The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-12-20
ssi sUMTER Isl c SATURDAY. DEcrMPTp o. ,o,e
THROWS OUT GRACE CHARGES
HOUSE COMMITTEE DISNISSES
ALLEGATIONS BROUGHT BY
MAYOR AGAINST WHA-
LEY,
What Other Steps, il Any, Are Left
for Charleston Executive Washing
ton Can Not See-What Post Saws,

washington, Dec. 16.-"So far as
this committee is concerned the
charges which were filed by Mayor
John p. Grace Of Charleston against
Representative Richard S. Whaley
have, by resolution of the commit
tee, been dismissed, and the house
will be asked to withdraw from it's
records the petition filed by Mr..
Grace last September"
Thus puts an end to the matter, so
far as this committee is concerned,
the vote Of the committee standing
to in favor Of this action. The
seven members who voted this way
were: Representatives Post, Steph-
ems, Crisp, Mcclellan, Elder, French
and Chandler. The two against ii
were Representatives Borchers and
Frear."
These were words used by Repre-
sentative Post, chairman Of the house
committee of elections, which for
some time past has been making @
preliminary investigation Of the
charges filed by Mr. Grace against Mr..
Whaley.
The charges were filed by Mr.. Grace
last spring. The basis was the allega-
tiOn that Mr.. Whaley, through friends
or personally, had spent 100000
to secure the Democratic nomination
1t was further alleged that Mr.. Wha-
icy had perjured himself in making
mary. Mr.. Grace asked for an inves-
tigatiOn Of the charges with a view
to declaring Mr.. Whaley's seat vacan,
in the event that he was found to have
transgressed. The committee ac-
corded Mr.. Grace a hearing that, il
he could, he might make out a case
which: would justify a full inyestiga-
Etios sc Me- Aaless sampaign apl
afiidavits We're presented by both sides
and Mr.. Grace, in addition, put up q
number Of witnesses.
Representative Posts statement, &C
far as known here now, puts ar
end to this matter for all time
unless there is some other way by
which Mr.. Grace can get the matter
up, and SO far as seen here now, there
appears to be none.
The facts in this matter have al
ready been threshed over dozens OF
times in the newspapers Of South Car
olina. Therefore, it is unnecessary
again to review what has already been
said on many occasions.
AS already forecast in this CORE
spondence, it became evident some
time ago that Mr.. Grace was going
to lose his case. This fact became
more apparent each time he came to
Washington and appeared before the
committee and each time he submit
ted new affidavits.
He was unable to produce either
witnesses or afiidavits of such weight
or Importance that they would have
the desired effect on the committee.
The first witnesses Mr.. Gracc'
brought to Washington made a very
unfavorable impression on the COM
mitee. The two he had here yester-
day, COsgrOve and Bresnahan, the
first a young lawyer in the office Of
Logan & Grace, and the latter a CHR
bage collector working under Air.
Grace's administration, made a poor
showing.
The afIidavits in the main were in
definite and many of the affidavits
as shown by Mr.. Whaley, were un-
worthy Of belief. The point, how
ever, at which Mr.. Grace apparently
broke down was in yesterdays pro-
ceedings when he testified that he
had spent $4,000 to secure his cleo
ton as mayor Of Charleston.
That seemed to convince the COM
mittee that his demand for Mr..
Whaley'S investigation should no
longer be entertained and those who
followed the case appear clearly to be
of the opinion that it had reached
the turning point.
When asked after the decision of
the committee today whether he had
any statement to make regarding the
Mr. Whaley replied that he
had none at this time.
The committee expressed no official
opinion other than as above quoted.
WARSIlIPS ARE FRAIL.