Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-05-21

sented and asked II 1 would accept.
I said in reply that it would depend
entirely upon whether the salary was
large enough to warrant my giving up
my present position and making sew
eral other sacrifices which would be
necessary. He said that he was un-
able to state the salary, and would
have to find it out later. He then said,
I want you to accept this position
for my good and the good Of the
state Of South Carolina l replied that
he assigned very flattering reasons
for offering me the position.
Gov. Manning several times after
this spoke of his being unable to find
out what the salary Of chief constable
under Gov. Blease had been, as there
were no records to be found any
where. 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 IS per
day and his subordinates 81. L asked
him IL that was his offer to me. He
replied, Yes. 1 then said, Governor,
that ends the matter so far as I am
concerned. I would not for a moment
consider 1t at that price He said,
DO you not consider that good pay?
Do not for q minute misunderstood
me. am not trying to cheaper you
or your services 1 replied, No, not
for that position, which is mans
job and will be very disagreeable one.'
He then said, What are your lowest
terms?' I replied, 'Twenty-four hun
dred dollars year and all expenses
when away from headquarters. He
hof he nf CHI w % h
er he had the power to fix the salary
or not, but that he would look fur
ther into the matter, and added, DO
not make any other arrangements
which will prevent you coming to
me- At some subsequent meeting he
mentioned having consulted the at
torney general, also another legal ad-
wiser, one of whom said that he could
use in that way part Of the $4,000
appropriated for enforcing the law,
but the other party did not think so.
He. would inquire still further into the
matter. To come down to more re-
cent history, on or about May 4, /
got telephone message asking me to
meet Gov. Manning at the Booth Live
Stock stable at 7.30 p. m. I did so.
Gov. Manning called me aside and
asked me how short a notice would
suffice me If he wanted me shortly.
I replied that I had several personal
arrangements to make, also that I
had to give the city council some
Mayor Jennings and asked him if he
and he has promised me to do so. I
expect to need you very shortly and
want you to come at once when I
call upon you. am returning tonight
to Columbia and expect to find let
ter from the Charleston board Of
control informing me what funds
they will be able to furnish for car
rying on this work. Mayor Grace will
also be in Columbia and will see him
upon my arrival tonight and talk
with him. I feel quite sure those fell
lows are not going to do anything In
Charleston and that I will have to
handle the situation in another way
and that you will hear from me in a
short time I did not hear for some
days.
into the Bank Of Sumter and asked
Brenard Manning If his father was
not in Florence attending council and
following day. He said that he
would. I said that would run over
and see him. Mr.. Manning asked me
If 1t was a matter Of any Importance.
I replied, I am about to order uni
forms for the police force and would
like to know about what time your
father expects me to leave here, as /
do not wish to order a uniform for
myself If I am to leave shortly. He
replied, Mr.. Sumter, do not order a
uniform. 1 know that he will need
you shortly. He knows that they are
going to do nothing in Charleston and
l am sure he will want you to go
there, and I am sure If he will give
you five or six good men you can
succeed in controlling the situation.
1 was prevented from going to Flor
ence, so wrote Gov. Manning to fix
the date for my leaving here as soon
as he could possibly learn Of it. This
letter 1 held until I learned that he
had returned to Columbia, mailing
same Friday, May IA. Saturday
morning May Is, Gov. Manning call
ed me up by telephone and said, I
got your letter. When can you
Gomez 1 replied that could arrange
by June 1. He replied, That won't
do. / must have you by Wednesday,
as I have something I want you to do
then I mentioned my desire to give
the city council some notice and that
I had some private matters to ar
range. He replied, You can straight
en- your own affairs later. Go over
and see Jennings and tell him I want
you. He promised to release you.
Ring me up later-tonight. Call till
you get me- 1 saw Mayor Jennings
on the street and said to him. 'Mr.
Jennings, Gov. Manning has just tele-
-
nesday, that he had made arrange
ments with you to release me when
he wanted me- Mayor Jennings said
that he had told Mr.. Manning that
he would do so, adding that he SYM
pathized with him in his efforts to en-
force law and order. I then turned
away and Mayor Jennings called to
me. L do not suppose this need be
secret any longer and turned and
spoke to q friend about 1t. Shortly
afterward a number of people came
up and asked me If l had received
the appointment. I said, Yes. l ex-
pect to get it, Saturday night L
called up Gov. Manning according to
the arrangement, and said, L nave
seen Mayor Jennings and 1t Is all
right I will be over on Wednesday.
He replied, That will not do, you
must take the II o'clock train on
Monday, which will put you here at
l o'clock. Come directly to my Of
flee. ! want you to go down to
Charleston on Tuesday. I replied.
Very well, I will arrange to do that,
and added, This thing has got out
around town. He said, L am sorry
for that. Well, We will have to make
the best of 1t. Ask the reporters not
to wire their papers the news
On Monday, according to appoint
men, I saw Gov. Manning. He asked
me if 1 was ready to go to Charleston.
I replied, Yes He then said, have
seen Sheriff Martin and spoken to him
about you and Of my confidence and
trust in your integrity, and l want you
to assist him. (This is the first time
ever learned that l was to be the sub
ordinate Of Sheriff Martin or anyone
else). asked Gov. Manning II he
meant me to understand that he did
not have q commission for me as chief
constable of the state, the position he
had offered me. He replied no, that
there was evidently some misunder-
standing between us as to the position.
said there was no misunderstanding
on my part, as to his request to me. l
then absolutely refused to go to
Charleston as Sheriff Martins subord-
mate, stating my reasons for so refus-
ing. I will add that the above men,
tionad roaatinps and discussions be-