The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1911-08-17
Blease Against in LimeIight.

Following is an account of what
is said to have been discourteous
treatment toward a young lady tickeS
Aagent at Bolton by Governor Cole l..
Blease and the governor explanation
of it, in which he alludes to the editor
of that paper as a dirty scurrilous,
little editor" Archie Willis, the auz
thor OF the article has written the
following letter to the governor
which explains itself.
Bolton, S. c., Aug. s, 1911
Hon Cole l.. Blease, Governor of
South Carolina, Columbia, S, G..
Dear Sir:-I have just read copy OF
your letter to James G.. Hairs pub
lished in this mornings Anderson In
telligencer, in which you accuse the
editor of the Bolton Times with hav-
ing lied in the published account of
your ungentlemarly conduct in the
railway station here. on Saturday af-
ternoon, July 18th. AS to the re-
manning contents of your letter, you
have called so, many editors of this
state "Glrty scurrilous little editors"
that it must ar pear to you the joke
has grown rather stale.
The facts in the article referred to
were published precisely as stated by
the young lady of whom you bought
your ticket, and / am enclosing you,
herewith, her sworn affidavit to the
effect that the article was true in
every respect, l am going to the fur
Their trouble to accommodate your ex-
cellency, and am enclosing o also
the sworn affidavit eff James M. Alex
ander, the well known superintendent
of the Pelzer mills, who Witnessed
the incident, that the incident hap
pened exactly a reported in the Bel
ton Times. So with this evidence in
your hands, it must appear very plain
to you that you must go further than
accusing the editor Of the Times with
having lied, if you want to prove
yourself innocent of the charge which
the young lady had lodged against
you. You must do that which no gen.
tleman having the high sense eff hon.
or 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 statement of the
gentleman who witnessed it, and who
has made sworn affidavit that the
article published in the Beltcn Times
oO bLuO oSSOuAI vi Wud hdppCh
ed, to be a lie also.
And, now, my dear sir out of re-
spect for the governorship of my
state, a member of whose general as
sembly l have the honor to be, l re-
frain from telling you what 1 know
you are, and put it up to your con-
stituency to judge as to whether or
not o r the one who has lied
about the matter.
Very Respectfully
(Signed) ]. Archie Willis.
Publisher the Bolton Times
Enclosed with the letter, Mr.. Willis
included the sworn affidavit of Miss
Rogers, the ticket agent, and also
sworn affidavit of James M. Alex
ander, the we'll known superintendent
of the Pelzer mills and who. by the
way, is a notary public himself. hav-
ing been commissioned by Governor
Blease.
Mr.. Alexander's Affidavit
TIE following affidavit was sent
the Bolton Times by Mr.. Alexander
from PelZer yesterday afternoon. and
as he was an eye witness to the in
cident, and is a man CT unspotted
reputation. one whom every man rn-
suspects. it carries with it an i'm
mense amount of weight.
A" Melton Times, Bolton, s. c.: The
controversy between Governor Cc!e
Blease and Miss Rogers. as printed
in the Bolton Times, is correct. I
was present trying to get a ticket
for the train going to G~reenville and
heard the conversation. Wculd not
have known the man if he had not
81 am Cole Blease, Governor
of South Carolina" etc.
(SiguSg1 "Jas M. Alexander"
Sworn to before me this the Stb
1av OF August. 1911. ]. H. Merritt,
Public. South Carolina"