The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-05-25

there a letter from 1ae Charleston
board of control informing me what
funds they will be able to furnish for
carrying on this work. Mayor Grace
will also be in Columbia and I will
see him upon my arrival tonight and
talk with him. feel quite sure those
fellows are not going to do anything
in Charleston and that l will have to
handle the situation in another way
and that you will hear from me in
sort time l did not hear for some
days.
"On the 11tn or 18th of May l went
into the Bank of Sumter and asked
Bernard Manning if lis father was not
in Florence attending council and
would be there (in FIorence) on the
following day. He said that he would.
| said thai l would run over and see
him. Mr. Manning asked me if it was
a matter of any Importance. l replied,
I am about to order uniforms fog 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 l am to
leave Shortly. He replied, Mr.. Sumter,
do not order a uniform. know that
he will need you shortly. He knows
that they are going to do nothing in
Charleston and lam sure he will want
you to go there, and l am sure if he
will give you five or six good men you
can succeed in controlling the situa-
ton l was prevented from going to
Florence, so wrote Gov. Manning to fix
tie date for my leaving here as soon
as he could possibly learn of it. This
letter l held until l learned that he
had returned to Columbia, mailing
same Friday, May IA. Saturday morn
ing, May Is. Gov. Manning called me
up by telephone and said, 4 got your
letter. When can you Gomez l re-
Piled that 1 could arrange by June 1.
He replied, That won't don. | must
have. you by Wednesday, as 1 Lave
something l want you to do then I
mentioned my desire to give the city
council some notice and that l had
some private matters to arrange. He
replied: You can straighten your own
affairs later. Go over and see Jennings
and tell him l want you. He prom
ised to release you. Ring me up later
tonight. Call till you get me- I
saw Mayor Jennings on the street and
said to him: Mr.. Jennings, Gov. Man
ming has just telephoned that he wants
me on Wednesday, that he had made
arrangements with you to release me-
Mayor Jennings said that he mad told
Mr.. Manning that he would do so, add
ing t1at he sympathized with him in
mis- efforts to enforce law and order
l then turned away and Mayor Jen-
nings called to me, 1 do not suppose
this need be a secret any longer, and
turned and spoke to friend about it.
Shortly afterWard a number of people
came up and asked me if l had re-
ceived the appointment. l said: Yes,
l expect to get it. Saturday night l
called up Gov Manning according to
the agreement, and said, 4 have seen
Mayor Jennings and it is all right. [
will be over on Wednesday, He re-
piled, That will not do, you must take
tie II o'clock train on Monday, which
will put you here at / o'clock. Come
directly to my office. l want you to
go down to Charleston on Tuesday, l
replied, Very we'll, l will arrange to
do that, and added, This thing has got
out around town. He said, I am sorry
for that. Well, we will have to make
the best of it. Ask the reporters not
to wire their papers TIE news
Came to Columbia
"On Monday, according to appoint
ment, saw Gov. Manning. He asked
me if l was ready to go to Charleston.
I replied, Yes He then said, 1 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
1 had ever learned that 1 was to be the
subordinate of Sheriff Martin or any
one else.) I asked Gov. Manning If
he meant me to understand that he
did not have commission for me as
chief constable of the State, the posi-
ton he had offered me. He replied no,
that there was evidently some misun-
derstanding between US as to the posi-
ton. said there was no mlsunder-
standing On my part, as to his request