The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-02-14
EXALTED RULER BLEASE.
OFFICER OF CARO-
LIMA ANANIAS CLUB.
C-erk Means, of Sinking Fund Com
mission Calls at Executive Office
and Informs His Txcellcncy That
He ,s Supreme and Without a Peer
I'm His thcscn Line of Endcavor.

fund commission" said the governor
Of South Carolina.
Governor. whoever says or init
mates that / am connected in any way
with any rascality states that which
is absolutely and UNANIMOUSLY false -
replied ID. II. Means, clerk of the
sinking fund commission. while stand
ing in the office of the chief executive
Yesterday. The governor had just re-
fused to sign paper advertising the
sale Of the old State dispensary build
ing. Mr.. Means remained in the Of
nee FOR several minutes, waiting for
the governor to make reply to his
final statement He then went out.
The advertisement appeared with
the signatures of all members of the
commission except that Of the gov
ernor.
THE governor. when the incident
was mentioned. commenced to talk
about the members Of the sinking
fund commission being his political
enemies" Mr.. Means continued, land
l told him that was no business of
mine" This was the statement made
by Mr.. Means yesterday in describing
an incident in the office Of the gov
ernor' in response to an inquiry by a
representative Of The State.
The sinking fund commission meet
ing on Thursday afternoon elected j.
Fraser Lyon as permanent chairman
OF the commission to take the place
Of the governor. Several days ago the
sinking fund commission met and de-
cided to sell the old State dispensary
building. The matter Of preparing
an advertisement and fixing a mini
mum price on the property was left
10 subsequent meeting. The men,
bers of the commission requested
the governor to call a meeting. The
governor refused to call a meeting
before March l. Last Thursday a
minor claim was brought up and the
governor called a meeting OF the
commission to consider that claim.
All the members were present except
Senator Mauldin and Gov. Blease. Mr..
Means. the clerk. called up the gov
ernors office. He was not there. The
governor was called at the executive
mansion.
He asked me-" said Mr. Means.
lin the presence OF the commission to
say to the commission that he, the
governor. desired the sinking fund
commission to elect permanent vice
chairman, so as to relieve him from
signing or having to sign checks and
papers as chairmar Of the commits
sion. | repeated the messake back
TO the governor over the telephone in
the presence OF the mem bers of the
commission loud. enough for the COM
mission to hear. and the governor
telephoned his assent to the accuracy
OF this repeated message.
THE commission refused to obey
the suggestion of the governor. At
torney General Lyon was elected
chairman in place Of the governor"
The members of the sinking fund
commission are: w. j. Mauldin,
chairman of the finance committee of
the senate; Lowndes j Browning.
chairman Of the ways and means
committee of the house; A. w. Jones.
the comptroller general: II. H. Jen-
n'ngs. the State treasurer: j. Fraser
Lyon. attorney general, and the gov
ernor. Senator Mauldin was not
present at the meeting Thursday
when the governor was displaced as
chairman of the commission but he
signed to the advertisement.
w. Means has on file written
statement signed by himself as to
the message the governor delivered
to him over the telephone and repeat
ed TO The governor and the commits
sion. and "a written statement signed
ny the governor as to what this mes
sage was. and the two agree sub
Stantially, according to Mr.. Means.
who said that he gave the above state
ment after being questioned by news
paper men.