The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-06-10
Make Him Prove Them.


a liquor house for services rendered,
by publishing the following letters;
which he says was written by Blease.
The first letter reads:
Dear Sir: I am greatly sur
prised that you failed to call upon
me during your recent Tisit to Co.
lumbia and arrange the matter as
promised. Spoke to Hub about it
and he referred me to you. Have
performed all services as agreed,
both as to matters pending here
and as to the last purct ases by the
board. Let me hear from you at
once. Read and destroy. Yours
very truly. "Cole."
And here is the second one:
Dear Sir: Since writing you
on the 26th. ultimo, saw Hub.
He handed me the five hundred.
Hereafter either deal directly with
me. or through J. F. Confidenti-
ally, cannot rely on Hub in money
matters. Hope to see you soon
and report happenings. Very tru-
" yours. "Cole."
These letters put the charges made
by Fielder in such shape that Blease
cannot we'll afford to neglect them.
They are either genuine or false. If
they are false that fact can be estab-
lished in the courts Of Georgia as
readily as in the courts 20 South Car
oIina. The proving Of these letters
false and Fielder forger would put
that gentleman out Of business.
Therefore, if these letters are false,
Blease will lose no time in bringing
Fielder to justice. But if they are
true, Blease will let them severely
alone.
Fielder adds insult to injury by
challenging Blease to go l n the
Courts. Fielder says "in order to
afford you grounds for this suit, I
charge that you, both in official life
and as a private citizen, have been
a bribe-giver and bribe-taker, less
Of the former than OF the latter
that during your iincumbency as a
state senator from the county OF
Newberry you were on the pay rolls
Of at least a half dozen liq'l9r dealers
doing bushes with the late defunct
dispensary (and that you received
from one alone the sum of $4,000,
and from the others sums aggregat-
Ing many thousands Of dollars).'
The above is pretty rough, but
Fielder rubs it in by saying II specif-
cally charge that these moneys were
paid by them and accepted by you
with the distinct understanding that
1t should be for compensation for
your service in protecting their in
terests from hostile legislation and
fol ccrruptly influencing the States
agent in the purchase Of supplies
for the State dispensary. ] use your
own language: From the mountain
of evidence in my possession sub
nit for your consideration a few
grains of, sand In doing sc omit
the name of the addressee."
Fielder igoes on to say "I charge
further that your election to the
Office of governor of the State or
South Carolina was compassed by
methods and means contrived by you,
your law partner, Fred Domi-
uick-now a member your wind
Observation-Disclosures henchmen
and allies, whose master hands are
dexterously skilled in the art Of cor
ruption and debauchery as the result
of many years practice in this art.
The specific means to which I refer
being the raising of Il gigantic cor
ruption fund, which was used under
your direction to debauchiJa large
portion of the electorate Of the State
Of South Carolina.
Fielder then says he serves notice
on Blease that he has full roster OF
the names of the solicitors OF this
fund and a partial list of the contrib
utors, and winds up by saying mot
withstanding the fact that this fund
was disbursed under your direction
and your supervision, you signed an
affidavit prescribed by the statute of
your state in which you declared that
the disbursements made by you in
your candidacy for &C ,rnor were in
finitestimally small" Here again the
Governor is challenged to the courts
by Fielder, who says he Is ready to
prove his charges by the documents
he holds in his possession.
The Columbia Record, which holds
that the most serious charge brought
by Fielder against Governor Blease Is
the use of money in the 1910 election
saying that if the charge be true,
Blease is guilty of several criminal
offences including perjury, thinks
that the Governor and Mr.. Fred
Dominick, who is included in Eel
der's charge as to this matter. can
not afford to rest under that accusa-
ton. The Record thinks that a full
and free investigation will no doubt
be insisted upon by the Governor
and his friends. VIII. it says, "are
presumably ready to make a com
plete showing as to the source and
disbursements of the Governors cam
paign fund"
This is the only thing that Blease
can do to save himself. Abuse of Eel
der amounts to nothing. Fielder may
be a great deal blacNer than Blease