The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-05-22
Chief SUMTER Makes REPLY.
ANSWERS STATEMENTS OF GOV
MANNING AND SECRETARY
MOSES.
Says That He Fully Expected to Be
Appointed Chief Constable of South
CarOlina-Was offered Another
Under Sheriff Martin and Refused
tn Accept IL.

"Wednesday afternoon gave out a state
ment In reply to those of Gov. Man
ning and Secretary II. A. Moses de-
nying that he had ever been appointed
Chief Constable OF South Carolina and
giving his reasons for thinking that
he would be appointed to the position
Chief Sumter gives a detailed state
ment of interviews with Gov. Man
ming at which the matter was men
toned. He winds up his statement
by saying that Gov. Manning alone
knows what his intentions respecting
the appointment were up to Saturday,
May 18th. The statement in full fol-
lows:
while disliking to enter into a con-
troversy with the Governor Of South
Carolina or his private secretary, /
cannot suffer myself TO lie under the
imputation of these gentlemen that /
tried to pitchfork myself bodily into
the exalted position of chief constable
OF South Carolina. Therefore / SUBJ
NIT the following reasons for the con-
sideration OF the public.
Having never been a close personal
or business friend of Gov. Manning, I
was. to say the least, quite surprised
when, some short time after the Gov
ernor was nominated. or elected, i
forget just which. he approached me
In church after service one night and
said: III should need you, are you
willing to consider an Offer replied
Yes. am open to the consideration of
any position which will add to my
salary or advancement in any way
He said Il will let you know more
about the matter later He alluded to
this conversation a second time with
out mentioning what position he in
tended Offering me. The third time he
reminded me that I had said I would
come with him, saying Il suppose you
know what I want you for / replied.
The only thing that i can think of Is
the position of chief constable To
this he assented, and asked IL 1 would
accept. I said, in reply. that 1t would
depend entirely upon whether the SAL
AIRY Wa. ,arge enough 10 warrant 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 II out later. He
then said, want you to accept this
position for my hood and the good of
the State OF South Carolina replied
that he assigned very fiattering rea-
sons for Offering me the position.
gov. Manning several times after
this spoke OF his being unable to find
out what the salary OF chief consta BILE
under Gov. Blease had been, as there
were no records to be found any
where.
subsequently Gov. Manning re-
quested 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 five dollars per day
and his subordinates four. asked
him IL that was his offer to me. He
replied. yes then said. Governor,
that ends the matter as far as I am
concerned. / would not for a moment
consider 1t at that price,. He said, DO
you not consider that good pay? Do
not for a minute misunderstood me.
| am not trying to cheaper you or
your services 1 replied, NO, not for
that position. which is q mans job
and will be n very disagreeable one"
He then said What are your lowest
terms?' / replied 'Twenty-four hun
dred dollars a year and all expenses
when away from headquarters.' He
then said that he was not sure wheth-
er he had the power to fix the salary
OF not. but that he would look further
into IL. and added. DO not make any
other arrangements which will pre-
vent you coming to me- At some
subsequent meeting he mentioned hav-
ing consulted the attorney general
also another legal adviser ,one OF
whom said that he could use In that
way part OF the $1,000 appropriated
for enforcing the law. but the other
party did not think so. He would
inquire still further into that matter
To come down To more recent history
on or about May 4th. got telephone
message asking me to meet Gov. Man.
ming at the Booth Live Stock stable
at 1880 Il. M. l did so. Gov. Man.
ming called me aside and asked inc
how short a notice would suffice me II
he wanted me shortly. l replied tha