The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-01-17

his correspondents-but all the time
Droclaiming his neutrality" and all
the time writing these secret letters
all over the State. On August l4th'
in a letter to gentleman at Batesburg,
he gave, from hearsay, a charge that
the Southern Railway "has been haul
ing Blease's friends to the various
counties" Of course, he said that he
did not know whether this was true or
not-but he was sowing the seeds OF
unfounded charges, which, as he sure
ly ought to know, and as the people
of South Carolina ought we'll to know
by this time, will multiply a million
fold in an infnitesimal period Of time.
This letter of course, was written 'prl-
yately." 'and, of course" said Hon
orable Senator Tillman, "you will not
use in the newspapers or otherwise.
And when he was sending forth this
charge from Washington into South
Carolina, he knew that inIthe May con-
vention every Southern Railway attor-
pey who was a member Of it was bit
ter opponent of mine, as l dlrecteo
attention to in my opening speech at
Sumter: and all the Southern Rail
road attorneys throughout the State,
with the exception Of three or four
fought me in my campaign, as the re-
cords will clearly show-and l have
been informed that all the higher Of
fcials were against me, and have also
been Informed that officials Of said
railroad contributed money to be used
in the campaign against me- This
do not charge, but stated from the
stump that I had been so informed, and
it has never been denied, and Tillman
knew it. AS to those friends it was
hauling, possibly you will later be ask
ed to investigate.
On the day of the State campaign
meeting in Greenville, August %, 1912,
notwithstanding Senator Tillman had
written the secret letters from which I
have quoted above, and many others,
to parties in different parts Of the State
received a telegram from him under
date of August 21st, saying:
"About letter to Sullivan. Wrote
letter something like you sent, but
without seeing signature cannot identi-
fy it. His letter to me was threatening,
HENCE MY TART ANSWER. HAVE
WRITTEN NO LETTERS SECRETLY.
Have written many personal and con-
adential.'' And another telegram under
letters only in reply to your friends" "
only in reply to your friends" Did he
Did he regard Sims, for instance, as my
E"friend2"
Between the time of the letters from
which I have quoted and the kilograms
quoted above, Senator Tillman had
given out in Washington an interview
to the Washington correspondent OF
the Columbia State, published ip the
Columbia State of August goth, an
nouncing that he was "hands on.
That interview appeared under the
name of p. H. MCGOWAN, and under
date of August 18th, and 1t stated
among other things: senator B. 4.
Tillman announced today that he was
s'hands off, in the South Carolina gu
bernatorial election He further an
nounced that the statement that he
gave the press, which was printed last
week, would be his last utterance on
this subject. He is still receiving
letters, he said, from friends in South
Carolina, some begging him to come out
for Blease and some asking his sup
port for Jones, but he declares that
he has had his last say on the SUB
ject and that he is now 'hands of"
This in the, face of the letters from
which have quoted, and in startling
contradiction of Tillman's subsequent
action.
But in the darkness of the night
conspirators work, and through all
this time, as is proved by later events,
one of the foulest conspiracies ever
hatched in the politics of any State
was brewing. The conspirators had
not met yet, because they were perso-
nal and political enemies of twenty
one years standing. The jealously of
me in the heart of one, however, and
the deep malice against me in the heart
of the other, at last brought them
together, over the wires, and for the
time being, and for their then pur-
To- n