Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-08-20
CANDIDATES SCRAP AT GAFFNEY.
HemphlII and Latlmer do ihe Unexp ected, and
II Amounted to Nothing.

Gaffney, August 14.-There is some
thing, other in the water or the atmos-
phere, that calls forth difficulty of
some sort every time candidates or Off
cials speak here. IT will be remembered
that it was at this place that Senators
Tillman and McLaurin found that argu-
ments availed nothing and both rendered
their resignation to Governor McSweeuey
and the incident of the Jim" Tillman-
DeCamp episode, few weeks ago, is
still fresh in the minds of the people.
But to-day two would-be Senators came
to actual blows, and all about small
matter. 1t happened this way:
At the Senatorial and Congressional
candidates. meeting held here in the
Court House to-day, Congressman Lati-
mer was the first speaker for the United
States Senate. When his turn came, the
dinner hour having arrived, majority
of the 500 audience left. Latimer did
not want to speak to the depleted crowd
and asked permission of the chairman to
be allowed to postpone his speech until
after dinner. The matter was left to a
vote, and it was unanimously ordered
that the speech be postponed as re-
Quested. .a
Latimer jumped up and said: CT want
you all TO come back here and hear me,
for these five lawyers have been jumping
on one poor farmer, and am going to
answer them" fR
AS they were leaving the bar of the
Court room, Hemphill said:
'Latimer, you ought not to say that
for mono of us have been jumping on you
to-day, and you know it. 1t has always
been our rule to end meeting before we
upon the time of the Congressman"
Latimer: "You want to make me
speak to empty benches; you care moth
ing for the Congressman"
Hemphill: 81 do care for the Congress
men, and you know it."
BY this time they were facing each
other, and both very angry.
Latimer: 81 know that you don't care
for them"
Hemphill: cd d-n, you; you know
that is not true"
Latimer then drew back and hit
Hemphill severe, stunning blow on the
cheek. Several men jumped in between
them and the driving blow sent by Hemp
hill at his antagonist fell short of it's
mark. Hemphill then grabbed his UNI
brella and tried to hit Latimer over the
head of the interfering men, but he
could not reach him. Several men
grabbed hold of both antagonists, who
were making desperate efforts to get at
each other, and in the scuf1le Hemphill
was pushed back between two chairs in
the jury box, but was instantly helped
to his feet again.
This ended the incident as far as this
correspondent saw and heard. 1t is ru-
mored that Hemphill followed Latimer
out of the Court room and asked him
why he struck him, and Latimer replied
"because you cursed me-"
TO which Hemphill rejoined: "I did
not curse YOU"
Latimer said: "Well, if you did not
curse me, apologize"
This latter statement is mere hearsay,
but the first part is testimony and was
heard and witnessed by many.
The whole affair was totally unex-
pected, for during the entire campaign
there has not been any controversy to
amount to anything between these two
gentlemen, either off or on the stand.
Both Hemphill and Latimer were
notified to appear before Mayor Little
this evening, and, pending an investiga-
tion, both were required to put up SO
each for their appearance.
At a late hour tonight Mayor Little
decided to allow Messrs. Hemphill and
Latimer to forfeit their deposit of $40
until morning.-Cor. State.