The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-08-26
CANDIDATES
FIGHT AT
PlCKENS
Attorney G en- er "a |
Wolfe and Candi-
date Winter Come
to Blows as Result
Of Charges by Lat
ter

Of Charges by Lat
ter
Picken>. Aug. %. Sam NJ
Wolfe, attorney general of South
Carolina. and D. NJ. Winter, can
didate for the same Office. engag-
ed in fistic encounter durine
1.-THE campaign meeting here today
! featuring the meeting. which was
attended by about 1000 persons.
The fight between the two men
the first in which members of the
campaign have staged among
themselves this season. followed
the address Of both men. and came
just as George W. Wightman. can
didate for commissioner Of agri-
culture. was beginning his adj
dress. The encounter resulted in
an ugly cut on the left cheek OF
Mr.. Wolfe. although the attorney
general is said to have had Mr..
/ Winter down when the two We're
separated.
According to statements obtain
ed from the two men. which seem
to coincide in every particular. Mr.
Wolfe approached Mr.. Winter af-
ter both men had spoken in re-
gard to statements made by Mr.
Winter. Mr.. Wolfe asked Mr.
j Winter to interpret the statement
in regard to certain funds which
had been collected by the attorney
E, generals Office; and had not been
accounted for. Mr.. Wolfe is said
to have inquired of Mr.. Winter if
he meant any .insinuation as to the
honesty of the attorney general,
saying that the charges We're going
a little too far.
Mr.. Winter is said to have re-
1 piled that he meant exactly what
he said. Mr.. Wolfe, it is said, then
! asked Mr.. Winter if he would
/ make some kind Of explanation OF
that charge, and when this was
! refused Mr.. Wolf struck at Mr.
Winter. This blow missed and Mr.
Winter, who was said to be stand
ing upon 4 higher position OF
ground than his opponent. cut loose
with a right hook to the face
! which Knocked Mr. Wolfe to the
ground. The attorney general
/ quickly regained his feet and grasp
1 ed his opponent. Both men went
! to the ground and rolled over the
sloping ground before they were
| separated by Walter E. Duncan,
!, comptrolle general, W. c. Mann
IA Pickens attorney, and Others. Mt
i Wolfe was said to have been on
top when pulled apart.
The town officials of Pickens
soon appeared on the scene and
i each of the men was required to
put up the sum of SIS.
Several hundred persons witness
1 ed the latter part OF the flgaf
j which greatly detracted from the
interest within the building. Mr.
Winter was talking with Mr.. Mann
an attorney of Pickens, when Mr..
:; Wolfe approached, and, so far as
could be learned, these were the
only persons present when the hrs:
blow was struck. By the time the
.wo men had been separated, how
! ever. several hundred men. attract
!! ed by the. unusual scene. had push
ed forward in an endeavor to see
what was going on. The encounter
between the two candidates was
] by far the most outstanding point
of interest in the days events.
Candidates for the various offices
4 spoke in their regular order, al
:. though r. E. Craig, candidate for
Adjutant General: j. II. Hope, can
didate for State Superintendent OF
Education. and T. Hagood Gooding,
candidate for Comptroller General,
were DELAYED because Of automobile
! trouble between Pickens and Sen
eca, and were unable to reach here
lin time 10 speak.
] Candidates for lieutenant Gov
ernor were the last candidates to
i speak and not more than 100 of the
1000 persons who had been pres
ent when the meeting began re-
mained throughout the program.
All the candidates were given
a most respectful hearing and We're
generously appiauded from time to
time. Former Governor Blease wa:
presented with handsome floral Of
ferings from friends Of Pickens
county. One of these was pre-
sented by thee-year old child
which was carried in the arms OF
an elderly person. The crowd be-
gan 10 diminish Immediately after
Mr.. Blease concluded his address.
! George X. Laney. replying to the
statement made at Walhalla on the
previous day by former Governor
Blease, said that he fought the
creation Of a budget commission
until he was blue in the face
John T. Duncan declared that
Blease's letter to Tolbert shows
that Blease is against Woodrow
Wilson. Referring to law and or
der. Mr.. Duncan said if eleven
white men had been killed within
the past nine days in this state
he shuddered to think what would