The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-06-28

properly p6TlOTueu uul1uS IAo paw
four years. He emphasized Mr.. Ly-
on's campaign promise Of four years
ago, namely, that he would put
stripes on the grafters," and cited his
failure to carry out that pledge.
What Evans Would Do.
Mr.. Evans then declared that if he
were elected attorney general ne
would himself perform the duties OF
the office and not spend S150,0O0 of
the States money in hiring corpora
ton lawyers to do it for him. He
charged Mr.. Lyon with disregard for
the States interests in paying Thom-
as B. Fielder 100000, or thereabouts,
Ben L. Abney, the Southern railway
attorney, $4,000, and W. F. Steven
son, the Seaboard attorney, $4,000
for assistance in diSpensary Htlga-
ton. He charged that Thos. Fielder
was attorney for the Liquor Trust OF
America. Speaking of the 100000
conscience fund"-those sums that
have been returned to the State by
the various liquor houses-Mr. Evans
disiilIed that manner of compromis-
ing with crime and declared he
would not grant immunity in any
such way. Mr.. Lyon was severly
criticised for allowing warrants to
hang over the heads of men accused
Of graft" for four years without CIV
ing them a trial and an opportunity
of clearing themselves.
Mr.. Evans charged negligence of
duty on the part of the present attor-
ney general, because Of several cases
| that have remained untouched,
among them being the prosecution OF
the rginia-Carolina Chemical COM
pany, suit that has been pending a
number Of years, and the Southern
railway, merger case. Mr.. Evans de-
clared he would attend to these mat
ters and do so withing hiring law
yers to make his speeches before the
courts
Ovation for Lyon.
When the name Of the next speak
er, J. Fraser Lyon, was announced,
there was a burst of applause and
f'Hurrah for Lyon" was heard on
! several sides. The attorney general
received nothing short of an ovation,
considering that the crowd in no in
stance was over-generous with its
applause In his usual calm and col
lected manner, Mr.. Lyon spoke very
effectively denying absolutely the
statements made by Mr.. Evans and
defying him to prove them. He said
that his opponent was either ''gross-
ly misrepresenting facts or that it
was the rankest ignorance" He said
that Mr.. Evans knew, or ought to
know, the facts in the matter men
toned, that they were public records,
in printed form, where: all might
read, and that he did not propose to
consume his time in answering such
accusations when his accuser and all
informed people all over the State
knew the facts.
Lyon Denies Allegations.
In fact, Mr.. Lyon did nothing short
of branding as false practically ev-
cry statement made by Mr. Evans,
doing so in a manner that indicated
supreme confidence that the people
of the State, who have followed his
career, and the conduct of his office,
knew them to be false and would
deal with them accordingly. He, de-
MED that Messrs. >Abney and Steven
son had been paid $4,000 each, and
emphatically stated that Thos. B.
Fielder had not been paid one cent
from the funds of the State treasury.
He said that the Atlanta attorneys
were paid 10 per cent. commission
on a great part of their collections
from whiskey houses that had over
charged the State, and that on some
old accounts, considered worthless,
they had been given 50 per cent.
Speaking of Felder," said Mr.. Ly-
on, my opponents own brother was
the first man in South Carolina to
recommend him to me as fit lawyer
Ito assist in this important litigation" +"
Mr.. Lyon stated that he had been ac-
tive in the two cases, the Virginia.
Carolina and the Southern railway,
and related just what had been done,
the facts of which have appeared in
the News and Courier.
On the matter of putting stripes