The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-02-02

this letter, the same year.
@. You went out Of office IN 19Oo
A. Yes, sir; but it was some time dur
ing this year, 1905.
Mr.. Dominick: Now, Mr.. Chairman
We have the testimony Of Mr.. Evans
identifying this letter, and that he was
visited by Mr.. Fielder, in NeWberry, &
short while after the receipt OF 1nls
letter, in which he urged him 10 g
on and accept the proposition. ,.
@. Did you have any other meeuns
or conversation with him? A. yes
sir. T made arrangements With MN
10 see Towill; Towill did not want tt
on to see him; I told ToWlll just tc
so to see him; and Boykin, too; they
went to the Jerome hotel to See him
We had another meeting; he bounded
the life out of me, and he got Watson
in it. In August, 1905, I did go over
to Augusta to meet him. We all went
over there to a carnival. He said
Where is John Bell 'Vowill, and where
is Boykin? I said I did not know, but
would see Towill. He said, Come uI
to the hotel just one minute. We went
up to the hotel, and Towill did, too
He tried to get Wilsor into it, also
I do not know what made me bring
those fellows into it, but am glad
that turned him down.
@. Mr.. Evans, you remember the
time that the "T. b. letter was pub
lished? A. No, sir; do not remem-
Der the exact time.
@. You remember the occasion OF
the publishing OF the letter? A. Yes,
sir.
! @. After the publishing Of that let
ter, did you have any communication
with Mr.. John Bell ToWill? A. He
called me up on the phone, and asked
me if had seen anything in The State
this morning. I said no, as I was at
the country place and he seen it be:
| fore T seen it. He said, I seen the
letter that Fielder wrote you and !
asked him where is yours. He said,
have just been looking over mine, and
they are the same. He came on up
to my trial, and had letter in his
pocket and showed me one Of them
that he had from Fielder, at. NeWbe:+y
@. What if anything, did be say
about the letter which he had or
had had, in his phone message to you
A. He just said that he was looking
over his letters, and said that it was
about the same thing that he had re-
ceiyed from Fielder.
@. That he had received similar
letter signed by ''T. B.?" A Yes, sir;
that he had received similar letter
to the one published in The State.
(Letter exhibited and marked "Ex-
hibit A.''( Said he was going to SEND
them to Governor Blease by special
delivery, and told me to meet him in
Governor Bleases Office.
@. You stated that he had a similar
letter and had sent them to Governor
Blease? A. Yes, sir; and then he told
me he did not have them. I took the
train soon in the morning and he met
me here, and went right straight to
Duncan Bellinger's office, but he was
in Charleston. When he left here he
promised me and Governor Blease
that he would go on up the street and
get those letters. A fellow named
Watson was in his office; he came
down there to the Office and they be-
gan talking about it. He said that he
had these letters, but he said that ne
had given them to Bellinger, and he
and 7 got up to 90 and get them. But
he said that Bellinger was in Cnar-
lesion. Governor Blease said, John,
where is the letter? He said, I think
Duncan Bellinger's Office has them;
being my attorney, he was going to
bring them up in my case against Eel
der. But, he said, Bellinger is IN
Charleston. Then Governor Blease
said that if he is in Charleston he
would get him. Governor Blease then
went to the phone. Mr.. ToWlll SAID,
Hold on, governor, maybe he has got
back home. Mr.. Towill said, Let me
have the phone. He took the phone,
and said the house phoned back that
Mr.. Bellinger was not at his house;
and not at his Office. Then I said,
That is all right; John; we will just
90 up there and get him.
@. Did you and Towill and Boykln'
as a body, or as individuals, or a
portion of you as individuals, ever
have any conference with Fielder, be-
sides the conference you say you had
in Newberry with Fielder, at any place?
A. Yes; Towill and Boykln, at the
Jerome hotel.
@. Were you in that conference? A.
Yes, sir.
@. It was along the same frameup?
A. Yes, sir.
@. Was there any conference ever
held out of the State? A. Not after
that; and Boykin turned him down
right then and there, in the room.
Q. Was any conference ever held oJ
any member of the board with Fielder
in Augusta? A. John Bell ToWlll and
myself we're over there. There was a
carnival there that week and we went
over to it, and Fielder was there, and
he GOT Watson to ask US to come up