraphs omitted.
(Signcd) Norton w. BrOoker.
Alter reading tho paragraph quoted
Mr.. Derham turned on Mr.. Brooker,
sitting near by, and cried out 4: at is
SANDER; 1t is a lie; | say it is a lie."
Mr.. Brookor, who was sitting near by,
jumped up, stepping forward and said
Now, sir" He said nothing moro,
but the evidences were he was making
for Mr.. Derham, but as he took one
step forward Senator Tillman caught
him on one shoulder and Mr.. Wharton
on the other and pressed him down.
a dozen men rushed up on the stand
and Chairman ltainsfOrd told everyone
n af nd al a.
out In the crowd cried for Derham, /"
and Go it, Derham," " Let him fight
| 1t OUT" and the like.
Senator Sheppard was the first to
speak and he said that 1t was ALWAYS
characteristic Of lLlgeiield people to
show fair play and he hoped such
would be tho Case now and he begged
everyone to cit down and listen. Thcn
MIR. Derham won't on to say his heart
was too full to speak and tnop he broke
down and began to cry and tears
trickled down his cheeks. Turning
| around he said he thanked God he had
mover dealt in such stencil and filth as
| this man. He wanted to tell these
| people ami the people Of tho State he
| had been faithful servant Of the peo-
| pie and would slander no one and then
| he took his seat Many went up and
| shook Dcrham's hand at what he had
| said or to restore HE feelings and
heart, for he was still nervous and
showed his feeling.
Mr.. BROKER was then presented
and stepping up to the table was as
quiet and collected as u man can be.
| He said he was calm and deliberate,
but he need not have said that and
then he entered into his usual argu-
mont, that Derham had abscntod him
self from his Office beyond excuse, that
the tax BOOKS throughout the State,
| In many instances, were In moss
that he had been stopped, moro by
Derham than anyone else in prosecut-
| ing his expert work IN collecting back
taxes and then he went on to say he
never courted Gght that he was not
belligerent man, but that he would
fight n necessary and never ran from
trouble, but he wanted 1t understood
once and for all time that he was not
to be intimidated by Mr.. Derham or
anyone else.
Mr.. w. ID. Evans and Mr.. j. Fl.
Wharton had good natured cross-fire
about Mr.. Wharton's services as o