The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-08-13
Nothing But Proof Needed.

declared that it had ''the best author
ity'' for stating that James II. Till
man, candidate for governor, "misap-
propriated funds belonging to the La
dies Monument Association of Edge
feld-S50 contributed by William G..
Whitney,
At the Bennettsville campaign
meeting on Tuesday Candidate Till
man, in reply to the foregoing, read
telegram from Mrs. Victoria Evans,
president Edge6eld Monument Asso-
citation, saying Col Tillman had paid
$50 collected for the monument fund
and a personal subscription of s25-
total $751; The announcement is said
to have been greeted with cheers and
applause.
Some people no doubt, on reading
the Bennettsville report jumped to the
conclusion that Editor DeCamp Of the
Gaffney Ledger had written without
knowledge, and that James e. Tillman
had vindicated himself--so delusive
are appearances sometimes. so easy is
it for an artful dodger, trained to that
sort of thing, to double OH his trail.
But this is not the end of the monu-
ment matter; the last word concerning
it will not pe spoken for some time to
come. Since Tillman has admitted
the necessity for his meeting the
charge that he appropriated to his own
use money given him in trlst for the
erection of monument to the Con-
federate dead it becomes both the right
and the duty of the public to require
that the yindication shall be real and
complete, mot delusive. He has under
taken to prove his innocence-now let
the Democratic press Of the State in
sist that he shall complete the job!
There are reasons why this telegram
read at Bennettsville is not at all
conclusive of the innocence Of James
II. TilIman-and when We state these
reasons the public will agree with US
and demand proofs that prove some
thing.
TWenty-one months ago the editor Of
The State was appealed to for assist
ances in making James Il. Tillman,
Just then elected lieutenant governor,
disgorge moneys said to have been
collected by him for the Confederate
monument in Edgefeld. The appeal
came from one who had the right to
make it. Inquiry brought out the
statement that Tillman had claimed
to collect from members Of the legis-
lature at the session of the previous
winter subscriptions for the monument
which he had not turned over to the
association, and that he had actually
collected from William G. Whitney
presumably in the previous spring or
winter-s50, which sum also he had
never paid over. 1t was declared that
while Tillman admitted collecting
the money he had failed to respond to
repeated appeals from an officer OF
the association for settlement. In
these circumstances the editor Of The
State was asked for his advice in the
matter, as the money was sorely need
ed.
It does not matter what advice he
gave. It does matter, however, that
he was urged to make such references
in The State to Tillman's retention Of
this money as would compel him to
disgorge. He replied that he would
willingly take the responsibility of
doing so if permitted to give his au-
thority. His informant shrank from
having her name published, but gave
carte blanche as to everything else.
That was during Fair week In 1900.
With this information in our posses
sion, coming from one thoroughly to
be credited but whose name we could
not print, we have waited nearly two
years while this man became a candl-
date for governor and made his cam,
paign largely on abuse of The State and
| its editor. Nothing but the reluctance
of lady to have her name, even in the
most righteous cause, paraded before
the public stood between James n.
Tillman and the scorn of every honest
man in South Carolina; but that
name was not volunteered and we
could not use it in The State without
permission. Our acquaintance with
this matter is sufficient to explain the
attitude of The State toward james
H. Tillman even before he made his
evil record at the last session OF the
legislature.
Now, however, that reputable pa,
per, the Gafney Ledger, owned and
edited by a responsible citizen, Mr..