The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-07-02

o acainst Manning l told him that
/ u0Hid not do it-that Manning had
hoa1 standing behind the warehouse
deve,C9mot. and that | had faith III
MaYn:rg's future support of this in
ssitvt;on.
From, that date I r2t:cad differ
euca n the attitude and conduct Of
Nnll. aud before long [ was morally
a-tq:a that he was in my Office as g
t2ol and SOY of Blease. I knew, also,
that Blease would from that time or
use any means to get me.
/ welcomed the fight, for 1 had al
ready determined that it was my duty
to show him up before the people and
drive him out of South Carolina poll
ties. Later, Manning's attitude cn
the insurance matter forced me tc
support Blease. against my will, to
protect the warehouse system.
After the second primary of 1916.
when Blease had been repudiated DE
the people. he told me number OF
times. as he told others, that ne
would go before the people at the
ganeral election as an independent
candidate. I knew that he would not
do this, for he is not a fool. But
said nothing to discourage him, for
I was beginning to outline in my
mind the plans of trap that would
catch him
4 little later he asked ne to run as
an independent candidate. OF course
I refused.
He came back again with another
proposition, asking me % put up the
money to finance an independent tick
Of and of cour;a J refus::, t';:s $50.
By this time I saw that he would
certainly bolt and attempt to set up
an independent party if he could find
the money to finance the scheme, and
7 suggested to him that he might be
able to get the money through John
Capers. who was high in the councils
of the Republican party. This was alb
surd, but Blease apparently took the
bait. and in order to lead him on [
frequently called John Aull to take
dictation for letters on this subject
addressed to Capers.
Of course the letters were never
mailed, for the whole proposition was
silly. but Aull took the matter seri-
ously and I felt sure that he was
keeping Blease informed and that
Blease would sooner or later expose
his hand. As my secretary, Aull very
properly filed and preserved carbon
copies of these letters. The origin
ais l destroyed as soon as Aull was
out of sight. They had accomplished
their work as soon as they had fooled
Aull and through Aull led Blease
nearer to the trap.
The whole course of Blease at this
time was dictated by his belief that
Hughes would he president. While
the Republican State committee was
in session at the Jefferson Hotel, In
Columbia, l was in the office of
Blease He told w. P Beard to go
to the hotel, see Dunk Adams, who
was Republican State chairman, and
tell him to nut the names Of Cole. l.
Blease and John L. McLaurin on the
ticket as delegates at large. / offered
no objection in the presence of Blease
brt as soon as Beard left. followed
and caught him and told him that he
must not use my name and that i
would have nothing to do with it. To
make doubly sure, I called Adams on
the phont and told him that If Beard
mentioned my name about any propo
sition it was without my consent.
,Rlease had an interview in a
Chicago Paper in which he predicted
the election of Hughes. He used to
wonder why no one attacked him
about it. He really believed that
Hughes would be elected, and he
fully expected to control federal pat
ronage in South Carolina. But while
he hoped for much from the Repub-
licans, he was shrewd enough to hold
on to the Democratic party and shove.
Beard to the front as the ostensible
leader of the Independent movement.
One day had to go to Washington
and New York on business connected