The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-08-02
PAID THE MONEY,
Editor Williams, of the NeWs-Ieader,
Makes Public Statement.

Makes Public Statement.
Gave $25 to Elect Anderson. Makes
Announcement in His Paper Ad-
mitting Rumors to Be True.
The following dispatch to the
Washington Post from Richmond,
Va, concerns an act OF Mr.. A. B.
Williams in connection with an elec-
] tion, in which be defends himself fo1
using money in election:
In q letter to the public Alfred B.
Williams, president AID editor @ the
News, Leader, admits that runors
connecting him with the expenditure
Of money In the recent municipal
primary are true. he frankly ex-
plains the whole matter. says he Is
not conscious OF having done anything
wrong or illegal, and feels no regret
for his action.
! For a week the grand jury has been
engaged in probing charges OF fraud
in the late election, and during the
past few days rumor has been busy
with the name Of Mr. Williams, alleg-
ing that be paid s25 to party worker
10 aid Col. George Wayne Anderson,
a candidate for commemorative at.
torney, in the First precinct Of Jeffer-
son ward.
MI. Williams says in his card, pub
lished in the News Leader recently,
that the election transaction on which
these rumors are based was no secret
and was not intended to be. He says
that he was informed the night before
the election that active work at the
First precinct, Jefferson ward, would
carry it for Col. Anderson, and that
there was a man who would do the
work, but he would expect to be paid.
II Immediately said," continued
Mr.. Williams, that would see that
he was paid if be did the work, but
that Col. Anderson would not be told
about it, and would know nothing
Of it"
Mr.. Williams further explains that
it was kept from Col. Anderson be-
cause, under the Barksdale la~, it
would be necessary for him to take q
rigid oath that be mad not used money
In the election, OF allowed it to be
used except for certain specified pur
poses. 1t is his understanding OF the
law, be says, that a candidates friends
may do things that the candidates
cannot legally do.
He says further that after the elec-
tion he sent his personal check to the
worker in question, vino is under
stood to be Samuel Goldstein, power
among certain class. MIR. Williams
says he sent check so that the trans
action should be open and there
should be no appearance OF trying to
hide anything. There was 10 talk OF
suggestion OF bribery OF corruptly in
| fuencing anybody, says Mr.. Williams,
and he does not believe a dollar was
spent for such purpose.
The writer says the difference be.
tween buying votes and securing per-
sonal influence In a legitimate way is
clear to him; that be would not have
given dollar could it have purchased
votes enough to elect Col. Anderson.
BE concludes:
II the grand jury, in its wisdom
aud conscience, sees Ill to indict me,
I shall meet the issue without any
quibbing or dodgiDg play for delay,
or resort to legal technicalities. "
The nstsr has created unbounded
interest because Of the prominence OF
Mr.. Williams, who has for years
taken a leading part in city affairs,
and who has always been foremost in
all movements looking to the upouild-
ing Of the city and the purifying OF
the ballot.
The BaIksiale Law, which bears on
elections, is as follows:
No person shall expend, pay, prom
ise, lean OF become pecuniarily liable
in any way for any money or other
valuable thing in behalf OF any can
didats for Office at any election, pri
mary, or nominating conVen zion held
in this commonwealth. Any person
OF candidate violating any OF the pro
visions Of this aca shall be subject to
a fine OF not less than 500 or more
than $1,000, OF confined in jail not
less than one nor more than twelve
months.
VIOLATED THE LAW.
At Richmond, Va, Wednesday the
grand july brought In indict-aen 8