The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-16
SOUTH CAROLINA'S
NEW CONGRESSMEN.
CROFT OF AlKEN-AIKEN OF ABBE
vILLF-LEGARE OF CHARLESTON.
No incumbent Was Defeated-But IMessrs
Elliott, L.atimer and Talbert Sought
Houors IN Other Fields, Leaving
Their Places Vacant.
1.-The State, 1871

Dy 1Our congressman To e1ocLoO- -oho
without opposition-and by three
new members of the national house.
Mr.. Scarborough, the stalwart prince
of Horny, had no. opposition; Mr..
Finley defeated in the first primary
three very popular opponents; Joe
Johnson's majority in the Fourth
district overwhelmed Stanyarne Will
son; and Lever had walkover in the
Seventh district.
1t was in the First, Second and
Third districts that was interesting
races. These districts had been rep
resnted respectively by Col. Elliott,
Col. Talbert and Mr.. Lstimer, and
each became a candidate for other
honors. Mr.. Lstimer was the only
one who was successful.
In the First district Mr.. Geo. S.
Legare succeeded Col. Elliott, de-
feating Mr.. 7. W. Bacot, a law part
ner of the distinguished historian,
Gen. Edward McCrady and himself
a we'll known legislator, being chair
man of the house judiciary committee
even when that body was composed
in great part of gentlemen of oppo'
site faction.
Mr.. Geo. W. Croft defeated two
very strong men for Col. Talberts
seat. One of these was Mr.. J. VIM.
Thurmond, solicitor of the Fifth ju-
dicial circuit for six years past. The
other WAS Mr.. G.. Duncan Bellinger,
the retiring attorney general a man
of incompatible nerve, the hero Of
the "Broxton Bridge" trial, where
as solicitor he prosecuted white men
for disgraceful conduct; and the
leader in the fight in this State
against the trusts. Mr.. Bellinger's
friends say that the trusts spent
thousands of dollars to defeat him.
His own loss is Columbia's gain, for
he will locate here as q practitioner
of law. Mr.. Bellinger is descend
ant of Edward Bellinger, one of the
Gland graves of South Carolina.
Mr.. Aiken defeated Mr.. w. j.
Stribling, cne of Oconee's foremost
and stougest meu; DR.. r. F. Smith,
who is a political power in Pickens
county and the Eighth judicial cir
emit; Mr.. Geo. E. Prince, who has
represented Anderson county in the
Legislature and the constitutional
convention; Mr.. E. III. Rucker, an
Anderson legislator; Senator Gray
don Of Abbeville, and ex Senator
McCslla of that county.
GEO. s. LEGARE.
Geo. S. Legare is the new repre-
sentative from the First district
Charleston, Colleton, Clarendon and
Williamsburg counties He is quite
a young man, not yet 80, and a grad
uate of the South Carolina college.
He is now corporation counsel, OF
city attorney, of Charleston and is
extremely popular there. He is also
captain of the naval reserves Of Char.
lesion and an enthusiastic devotee OF
field sports. 81.
Col. George William Croft was
born in Newberry county in 1916
His mothers maiden name was D..
Ovdey. His paternal ancestry, Rev.
olutionary stock, came from Vir-
ginia. Col. Croft's grandfather was
Edward Croft, who made q fortune
in Charleston in law practice, re-
moved to GreenVille and there died
DO 1851. His wife was Miss Floride
Gaillard, sister of John Gaillard,
United States senator from this
State for many years Col. Croft's
father was DR.. Theodore Croft o1
Greenville.
The congressman elect was edu-
Gated in the schools of Greenville
and the Citadel He took part in
the war during the last year, and in
1855 and 1857 attended the Univer-
sity. of Virginia. He studied law
IN the Office of Gov. Perry. In 1870
located in Aiken. From 1875 to
1882 was chairman Of the Democra-
tic party of that county. Was cap