The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-27
BACK AT BLEASE.
Grcenville Man Denies Statcmcn..
Made by Governor from state House
Steps and Gives His Version of
Conversation at the Governors
Mansion.

MIR. watson and myself
The simple facts will be sufficient
for my friends and the public gem
orally to understand the situation.
Olin NJ. Watson and / went TO Co.
lumbia to ask for a respite of 60 days
for negro. Stake Morris, condemned
to be electrocuted July 26, so thar d
largely signed petition for commuta-
tion To life Imprisonment could be
presented later. We went 10 the
mansion sunday afternoon after din
ner after making an engagement by
telephone with him and told Blease
our mission. We were in the bed
room and the door shut.
He said they had the sleuth and
dictagraphs after him and he would
not do anything.
We showed him the petition signed
by many citizens and the majority of
Greenville county officers. He refused
to look at it. / called his attention
TO the fact that if anything We're done
IL must be at once. l was so sur
prised at his decision that said, "Af-
ter all / have done for you If you
won't grant this little request am
done with you
| Blease said angrily. Get out Of my
mansion" l replied as / pulled on
my hat. Damn you and your man.
sion, too
This was in ordinary conversation
and was heard by no one except those
In the room. Mrs. Blease met Mr..
Watson and me as We went down
stairs 10 the front door and talked TO
us and told us goodbye in q friendly
manner. She did not know what had
happened.
Mr.. Watson was So surprised that
he said To me that Blease certainly
could not have understood US or must
he drunk or crazy. and after we got
to the street, he went back against my
advice. He did not stay long as
Blease ordered him out in the same
manner.
have been supporter Of Blease
Tor several years and personal
friend. i remember one incident sew
eral years ago at Union. where he
got so drunk he could not get on the
train. l bought a ticket, put him in
seat and told the conductor in which
pocket he would find his, ticket 1t
looks like IL i had been drunk Sun
day and he the friend he claimed to
be, he would have taken care Of me
in his house as have done for him.
but the difference was that l was not
drunk sunday. but absolutely sober
He claims he sticks 10 his friends.
Watson and l are both poor working
men and We were interested in Stake
Morris because We were sorry for him.
Perhaps IL there had been few hun
dred dollars in it We might have been
received more cordially.
Blease said from the State house
steps last night that if Watson and
were gentlemen God pity the
hoboes."
III he felt this way about me why
did he write the following letter last
month;
Columbia. >. c.. June 26, 1912.
Dear Sir: l forwarded you by ex-
press, prepaid, on yesterday a supply
of my book in regard to pardons.
paroles. etc.
! Please distribute them to the best
advantage possible; and. should there
be any expense connected with the
distribution thereof. please send me
Itil. and will reimburse you for the
outlay.
With kindost personal regards and
best wishes,
| Very respectfully.
| ,Signed) Cole L. Blease."
Mr.. James y. King.
Greenville. ). c."
have no favors To ask of Blease
nut nave supported him without re-
ward or hope of reward because | be-
lieved that he was sincere and true.
know now that he is neither. and a
liar besides.
when he gets ready To have me
turned out Of the Red Men | will be
glad To have him come up and try IT.
ann also a Woodman and "a Mason
ana think that my record will com
pare with his any day he wants to
make the test.
| nope l wort have to make any
further statement I, IN. ,.,,., n,