The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1908-11-25
STATE BOARD SETS
PETITION ASIDE.
Hearing Was not Without "Fraturc,"
FiSticum Between McSsrs. Sims
and FcuthcrStOnc.

DelOIc tne state Board of Canvass
ers Monday morning, c. p. Sims.
counsel for Rhett Coleman petitioner.
sought to have the findings Of the
LaurenS Board, relative to the dis
penSary election, set aside. and have
the election declared illegal. After
the arguments by counsel the state
Board dismissed the petition ana
unanimously sustained the County
Board
The next step by Mr.. Sims will be
to carry the contest before the Su-
preme Court where it will be finally
settled.
me only feature Of the hearing
Monday morning wGS the isticuff be
tween Mr.. Featherstone and Sims. The
latter grew intolerable in his refer
enceS to the Laurens prohibitionists
and Mr.. Featherstone called him down
Sims then said he would settle with
Mr. FcathCrStOne outside, whereuOon
Mr.. Featherstone said the matter
would be settled right there and the
two were soon in combat. Sims ar
gumentS before the Board implied that
Mr.. Featherstone and the other prohi-
bltioniSts had lied. The State has the
following account of the difficulty:
The feature of the meeting was thc
difficulty between Mr.. Featherstonc
and Sims. The latter who is from
Spdrtanburg argued for the dspcn-
Sary ana attempted to persuade the
State board Of canvasSers to reverse
the action of the county election board
ana declare the election, which gave
laurcnS prohlhltion, illegal. Tn"
ground of his argument was that u,
separate polling lists had been provid
"u l0r the managers of the election
ana that they had not been sworn
separately. In answering Mr. Foath.
erStOnc, who argued for uDholdinp the
LaurenS county board, Mr.. Sims made
several personal references to the pro
hlbltion leaders Of LaurcnS and their
prohibition views. He called th0S
holding the opinion fanatics and refer
red to the "coloncs" who attempted
to control the views of other people
referring to Col. Ferguson. Col II. Y.
simpson, Col. FcathcrstOne and others.
Here MIR. FcatherStonc Interrupted.
II have kept out personalities in this
argument" he said to the board. "and
would ask that my friend on the Other
side do likewise. Let him stick to
the record as have done"
Sims stated that he had said moth
ing but what he thought was right
and he would continue to recite the
Facts. If Mr.. Feathcrstonc did not
like ii the trouble could be settled ON
the outside MIR. FcathcrStonc said
it could be settled without delay. Then
the two got together, and when the
entire board pulled them apart Mr.
Sims had two bruises one ON each side
Of his face, and Mr. FeathcrStonc had
slight bruiSc under his eye. Both
apoloGizCd afterwards to the board
but il was the almost unanimous Opin-
ion Of that body that Mr.. Sims had by
his references provoked the bad feel
ing and had made remarks that had
caused the difficulty.
Mr.. FcathCrStOnc is well known
attorney of laurens and is considered
one of the State leaders OF the prohi-
bitiOn cause. He is held in high cS-
teen by all. and his motives and char
aCter have never ben questioned lie
came within 100 votes of being gov
crnor on the prohibition platform i'm
l%gS
Mr. Sims is also wei known i'm the
upper part Of the Stac.
Gov. AnScl Thanks Traynham Guards.
Capt o. w Babb of the local mill
tary company is in receipt of very
complimcntary letter from Governor
Anscl relative to their response to
duty's call in the recent Spartanburg
affair. The letter is:
Columbia Nov II, 1905.
Capt O. w. Babb, Laurcns. S. G.
My dear Captain:
take this opportunity of expressing
to you, your officers and men my
thanks for your prompt response to
the call made upon YOU i'm the recent
trouble i'm SpaItanburg, and | also de
sire to thank YOU for the very efficient
manner in which YOU discharged your
duties on thai occasion.
have always felt great interest i'm
the militia of this State and was
satisfied they would respond to every
call of duty.
Wishing YOU to extend my thanks
to each and every one Of the officers
and members of your company as well
as to yourself | am. with assurances
Of high regard,
Yours very truly.
NJ. T.. Ansel.
~ Governor.