The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1919-08-13
]. H. PITTS CLAIMS
OPTION HAD EXPIRED
More Light is Thrown on
Clinton Affair
CLAIMS NEWSPAPERS
AROUSED PREJUDICE

The Advertiser has been handed the
following by Mir John II. Pitts, of Cln-
ton with a request for its publication:
Editor The Advertisers
Your issue Of July 81 carried an
article at head of first column on first
page entitled Building Operations
Delayed at Clinton"
In this article it is stated that in
order to facilitate the erection of the
buildings for the home for the feeble
minded near Clinton suits had been
commenced against me and another
to force execution Of options alleged
to have been given some time ago. The
further statement is made, "a few
months ago Mcssrs. Pitts and Cope
land signifed their unwillingness to
allow the options to- be executed and
it is understood that their action has
held up the plans Of the board" The
latter statement is made without quail
itication and does me an injustice, |
hope unintcntionally
While do not care to have The suit
against me tried in the newspapers,
still | feel that Il is due TO me that |
make the statement that the option
given by me failed through no fault
Of mine, Dut on account Of its terms
not being complied with by the other
party. | was always willing to carry
out the option as long as it was in OK
istcncc, and when interested parties
allowed ii to expire without complying
with it's terms, ii is entirely unfair
for the charge to me made that was
unwilling to comply with it, and that
a suit is necessary to force me to com
ply. | am ready to meet any issue
made in the proper tribunal, and |
protest against such statements as
those referred to in your article, es-
pecially after suit brought, whereby
unwarrantcd prejudice may he arous-
cd against m" in the mind of the pub
lie who arc not giycn all the facts.
My option was given TO expire on Sep
tcmbcr lSt, 1918, and at this late day,
after a long failure 10 comply With its
terms on the part of the persons 10
whom ii was given 1t is unfair that
should be put in tho wrong before
the public and before a hearing is
granted mo- They failed TO take the
land. did not refuse TO ct them have
it, until long after tho option expired
when they tried to buy at a higher
price.
will ask t!lat you give this letter
the same position in your next issue
that YOU gave TO the article referred
to; and will ask that the Clinton
Chronicle publish it also as 1t car
ricd in this weeks issue a letter sign
cd "J" referring to the same matter
though no names were called.
Very truly yours,
]. II. Pitts.
Clinton, S. c.. Aug. / 1919.
The following is copy Of the al
legged option as furnished by Mr..
Pitts and as is also included in he
complaint OF The plaintiffs
agree to establish lines and furn-
ish sound titles promptly after sale.
For value received advertising,
ctc.D hereby place the following de-
scribed property to wit: GO acres land
near Clinton in LaurcnS County,
bounded on North by r. NJ. League,
East by II. Copeland, South by Mrs.
Sue Pitts, West by H. Copeland, with
w. NJ. Sumcrcl, Broker, from August
20, 1913, until September |, 1918. and
authorize him to sell said property
for the sum Of 50 10000 on the follow
ing terms: Cash; and in case sale
Is made by him, or anyone else, dur
ing the life Of this contract, ! agree
to refer all applicants for the pl ger
ty rS.sad ". NJ Sumcrcl. Broker and
render him all the assistance and in
formation possible.
j. II. PITTS. (SeaD
Witness my hand and seal
r. II. HATTON. Witness.
The contention OF the plaintiffs, as
gathered from their complaint, is that
the plaintiffs duly accepted the option
in writing three days after 1t was CIV
en- and that the defendant executed
and deposited deed with the chair