The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-10-24
Kissing DIXON IN COLUMBIA.

I
Dixcn'g sensational play after il mad
left this city. We wrote OF the Missing
of the author during the performance
in Columbia and took note Of his at
tack on those who Kissed. calling
them scalawags and comparing them
to men from up north" designated fy
like name who had come south in re-
construction days for the purpose o.
~fattening off what the federal armies
of devastation had left. Those who
Kissed Mr. Dixon on that occasion were
designated in some dispatches as a.
body of eastern drummers. The truth.
though, has leaked out. 1t seems the
facts in the case were withheld from
me outside public as a favor to MI
Dixon. The meL who Kissed the man
who came south with a theatrical
troupe performing his drama were ci.-
fzens of the two Carolinas. some OF
them bearing the names which have
l,een honored in their states for gene'-
atoms, and not a few New England
,drummers, as Mr.. Dixon would hare
the public to think.
There was another incident connect
led with the performance Of ina
Clansman'' in Columbia which has
been kept secret until a day or so ago
The newspapers of that city agreed not
to make it public, but it has leaked
ont. Some of the men who Kissed Mir
Dixon became indignant at his calling
them scalawags and went to his hotel
t. cell him out. Of this matter tie
Columbia correspondent of The News
Leader Of Richmond says:
Columbia. S. c.. October 1S.-Since
one newspaper correspondent has
broken faith in the matter. it has been
decided to publish the names of the
young men who went to Dfxon'S hotel
and tried to call him out. They are
Samuel MCGOWAN Benet and Christie
Benet. the latter a we'll known foot
ball coach. sons of Judge w. c.. Benet.
and Beverly Herbert They are law
partners. Judge Benet was among
those who left the theatre during the
play.
The same special says the perform
ance of the play came near precipitat-
ing a riot and d panic and that at IL
earnest solicitation of Nh. Dixon. who
pleaded that the troupe was about TO
desert him for fear, and who said That
publication would ruin the success OF
his play, the new spapers agreed not to
go into the incidents at the thea re
and at Mr.. Dixon's hotel Immediately
after the play when three young men
attempted to call him out for an apol-
ogy for referring to them as SCALA
ways when they Kissed him in his CIR
tain talk. The News Leader special
says:
The young men involved in the hotel
incident. which would have ended in a
bloody affair had the ~overwrought par
tisans of MI Dixon known What they
were up to. come from families which
have produced leaders in the COM
mercial and Industrial and political
and. intellectual DEVELOPMENT Of the
state for generations back. and they
are themselves college graduates and
socially prominent.
1t seems there were some Tar Heels
in the audience who expressed in en-
phatic terms their d%isapproval of the
play and of the man for putting it ON
the stage in the south, as this quota
ton from the same dispatch shows:
When the Kissing began there were
some North Carolinlans near the chief
hissers. It was afterward learned that
threats came from half-dozen of these.
and Dixon had his strong local parti-
sans as well. All the elements Of Sc
rious trouble were present to the eye
of a man who has studied these COM
bustihle South Carolinians.
The correspondent closes his letter
with this account of the action of the
three young men who wanted salts
faction for being denounced as seal
lawags and of Mr.. Dixon In the mat
ter:
When Mr.. Dixon alighted from his
carriage at the hotel with his wife half
an hour later the three young men had
gone there to meet him and one of
them accosted him in the lobby Just
after he left his wife at the stair. tell
lIlS LII lI1Cy wanted TO see nam ABOUT
a matter" He excused himself for his
wife n afterward sent word that he
could not come down..
They sem him a denunciatory note.
in which they also called him a liar
for referring to them as scallaways.
There was no deply.
They also sent a note informing him
where to find them the mex morning.
No reply. They wanted to make him
apologize.
They camped in the hotel.
The next morning Mr.. Dixon sent
for Colonel Henri Thompson. his old
time personal friend. who found Mrs.
Dixon in a state of nervous collapse.
The men had forgotten about
Mrs. Dixon in the intensity of their
Mr.. Dixon was surprised to learn
that Colonel Thompson was heard of
the police commission. and he pleaded
with him not to make any arrests. and
in view of the panicky condition of his