The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-07-05

in it since.
note the upUuilding of the sys-
ten is one OF TIE three reasons which
he says induced MN 10 make the race
for governor.
regret that the matter has come
up in this shape, but feel that
owe it to myself, to make clear ex-
acuiy any connection I may have had
with the things to which he refers.
John K. Aull.
Cooper's Answer.
Special 10 The State.
Laurens. June 30.-R A Cooper
issued this evening the following
statement
To the Democratic Voters OF South
Carlina:
l have just read the statement
which John l.. McLaur!n has ad-
dressed ''To the People of South Car
olina", published in Sundays papers
in which he makes certain accusa-
tions which are intended by him to
reflect on me personally and politi-
cally Ny first impulse was to have
made answer other than through the
public prints, but upon reflection
think l am hardly justified in giving
him this notice. His past political
history, as we'll as the confession
which he makes in his long article
and his effort to show that he was
only trying to entrap Blease, are SUI
ficient to condemn him in the eyes Of
all good and true men. His state
ment that John K. Aull had furnished
me the proof of his (McLaurin's)
efforts to betray the Democracy of the
state causes him to explain a letter
which I had never seen or heard OF.
Conscious of his own guilt, he at
tempts to turn states evidence which
he knew existed had been produced
against him. He now asks the public
to believe that all concerned in the
plot as exposed by him were guilty
except himself It happens. however,
that l did not have any copy OF his
alleged dummy" letters to John Z.
Capers, the Republican boss OF South
Carolina. The only copy OF letter
which | had was one written by Jonn
K. Aull TO V. B. Cheshire, editor OF
the Anderson Tribune, which letter
W. J. Cormack, in charge Of the Co
lumbia bureau of The News and
Courier, is set out in, full in state
ment which he has furnished to me.
A copy of this letter was furn'" aed
me by Mr.. Cormack, who stateu at
that time that signed copies OF this
had been furnished the Columbia
State, Gov. Richard l. Manning and
himself on the night of January 70
of this year and was released by Mr..
Aull for immediate publication; that
therefore he (Mr. Cormack) consio-
cred anything contained in that letter
to be the property of the public
J. w, Crum of Denmark informs me
this afternoon over long distance tel
ephone that he did not make the
statement attributed to him by Mr..
McLaurin, to wit: that had told him
l did not propose to use the Auil let
ter against McLaurin until after the
campaign when McLaurin could not
answer it, and further Mr.. Crum stat
ed that l made no such statement 10
him and Mr.. Crum Informed me tnat
Kennerly Mayfield says that ne
(Mayfield) made no such statement
TO McLaurin. l did show MIR. Crum
he copy of the letter written by john
K. Aull to V. B. Cheshire which had
been given me by Mr.. Cornlack, as
MIR. Cormack has explained, and
which T knew had been read by a
number of other persons before 1t
came into my possession. l was de-
hating in my own mind whether !
would use it at all. I knew that the
people of South Carolina had conciu-
siye evidence of Mr. McLaurin's poll
tical perfidy in the Dear Archbold'
letter of May 29, 1902, in which ~
McIaurin says, 81 can beat Tillm:
if. properly and generously supper
ed". With this knowledge and othe.
matters connected with Mr. McLau-
rims political life familiar to the
people of the state, | did not regard
him as a factor in the race and did
not care to stultify my manhood by
striking a cripple. I did feel, how
yer. that the people ought to know
Of McLaurins efforts to lead the
state into the Republican party IN
1916 as alleged in the Aull letter ana
conferred with Mr.. Crum and otneT
friends as to the course I should pur-
sue.
7 have never supported Blease nor
have entered into or considered any
combination with Blease. Blease, Nc
Laurin and all the Blease leaders
know this. I supported Governor
Manning in the second primary ID
1914 and in 1916 and so announced
uayself in the press of the state Inn
mediately after the result OF the
first primary was known. The effort
therefore, to align me with MT.
,Blease is too ridiculous to merit ser
ious thought.
The statement furnished me by w.
J. Cormaek to show how l came into
possession of the Ahll letter is as fol-
lows:
/ Statement by CorRack.