The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-01-17
MAKES RLPL.Y
Representative Hi!!is Dslssds EinseH
Against tie Altscs af
GOVERNOR C.L. BIEASE

He Says That the Governor is OF
Good Terms With Big Railroad Of
hcials, and That is How he Got
Contradictions to Certain Aida
yits From Railroad Employees.
Rising to question CT personal
privilege just before the adjournment
O. the moraing session Of the house
Thursday J. Archie Willis, tAe youth
full representative from Lau-ens
county, delivered a dignifed address
Il defense Of his reputation as for
ner proprietor and editor ct the Bel
ten Times, which the governor OF
South Carolina attacked in his spec
ia veto message to the house On
the libel act Wednes day.
Here Is what Governor Blease said
IL his message about Mr.. Willis and
tie Belton incident:
''Also the story that the governor
o, the state had insulted 8 young
lady at Belton. when the girl her
self came out IN an open letter and
stated that she had not been insult
sd, the newspapers which had pub
lsshed the dirty Infamous lie were
furnished with copies OF the letter
from the young LADY DENYING the
lie, but refused 10 publish It, and
the liar who originated the lie him
self was too dirty and contemplate
to correct the malicious lie t2at his
pen had given circulation to-"
Here is Mr.. Willis reply to the
charge Of Governor Blease:
ttMr. Speaker: rise to question
ct personal privilege, and despite the
fact that I hold in my hand letter
from the Black Hand Of South Caro-
lima as the writer OF writers are
pleased to term themselves, warning
me- that if I again pay my respects to
the governor Of South Carolina, /
shall be killed in short order, wanc
to take this opportunity OF defending
ryself against the uncallec for at
tack of his excelleacy in q special
riessage yesterday, when he took
occasion to call NE liar, to which
was added certain adiectlves pecul-
iarly all the governors own.
"South Carolina is calling today
for some one to speak out in defense
CT her fair name, and protest against
the unparalleled degradation that IS
being heaped upon her by the man
who occupies the chief executives
Office. and, cost me what it may,
am here to answer that call. And
thank God that it is to you that am
to have the privilege OF appealing.
aBefore I go further, however, I
want to settle the matter Of the
ticket incident at Eelton. The gov
ernor has made the charge 10 you
that I lied when I published the &C
count Of his alleged incivility to the
young lady ticket ssent, and ne has
produced a letter signed by her.
which, on the face OF it, seems to
substantiate his claim. When once
YOU understand how he secured the
letter, though, you will understand
2 little better the cowardly, under
hand methods to which the governor
will resort, when occasion demands.
Governor Blease, for reasons OF
which you are doubtless aware, IS
the pet of certain officials Of the
Southern railway; at banquet N
Newberry on December 20, 1910,
the governor made the statement
that because Of Supt. Henry a. WI
liams' friendship sor him, the South
err road would have warm friends
ii the governors Office for the next
two years. Not content with MS
assurances of friendship, however,
after he had assumed his duties as
governor, B. L. Abney, the South
ems division counsel for South Car
DINA, took up his residence at the
governors mansion
care you then surprised that
when the governor, in an unguard-
ed moment, forgot his alleged usual
courteous manner and treated lady
ticket seller discourteously. that
when the public was acquainted Of
the fact, which was substantiated by
affidavit from the young lady, and by
one from one of the best known cit
liens OF upper South Carolina, man
who was disinterested onlooker,
that the Southern road should feel
it its duty to take care of its own.
.Henry A. Williams, Blease's
warm friend, and division superin-
tendent Of the s1uthern railway.
1o-ced the young lady ticket seller to
v,ite the letter which the governor
sent out yesterday, and when asked
why she had written the letter, with
tears in her eyes, she cried, on,
had to do it. The account published
was true, but I had to write the let
ter Then the affcayit that W. +.
Harper. Of Belton, is represented as
having given voluntarily, was maze
out and signed in the Southern rail
ways Office here in Columbia, and
was taken by J. P. Darby, a notary
rublic, who works as chief clerk for
the roa6master OF Henry Williams
Official staff.
"Centlemen. the governor treated
the young lady ticket seller at Bel
ton exactly as he was represented
with having done, and [ submit TO
YOU. in the form Of sworn af!daT:ts,
proof Of same:
".To whom, it may concern: This
is to certify that the account OF Gov
e1nor .Blease's conduct IN the South
ern railway station at belton Sa1ur-