The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-06-29
LYON DENOuNCES EVANS.
DEFIES EVANS TO PROVE AC-
CURACY OF SINGLE STATE
MENT.
Candidates for Other Offices Address
The Voters Of Lee County or Such
OF Them As Were Not Hoeing Cot
ton.

Bishopville. June 23.-The heavy
rains last night and the general
grassy conditions of the crops kept
down the attendance upon the visit of
the campaigners from the county to-
day. Those who were here were in
teiligent and attentive listeners.
Dr. Ray again lambasted Mr.. Lever
on his alleged Republican vote on
the lumber tariff. Hyatt and Richards
warmed up a little and Barney Evans
made his opening speech. These were
the principal features today except.
of course. what Mr.. Lyon said TO Ev-
ans In reply.
DIR. Ray was the first speaker. He
hated to pitch into Mr.. Lever in the
latters absence but would repeat his
criticisms In Mr.. Levers presence. He
charged that Mr.. Levers vote on the
lumber tariff was indefensible.
Msssrs. Smith and Duvall, canci-
dates for the lieutenant governorship.
next spoke.
Chairman l.. L. Baker introduced
II. b. Evans OF Columbia who In an
nouncing his candidacy ror attorney
general. declared he would not fins
mud or hit below the belt. but that
he would criticise his oponent from
the record. He Is a fluent speaker
and kept the attention Of the au-
dience. He claimed that John Gary
Evans and not Lyon was the original
graft hunter when F. NJ. Nixon was
fred out of the dispensary commits
sioner's ONCE. He compiimented the
members OF the board OF control. all
except l. J. williams. whom Mr.. Ev-
ans said Is now under the bar Of gus
picion and had left the State. Lyon
had promised to put stripes on the
grafters within so days and he has
been at II four years without q single
conviction. And yet he has paid
t15o.00o In fees to railroad lawyers
10 help him; Tom Fielder, the whis-
key trust lawyer. had been paid over
gaNNfNNNt W. - otC"ChSOh ONcN SSV.-
900 and b. L. Abney the Southern
railway lawyer. over $4,000.
Evans alleged that was compound
ing a felony for Mr.. Lyon to accept
conscience money from the whiskey
houses. Morse. the banker. in a fed
ieral prison. Is no worse than Jack
Cranston. Lanahan and Flieschman
who have paid conscience monev.
Put me In the attorney general
ONCE" said Evans, land I will put II
mp to your governor whether or not
he will extradite some of these men"
He would not issue a warrant and
hold IL over mans head four years
and keep him under the bar of sus-
picion. Evans spoke OF the case of
the State against the Virginia Caro-
lima Chemical Company that mad
been on docket under five attorney
generals. Why had not Lyon pushed
t? Why had not Lyon pushed the
Southern merger suit? Why? Echo
answers. "why?"
In concluding Evans said that IL
elected he would not pay a lawyer
$4,000 to. make a speech for him.
Mr.. Lyon was received with cheers.
He announced that this eleventh hour
opposition would not fetter him ard
he wished to give the grafters notice
that he would be ready TO try their
cases at Chester on the 4th of July.
However. he continued, with scorn.
he could not AFFORD to let the wilful
misrepresentation or gross ignorance
OF his opponent go unnoticed. What
are the facts? This mans own broth
er. John Gary Evans. was the first to
tell me that I. II. Fielder was In a
position TO help me catch the graf
ters. Mr. Lyon. with dlsdain. chal-
lenged every statement OF Evans as
false and declared that IL Evans could
prove one-half OF what was alleged
he Uyon) would quit the race.
IL deny" said ne. that r. b. Field
er has been paid one cent out OF the
treasury Of South Carolina. and the
other attorneys who have done so
much for this cause have not been
paid as alleged by this man. 1 defy
him TO prove the accuracy of single
statement"
He had twice put before the legls-
lature the Virginia Carolina Chemical
Company matter and asked for means
with which TO push the case and this
had been denied him.
The Southern railway merger suit
had been heard In circuit court. ap-
pealed TO the supreme court and is