The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-02-18
POSITION
COL. AULL SAYS HE WAS ACTING
THE PEACEAIAkER.
RE issues A STATEMENT

LII AJJULU II vi AE LlALNA
Regrets That His Name Has Been
Drawn Into the Investigation as
He Acted as the Friend of the In
stitution and the Persons In
voIyed.
Col. E. H. Aull of Newberry, whose
name was frequently mentioned in
the asylum investigation on Saturday
afternoon, Monday read the follow
ing statement before the asylum in
vestigating committee:
"The following appeared in the
Columbia Record on Saturday in the
testimony, as reported by that news
paper, of DR.. Babcock in the matter
of the asylum investigations:
Effort was made to find out whom
Governor Blease referred to in his
letter-whom he, Governor Blease,
said he heard making the statements
regarding the character of DR.. Saun-
ders, said DR.. Babcock, but was un-
able to find out anything.
when pressed on the point DR..
Babcock said: What Governor Blease
made reference in his letter in re-
gard to DR.. Saunders was to certain
statements a sister Of the governor
had made while the governor was at
her home.
Governor Blease interrupted DR..
Babcock before he had said more
than that it occurred at the home Of
the governors sister, with the state
ment:
"That is false"
"Dr. Babcock replied that Col. E.
H. Aull was his authority.
"The governor replied hotly that
Col. Aull told something which was
not true"
The following is the stenographic
report of DR.. Babcock's testimony, as
published in the Columbia State OF
Sunday morning on this point:
20. I am trying to be fair with
you. The governor gave you some in
formation that he heard some conVer-
sation rejecting upon lady. Now
the point I want to know is If you
asked him to disclose the pane, to
see what foundation there was for
that rumor. A. I did not ask Gov
error Biease, but learned from Col.
Aull exactly what it was. Now, do
you want to know?
20. Yes. A. Well, Governor Blease
was at his sisters home at New
berry, and he heard Mrs. Elson and
Mrs. or Miss Fulmer talking about
DR.. Saunders
"Governor Blease: That Is false.
CDR. Babcock: That Is what Col.
Aull told me. Col. Aull told me that
Governor Blease-
"The committee then decided that
it would be hearsay evidence and the
examination took another turn"
regret exceedingly that my name
should have been brought into this
Investigation in this manner. l had
for some time been trying to act as
peacemaker, at the repeated requests
of DR. Babcock, with whom had been
on terms Of intimate friendship since
the administration of Governor Nc
Sweeney, to whom I was private Sec
retary, and I tried very hard to get
the whole matter settled, because l
was trying to be a friend to all par
ties, as I was, and I believed that no
good could come TO any one-tne
governor, the asylum or DR.. Saun-
ders-or any one else-by any strife
or wrangling or disagreement. l
have realized that the role of peace
maker is a very difficult one, and
while the Good Book says blessings
shall be his shart, he more generally
gets the enmity of both sides.
What have done I have done non
estly and conscientiously, acting al
ways for what thought was for the
best interests of the institution, OF
the parties connected with it and OF
nv personal and political friends. l
have had no selfish motive. I had
no hope Of any reward. had no
personal ends to serve, and 1t was
not voluntary. ! had no desire to
meddle with anybody's business, but
what I did was largely at the request
of DR.. Babcock, and did it because l
thought that in doing so coulo
serve men whom I believed to be my
friends, and at the same time be-
lieved and hoped that what l was DO
ing was for the best interests of the
institution and of the, State.
The statement that the references
IN the letter were to statements made
bv a sister Of Governor Blease is, so
far as my information goes, not true:
I certainly have never heard any SIS
ter of Governor Blease make any
statement of any character that IN
the remotest degree referred to the
asylum or its management, or any
reference to DR.. Saunders. And l
have never told Dr.. Babcock so. Nor
have I heard any one else say that
anv sister of Governor BleaSe had
made any remark about the asylum,