The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1906-07-04

ter in tone, and Mr.. Lyon who sat in
the rear of the audience (being pres
ent, said Mr.. Ragsdale by notifcation)
sat calm and dignifed, rising only
when necessary. Mr.. Ragsdale said
that at the Hampton meeting he was
informed, after he had left the hall,
that Mr.. Lyon had said that certain
statements of his were not based on
facts. He had said that Mr.. Lyon had
drawn double pay for his services in
the legislature and ON the Investigate
ing committee, which is illegal under
the constitution. With his warmth
and emphasis and looking directly at
Mr.. Lyon, the speaker asked him if
he had drawn double pay. Mr.. Lyon
said that he would not answer the
question if he could not make state
ment with it, but Chairman Efrd
ruled that he had already spoken. Mr..
Lyon was anxious to make a state
ment.
With the idea that a man with
position of trust should discharge his
duty strictly. Mr.. Ragsdale said that
Mr.. Lyon had been elected from Alb
beville on a dispensary platform, yet
was now against it, after change of
heart. "Should you then elect him to
higher Office might he not have an
other change of heart?' he asked.
"Will he punish the grafters?' "Why
don't he make out warrants for the
offenders, if there are any?"
He did not think Mr.. Lyon was
making the sacrifice the newspapers
spoke of when he was getting 81 per
day and mileage. The salary of the
office which he is seeking is $1,000,
and yet two years ago Mr.. Lyon was
glad to get a job as clerk of senate
committee.
Chairman Efrd announced that his
time was up. There were cries of
"Go on!' and "Let him have more
time!" and he was given minute.
Mr.. Ragsdale said that he had backed
down Mr.. Lyon On the proposition to
withdraw and the latter had said that
he had been brought out as decoy
duck. ''But I tell you, J. Fraser
Lyon, that I am not afraid to meet
you face to face or man to man. You
can never charge that 1 am a decoy
duck" When Mr.. Ragsdale was
through, Mr.. Lyon quietly rose and
said that in view of the fact that Mr..
Ragsdale had spoken at length that
he thought that he should be given
time to present some records to show
that some of the statements were not
based on fact. Mr.. Efrd said that
he could not allow this, as it was
against precedent. Mr.. Lyon having
already taken up his time, but when
the meeting was concluded if Mr.. Lyon
cared to speak there would be moth
ing to prevent him. Mr.. Lyon said
that he would abide by the decision.
Mr.. Ragsdale remarked that if Mr..
Lyon had anything to show in the way
of records and if this included an
itemized expense account he hopedhe
would give it to the press, to which
Mr.. Lyon replied that ne would be
glad to do so.
After the meeting was over and the
candidates had all spoken, the people
were leaving the court house when
Mr.. Lyon was allowed to speak. Per-
haps IS Or 100 remained to hear him.
He made a brief and unimpassioned
statement in which he said that he
had received double pay, as was Gus
tomary through long precedent, and
that he believed that there had been
only one dissenting voice against this
custom in the committee. AS far as
regarded the Abbeville election, the
one issue had been whether Or not
there should remain the half mill tax,
under the Brice. law. He was forzzthe
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