The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-11-13
GOVERNORS REPLY
TO GILREATH
Governor Tells His Part In Green,ilIe
Arrests-Declares He Advised Rec
tor to Lay Vaughn's Story of Es-
cape from Jail Before Solicitor and
Act Under Laftnr,s Inafrncfinns

tor to Lay Vaughn's Story of Es-
cape from Jail Before Solicitor and
Act Under Latter's Instructions.
Columbia, Nov. 6-Gov. Blease to-
day gave out copy of a letter ne
wrote to Mr.. ]. d. Gilreath, of Green
Vile, answering specifically the lat
ter's question whether the governor
ordered mis- arrest The governor says
in his letter that after Mr. Rector
talked over the Vaughn escape charg-
es with him he told him to consult
Solicitor Bonham, and if the latter so
The governor also relates the charges
against Mr.. Gilreath which had been
reported to him. The letter in full
follows
November 6, 1912
'Mr. j. d. Gilreath, Greenville, S. C.
Dear Sir: On November /, 1912, re-
ceiyed the following telegram from
you.
"Greenville, S. c.. November /, 1912.
Governor Blease, Columbia, s. c.;
Did you order my arrest. Kindly
wire at my expense.
"(Signed) ]. d. Gilreath."
To which | replied as follows:
Columbia, S. c., November 1, 1912.
"J. ID. Gilreath, Greenville, S. c.:
Your wire. Primary obligations, in
my opinion, bind all parties The vio-
lation OF the oath in one instance re-
leves all others therefrom. If my wire
is to be used against Democratic
nominee, | shall remain silent.
"(Signed.) Cole L. Blease."
AT that time | was reliably informed
that Mr.. Rector was the Democratic
nominee for sheriq of Greenville coun-
ty, and that one, Virden, was a can
didate on the independent ticket. My
first duty, as democrat, was to the
nominee Of the democratic party, and
to use every effort to secure his cleo
ton, and most assuredly to do nothing
which would cause his defeat; hence,
my reply to you at that time.
| Since the majority Of the people Of
Greenville County have stood to their
colors and shown to the world that
they are not perjurers. but that they,
like true men, have abided by the
oath which they took when they swore
to support the nominees of the demo-
cratic party, | now take pleasure in
answering the question in your. tele-
gram specifically.
= Mr.. Hendrix Rector called me over
the long distance telephone and stated
that Vaughn had made a confession,
In which he had said that Ex-Sherif
Gilreath Jailer Phillips and another
person, whose name l now do not re-
member, were the ones who had re-
leased him from the county Jail; and
that he (Recto) had other testimony,
which went to show the truthfulness
OF Vaughn's statement. / advised MIR.
Rector to go to Solicitor Bonham and
lay the facts before him, and If he
the solicitor) thought them sufficient,
to Immediately issue warrants for the
arrest Of all Of the parties. The next
information | received over the phone
was from gentleman whose name ]
understood to be Morris; ne stated
that Rector had had warrants sworn
out for these three parties and that he
had gone into the country to arrest
one OF them and that as soon as he re-
turned he was going to arrest Gil
reath, and requested, on behalf Of Rec
tor, not to allow any person or per-
sons to have any communication what
ever with Vaughn, as they felt some
Of the parties or their friends would
come and induce Vaughn to change
his statement The next information
i received was from MIR. Rector, who
stated that he had arrested the three
parties and that they were In the coun-
ty jail
Mr.. Jock Power then took the phone
and stated to me that Rector had sue
ceeded In arrestlng the parties, and
there was a great deal Of feel
me, and jokingly remarked that If
they put Rector in jail that | must
stick to him. / replied to him that /
would. This Is. In substance, the en-
tire conversations had over the phone,
and L did not direct the arrest of any
OF these parties, but advised Mr.. Rec
tor TO consult, with the solicitor and II
he thought the testimony sufficient. to
make the arrest; and when was