The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-08-03

conciuslNely on all questions concern
Ing Charleston and what you say goes.
And as TO appointments. no one can
be appointed unless you say yes.
said: That is all right, bu | do NOT
deserve quite that much He said:
Yes, you do
In the presence of others he re.
peated the same thing. He put me on
the staff. l got notice to come up to
Columbia. / told him i appreciated
it. l was measured and the uniform
was shipped and stands in the orig
mai express package in my Office dust
coated. l think a recital IF the above
will show what l thought of his staff
appointment.
'As to his statement that I have
ever been in the mansion but one time
that also is lie and he knows it.
! do not myself know exactly how
many times / was there, but several
times at any rate, and particularly
when he begged me to come to the
governors reception which l did.
The incident of the game rooster
l remember we'll. He says | came to
get fine game cock which he gave
me and also to request him to ap-
point my brother to n position in case
war came on with Meico.
I'm the first place l never knew he
had game cock until 1 got on one
occasion to the mansion. 1t NAV have
been the time when did go with my
brother who Is graduate of West
Point, and who has ever since been
lieutenant and is now a first lieu
tenant in the army stationed in the
philippines. 1t was perfectly nat
ural request for me to make of one
under such deep obligations to me
and for one to whom 1 am most ten
derly attached, but it was not to get
position in the army
OF my own belief that Blease would
give any preference to him when it
was the easiest thing in the world for
Blease to do it, I asked Blease if he
would not designate him under some
act which permitted him to designate
to the federal government the officers
In charge of the South Carolina regi-
ments.
IF it was on this occasion. and 1 am
almost sure that it was not, but upon
whatever occasion it was. I recall
that when / was about to go Blease
asked me If I liked game chickens. l
told him that / did very much. He
said: We'll l have a game cock that
was sent to me few days ago by
man who said that he was sending
the best cock in South Carolina and I
don't want it and I will give. it to
YOU
Il took it and have it yet. But in
connection with this visit, if it was the
visit when my brother was there with
me distinctly remember this Incl
demand, Il seems 70 ne i, throws
a flood Of light on whether or not ne
trusted me.
About this time there was great
deai Le.ns said ,..out ,ne ulspensary
and Blease's corrupt connection with
it-particularly the charge made by
Fielder.
He said To me: L have something
in my pocket that / want to show YOU.
and want to get your judgment
upon it. He went down in his coat
pocket and pulled out a letter and
handing 1T to me. said. Read that 1t
was none other than the now famous
letter signed #. b. alleged t. have
been written by Fielder to Hub Evans
in which it was proposed that Hub
Evans and Fielder organize some gil
gantic scherne in connection with the
old State dispensary.
"As l read this letter / recalled a
scene at Wright's hotel the night be-
fore his inauguration. 1t was the first
real insight | had ever had into Blease
and the atmosphere in which he
moved. and | think i can say that
without exception it is about the mast
lest recollection of my life.
1T was grand carouse and | re-
member that Hub Evans said to me:
John, l am going to call on vo;. some
day. BECAUSE he said You're iust the
man want. He then went at Length.
into his approval Of the way IN which
IL mad won The Mordecia-O'Ne will
case, which was at that time stirring
through the newspapers
lie said; 1 am going TO want YOU
To take charge Of all this dispensary
mess. and in that connection lust