The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-01-09
- ,uRIN SCORES AGAIN.
.utrs J. PURCELL APPOINTED
Han" AT NEwBERRY.
AGAIN.

rne President Again Testihcs 70
lHN ,.e of the Strenuous Lie.
Ii Who Was Not an. Appii-
INT was Supporting Another
'A .u,iutxtcred a Good thrash
o. John scott, Who Was an
l"s .,pt. and who Had Tyaduced
Fl, in the Belief That the
was seeking to Secure tho
oNce for Himself.
,-,..,tor Jan. S.-President
.,.slt to-day sprung another sur
on the South Carolina Republic
p'''- ..oarization by appointing Charles
lal- a..,-.n postmaster at Newberry. Mr..
"..oau is A white man and CONNER
,aI NcLamin Democrat.
1 r.ere is an interesting story back of
election of Mr.. Purcell, in addi-
W, Wv. n the fact that his appointment
s-aditad to Senator McLaurin, thus
,.,.;,g that the Junior senator from
18th carolina has an influential voice
~. distribution of federal patron
ooo in the Palmetto state.
rbe contest over the Newberry post
.aca was pending when Mr.. Roosevelt
..o,,e President. There were more
49, dozen prominent citizens of that
.n asnirants for the Office, which
nays $500 a year. Delegation after
II ,.,ogsrion came to Washington in be-
4 s,if If the various candidates, until
. T.o-;dsut Roosevelt must have thought
4 ita+ every man in Newberry was an
4 rrIicaut for a postmastership made
4f,,t nv the removal of the former
n ostn,astel for some trouble he had With
y sis financial accounts One of the con-
-ricuous applicants was a white man
apmad John Scott, formerly citizen
~ iowa. but recently a resident OF
Wewberrv. Among those taking an ac-
tiye mart in the contest was Charles
Purcell a large property owned i'll
y yorberrv Mr.. Purcell denied repeat
o5l, that he was an aspirant for the
osFce and stated that his only object
,ras 10 see a desirable man ap-
pointed.
n .on Mr.. Scott became impressed with
v he idea that Mr.. Purcell was secretly
a. work. trying to secure the appoint
ment for himself. Knowing the high
neral standard which President
a poosevelt endeavors to maintain in the
csIaction of federal officers, Mr.. Scott,
81 n addition to accusing Mr.. Purcell with
"a treachery toward certain candidates,
supposed to have his Endorsement, also
q charged him with owning property and
n renting it to persons for immoral pdr-
N noses These charges became known in
N Newberry. and the following day Mr..
M Purcell. who weighs about zoo pounds
and is somewhat of an athlete, met
Mr. Scott on the street Scett is a
much smaller man, but that did not
preyent Mr. Purcell from administering
n 10 him a severe thrashing. When Mr..
n Scott cried enough MIR. Purcell re-
3 uctantly permitted his .accuser to de-
part in a somewhat mangle1 condition.
a Before doing so, however, he declared
a that 4'he would repeat the dose daily
n until the charges which Scott made
A against him were withdrawn" The
n next day Scott telegraphed to Wash
ngton, Withdrawing the charges
a against Mr. Purcell.
Dead Man Appointed.
n Subsequently these circumstances
n were brought to the attention of Presi-
N dent Roosevelt. Up to that time he
had been undecided as to whom he
q would appoint at Newberry. In view
d Of the bitter struggle over the office
and the possibility that whoever was
a appointed might have trouble in the
n Administration of the office, he selected
N Mr. Purcell who is not only highly
respected citizen but apparently ca
7 pablo OF defending himself and uphold
Ing the discipline of his office in case
Of an emergency.
Senator MCLaurin is authority for
the statement that Mr.. Purcell was
never an aVowed candidate for the
Office and there is not on file single
scrap of paper to indicate that he was
an applicant, Newberry at last has
a postmaster and Senator McLaurin
gets the credit for the selection of Mr..
A Purcell
Thert was long list of presidential
postmasters announced to-day in va
nous parts of the country, those in
South Carolina were David Aiken,
Greenwood; George $. iMcCravey,
Laurens j. G. Hunter, Union; Pres
ton Ryan Winsboro.
It was not known until the nominal
IONS were presented to the Senate
mat David Aiken at Greenwood had
ded While awaiting his appointment.
senator McLaurin said that Mr..
aKens death was announced several
Gays ago in South Carolina, but the
pestottice authorities had not been
notified.