The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-07-26

MI. y. N. Ming mas addressed the
following communication to The
News with reference to certain (tate-
ments of Gov. Blease:
To the Editor of The Daily News.
Please allow me space in your baper
to reply to the false statements made
by Cole L. Blease in his speech Co
lumbia last night concerning Mr.. Wat
son and myself.
The simple facts will be sufi kient
for my friends an dthe public gen
orally to understand the situate
Mr.. Olin NJ. Watson and 1 We It to
Columbia to ask for a respite 60
days for negro, Stake. Morris, eon-
demned to be electrocuted on Ju | 26,
SO that largely signed petitio for
commutation to life imprisor hent
could be presented later. We we II to
the mansion Sunday afternoon fter
dinner, after making an engage lent
by telephone with him and told 3 base
our mission. We were in his bed
room and the door shut.
He said they had the sleuths and
dictagraphs after him, and he Y build
not do anything.
We showed him the petition lined
by many citizens and the majority of
Greenville county officers. HID re-
fused to look at it. called his Aten-
tion to the fact that if anything were
done it must be done at once. Twas
so surprised at his decision that /
said: after all 1 have done for you,
if you won't grant. this little rec pest,
l am done with YOU"
Blease said, angrily: "Get oft of
my mansion" replied, as / piled
on my hat: "Damn you and your
mansion, too"
This was in ordinary conversd Jon,
and was heard by no one except bose
in the room. Mrs. Blease met Mr..
Watson and me as we went wn
stairs to the front door, and ked
to us and told us goodbye in fl nd
ly manner. She did not know hat
had happened.
Mr.. Watson was so surprised hat
he said to me, Blease certainly Ipld
not have understood us, or mus be
drunk or crazy, and after we g, to
the street went back against my Id
vice. He did not stay long ,as B Use
ordered him out in the same MAJ er.
hayea ahesnla supporter of p .
for several years, andf a perpn3
friend. I remember one incident lsev
eral years ago at Union where he
got so drunk he could not get on the
train. 1 bought ticket, put him ir
seat and told the conductor in which
pocket he would find his ticket. I,
looks like if had been drunk Sun.
day, and he the friend he claimed tc
be, he would have taken care of me
in his house as have done for him
but the difference was that l was moi
drunk Sunday, but absolutely sober.
He claims that he sticks to mis-
friends. Watson and I are both poo,
working men, and we were interested
in Stake Morris because we were sorry
for him. Perhaps if there had been
few hundred dollars in it we might
have been received cordially.
Blease said from the state house
steps last night that if Watson and
were gentlemen, "God pity the ho-
boes."
If he felt this way about me, why
did he write the following letter last
month?
columbia, S. c., June 26, 1912.
"Dear Sir-I forwarded you by ex-
press, prepaid ,on yesterday supply
of my books in regard to pardons, pa
roles ,etc.
"Please distribute them to the best
advantage possible; and should there
be any expense connected with the
distribution thereof please send me
bill and | will reimburse you for the
outlay.
"With kindest personal regards and
best wishes.
"Very respectfully,
(Signed) "Cole l.. Blease.
"Mr. James N. King,
"Greenville, S. c."
81 have no favors to ask of Blease,
but have supported him without re-
ward or hope of reward because be-
lieved that he was sincere and tue.
/ know now. that he is neither, and
"a liar besides.
When he gets ready to have fhe
turned out of the Red Men WILDE
glad to have him come up and 1y
it. / am also a Woodman and n
son, and think that my record I'll
compare with his any day he wats
to make the test.
hope l won't have to make dg
further statement to the papers. f
Blease will stick to the truth one tie
I won't have to. a