Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-09-06
STATEMENT FROM COL. JIM.
Ansel Beat Him; But He Would
Like to Fight Editor Gonzales.

AnBel Beat Him; But He would
Like to Fight Editor Gonzales.
While in Columbia on Tuesday, Col.
J. H. Tilman prepared a statement with
reference to the recent election which
he sent to the Columbia Record, Col
umbia State and Charleston News and
Courier. It is as follows:
II made the best fight could under
| the circumstances. Col. Ansel. q man
the more of whom you know the better
you like him, took from me four Of my
strongest counties, otherwise I would
certainly have been in the second race,
closely following, If not leading, Capt.
Hayward. I cannot refrain, however,
from expressing my everlasting graft
tude to the boys Of the First and Sec
ond regiments, the heavy battery, the
cotton mill operatives and other friends
for the loyalty and devotion with which
they rallied to my support under the
withering fire Of almost every newspa-
per in South Carolina. One incident is
especially touching to me, which occur
red at Edgefield, my home. A young
man had a difficulty four days before
brought about, as understand, through
political discussion, he being shot,
through and through, just over the
heart. On election day, in drizzling
rain, he wrapped himself in blanket,
and went to the polls, and stated that,
if he had to die, that as the last act Of
his life he wanted to cast his vote for
Jim Tillman.
Some day 1 hope and believe that
the people of South Carolina will real
ize that I am far from being the man
that I have been painted. No one but
Thomas Jefferson was ever able to
antagonism Of the press, a powerful
power which has ofttimes been prosti-
tuted to unworthy ends.
I'm connection with the newspaper
attacks which have been made upon
me, 1 want to say that 1 think the
matter has gone far enough. 1 am
ready to tender my resignation as lieu
tenant governor to Governor McSwee-
ney, If N. G. Gonzales will, face to face
and man to man, call me liar, black
guard or a coward, and it will be hand
ed to the governor within Is minutes
after notice from this man Of his ac-
ceptance of the terms. will be In
Columbia during tomorrow at the Co
lumbia hotel"
Reply of Mr.. Gonzales.
The Columbia State, Of Wednesday
morning, contains the following in reply
to the foregoing:
"Jim" Tillman has made what our
local evening contemporary describes
as a little stage play" in Offering to
resign his office Of lieutenant governor
If the editor of The State will go to
him and call him a liar, blackguard
or a coward" The editor Of The State
is not playing in melodrama and has no
taste for it. In his paper he has called
Jim" Tilman what he was and what,
in the public interest, 1t was necessary
to call him, and what he said about him
he has proved. If any grievance exists
it is not on the part Of Mr.. Gonzales,
who frankly admits that the election
has given him full satisfaction. There
fore, it would be quite'superf1uous and
cruel, as we'll as stale and cheap, to do
the DeCamp act over again after the
curtain had rung down. Our advice to
Col. "Jim" Is to brace up and take the
proper cure, and then move to Spartan
burg, putting himself IN the hands Of
The Herald Of that city, famed as
renovator of ruined regulations. Thus
he may in time become as good man
and great a statesman as John Gary
Evans. :.