Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-07-26
ROUGH HOUSE At SALUDA.
Campaign Meeting DemoraIized by
Free Fight.

The first fight of the campaign, a
big biease crowd and a big blease
uay, ana The 1avors Judge Jones won
from an undoubtedly hostile audi
ence, were the points OF interest in
the campaign meeting here today.
Inc Blease sentiment here was
stronger than in any Blease county
heretofore visited.
The crowd which attended number
ed about 1000, the largest of the cam
paign so far.
Inc whole county seemed to be rep
resented. There were men, women
court house after the meeting.
The first fight, strange to say, was
not connected with the tension exist
ing between Jones and Blease, and
stranger still, the only person hurt,
was not one Of the contestants In the
campaign, but an outsider, friend
or b. Is. Evans, one Of the candidates
1or attorney general. The fight
brought bouncing to the stand q score
or 80 Of men and pistols and knives
and brass knucks showed promiscu-
ously. 1t looked at this juncture like
IL was to be dead men in rows" a
conclusion that has been frequently
predicted for this campaign since the
beginning.
But fierce as are South Carolina 8
contests on the stump there Is no re-
collection Of killing on such occasions.
So 1t was with the encounter here.
The only blood drawn was that on the
face Of Simon Goats, brought by a
we'll planted blow from the fist Of
George Sample, brother of Sheriff B.
F. Sample, Of this county. Mr.. Coats
| was in a condition mellow from drink
and received his Knockout blow
while shouldering his way in between
Mr.. Evans and Sheriff Sample, the
principals In an ancient feud.
Mr.. Coats, who is familiarly known
| as Uncle Sim" of Gilbert Hollow,
Lexington county, received besides the
blow In the face, a number Of other
blows and kicks, which were given
him as sort Of full measure" con-
the platform. He was led away a
bloody and perhaps wiser man.
Attorney Lyon in denouncing his
opponent Mr.. Evans, stated before
the indictment charging forgery was
given in this county against Mr..
Evans.
Mr.. Evans in a reply to this early In
the campaign, declared that Sheriff
Sample was the chief witness before
the grand jury that found the indict-
ment, and that the grand jury white
washed the sheriff in the levying Of
tax executions. Mr.. Evans declared
he would repeat this charge when he
| came here to the home Of Sheriff
Sample.
And In his speech here today Mr..
Evans was repeating the charge
against Sheriff Sample, when the
sheriff and his brother climbed over
the railing Of the platform.
Are you referring to me?" asked
the sheriff, advancing toward Mr.
| Evans
"Mr. Chairman. Mr.. Chairman" I"
said Mr.. Evans.
Sheriff Sample at this time had his
hands in his coat pocket and seeing
that Mr.. Evans was looking at him. he
took his hands from his pocket and
said: .
II have nothing in my hands"
At this jqncture the chairman, J.
| M. Forrest, w. P. Beard, editor Of the
Greenwood News-Scimitar, and seve-
raj others came between Mr.. Evans
and Sheriff Sample, thereupon, "Un-
Gle Sim," who had brought Mr.. Evans
valise upon the platform and who had
been cheering for Evans enthusiastic
cally, got into the game, by showing
his way into the group and pushing
| aside the members Of 1t.
Then was when he got his.
The sheriff's brothers and other by
standers rushed up and pistols, knives
and brass knucks flashed into view.
Through the efforts Of Mr.. Beard
and others quiet was restored and Mr..
Evans finished his speech, saying that
he had been warned Of his life IL he
came here today, and mentioned the
| Sample matter; but that he had come
and had his say, that he was not dead
and intended to leave the town alive.
Governor Blease took a new turn
| in his speech today, he referred to
several pardons and paroles granted
to persons in this county. He declar-
ed that j. w. Thurmond, campaign
manager for Judge Jones, had asked
| for clemency In several of these cases.
"I have seen a letter today" said
the governor. from Ben Tillman.
Tillman remarked that he was neu-
trail in this contest and will remain so
| unless they prove something on me.
Tillman also declared In the letter
that the slush brought in Augusta had
won thousands Of votes for me-"
The governor received a big ova-
tion at the close of his speech and was
presented with flowers.
Judge Jones was interrupted sever
al times during his speech and espe-
cially when he referred to the record
Of Governor Blease. The Interrupt
tions. however, grew less and less, as
he proceeded and his come backs at his
interrupters found favor with the au-
dience and he made good impress
sion, notwithstanding the fact that the
crowd was clearly hostile to him.
r. B. Evans declared that II Tom
Fielder had done any stealing. Fielder
was not to be blamed. but Attorney
General Lyon, who brought Fielder in.
Attorney General Lyon, In reply to
| this, and a reply to a question from
a member Of the crowd as to how
much Fielder got out Of South Caro-
lima. said he defied Mr.. Evans or any
man to prove that Fielder ever got
anything wrongfully out Of his work
here as attorney for the old dispen-
sary commission. He declared that
Mr.. Fielder had saved the state more
than 100000 and was the most adept
person yet found in running down
grafters in South Carolina
At Edsefeid.
The meeting at Edgefield yesterday
was largely attended. and the crowd
though noisy and turbulent was well
behaved. The meeting was devoid Of
sensational incidents Of any kind, and
about the only feature out Of the ordi-
nary was a crowd Of several dozen Ia
dies cheering for Judge Jones.
According to the Columbia State Mr..
Lyon and Barnard B. Evans discussed
each others demerits in less insulting
terms than usual.
]. Fraser Lyon, attorney general, was
challenged by Barnard B. Evans, to
show that more than $4,000 had been
realized from assets Of the state dis
pensary. He said that II such show
ing were made he would quit the race.
Mr.. Lyon read a certificate issued by
the state treasurer R. H. Jennings, In
dicating that various amounts paid into
the state treasury as a result Of
the dispensary liquidation aggregated
$410,455.76. Evans in a categorical de-
NAL claimed that certain deductions
which should be made from this total
would bring the sum down to his
figures, $372,000, or thereabouts. He
said the dispensary payments into the
treasury were as follows: BY w. ].
Murray, chairman, s275,O00, S0,013.75
and $17,350; by James Stackhouse,
chairman, $25.5S7.01; by Fraser Lyon.
$12.500, and IS: total, $410. .455.76. He
said that from this total should be de-
Quoted s31,976 cash on hand. More
over, he declared, the $12,500 turned in
by the attorney general was the bal