Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-08-21
BEARD GIVES DETAILS
OF BIEASE'S CONDUCT.
Charges Blease Was to Benefit by
Bolt II 1t Succeeded and Was
Ready to Receive Republican
MOney-3calu Left in Lurch by
Former Chiefs "NIoral Coward
ice"
(The State, Aug, 11)

The following is copy (omitting
a few lines Of personal character)
of letter from w. p. Beard to Mrs.
w. p Beard, dated July 2S, 1918:
Atlanta, Ga, July 2S, 1918.
Dear Kate and All:
conscience makes towards of us
all and moral cowardice on the
part Of Mr.. Blease and his faction
leaders is responsible for my being
'nclosed in prison walls, which makes
me a helpless target for his slander,
IN the unnecessary, bitter denuncia-
ton Of me by Blease at Spartanburg
because of statements contained in
my private letter to Senator McLau-
rim Of March 5th, 1918. This letter
was merely an intimate comment
upon certain phases OF my trouble to
a personal friend, who, despite politi-
cal differences and public sentiments,
remembered the ethics of honor in
my hour Of sore trial. I regret its
publication, because my enemies
alone will benefit thereby. Still I
reiterate the truthfulness Of the
statements, and neither can l blame
McLaurin for using it to meet
Blease's covert attacks through let
ter furnished Cooper via John Aull.
Likewise, don't blame Blease for
denying. 1t Is his only defense, for
such revelations are fatal to his
usual policy Of running with the
hounds, but bowling with the hare"
Blease's moral cowardice has en-
barrassed me before. In 1915 he
was openly charged with receiving
$500 from Col. Jasper Tolbert and
others to order the election for Nc
Cormick county. He was to denounce
that ut Mccormick, while I was to
write up the matter in'The Scimitar.
In getting up my facts the story de-
veloped that the money was paid to
Fred DOminick for his influence with
the Governor. At that point Blease
side-stepped and insisted that drop
the matter also as it could do no
good to stir 1t up further Blease
opposed the party machine and the
administration as bitterly as I, but
our methods differed. Disguised
with hypocrisy and autocracy, 1
would walk boldly out tho. front door
and establish a rival party devoted
to pure democracy and opposed to
any kind of political recognition for
the negro. Blease would accept the
status quo while office was in sight
and disappointed therein, first set
the house on fire and slip out through
the back door, screened by the
smoke. He charged fraud, but fear
ed to fight the defrauders. l charged
fraud and went down fighting alone.
The administration could command
his allegiance by Federal patronage
would support what thought right
and oppose what I thought wrong,
regardless OF any favors. 1t Is not
my purpose to wash the dirty
linen" Of the Blease faction, but
Governor Blease should not show
the yellow streak when confronted
with the facts. I had no connection
with the Capers end Of the proposed
deal. | understood that Blease han
died that himself. But did ar
range with Dune Adams, as stated,
ard Mr., McLaurin's refusal upset the
whole thing, as Blease was willing to
go ahead. Blease would profit by
the so-called Beard Bolt" If 1t sue
ceeded, and was ready to repudiate
II 1t failed. He was willing to take
Republican money for a clandestine
campaign, but afraid to fight in the
open until others more bold had
Dlazed the way for safe travel. AS
to my conviction, 1t was based on the