Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-07-16
THE BAMsERG MEETING.
Governor HurIs vitrioI at Fielder and
Committee.
Atlanta Journal.

Governor Hurls vitrioI at Fielder and
Committee.
Atlanta Journal.
Bamberg, 8. c., July 13.-With his
coat off. his shirt sleeves pushed back
to his elbows, and his hair falling over
his face, Gov. Cole l. Blease, made
here today perhaps the most vitriolic
speech ever heard in a state long ac-
customed to vitriolic discourses in po-
litical campaigns.
The sun blazed down upon the court
house steps where he stood and the
umbrella which was held over him
seemed to modify but little the intense
heat. He had spoken but short time,
when he took off his coat and handed II
to a bystander, and then with the per-
spiration streaming down his face, he
''cut loose" He seemed to take off all
brakes and fairly to outdo himself in
the use of white hot invectives.
The object of his flaming wrath was
the investigating committee in Angus
ia, Thomas B. Fielder, and incidental
ly, Judge Ira B. Jones. Toward his
opponent he was more personal and
bitter than any time during the cam
paign.
The members Of committee he called
gutter snipes, pimps and political
prostitutes"
Filings the Dare.
IF they will come to me- he con-
tinued, II will call them something
that any man in South Carolina will
fight"
And, by direction he invited any
member of the committee who did not
like what he said to meet him on the
streets Of Columbia and shoot 1t out
with him.
Declaring that Mr.. Fielder was a
thief, he said, II will give any man
$1,000 who will get Tom Fielder two
feet on this side Of the Savannah river
and let me be present"
OF Judge Jones he said, He's got
mixed blood in him and can't get him
to admit It,. During the war he and
his people were In the bullrushes like
Moses and we couldn't pull 'em out"
John T. Duncan is a cleverer man
than Ira B. Jones. I'll tell you why.
Like a coward with his mixed blood,
Jones came here to Bamberg and be-
hind my back, when / was not here to
arraign him, attacked me and now,
when I am here he comes apologizing
to you for social equality vote"
Another Rap at Georgia.
The governor in denouncing the
committee for meeting in Georgia. in
stead of South Carolina, spoke of
Georgia as "a state that can't raise
anything but pimps and watermelons,"
and Of Governor Brown, Of Georgia,
las a man who did not have sense
enough even to raise watermelon"
Referring to his pardon record, tes-
timoay as to which played an import
ant part in the investigation at Au-
gusta, he said they say that have
pardoned a great many people. have,
and, by the living God. I propose to
pardon more"
His Opinion of Fielder.
THAT dirty set of sneaks," said he.
have gone over to Augusta to take the
testimony of Tom Fielder, who's thief
and he knows 1t, and the attorney gen.
eral of South Carolina knows that Fell
der is the greatest CRATER that ever
came into the state. Felder's state
ments at Augusta are as false as
and the cowardly little puppy knows it
and that's why he Is afraid to come to
South Carolina.
Ready to Shoot II Out.
TT Is against the law to send chal-
lcHScS Ill SOulh pul i dly VI
that committee will come to me and
said, you won't need any duelling law
ernor."
Charles A. Smith is lieutenant gov
eTnor of the state.
'If was as black as they tried to
paint me at Augusta" he continued,
would I have the face to come here
and stand before you and shake the
hands of honest people Of this county.
The dirty skunks Of that committee are
not hurting me. They are trying to
besmirch the governor Of your state
to hurt the name Of South Carolina"
In his speech Judge Jones had said
that before the COS and before there
was law against free passes, he had
possessed one.
1T was given to me-" the judge an
swered. Il was one Of those that
Bunch McBee bamboozled." He de-
clared, however, that since the law
was enacted against free passes he had
never owned one and had voted against
repeating that law.
Referring to this, the governor said:
No man can bambooZle me but Judge
Jones says a man bambooZled him
with free pass. II I can buy him with
a free pass you can buy him with mon
ey. Ben Abney named Charles Jones,
son Of Ira Jones, as counsel for the
Southern railroad, and when the rail-
way merger case came up for trial
Charlie was there, but he did not do
anything. Abney had megaphone In
Charlie to talk to Ira B. Jones, chief
justice, IL the case should be carried
to the supreme court"
They've been dragging Ben Abney
in to this. Let me tell you about ABB
ney. He has been chief counsel Of the
Southern railway, but now he's got a
promotion, and I am satisfied that
some of his friends are trying to get
the place for Judge Jones'"
Says Judge Was Fixed.
II pardoned John Black because they
wanted to make him the scapegoat Of
the dispensary regime and fixed up
petition Judge to try him, who knew no
more about law than boar shoat does
about psalm book, and II was Ira B.
Jones who fixed up this little Judge.
II defied the supreme court and
Judge Jones got mad and ran down to
the bench and called his wife to bring
him his biggest razor and he shaved
the feathers off his legs and jumped in
to the ring"
There were some cries of "Hurrah
for Jones'"
Invectives were shouted back by the
governor.
At this juncture some one yelled:
"Hurrah for Duncan"
II have no objection" said the gov
ernor, ito you hollering for Duncan. II
I should die tonight Jones would not
be your governor, but Duncan would"
Defends Lynching.
Referring to the lynching Of three
negroes not long ago in Ola, in this
county, the governor said: you did
like men and defended your neighbor-
hood and put their black bodies under
the ground"
The crowd seemed to be pretty we'll
divided between Blease and Jones,
though the governor received the
greater volume Of applause. His ap-
plause, however, appeared to grow less
and less as he proceeded.
There were no ladies in the crowd
during his speech though there were
at least two on the hotel porch across
the street.
Judge Jones, though interrupted
with many questions, got through his
speech without any attempts on the
part Of the Blease men to howl him
down. At the close Of his speech,
which was along the usual lines, he
was given a hearty round Of applause.