The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1913-03-28
TROUBLE IS NOW
BREWING. IN UNION
Alleged Threat of Gov.
Blease to Remove Sheriff
Fant From Office for Fail
ure to Enforce Liquor
Laws-SituatiOn Result
of Detectives Activity.
Statements of Gov. Blease
and Mayor Duncan.

Columbia, March 26.-A sharp
clash between the city and county Of
ficials of Union on one side, and Gov.
Blease on the other appears immi-
nent. AS result, the people of Un-
ion city and county are very much
wrought up, momentarily expecting
the smouldering flames to break out
in some new quarter in the triangular
fight now being staged.
Following the appearance of Rep
resentative Fortner, of Union, a
Blease member of the Legislature, in
Union, with commission from Gov
Blease as state detective in his
pocket and the big row, it is said, he
kicked up by attempting to raid an
alleged blind tiger, the mayor of Un-
ion and several of the prominent
people caustically condemned the
Governor for giving Representative
commission as detective, and the
people of Union, at least many of
them, resented the incident bitterly
and charged a political plot.
Tuesday Sheriff FAINT, of Union, re-
ceived letter from the Governor
charging the sheriff with being dere-
list in his duty in enforcing the laws,
and strongly intimating that unless
he performed his duty he may be
removed from office. In his letter to
Sheriff FAINT the Governor said:
at has been reliably reported
to me that one Will Estes is running
an open blind tiger" in the town of
Union, which is nuisance to the
community; and, that ]. w. Wolling,
"a negro; sJsP p. FAINT, Miller Fsntsana
Dick English are engaged in viola
tions of the dispensary law
"It is further reported that the
Mayor and the police force in the city
of Union are not making any efforts
to enforce the dispensary law in the
town of Union-in fact, it is reported
to me that members of the police
force kept special vigilance over one
of my detectives, sent there, in order
to keep him from accomplishing any
thing.
"Many complaints are coming to
this office about the open, and fla
grant violations of the dispensary law
in the town of Union, as we'll as in
the county Of Union.
Il again write and beg of you to
get busy and endeavor to stop these
violations of the law.
81 am writing to other sheriffs
along the same line, begging them to
get busy, and l sincerely hope that all
of the officers of the State will re-
member the oath that they have TAX
en- and do something to help me in
the enforcement of the law. I cannot
do it by myself; I can only urge it
upon you whose duty it is"
Concerning a rumor that the Gov
ernor had threatened to remove Sher-
iff FAINT from Office and appoint for
mer Sheriff Long the sheriff is quoted
as having nothing to say, while Mr..
Long is quoted as saying he would ac-
cept. Mr.. Fant defeated Mr.. Long
for sheriff of Union county last sum-
mer.
Mayor Duncan is quoted as follows
81 never give any attention to COM
munications of an anonymous charac-
ter. Let Gov. Blease give name of his
informant, giving him information,
so-called,regarding action of Mayor
and police force; and it will be shown
that his informant is nothing more
nor less than a common everyday
liar"
Union is thriving little city OF
some 5000 inhabitants in the Pied
mont section of South Carolina, and
the people are nightly stirred over
the threatened clash between the
Governor and the local officials.
1t is said that Will Estes is the
owner of place which Fortner, while
in Union with detectives commits.
sion, said he would raid or he would
have the Governor to place Union un.
der martial law.
When asked this morning about
the matter Governor Blease said he
had not threatened to remove Sheriff
F'ant; that all such rumors were
popycock. He said that complaints
had come to him from as good citi
zens as were in Union county, com
planning of the "wide open" way ir
which the "blind tigers" were run.
ming, and the Governor said it was
reported to him that the mayor was