Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-08-14
THE LIBERTY HILL PICNIC.

senator truman mas put 1HE EN-
ouIRER to a great deal Of trouble In
der the auspices Of the Liberty Hill
Rifles on July 23 He said that the
story we published about the matter
was dirty lie," and as we have a
special antipathy for lies and liars, we
have undertaken to run the whole mat
ter to earth.
According to Senator Tillman's inter-
view, published in The State Of last
Friday, and republished in THE EN-
ouIRER Of last Saturday, there was alb
solutely no foundation for the story of
the picnic as published In our issue OF
August 8. He was willing to admit that
he was there and that he referred to
the Liberty Hill people as backwoods-
folk: but as to all that stuff about his
having declined to go to the picnic un-
til his expenses had been guaranteed,
and as to all that stuff about collec-
tion having been taken UP with which
to pay his expenses, 1t was invention
out of the whole cloth. "All that story
about my taking or being offered mon
ey, was nothing but lie," the sena-
tor is quoted as saying.
Now, 1t must be confessed that when
we saw these cruel statements from the
senator, we were shocked. We had Of
ten heard him say mean and untrue
things about other people: but had new
er had it applied so directly to ourselv-
es before and we felt Jared. AS has
already been explained, there was nc
especial feeling Of humiliation. We
have run up against the same kind OF
folks before in our experience; but
somehow we are unable to get rid OF
the novelty of the thing. Yes. we were
10 oil n
put to a great deal of trouble on ac-
count of it all-not that we expected to
accomplish anything especially; but
for our own satisfaction.
Now, in the first place, as was ex-
plained at the time of the publication
the original story was almost altogeth-
er from second and third hand state
ments. 1t was explained that THE EN-
oUIRER was not represented at the pic.
mic. 1t was explained that its informa-
Cion came from one gentleman who had
gotten it from still another gentleman
who was there. 1t Is true that we had
gotten one very important point from q
gentleman who was actually on the
ground, but that for various reasons
We had not seen fit to mention. Under
the circumstances, we could easily see
wherein there might be slight discrep-
4
was in order that we might make al.
lowances for these that we explained
the matter to the reader.
In brief our story was like this:
l. There was picnic at Liberty Hill
2. Tillman was there, having declined
to accept until there was guarantee
Of his expenses. 3. He referred to the
people as ignorant backwoodsfolk who
did not know enough to take daily
paper. 4. The money to pay his ex-
penses had not been raised beforehand
but an attempt was made to raise II
on the grounds by private subscrip-
ton. 5. On account Of the publicity
given the matter, Tillman was asham-
ed to take the money, and returned II
to the committee with instructions tc
provide better seats around the speak
erS stand.
In his interview, Senator Tillman ad-
mits that there was slight foundation
for one of these counts-that alleging
that he had referred to the Liberty Hill
people as backwoodsfolk: but that he
had not made the reference in an Of
fensive manner. But as to the bal
ance, 1.-The whole thing was lie. All
that story about my taking or being
offered money was nothing but lie.'
Now. after all, the matter of the SEN
ulol ldhlIiS VI DelllE iiiOhCy
was the principal point at issue, the
principle reason for the publication OF
the article. so at the first opportunity
which was the next morning after the
interview appeared in The State, the
writer of this boarded the Three Cs
train and started out on a tour of In
veStigation.
At Rock Hill, a citizen of that place,
with whom the writer is acquainted,
got on the train, and within a very few
minutes this citizen brought up the
very question under investigation. He
said: You saw what Senator Tfllman
said about THE ENQUIRER in The State
yesterday. didn't you?" Yes" the
writer replied. We'll" the citizen went
on. General Floyd stopped over In
Rock Hill for a little while yesterday
on his way to Chester. and asked him
about the collection affair at the Lib
erty Hill Rifles picnic. He said that
a collection had been taken up; that
the committee had made the mistake
of waiting until Tillman got there,
whereas If it had raised the money be-
forehand the matter would have never
gotten publicity" Are you willing to
allow me to give you as authority for
this statement?" the writer asked. II
have not the slightest idea that General
Floyd will deny It," replied the citizen:
but If you want to you may use my
name" The name will be used II nee
eSsary.
This was tho fret pOinter niokad in