The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-07-20
COLE BREASE'S HENCHMlliiI' +
RICHARDS UNDER PRESSURE
NAMES HIS OWNER.
3ethca Corners Blease Candidate and
Asks IL Liberty Hill Mans Indorses
FavOrite's War Uttcranccs.

lay in the auditorium of the Walhalla
graded school declared his preference
Tor Cole l.. Blease for the United
States senate and stated that he
would vote for the former governor
r. the August primary.
The declaration of Mr.. Richards
was the result of an exchange be.
tween him and Lieut. Gov. Andrew J.
Bethea, another candidate for govern
or, who was attempting to get his Old.
ponents either to indorse or to repudi
date the reputed utterances of Blease
1T Pomaria on July q, 1917, in which
he former governor is quoted as say
ing that the blood of the American
soldiers slain in France will be on
the head of President Wilson and the
members of congress who voted 70,
the war, as an 'unwarranted sacrifice
AT the commencement of his speeci
the lieutenant governor requested Mr.
| Richards to remain on the stand as ho
had some questions to ask him. Fol
lowing a few preliminary remarks he
read the excerpt in question and ask.
ed: Il ask Major Richards if he in
dorses the sentiments of and the
words expressed by Cole l.. Blease in
his speech at Pomaria on July 27,
1917"
The question of Mr.. Bethea was pre-
faced on the assertion of Mr.. Richard.
that the war is not an issue. Mr.. Be
thea said that he had not made the
issue, but it had been raised by Cole
L. Blease and by him alone and it was
an issue.
DO you mean to charge either di-
rectly or inferentially," asked Rich.
ards, that I am disloyal to my coun-
try?" Mr. Bethea said that he mere.
ly asked the question to bring out the
Liberty Hill mans attitude on the
published utterances of Blease and
certainly did not charge nor suggest
anything against his loyalty.
II believe every man in South Car
olina," said Richards, "is loyal to his
country and believe If necessary
every one Of them, including Mr.
Blease, will bare his breast to the en-.
emy. ] do not believe there is I
traitor in South Carolina. If you
want to bring up this kind of ques
ton you should go to the right forum
the race for the United States senate
! defy you to do it and you know you
won't" With these words Richards
took his seat.
Repeating his former query, Be.
thea said that Richards had not an
swered his question. Richards ther
jumped to his feet pointed his finge,
at the lieutenant governor and said
Il want to tell the lieutenant governo.
that 1 have one son and three neph-
ews in the service who have offere(
their lives to their country. The lieu.
tenant governor is in the military age
and want to ask him why he has not
dOnned the khaki"
Stating that he would not stand for
the insults and insolent questions o.
the lieutenant governor any longer
Richards left the stand and advanced
down the side aisle. AS the Iieuten
ant governor turned again to the
audience and stated that Mr.. Rich
ards had not answered his question
yet, l.. T. Jaynes, Walhalla lawyer
asked Mr.. Bethea if any of the candi-
dates for governor espoused the cause
of Cole L. Blease. The lieutenant
governor said that he did not know.
but read an account published in the
telling of the Blease meeting at Wag-
ener last Friday in which Mr.. Blease
was quoted as Endorsing the candi-
dacy of Mr. Richards and which said
there was tumultuous applause when
Maj. Richards stated that the former
governor would be elected to the
United States senate. Mr.. Bethea,
stating that he took that as an indorse-
ment Of the candidacy of Cole L.
Blease by Major Richards, said, How
ever, there is Major Richards; let him
answer your question" What is want
ed of me now?" asked Richards as he
came back on the stand. "Mr. Jaynes
wants to know if you intend to vote
for Cole l.. please for the United
States senate" replied the lieuten-
ant governor
Il don't propose to let such n person
as the lieutenant governor or any
other man force me to declare N.Y. |
self, but if the audience wants to |