The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-10
TROUBLE IN KEHDERnY.
FRIEND OF BLEASE TRli.S TO
USE. KNIFE On POLLOCK.
Serious Difficulty Narrowly Avcrtcs: at
Senatorial Campaign Meeting Wcd
neSday.

nesday.
Ne~berry, Aug. THE tenscst Sit
uation OF the entire senatorial cam
pagn developed IN Newberry today
when the shedding OF blooc was mar
rowly averted Throughout the meet
ing the atmosphere was surchal'Sea
with exc;tement whic!2 a single rash
word or act would have caused to
flare up into bloody wrath. Once the
strained circumstances got TO such a
pitch that John Henry Chappeli. ar
dent supporter Of Cole l.. Ble;lse. at
tempted TO get q Pollock with 4 pock-
ct knife after Pollock had concluded
his speech and was getting a breath
of fresh arr in the rear door Of the
court room.
The Chappen incident had its incep-
ton near the conclusion OF Mc. Pol
locks speech. Nj. .Chappel asked the
speaker if he had said the supporters
of Cole L. Blease we're disloyai. i
am not charging anyone as being dis
loyal" Mr.. Pollock said. He WAS sim
ply putting the record Of Mr.. Blease
II ON Bleasc newspapers before the
voters This did not satisfy Mr.. Chap
peu, who said something about Mr..
Pollock being too much OF o coward
10 say so and started towards Nj.
Pollock. VINO made an effort to an
sswer, but only got 50 far as to say.
fI.,n
he was admonishea that his time was
up. Sheriff Cannon C. Blease and
others forced Mr.. Chappell back into
his seat.
While James Francis Rice was
speaking Mr.. Pollock and number
Of others were standing at the rear
Of the court room. Mr.. Chappe!l came
back through the rear room with 9
large knife in his hand and when he
came on Pollock began to give vent
to his wrath by cursing. Sheriff
Blease and others pulled him away
before the knife could be brought into
play.
ChappeIl was also said to have been
on his way to the hotcl whore the
candidates were stopping as they were
taking their departure for Laurens or
| the 1 o'clock train.
Candidates had, been forewarned OF
prospective danger at the Newberry
meeting Just as threatening letters
have been received, relative to pend
ing meetings in the Piedmont. Harry
H BIease, county chairman, also ap-
oreciated the ugly mood the followers
OF the ex-governor were in, rs evi-
Gencad by his urgent appeals that the
candidates be allowed TO deliver their
speeches. Later he pleaded with the
miraculous ones to refrain from dis
orders. He was there to maintain or
der. Also he was closer 20 his brother.
Cole L. Blease, than they Were and
stood between his brother and the
speakers If any false statement were
tc be uttered.
A number Of police. were ste toned
about in the court room and Sheriff:
Blease and his deputies kept within
o few yards OF the speakers through
out the meeting. Soon after the Chap
pell incident. Mayor Wright was sent
for and rushed to the court room: The
whole situation was frau2ht With pos
sibilitics painful to contemplate and
incensed over the incident.
The act, they say, Will serve only TO
intensity the determined fight which
has already begun to have Ny E!ease's
home county in the opposing column
again this year. IIe lost the county
by 172 votes when he ran for the
United States senate four years ago
and reports in Newberly today wcrc
that efforts duplicating the zeal and
enthusiasm and. determination OF tw"
years ago are already sweeping over
the county.
Despite the threatened back stab
hing, candidates today digrcsseI little
from former speeches. The candi-
dates had not made the record as pub
lished in the Charleston American
and the Yorllville Enquirer both
strenuously supporting NJ. 8leasc
Tbom;is II. Pecpics. candidate Cor the
short terra. was tied 10 Bleases coat
tell and his refusal to repudiate
Please IN Ire Pomari2 and Filbert
speeches necessitatejl the fight being
maze on IN" lWC. 40 one niQ lNc lc-
merity to rise ard s;;yhes would in
dorse the speeches when called upon
10 dc so by M. Pollock.
Senator Benct a:So read the record
fully and gave full ANALYSIS OF the
character Of the paper. which had
;:een Gcbarred from the mails because
o: its disloyaity, but WAS now i,resun
ing to speak for the people and 20 tell
the,n how tc vote. The papcl was
only allowed 20 come back in the mails
when the name Of John p. Grace had
been removed rs editor. Pau! Wierse.
also Of The American staff. has been
convicted IN the federal court because
of his conduct in relation TO the var
and was now On his way 10 the feder
al pententiary said Senator Tenct.
John X. Au!l. another ,ac:nbcr of the
staff over his own signature sad h
went With John Z. McLauhin 20 Wash
inGton for funds With H;!!ic!, TO c:lrry
thc STATE republican.
Nj Rcnet made an impressive argu
mont against HE support Of any nan