The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-08-17

Friday morning, August 4, tne bel-
ton Times carried an article, giving
an account of an incident that oc-
Cured in the Southern railway sta
ton here Saturday afternoon, July
2e. The incident caused no little
amount of comment here in Bolton.
One of Gov. Blease's adherents, Jas.
G. Harris, wrote the governor, ask
ing him if the article was true, and
the governor replied under date OF
August 5, denying the charges which
the editor of The Times had brought
against him, and further called the
editor of The Times liar. Numbers
of people offered to substantiate the
article, and the editor of the paper
has secured sworn afidavits to prove
it's truth.
J. Archie Willis, of Laurens coun-
ty, a member of the State legislature
from Laurens county, is the owner
Of The Times. He came to Belton
from Laurens yesterday, and when
shown the article, published in the
Anderson Intelligencer, which in
cluded Gov. Blease's letter to his
friend, Mr.. Harris, he proceeded to
get the proofs that the article pub
1ished in last Fridays Times was true,
in every respect. He secured the
sworn afidavits of people who wit
messed the conduct of the governor
that his papers article was absolute
~ true, and he wrote Gov. Blease a
letter yesterday afternoon, inclosing
affidavits.
- Letter to Governor.
ssBelton, S. c., Aug. 8, 1911.
"Hon. Cole l.. Blease, Governor or,
South Carolina, Columbia, S. c..
Dear Sir: I have just read copy
of your letter to James G. Harris
published in this mornings Ander-
son Intelligencer, in which you ac-
cuse the editor of the Belton Times
with having lied in the published &C
count of your ungentlemanly conduct
in the railway station here on Sat-
urday afternoon, July 20. AS to the
remaining contents Of your letter,
you have called so many editors In
this State dirt scurrilous little edi-
tors that it must appear to you the
joke has grown rather stale.
t'The facts in the article referred
to were published precisely as stated
by the young lady of whom you
bought your ticket, and I am inclos-
ing you herewith her sworn affidavit
to the effect that the article was true
In every respect. I am going to the
further trouble to accommodate your
excellency, and am inclosing you also
the sworn affidavit of James M. Alex
ander, the well known superintend-
ent of the Pelzer mills, who witness
ed the incident, that the incident
happened exactly as reported in the
Belton Times. So, with the evidence
in your hands, it must appear very
plain to you that you must go fur
ther than accusing the editor of the
Times with having lied, if you want
to prove yourself innocent of the
charge which the young lady has
lodged against you. You must do
that which no gentleman having the
high sense of honor which you claim
to have would do, and must accuse
the young lady with having perjured
herself. At the same time, my dear
sir, you must prove the sworn state
ment of the gentleman who witness
ed it, and who has made sworn af-
fidavit that the article published in
the Belton Times was true account
of what happened, to be lie also.
'And, now, my dear sir, out OF re-
spect for the governorship of my
State, a member of whose general as
sembly I have the honor to be, I re-
frain from telling you what know
you are, and put it up to your con-
stituency to Judge as to whether or
not you are the one who has lied
about the matter.
Every respectfully,
81. ARCHIE WILLIS,
Publisher the Belton Times"
Inclosed with the letter Mr.. Willis
Included the affidavit of Miss Rogers,
the ticket agent, and also the af1-
davit of James NJ. Alexander, super
intendent of the Pelzer mills.
Mr.. Alexander's Affidavit.
The following affidavit was sent
the Belton Times by Mr.. Alexander
from Pelzer yesterday afternoon:
t'The controversy between Gov.
Cole Blease and Miss Rogers, as
printed in the Belton Times, is cor