The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-07-12
FIELDER SPEAKS
BE Says Criminals Rule South Carolina,
Referring to Blease.
READS A few LETTERS

2a0G4UN "A AES 49, 4&S4eO
The Atlanta Attorney Gives Some In-
terestng Dope at Dublin, Ca, on
Last Tuesday.-Ln the Letter He
Read Citizens Of this State Roast
ed Governor Blease
A dispatch from Dublin, Ca, says
the barbecue. and good roads rally
held there on the Fourth, was big
success. A large crowd was present,
and all throughly enjoyed the address
of Hon. Thor.as B. Fielder, Of At,
lanta, former -Dublinite.
Mr.. Fielder was greeted enthusias-
tically by the large crowd. Quite
number fran distance came in ar-
tomobiles to be present at the barbe-
cue, Macon sending a good delega-5;
ton The barbecue was held under.
the auspices Of the Dublin chamber
of commerce, and was the first pub
lie function by that body. -
am unable to restrain "a natural
jtn-.-lse to refer to an episode II my
life OF. recent occurrence, which has
brought me into unpleasant notoriety.
If in doing so trench upon the pro-;
prieties of the occasion, I plead in !ex-
cuse and extenuation the fact that
crave above all things the continued
confidence and friendship of the peo-:.
pie Of Laurens county. It is not my !;
purpose to tax audiences with the full
details of; this episode; butt mere
Ily desire to briefly advert TO It that
you may understand that I shall y
! the end receive from you the welcome
plaudit, well done, thou good and
faithful servant s:.5.s;; s.
About fou-- years ago I was em-:
ployed by the state of South Carroll
|in4 to assist her splendid attorney
general in the Herculean task of
cleaning out her Augean stables Of
their fifth and corruption, I feel that
can in modesty say that the task
was not only honorably and credia-s
fbly performed, but the services met
with the approval OF the best people
Of that state, resulting in the restitu-5
ton to, the treasury Of that graft
soaked and graft ridden people APP
proximate1y, half million dollars, and
| in the Indictment by the grand juries
of the several counties thereof of
more than a score Of thieves and:
plunderers. - -;
in the last gubernatorial election
he criminal element Of that state sue
ceeded in electing one OF their num-
Der to, the g>vernorship. am In:
possession of evidence, written and
oral, which in my judgment, would
not only justify, but demand his im-&
peachment. II / could read in this
presence the hundreds Of letters from !,
the geod but graft-ridden people OF
that once glorious commonwealth IN
which their greatest acknowledge
ments are rendered and their prayer
full God-speeds are wished me in the
great work at hand in Kidding them
of this moral and political leper, his
confederates and allies, am sure
would receive from this audience
shouts of approval as would make the
welkin ring I will detain you long
enough to read you extracts from but
few Of these letters:
Colonel Fielder then read the fol-
lowing extracts from letters:
'The ofense which you have COM.
mitted, which is grevious to the sight
of our present governor, is the great
success you have attained in expos
ing him and his friends In crime.
"sHave you read with interest the
proceedings in the controversy be-
tween yourself and, our Eagabond
governors II want to say
with Hub Evans, Blease and Fred
Dominick right in Newberry, and IN
control Of things there they could
convict most anybody they wanted to
by picking a jury and the p1under
bund of South Carolina, knowing that
you are the man will go to any extent
in perjury and forgery to convict
GU, and Blease is making every EFFORT
to discredit you in this state and thus
attempt to weaken the evidence you
produce against him by declaring
upon the ignorant rabble that he had
YOU prosecuted for attempted bribery
Governor Blease's requis1-
ton is heartily approved by every
decent law-abiding citizen OF South
Carolina.
Permit me to say that while I do
not approve of all you have said and
done in this matter, yet it is 1Rpos-
sible to escape the conviction that you
now bold in your hands very largely
the State of South Carolina for the
next sew years at least. 1t Is to be
presumed that you fully appreciate
the gravity OF the responsibility,
which by reason Of circumstances
rests upon you at this time. There
may not be with yc'' ths motive to
act that would move citizen Of this
state, but many are hoping that you
will justify the confidence placed IN
you by cur people.
"In conclusion permit me to say
that if the reprobate who occupies
the governors chair can be induced
to accept your challenge (Which the
good people Of South Carolina feel
sure you will never be able to doo,
to sue you for libel, 1t will give me
pleasure to furnish you a list OF 500
of the most prominent citizens resld-
ing in every portion Of South Caro-
lima who will cheerfully swear that
they know the general character OF
4; ot,, r. Ia had and