The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1905-04-05
INSULTS GEN. LEES DAUGHTER.
A Dago Finds Himself In Confed.
crate Hornets Nest.

The death of Miss Mildred Lee, the
youngest daughter of General Robert
r.. Lee, recalls an incident in which sew
eral South Carolinians played most
worthy part in defending the other
daughter of the Confederacy's great
military cheftain.
In the year 1878 Messrs. w. A. Clark
aid John t. Sloan of Columbia and the
late ID. A. Parker Jordan of Green
wood, with DR.. Roberts of Georgia
were making tour of Italy and were
staying at a hotel in Naples at which
Miss Mary Lee with a lady from New
York CHANGED to be guests. Miss Lee
had just come over from the African
coast. 1t was summer and very warm
in Naples. Miss Lee in handling the
candle with whic'1 her room was light
ed accidentally set fire to the netting of
the bed and the tapestry in the room.
The fire was quickly extinguished and
the damage was inconsiderab!c
Mr.. Clark was in the hotel office
when the proprietor mentioned the fire
to him and declared that Miss Lee had
set fire to his house maliciously. Or
dinarily there is no more mild man
nered man than the president of the
Carolina National Bank and of the Column
bia Chamber of Commerce, but this in
suit to the daughter of the great leader
whom he had followed in the fortunes of
the loved Lost Cause was more than
,,>l IL.
lightning he struck the insolent Italian
hotel man over the head with his UNI
brella and was proceeding to give him a
sound thrashing when the employees of
the hotel rushed to the rescue of their
master and Mr.. Clark, like the Con-
federacy, was being overwhelmed with
numbers.
The present lieutenant governor of
South Carolina was standing outside
the hotel looking out over the beauti-
full Bay of Naples when friend
brought him news of Mr.. Clark's en-
counter within. Col. Sloan rushed in to
his friends assistance and soon Mr.. Jor-
dan and DR.. Roberts had joined in the
fray. The four Southerners were fight
ing score or more of the "cowardly
Italians, as Col. Sloan calls them, and
the bravery which had distinguished the
followers of Lee would have put the
sons of the South to flight had not the
police been called in and the fighting
ceased.
When the cause of Mr.. Clarks en-
counter was made known to the other
gentlemen of his party their anger was
as great as his own, and each of them
was ready for another fight with the
man who had reflected upon Miss Lee.
COL Sloan challenged him to come out
side and fight with any weapons he
should select
The Americans got their luggage
and went to another hotel, expecting to
be arrested and not caring to seek
safety in flight. Miss Lees baggage
was attached by the hotel man, who
made bold demand for damage,
which he could not have recovered in
law, and the Americans were also anx-
ious to remain until the matter was
properly settled. Mr.. Duncan of New
berry was then the United States con-
sui of Naples and he was interested in
the affair by the gentlemen from his
State and used his offices to effect
settlement. Miss Lees effects were
released and she continued her journey.
During these few days spent in Ma
pies awaiting the outcome, trip was
taken down the bay and Miss Lee ex-
pressed her gratitude to the Heretofore
unknown defenders of her good name by
presenting to Mr.. Clark for his daugh-
ter coral necklace of the sort which
are found in such beauty around Ma
Piles.
Miss Mary Lee and Miss Mildred
were the only daughters of Gen. Lee
and neither of them married. Miss
Mildred Lee died last week in New Or
leans, where she was visiting, and Miss
Mary Lee is still living.
1t is possible that the hotel keeper
thought no name could be more safely
banded than that of the leader of the
Lost Cause of America, especially in
talking with Americans, but he hap
pened to strike Americans on the
wrong side for his purposes. The
State.