Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-11-22
The Late Ben Abney.

In the Columbia State of last Sun
day appears the following tribute TO
the late Ben Abney from the pen of
Hon. w. +. Stevenson:
note an article from a corresponds
ent in The State in reference 10 my
late friend, Ben l.. Abney. He over
looks one Of the great fights (proba.-
bly, the greatest of his lfe) in which
Mr. Abney engaged-the contest be-
tween the liquor houses and the state
Of South Carolina. There was more
at stake and more difficult questions
involved and greater necessity to break
up friendships Of lifetime than in any
other contest | have ever known him
TO engage Mr.. Abney could have been
on the side of the liquor people on his
own terms but he refused to be enlist
ed against the interest of his state and
for mere pittanCe of what he. could
have had on the other side, he served
his state with consummate wisdom and
fidelity until her triumph was COM
Dletc. | was associated with him In
that contest for five years and do not
hesitate to say that he was the ablest
counsellor and the shrcwdest tacticiar
in conducting a case with whom | have
ever been associated in litigation. Peo-
pie have not generally appreciated the
depths of his loyalty to his state. II
was more than a mere sentiment with
him 1t was something of a passion
and vet it was only 70 people intimate
ly associated with him that he evel
showed this passion. With a wonder
full and highly cultivated mind, Will
an undivided devotion to his profes
sion for 40 years, he attained stand
ing at the bar which few may attain
and only the phenOmenally great ma?
ever surpass. fIc was my friend and
deplore his departure as Il persona
loss and loss to the state which had
his undivided loyalty and love-
That is indeed a pretty and well de-
true worth will never be properly APP
preciatcd, because h. was never what
is known as Il popul' ,...,n ard indeed
could not be.
To the general public Mr.. Abncy
was II grim old lion TO whom his op-
ponents were hycnas, jackals or mice.
In the legislative halls, in the council
chamber, at the bar or elsewhere, he
asked no odds of any man. He relied
solely on his own giant intellect, and
there was no compromise in him. He
bowed to his opponents only when they
had truth on their side and the ability
to use that weapon. And there were
few men in his day who were better
able to see the truth and at the same
time TO decide whether it was in COM
pctcnt hands.
The most serious cloud on Mr.. Alb
news career was the cloud that came
as the result of his being called upon
To resign as division counsel for the
Southern railway by the then director
general of railroads.
His close friends with whom he was
intimate, say that he was as loyal as
any man in America and that may
well be believed. War work solicitors
for q cause to which he had already
contributed, came at him in an Offens-
i've manner, and he repealed them. He
was a very wealthy man, hated and
feared by certain elements, and it was
represented that he had showed con-
tempt for the work, when as q matter
of fact he only sought to defend his
Self-rcspcct. The matter was laid be-
fore the director general Of railroads.
and as the railroads did not happen to
need legal knowledge and ability un-
der government ownership, Mr.. AbnCy