The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-02-13
STATEMENT BY MR.. f. IL. AULL
Dir. Aull Makes Statement Before tSy-
hum Investigating Committee
Monday.


day read the following statement be-
fore the investigation committee:
The following appeared in the Co.
Iubia Record on Saturday in the
testimony, as reported by that news
paper, of DR.. Babcock, in the matter
of the asylum investigation:
Effort was made to find out whom
Goyeronr Blease referred to in his
letter-whom he Governor Blease,
said he had heard making the state
ments regarding the character Of Dr..
Saunders said DR.. Babcock but he
was unable to find out anything.
When pressed on the point, DR..
Babcock said: What Governor Blease
made reference to in MS letter in re-,
gard to DR.. Saunders was to certain
statements a sister Of the governor
mad 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,
DIR. Babcock replied that Col E.
H AuIl was his authority.
''The governor notly replied 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:
%, am trying to be fair with
you. The governor gave you some in
formation that he heard some con-
versation rejecting upon lady Now,
the point | want to know is if you
asked him to disclose the name to
see What foundation there was for
that rumor. A. l did not ask Cover
nor Blease, but l learned from Col
Aull exactly what it was. Now do you
want to know?
20. Yes. A, Well Governor Blease
was OF his sisters house at Newberry
and he heard Mrs. Eison and Mrs. or
Miss Fulmer talking about DR., saun-
ders-
Governor Blease: That is false.
CDR. Babcock: That is what Col.
Aull told me. Col. Aull told mefhat
Governor Blease-
'The committee then decided that
it would be hearsay evidence, and the
examination took another turn
Acting as Peacemaker.
I 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
pacemaker, at the repeated requests
of DR.. Babcock, with whom had
been on terms of intimate friendship
since the administration Of Governor
McSweeney, to whom l was private
secretary, and l tried ve~y hard to
get the whole matter settled, be-
cause | was trying to be a
fried to all parties, as l was, and l
believed that no good could come to
any one-the governor, the asylum,
DR.. Babcock or DR.. Saunders-or any
one else-by aCy strife or wrangling
or disag cement. have realized that
the role of peacemaker is very
difficult one. and while the good book
says blessings shall be his share he
more generally gets the enmity Of
both sides.
What l have done / have done hon
estIy and conscientiously, acting al
ways for what l thought was for the
best interest of the institution, Of
the parties connected with it, and Of
my personal and political friends.
have had no selfish motive l had no
hope Of any reward, ] had no per-
scnal ends to serve, and it was not
voluntary. l had no desire to med
die with anybody's business, but what
I did was largely at the request of
DR.. Babcock, and l did it be-
cause l thought that in doing so
I could serve men whom I believed
TO be my friends, and at the same
time l believed and hoped that what
] was doing was for the best in
terest Of the institution and of tine
State
The statement that the references,
in the letter were to statements made
by a sister of Governor Blease, is, so
for as my information goes, not true.