The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-08-02
4 Full Statement of the
King Watson" Incident
Governor Blease Says He Was Simply Acting in the Pro-
lection OF His Hon,e and Feels Sorry For Notoriey
Given Unfortunate Men--Som AHIdaUitsg

There has been an effort for some
time to injure Governor Blease by
what Is now known as the "King-Wat-
son" incident. The Herald and News
has known Governor Blease for many
wears, and knows him to be a man OF
generous and hospitable disposition.
His lifelong record for politeness and
hospitality was evidence that when
he ordered King and Watson out Of
fhe governors mansion he had good
reason for doing so. The matter ap-
peared to be so clearly an invasion
of the rights of his home, stirred for
political reasons, that The Herald and
News did not even think it necessary
to mention it, except to call attention
to the lengths to which an opposition
press was going in its efforts to do
the governor political injury. But
the opposition to Governor Blease
seems to think it is a great campaign
argument against the governor. Just
to see what there was in it The Her
aid and News asked Governor Blease
for a full statement regarding the
matter. This is what he says:
editor The Herald and News: On
Sunday, July 14th, I was at my home,
and having been much worn by the
campaign Of the week preceding, l
was resting in my bed. Word was
brought me that a ''Mr King" wished
to call to see me. presumed he
wished to call socially for few min
utes, and willingly gave my consent
to have him come. A few minutes af-
terwards Messrs. Watson and King
came, and were brought into my room.
They were both under the influence
oe whiskey-so much so that they
were disorderly and used language
which cannot ask you to print. I did
what any other gentleman would have
done under the circumstances order
ed them out of the mansion.
''That they were drunk-and what
they said-I could substantiate by
persons in the mansion at the time
they were there But I do not propose
to have the members of my household
involved in the unpleasant newspaper
notoriety that the Columbia State is
seeking to place about me and my
friends. However, several gentlemen
who are not related to me in any way
volunteered to give me affdavits that
these men were drunk
after King and Watson left the
mansion, they fell in with Ira B. Jones
and reporter for the Columbia State.
You may imagine how glad those two
men were to get something on
Blease' even if it had to come from
the mouths of two men unfortunately
drunk
'Then the next morning the great
King and Watson story appeared in
the estate" That newspaper has not,
at any time, ever asked me for a state
ment about the matter. Now, would the
State have published such a story
about Governor Ansel Or Governor
Heyward? Of course, I could publish
these afidavits, and statement in
the STATE" by paying that paper at
the rate of ten cents per line,
cat st. Matthews, and again at
Columbia, at the campaign meetings,
I charged publicly that Ira B. Jones,
a reporter of the estate" and King
and Watson were together in front of
the State Office On Sunday afternoon,
few hours after King and Watson
had been ordered out of my home. Mr..
Jones has not denied my charge.
''T want to say that poor King and
Watson are not to be blamed in this
matter as much as the State and
Jones, for King and Watson were too
drunk to realize perhaps what they
were signing.
The Affidavits.
The afidavits are as follows:
lows:
estate of South Carolina,
"Richland County.
Personally appeared Hayward B.
Smith, who being duly sworn, says,