The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-08-22
NEWBERRY MEETING STORMY
RAGsDaLE INCENSED AT LYON,
BUT NOTHING HAPPENS.

BUT NOTHING HAPPENS.
Feeling Ran High for Little While,
But Messrs. Biease and Dominicl1
Acted As PaciGcators-The Hon.
Club Evans Also Sought to Reyel
in the Linaelisht.
Newberry, Aug. 14.-There was
some excitment at the State cam
paign meeting here today. For few
moments it seemed that there might
be a personal difficulty, but quiet was
soon restored and the incident was at
an end, so far as Newberry is concern
ed.
The incident occurred during the
speech Of Mr.. J. Fraser Lyon, can
didate for attorney general. Mr..
Ragedale, his opponent: had asked
why the dispensary investigating
committee, if it had discovered cor
ruption in the management of the
dispensary, had not brought indict-
ments against those who were cor
rupt in order to have them punished.
During the course of his address,
Mr.. Lyon said that Mr.. Ragedale
knew that the law said nothing about
indictments being brought by the
committee. "He knows that it is not
the duty of the committee, brand it
as the trick of a political demagogue
and trickster, and he knows it.
Mr.. Ragsdale, who was standing
near the platform, said, 'I don't know
anything Of the kind, it is absolutely
untrue
Mr.. Lyon, continuing, said: IF ne
or and other living being can point to
one word or line in the law under
which our committee is working which
ether suggests or requires one single
member of that committee to make
indictments or bring indictments
against anybody I am wiling to quit
the race. He knows it and everybody
else knows it.
The Peace Is Preserved.
BY this time Mr.. Ragsdale had got
on the stand and was standing near
Mr.. Lyon. He approached Mr.. Lyon
and said: KNOWS what?'
Mr. Lyon started to reply, the gen
tlemen were close together, and there
was a rush for the stand. Mr.. H. H
Evans, former chairman Of the State
board of control, was in front Of the
stand, where he had been during the
whole Of the meeting prior to that
time. He was approaching the stand,
as he said afterwards, to prevent any
possible trouble. Mr.. Cole L. Blease,
candidate for Governor, and Mr.. F.
H. Donainick, county chairman, were
between Mr.. Lyon and Ragsdale be-
fore there was any time for any fur
ther words The people, however
continued to crowd the stand, and
the tension was high for a few sec
onds. Mr.. Blease addressing the
crowd, told the people that he had q
chance to be Governor and asked
.hen, for his sake not to have any dis
tur5ance in Newberry.
Quiet was restored and Mr.. Lyon
continued his address. He said that
he regretted exceedingly that his
! spresenee had been the cause OF The
tumult Or disturbance. "I don't bring
any charge against any man" he
said. so far as my comments il
this campaign are concerned they
have been based upon evidence which
has been sworn to by men in whom
I have great confidence and other:
in whom have no eonhoence what
ever. I wish to say this. that if
member of that OLE board oc conr-o
wished to say anything or to exoner'
ate his character, if he regarded an!
mud being put upon it, he had the op'
portunity to come before the whole
people Of South Carolina and speaA
just as he might speak before the CON
naitsee and he would be a part OF the
permanent records Of the State Q:
South Carolina"
My friends he concluded, I have
very little else to say to yau toaay
but I want to repeat agaln that don
believe that any CRATER in soua caro-
lima will vote for J. Fraser lyon.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Lyon:
speech Mr.. H II. Evans, who va:
standing in front of the platform, sait
that any man who said that n;