Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-03-19
GOVERNOR BLEAsE NoTrFmD.
Columbus Councli Refuses TO Refund
Fhtos Paid by Chauffeur.

Commpia, March 12.-City Coun-
Gilman R C, Keenan, to-day e n to
Governor Blease the opinion of the
city In reverence to refunding to the
Governors chauffeur the fnes paid
by him on TWO recent occasions, yes
terday and Saturday, for violation
OF the city ordinance against speed
ing. The city inforMs the Governor
that the fines will not be refunded.
The Governor had asked that they
be refunded and threatened to sue
the city il this waS%lOt done.
At the meetinE OF council last
night the city attorney presented an
opinion, substantiat@d by several
strong citations, to the effect that the
Governors pardon Of his chauffeur
was mo- institutional, In that he was
convicted Of a purely municipal Of
Tense in u municipal court. Council
accepted the opinion Of the city at
torney and the Governor was notified
OF the stand to-day. A copy Of the
opinion, with the resolution adopted,
vas sem to the Chief Executive.
Saturday the Governors chauffeur
was convicted OF speeding and was
fined $&.75. The Governor immedi-
ately pa rdoned him and demanded
that The me be refunded. That night
the Governor vas out riding on Main
street in his a and the police got
the ch7uifeur again for speeding.
This tilne the speeding caused a SEN
sation IN the city. 1t was very no.
uceab!e. The negro was again con-
Yicted tuesday morning, and this
time was fined SIS. Within an hour
the Governor had again pardoned
him. Both times the negro promptly
paid thu fines.
BleaSc Scores Columbia Council.
Columbia, March Ex-Governor
Blease sent a warn report to the
City Council in reply to their council
letter cling the Governor that the
city would not. refund the fines i'm
posed on two occasions on his chauf-
feur fcr speeding, and that the Gov
are no constitutional.
The Governor takes a slap at City
Attorney Edmunds, who rendered the
opinion that the pardons were un-
constitutional. He had said that he
viii suo the city, but in his reply to-
day he doesn't mention this.
The communication to-day was
sent 20 Acting Mayor Keenan,, and
was signed by Cole L.. Blease, not as
Governor. but as a private citizen.
The Governor said, in part:
al the end of the year 1919 we
win see which paid the dearest, the
city of Columbia, when it fined Har-
rison Nicely son Saturday morning,
unfairly and unjustly. or Harrison
Nicely, when he paid the 1915. If
you find that you lost in dollars and
cents by the transaction l presume
you viii not complain. If Harrison
Nicely finds he has lost, | will guar
antee you he will not complain. He
who laughs last laughs best
"As to the opinion of the attorney
you enclose, / presume he learned at
the State campaign meeting in Co
lumbia last summer, when / pushed
him out of the way on the stage and
took charge of his meeting, that l
neither received political or other
instructions from him.
"As to the last sentence in your
letter, We will be glad to give you
a hearing at any time p o any griev-
awe you may have you have not
been asked for I'M hearing, and when
you are / presume it will be time
enough for you to grant it. When I
DO ask it / am sure you will grant It,"