The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-02-19

ID. ID. IL. JOHNSON MAKES FINAL
STATEMENT.
President of Winthrop Denies DIR. s.
{. Mitchell Was Singled out for
Attack.

tive committee in charge Of the in
VeStigation of the distribution Of the
Peabody fund held it's final session
yesterday, and as soon as the steno-
graphic notes are transcribed the re-
port will be submitted to the general
assembly,: Yesterday DR.. Johnson
submitted a statement to refute the
charges made by DIR. Mitchell that
he had been singled out for attack in
the whole matter. Dr. Mitchell made
brief reply to this, and d. w. Nc
Laurin stated that he was responsible
for the information given the gov
ernor.
DR.. Johnson, when the committee
was called to order made the follow
ing statement:
"Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Committee:
Il have been very patient under
great provOcation: l have tried to
Keep the peace under trying and un-
fortunate circumstances.
This room has been crowded main
ly with DR.. Mitchell's students and as
sociates. My girls and my associates
are in Rock Hill and 1 am standing
here alone, forced into the false posi-
ton of prosecuting witness, to answer
the summons of this committee as the
result Of a reference to DR.. Mitchell
by the governor of the State in his
inaugural
For that reason l am assailed by
me siniste. designs and motives that
never entertained. 1 have a wife
and children in Rock Hill to whom
my good name is as dear as his repu-
tation is to his fami do not believe
I have lived and !abored in this State
for 33 years in vain and that Presi-
dent Mitchelrs words can outweigh
the service to the state of these 33
years. 1 have not made any personal
attack upon President Mitchell here
or anywhere else, nor do l expect to.
take it for granted that this commit
tee desires to conduct this investiga-
tion in a dignifed way, and without
personalities, insinuations or in
nuendoes-to get at the facts and not
to stir up bad blood between the
friends Of the university and Win
throp, and l have so governed myself
and have refrained from all person
alities.
Now, gentlemen, with your indul-
gence I feel that 1 must take notice
OF several PERSONA references to my
self made by President Mitchell in
his Statement before this committee
yesterday.
The university asked for anything
that was left, but even to this DR..
Johnson objected
II asked for the adoption of the
pending resolution in favor of Win
throp in accordance with resolutions
Of the board Of trustees of Winthrop
college already submitted to this COM
mittee. l did not put the resolutions
in the minutes Of the Peabody board.
afterwards agreed for Winthrop to
stand aside for the university and am
abiding by that agreement
For the first time an effort has
been made to blacken my name and
that effort has been traced directly to
DR.. ID. b. Johnson
Il wish to say Mr. Chairman, with
all the emphasis at my command, that
have not made any such effort, and
have never thought of making any
such effort. l have had no desire
whatever Of doing DR.. Mitchell or the
university any harm. DR.. Mitchell
makes his charges against me because
Of the reference to him by Gov Blease
in his inaugural, and that, too, in face
OF the facts established here before
this committee.
Il resent his use Of the word trace
do not wish to shirk responsibility
for anything l have said cr done. l
do not wish to hide or conceal any
thing. 1 have not done anything to
hide or conceal.
There is plenty of conclusive evi-
dence, written and oral, submitted to
this committee in DIR. Mitchelrs sight
and hearing showing that did not in
stigatc the attack upon him by the
governor in his inaugural
Mr.. d. w. McLaurin's sworn tes-
timony, Gov. Bleasc's original letter,
written in 1911, when he first got his
information from Mr.. McLaurin. The
oral testimony OF Gov Blease at the
beginning of this investigation. The
written statement of the three men
who heard what was said in the gov