The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1908-02-12
GOES FOR CAPERS.
coIorsd Brethren Object to Being
Called neiAous Baboons.
One Of Them Says Some Very Hard
Things About the South Carolina

One Of Them Says Some Very Har,
Things About the South Carolin;
Boss.
In the Columbia State few day
ago there appeared an interview b.
that papers very able Washington
correspondent with Capt. John G
Capers relating to the recent Repub
lican meeting at Mishaw Rife Hal
in Charleston. In that interview th'
captain referred. to Aaron Prioleau
who spends one-half of his time try
Ing to get a seat in Congress and tht
other half in trying to keep out o
the penitentiary, as 'heinous bab
oon.' This has stirred the ire of the
colored brethren and some Of then
are talking right out in meeting.
In talking to a Reporter OF The
News and Courier S. B. Butler, o
Colleton County, who is chairman o.
the First Congressional District, said;
Il was in the Postofice, in this city
and resigned because I was not go,
ing to be bossed by the Postmaster
That's the way Capers is going tc
find 1t. He is going to find big lo1
Of niggers kicking over the traces
before he gets a chance to sell US
out. A niger amt got no sense no
how. Look at the white men holding
good Government jobs and the mig
gers amt gettin' thing. Crum's S
got an Office with but little money to
it. Deas, he had job, but they put
him out. He makes money in other
ways, however, but Capers is going
to get rich off us niggers. When dis
trict attorney he made money out of
the liquor men, and now he's going
to make money out of the niggers,
and some Of US who profess to be
so smart amt got sense enough to
see it,
R. C. Brown, who was one Of the
speakers at Mishaw Hall, in talking
with a Reporter of The News and
Courier, speaks of the Capers inter
view as follows:
Before referring to certain parts
Of the interview, I want to say some
thing in regard to a statement that
is said to have been made by Grant
and English to the effect that had
been paid to go to Chicago to break
down the character of Prioleau in
his contest for a seat in the Conven-
ton and yet today was the advocate
Of Prioleau. Four years ago (June
l904,) I went before the national
committee at Chicago, representing
C. NJ. English and Thomas L. Grant,
believing that they were the legal
delegates from 1st Congressional dis
trict, because Prioleau and Meyers
had no credentials except verbally
Capt. Capers, while Grant
and English had filed the proper Gre
dentials with Mr.. Dover, secretary Of
the national cCmmlLllee.
"I charged Grant and English no
fee for my services, but asked that
my expenses be paid, which they
were. 1t is absolutely false as to
my having received one cent from
them in way of a fee, as it is now
claimed by them behind my back. l
before the national COM
.nittee. John G. Capers, the present
national committeeman was present
and represented Prioleau, as also W.
F. Meyers. Capers was then national
and claimed before
the committee that the legal bona
ade Congressional District Conven-
ton had elected Prioleau and Meyers.
''He (Capers) had so manipulated
the case in advance that, without
giving me an opportunity to be heard
in opposition, the committee decided
that Caper's contention was right.
and Prioleau was put upon the roll
as delegate, with Meyers, from this
district. And I am reliably Informed
that Prioleau, the Captains now
'heinous baboon,' in meeting of
the delegates, not only nominated
Capers, but cast the deciding ballot
which made Capers national COM
mitteeman, which has eventually
made him commissioner Of internal
revenue.
"I am not backing Prioleau, yet
by Capt. Capers he is now called a
'heinous baboon.' as to Prioleau and
his being charged with robbing the
mails, ne was charged with tamperins
with the mails, and Capt. Capers,
while district attorney and in his Of
fee in the Postoffice building in this
city, stated in conversation wit. ".
L A. l,Slinel I'D myself that re
did not believe for 6 momeut 'h:h
Prioleau meant to rob the mail; that
nothing was further from his lnino.
$50 far as the character Of those
who attended the meeting, and whom
Capt. Capers is pleased to refer to as
.disreputable,' I regard them as NOR
ally, socially, politically and intel
lectually the equal of those who now
denounce them and, in some instances
superior. Further, that I am willing
to put my social, political and moral
character up against that Of those
who now assail the character of those
who attended the meeting. For po,
litical trickery and treachery I will
readily take off my hat to Capt. Cap
ers. Unlike that distinguished gen
tleman, was never, as member OF
the Bar indicted for pension frauds
nor removed as district attorney be
cause, while paid by the Government
to prosecute violators of the lnterna
revenue laws, was at the same Time
the paid attorney OF rile violatoTs.