The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-08-16
DENIES CHARGE
Gogernsr Blease Says Be Vas Not Rude
to Young Lady at Bsltea
SAYS THE EDITOR lied

Editor Willis Comes Back With AZ
fidayits Substanti&ting WHAT He
Published About the Matter, and
Intimates that the Governor and
Not the Editor did the Lying.
There is now row on between
the Editor Of the Belton Times, who
Is Hon. J. Archie Willis, member
of the Legislature from LauTens
county, and Governor Blease. The
trouble was started by an article,
which appeared in the Times on Fri
day morning, August 4, charging
that Governor Blease had been rude
to Miss airy J. Rogers, ticket agent
OF the Southern railway at Beltol,
while buying ticket to Columbia
from Belton. Ths following is an
extract from the arEcle published in
The Times:
Article from The Times.
The Blue Ridge railways train
comes into Belton in the afternoon
at 5:25, just 10 minutes before the
train coming from Columbia gets in
to the station here. At $50 the
Anderson trolley car comes in. Both
the Blue Ridge railway lain and
the Anderson trolleys bring great
er or smaller number Of people who
want to buy their tickets and board
the train from Columbia going to-
wards Greenville, and when the num-
Der is unusually large, as it was Sat
urday afternoon, Miss Rogers, the
ticket agent had difficulty in selling
tickets to all who apply for them.
The train going to Columbia from
Greenville gets here at $40 in the
afternoon, and passengers who come
over on the Blue Ridge have 53 min
utes in which to buy their tickets.
Saturday afternoon when the
Blue Ridge train pulled in at 5:25
and the trolley car followed at $3.50,
something like hundred people, men
and women rushed into the station
to get tickets for points UP the road.
There were numbers of ladies stand
ing around awaiting their turn to
get q ticket for some point north OF
Bolton. A tall, black-haired man
walked up to the window, handed
Miss Rogers, the accommodating TICK
ct agent, two mileage books that
were nearly used up and asked for
a ticket to Columbia. There was not
enough mileage 5n the two books
so he asked her to tear the mileage
out Of both books, subtract it from
the number Of miles to Columbia
and he would pay the difference in
cash. Miss Rogers very kindly ask
ed him if he wouldn't wait until she
had sold the tickets for those ladies'
and gentlemen wlo were going to
catch the north-bound train. She ex-
plained to him that he had until g.
20 to got his ticket.
stInstead of giving place to those
who ought certainly to have been
given place at the window, the man
straigthened himself, and in a most
Insulting manner informed Miss Rog-
ers that she must not know who she
was talking to- He further inform
cd her that 4 am Cole Blease, the
governor Of South Carolina; I've got
q right to buy ticket any time !
call for it, and you've got to sell 1t
! TO me- He took occasion to tell he1
that if he didn't have to, he would
never had ridden on her old South
ern road He also Informed MISS
Rogers that he was going to write
her up to her Superintendent.
Mr.. James G. Harris, Of Belton,
one of Governor Blease's friends and
supporters, wrote and asked him II
the article was a true statement OF
the case, and the governor replleo IN
most positive manner that the ar
ticle was not true Here is what
Governor Blease wrote Mr.. Harris IN
reply:
Blease Denies Charge.
Aus. 5, 1911.
Mr. James G. Harris, Belton, S C.
"Dear sir: Your letter OF the 4tn
Just received In reply beg to state
that on my way home on Saturday
July 90, walked up to the ticket
office window at Bolton, laid down
two mileage book covers, with some
strips left, but not enough to bring
me through to Columbia. l did MOI
know at what time either train ar
rived at Belton, but was OF the opin'
ion that I made close connection
When I presented the milegae DOCKS
T asked the young lady for ticker
to Columbia. She replied, I have no
time to wait on you now salo
We'll. want to go to Columbia anc
want ticket She said, ! nave
not got time to compute this ml!
cage and make the calculation.
smiled and said, Very we'll. l WI
toll YOU who am and you will please
remember. I am Cole L. Blease. \.
did not say governor Of South caro-
lima or mention the fact that | wa:
governor. told her who was be
cause it was my intention to get OF
the train without ticket presen
the mileage and state why ol'
not have a ticket, and if the conouc
tor declined to accept the mllease
was going to sue the railroad 10,
damages. and wanted the young Ia
6v as 2 witness, to remember that
had applied to her for ticket, pre-
senting the mileage and that sn
had refused it. When I told ne
who I was, said. 4 will report I'M
matter to your superintendent. Sn
then took my mileage, quickly mao
the calculations, told me that ther