The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-05-25
ASKED SUMTER TO Be
CHEF STATE CONSTABLE
WHEN TIME CAME FOR APPOINT
MENT RICH. |. WEIGHED.
Governor Led Chief of Police Of His
Home Town to Expect to Head
COnstabulary at $2,4O0 Year.

NUASGbUUAN1y az P-s1VN ASAAe
The State.
Sumter, May 19-Replying to state
ments made by Gov. Manning and his
secretary in reference to the appoint
ment of J. R. Sumter, Of this city, as
chief constable of the State, Mr.. Sum-
ter this afternoon gave out tie fol-
lowing statement:
while disliking to enter into con-
troyersy with the governor of South
Carolina or his private secretary, l
can not suffer myself to lie under the
imputation of these gentlemen thai !
tried to pitchfork myself bodily into
to exalted position of chief constable
of South Carolina Therfore | submit
the following reasons for the consid-
Grafton of the public:
Having never been a close personal
or business friend of Gov. Manning,
l was, to say the least, quite surprised
when, some time after the governor
was nominated or elected, forget just
which, he approached me in church
after service one night and said: If l
should need you, are you willing to
consider an offer?' l replied, Yes, I
am open to the consideration of any
position which will add to my salary
or advancement in any way. He said,
4 will let you know more about the
matter later He alluded to tlis con-
versation a second time without men
tioning what position he intend
ed offering me. The third time &c
reminded me that l had said l would
come with him, saying, 1 suppose you
know what l want you for@ / replied,
The only thing that con think
of is the position of chief constable. ;
To this he assented and asked il I
would accept. I said in Seply that it
would depend entirely upon whether
the salary was large enough to war
rant my giving up my present position
and making several other sacrifices
which would be necessary. He said
that he was unable to state the salary
and would have to find out later. He
then said, I want you to accept this
position for my good and the good Of
the State of South Carolina I re-
piled that he assigned very fattering
reasons for offering me the position.
Question of Salary.
"Gov. Manning several times after
this spoke of his being unable to find
out what tie salary of chief constable
under Gov. Blease had been, as there
were no records to be found anywhere.
Subsequently Gov Manning requested
me to meet him at the Bank of Sumter
and there stated to me that he had
found out that the last chief constable
was paid S. per day and his subordi-
mates 81. | asked him if that was his
offer to me. He replied Yes l then
said, Governor, that ends the matter
as far as l am concerned. l would not
for moment consider it at that price
He said. DO you not consider that good
pay? Do not for minute misunder-
stand me. l am not trying to cheaper
you, or your services. replied, No,
not for that position, which is mans
job and will be very disagreeable
one He then said, What are your
lowest terms?' l replied, Twenty
four hundred dollars a year and all
expenses when away from headquar-
ters.' He then said tnat he was not
sure whether he had the power to nix
the salary or not, but that he would
look further into it, and added, Do
not make any other arrangements
which will prevent you coming to me-
At some subsequent meeting he men
toned having consulted the attorney
general, also another legal adviser
once of whom said that he could use
in that way part of the $4,000 appro-
priated for enforcing the law, but the
otner party did not think so. He would
inquire still further into tdat matter.
To come down to more ecent history,
on or about May 4, 1 got telephone
message asking me to meet Gov. Man
ming at the Boot Live Stock stable at
7:30 D. m. did so. Gov. Manning
called me aside and asked me how
short notice would suffice me if he
wanted me shortly. l replied that l
had several personal arrangements to
make, also that l had to give the city
council some time He replied, 1 have