The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-08-02
LYON BRANDS EVANS
As "INFAM0US LIAR"
EXCITING INCIDENT AT STATE
CAMPAIGN MEETING.
Blease Issues Challenge to Editor OF
Columbia State-Nany Candidates
Win Warm applause.
News and Courier.


scene from a political standpoint, that
was enacted in the State campaign
meeting at Florence today. Unique,
and with "a peculiar interest to those
who keep record of the trend of poll
tical events in South Carolina. A Sit
uation in which cheers for Lyon and
Ragsdale" are commingled, and when
the Hon. Jas. E. BlIerbe rises in his
seat and with the enthusiasm OF his
strenuous nature leads in a round
of applause for J. Willard Ragsdale,
is indeed tense and Of peculiar signi-
ficance. Lyon, Ragsdale and Ellerbe!
The heated campaign of 1906 between
Ragsdale and Lyon for the attorney
generalshiD. when bitterness almost
reached the acute stage and the lines
were so clearly drawn, is fresh in the
minds Of The people. The yeOmanry
of the 5th district vividly recall the
race for congress two years ago, when
Ellerbe and Rags0ale we're pitted
against each other; when every inch
of ground was contested with re-
soluteness and vigor such as only
these two combatants could inject in
to the campaign. Hence, when today
in the opera house at Florence this
remarkable incident took place, the
savants nodded their heads Chat is,
after the excitement of the moment
had subsided), and mentally ponder
ed: "Verily, what hath the day
brought FORTH"
The Liesis passed.
It was somewhat in this wise: At
torney General Lyon flung into the
teeth of his opponent, Barnard B.
Evans, an accusation or charge cal
culated to preci-- tate trouble; the
epithet "liar" was passed; infamous
liar" was applied to Barnard 3.
Evans. CT Columbia, candidate for at
torney general The tense and excit-
ing situation was not produced by an
effort on the part of the accused to
resent the charge; it was merely his
effort to have last word with the
audience, ard the audience would
have none Of him. They howled him
down. For nearly two minutes Bar
nard 3. Evans faced the audience of
four hundred souls, endeavoring to-
have his say; each attempt met with
rebuff on the part of County Chair
man Ragsdale, whose hand, when rails
ed in warning seemed to be the signal
for the audience to break into wild
est uproar, thus effectively accom-
plishing the utter crushing of all
Evans's assays. Finally, and when
he did it, the audience gave vent to
terrific cheers, Chairman Ragsdale
showed Barnard E. Evans off the stage
and behind the scenes at the side
exits.
Then broke forth the wild yells:
"Hurrah for RagsGale," "Hurran for
Lyon" and then Congressman J. E.
Ellerbe rose from his seat in the
audience, not far from the stage, and
emitted one of the heartiest, health
lest cheers that ever sprang from hu'
man throat. Ragsdale. Ellerbe and
Lyon! The scene will not soon
forgot.
What produced the scene is by no
means of secondary significance. For
the first time during the campaign Of
1910, the absolute and unqualified
term liar" has been used Evans, on
previous occasions and again to6@y
has said: Il will not say he is liar
for that would be nparliamentary; l
will not say he is a thief, but
Salary and Fees.
Attorney General J. Fraser Lyon TO-
day said; when he (Evans) says that
] received $4,000 in addition to my
salary, he is an Infamous liar" This
was Immediately at the conclusion OF
Evans's speech. who had the reply
today. Before another word could be
uttered Chairman Ragsdale was on
his feet, his hand uplifted for order.
Evans advanced to the front, endeav-
~ored to speak, but the audience was
wild, and the deterring hand of ths
chairman was in his face, almost.
Meanwhile, after appling the epithet,
LYON, arms akinlbo and with that
placid look on his face that so many
South Carolina audiences know full
we'll, was describing a semi-circle
about Evans on the stage. He contln-
ued this until Evans was showed off
the stage. A few minutes later Evans
,