The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-04-20
TIT FOR TAT.
Senator TiIIman Replies to the
Letter of Mr.. Lyon.
HE GREW INDIGNANT

He GREW INDIGNANT
And Used SoEie Very Plain Language
In Speaking of the Insfnuations
of the Committeeman, All of
Which He Says Are Vile
and False.
| Senator B. r. Tillman was seen at
Greenville one day last week by rep
reSentative Of The State as the sepa.
tor was on his way from Washington
10 Clemson college TO attend an i'm
port2nt meeting Of the board of trus-
tees. lie was asked If ne had any
thing to say In reply to ths letter Of
Mr.. j. Fraser Lyon, published in The
State Saturday. The senator had not
seen the letter land when copy of it
was handed to him, he read it and
grew wrathy as he read. Being under
the impression that the publication
shown him was only an outline of Mr.
Lyons letter, he was at first dsin
j4luGd to say much, but when he be.
came satit fed that he vas In possess.
ion OF complete copy of the letter,
he threw of the silence and talkeu
with Characteristic freedom, denoun.
ciGg tue le66sr as 0npaking and NJ.
Lyons reference TO the rumor that q
whipkey house had presented Sonltor
r1llman with a plano, as O. dirty COW
ardly inainuation."
The senator was first approached by
The neweps per man as he sat In the
new passenger station at Charlotte
scanning large number OF South Car
olina newspapers with which bis trav.
cling bag was p cked. The interview
continued jntCrruptedly on board the
Southern Southwestern Limited as far
as Gree nvilie.
| GREW INDIGNANT
After readipg the letter. Senator
Ifllman WAS indignant and grew more
so as he talked.
am surprised" be said, that a
gentleman such as thought Mr
Lyon to be would go in the papers liz
soc 3 a Ssrea way }, af,4 N Il yerg
Gne name OF g lawyer to whom he
wrote is not given, but whether he au
thorizs d It's publicity or not, assume
1t TO oe authentic.
Il have not attacked the investiga-
ting committee; only warned 1t In a
friendly spirit. Aud why2 Either the
S700 900 worth Of claims against tho
State bad arc valid and binding OF
5hey arc not. l say they are not, be
cause the whiskey was bought Goa
trafy to law and the State is not le.
Rally bound for payment.
The M nittee knows this now as
Wall as 1t will ever know It, Messrs.
Lyon and Christensen have blacklisted
certain firms; tho pfesump ion is they
nave discovered evidences Of fr, I'D L
h Sc firms have acted dishonesty the
DID board cannot b9 clean; but leav
Ing Messrs. LION and Christensen
TO hunt for proofs, to which l dc
not obi ct, again / aek: Why the de.
ay2'
Whether fraud Is proven or not,
90 cecent lATyer Will contend that
uuese large purchases OF WhiSkcy a1t
legal; First, because there was not
competitive bidding, 80 the law ~
qlircb; second because the l.W express
ly limits tie amount 0hat rnay he Cl
nand to S400 600 and instead OF dick
ering vita lawyers employed 80 col
lect the money, it is the investigating
commuters plain GUY TO repudiAou
The whole Transaction, forbid the new
board TO pay for any la lor and thu,
have an END TO it. MeosYs. Lyon ano
Christensen viii be 10. p9nsble TO the
taxpayers OF the State II they O. X
ay single purcnase that was ilogall,
oCught."
WHAT ABOUT THE PIANo?'
Wnl5 ab )ut Gle piaaop' Senator
Tillman was asked
VOL, lie replied, have heard
1t said II you thfow a rock in the da1B
and deg howls you may swear he |,
nit
Il have not sought to dlsctedlt the
investigating committee, the senator
continued, but to warn 1t and when
phi' ~ cilj "iNilOuO ul6htS
pubic It's dirOy and cowardly insinua.
lions that a whiskey firm gave me n
piano, 1t Is pretty clear to my MIND
LhaL he hnwl9 because he Is hit. 1t
Was easy enough for him to have
found out al about the piano. MI
Malone, the music dealer In Columbia,
knows to whom he sold 1t and who
PAID for 1t and he knows when 1t was
) b u9ht.
Il note also Mr. Lyons pretcxt for
ielay Is that he may look into the re-
CORDS OF the NH Creek Distillinp ccm
pany to see whether there are any
credits"
ScD&tor Tlllman's reference to
credits" applied to that part Of
Mr. Lyons letter which reads as fol-
! lows
We wish TO ind the credits on the
. books OF the distillery showing the
j AMOUNT OF rebat5s which Senator TIL.
{ man said he returned as gift for the
I gratitude he felt to the liquor concern
Q crediting the State Of South Carolina
Besides this there had come to my ears
: . rumOr-tho sources OF which think
;. should be looked into-that Senator
a Tillman when governor was presented
with plano by liqlor concern.
1T may be that receipts may bt
OH For ltA rniN $40, 4 t.l.