The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-09-13
UReE SPEED IN PROBING FRAUDS
3sBlease Members" of Committee Join
in Protest-Think Committee
Should Act as a Whole.

Columbia, Sept. 1.-THE Blease
members of the subcommittee of sew
en- appointed to probe the charges of
alleged fraud in the primary met here
today, stating that they had not been
officially notified that the meeting
had been called off. Late this after
noon they gave ont a copy of the let
ter they addressed to the four Jones
members of the committee. The let
ter follows:
columbia, S. c., Sept. II, 1912.
"To W. F. Stevenson, Chairman
Cheraw. S. c.: T. B. Butler, Gaffney,
S. c.; ]. B. Park, Greenwood, S. c.;
W. 3. Wilson, Jr., Rock Hill, S. c.
Gentlemen: We take this method OF
protesting against the action of three
of YOU taken at an unofficial meeting
Of the subcommittee of the State exc
ou4ive committee, with neither of the
UNDERSIGNED notified of your lnten-
tions. By your action you set aside the
official meeting of the subcommittee
SET for Columbia for this date by a
vote of five of the members, and
without authorization officially by the
committee, which is unorganized, you
have divided the State into two dis
tricts. AS a result of the vote OF i've
members of the committee and with
out notification of your action, the un-
dersigned presented themselves here
for the meeting scheduled for TODAY.
By what authority did you nullify this
meeting?
att appeared to us from the Man
ming resolution that the entire COM
mittee should investigate the recent
primary, not two men appointed Dy
the chairman as chairmen of sub
committees. Now, the undersigned
have entered this investigation with
the intent of fair play 70 both sides,
of hewing close to the mark, and or
letting the chips fall where they may.
Although we are TENED the 6iease
men ON the subcommittee, We know
no men in this investigation, and ac-
cordingly we are present today to be-
gin work without any further delays.
Why should you delay this work lon
ger, waiting for the poll lists, when
the general election is only seven
weeks off? The people are looking to
us as a whole (not to your division
chairmen) to clear the name of the
State of election frauds.
N"Now, we propose as follows: That
the entire subcommittee meet at Co
lumbia Monday next, organize and lay
plans for the hasty completion of the
work. Then the subcommittee could
hold sessions in those counties where
the most serious cases of fraud are
alleged, namely, Spartanburg and An
derson, and such other counties where
it may be necessary. By the time that
this is completed we will have in our
possession the club rolls and poll lists
of all counties of the State, and addi-
tional meetings of the subcommittee
can he held in those counties where,
after an inspection of the rolls, the
committee may deem it necessary By
this method the entire matter can be
sifted to the bottom in three weeks. To
wait on the club rolls. etc., before be-
ginning this work will delay our re-
port indefinitely. But justice, not de-
lay, is demanded
Therefore, in behalf of the fair
name of the State, we call upon you to
meet us in Columbia next Monday at
noon and begin this important work
without any further delay. Kin
telegraph each of US at our home ad-
dresses at our ex nse whether you
will meet us. Very respectfully yours,
"R. NJ. Jefferies, J. D. Bivens, J. NJ.
Grier."