The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-01-28
Err. BLEASE NOT PRESENT.
Was Not At Meeting to Consider Dis
position of Court House-Says it
Is Matter for Whole County.

The following letter has been
handed The Herald and News for
publication:
Newberry. S. c., Jan. p, 1908.
Hon. VIM. H. Wallace, Editor New
berry Observer, Newberry, S. c.
Dear Sir, Ny attention has been call
ed to report published in your IS
sue Of January Dist, 1908, Of meet
ing held in the town Of Newberry by
committee Of the chamber Of com
merce, representatives Of the city
council of Newberry, the county sup
ervisor and commissioners Of New
berry county, and the representatives
in the legislature, in which said re-
port it is stated that Senator Cole. l..
Blease was present and participated,
and at which meeting ali agreement
was reached as to the disposition OF
the question as to what should be
done with the present court house.
| desire to state that did not attend
any such meeting; that I was not IN
vited to attend any such meeting,
and that at the time the said meet
inc was held I was confined to my
bed with sickneSs, and that [ would
not have known that any sucn meet
ing was going to be held had 1t not
been for the courtesy of the Hon.
Elbert H. Aull, who 'phoned to my
room only few minutes before said
meeting was to be neld and asked me
if I was going to attend such meet
ing. I stated to him that | did not
know such meeting was to be held
and that I was sick in bed and un-
able to attend it, and that | would
be :lad if he would state at suen
for me that my position was
that the people Of the entire county
of Newberry owned that building and
that the country people mad as much
right to say what should become OF
it as the people in the town OF New
berry, and that I did not propose to
be dictated to by the town Of New
berry as to what disposition should
be made Of that building, but. that I
represented the entire county OF
New5erry, and before I took any
position as to the disposition Of that
building that 7 proposed for all Of
the white people in the county of
Newberry. in the country as we'll as
in the town, to be heard from, and
to leave it to them to say what dis
position they wanted made Of the
old court house: that so far as my
individual opinion was concerned,
that I would express it at the proper
time and in no uncertain terms. Col.
Aull stated that he would make that
statement for me-, TO the committee.
I was afterwards informed by a gen.
tlenlai! who was present at the meet
ing that Col. Aull did as he promis-
ed. I was furthermore Informed that
H., meeting was not entirely har
monious or unanimous, and I was
surprised when I saw it reported
that Senator Blease was at that meet
ing and had agreed to any plan for
the disposition Of the present court
house.
I Will appreciate it if you will do
me the kindness to publish this arti-
Gle in as prominent place as you pub
lished that report, and if you make
any charges therefor, if you will
present Your account it will be
promptly paid.
Very respectfully,
Cole. l.. Blease.
P. 81 am sending a copy Of this
letter to the editor Of The Herald
and News. with a similar request as
to it's publication that 7 make Of
yourself.