The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-08-04
PAID THE MONEY.
Kditor Williams, of the News.L eader,
Makes Public Statement.
Gave S,25 to Elect Anderson. Makes
announcement in His Paper adj
nittting 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 cleo.
tion, iIi which he defends himself fol
using pSoney in election:
In aletter to the public Alfred B.
WilliaR's, president and editor of the
News. Leader, admits that lumors
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 anyt thing
wrong4gr illegal, and feels no regret
for his action.
For q 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 he paid S25 to a party worker
to aid Col. George Wayne Anderson,
q candidate for commonwealth's at
torney,in the First precinct of Jeffer-
son wGtd.
Mr.. Williams says in his card, pub.
lished in the News. Leader recently,
that the election transg c.ion on which
these rqmors are based was no secret
and wss 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 1t for Col. Anderson, and that
there S2as q man who would do the
work, hut he would expect to be paid.
Il Immediately said," continued
Mr.. Wpliams, THAT l would see that
ne wa& paid If he did the work, but
that ca. Anderson would not be told
about4st, and would know nothing
Of it.,,'E
Mr.: Williams further explains that
1T was kep6 from Cpl. Anderson be.
cause, ghhdor the Barks lale law, /
Sould be necet sary for him to take a
rigid O&oh that he had not used money
In tho election, or allo we'd 1t to be
usad e&cep6 for certain specified pur
poses. JIt is his understanding OF tbt
iaw, he|says that candidates s friends
may do things that the candidates
cannot legally do.
He sttysfui tner that after the cleo
ion fl-'"S't his. personal check to the
isnrke Stic,s;1,,E leo, AUS 0l .'NIelaers
u8f Golustein, power
amonkS ~tuain class. Mr.. WillaDs
says he ssnJ check so that the trans
action should be open and there
should be no appearance Of trying to
hide anything. There was no talk or
suggestion Of bribery or corjuptly in
iluencing any body, says Mr.. Williams.
and he docs net believe q dollar was
spent for such purpose.
The writer says the difference be
tween buying votes and securing per.
Sonal influence In legitimate way is
clear to him; that he would not have
given dollar could 1t have purchased
votes enough to elecg Col. Anderson.
He concludel:
If the grand jury, in It's wisdom
and conscience, sees tiI to indict mo,
l shall meet the issue without any
quibbling or dodglg play for delay,
or resort TO legal technicalities."
The mater has created uubounded
interest because OF the prominence Of
Mr.. Williams, who has for years
taken a leading part In city AFFAIR.",
and who has always been foremyS st In
all movements looking to the upould
ing of the city and the purifying OF
the ballot.
The Barksdale law, which bears on
elections, is as follows:
No person shall expcnd, pay, prom.
ise, loan or become pccuniarily liable
in any way for any money or Other
valuable thing In behalf OF any can
didata for olllce at any election, pri
mary, or nominating convention hel(
In this commonwealth Any persol
or candidate violating any of the pro
Visions OF this acJ shah be subject Il
line OF not less than 500 or NOR,
than $1,000, or co0fined in Jail no
less than one nor more than tWelv
months.
VIOLATED TIE LAW,
AT Richmond, Va, Wednesday th