University of South Carolina Libraries
WVKKNOR OX XEWSl'APKKS, AM) T1LLMWX AM) UOXZALES (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1). fcis correspondents?but all the time j proclaiming his "neutrality," and all the time writing these secret letters all over the State. On August 14tlir in a letter to a gentleman at Batesburg, he gave, from hearsay, a charge that the Southern Railway "has been hauling Blease's friends to the various 1 " ^ ~ ^ V*rv tV?ot TlA counties, vji coumc, saiu m*?.v did not know whether this was true or not?but he was sowing the seeds of unfounded charges, which, as he surely ought to know, and as the people of South Carolina ought well to know by this time, will multiply a millionfold in an infinitesimal period of time. | This letter of course, was written "pri-1 vately," "and, of course," said Hon-1 orable Senator Tillman, "you will not j use in the newspapers or otherwise."! Ti/hor> hp to? sending forth this j charge from "Washington into South i Carolina, he knew that in|the May con-1 rention every Southern Railway attorney who was a member of it was a bitter opponent of mine, as I directed j attention to in my opening speech at ! Sumter; and all the Southern Rail? S road attorneys throughout the State,! with the exception of three or four,; fought me in my campaign, as the re- j cords will clearly show?and I have | been informed that all the higher of- j ficials were against me, and I have also i been informed that officials of said railroad contributed money to be used in the campaign against me. This I do not charge, but I stated from the Btump that I had been so informed, and it has never been denied, and Tillmao knew it As to those friends it was hauling, possibly you will later be asked to investigate. On the day of the State campaign meeting in Greenville, August 22, 1912, notwithstanding Senator Tillman had written the secret letters from which I have quoted above, and m^ny others, to parties in different parts of the State I received a telegram from him under date of August 21st, saying: "About letter to Sullivan. Wrote) letter something like you sent, but Without seeing signature cannot identify it His letter to mfc was threatening, HENCE MY TART ANSWER. HAVE WRITTEN NO LETTERS SECRETLY. Have written many personal and coniieteftti&l." An/i another telegram under letters only in reply to your fri<e<nds."| only in reply to your friends." Did he Did he regard Sims, for instance, as my '"friendv?" Between the time of the letters from which I have quoted and the telegrams quoted above, Senator Tillman had given out in Washington an interview to the Washington correspondent of the Columbia State, published i$ the! a+ofo nf 20th. an?! V/Uiumuia, owiv VA. ? , nouncing that he was "hands off." That interview appeared under the name of P. H. McGowan, and under date of August 19th, and it stated, among other things: "Senator B. R. Tillman announced today that he was "hands off" in the South Carolina gubernatorial election. He further announced that the statement that he gave the press, which was printed last week, would be his last utterance on; this subject He is still receiving | letters, he said, from friends in South j Carolina, some begging him to come out for Blease and some asking his sup-1 port for Jones, but he declares that he has had his last say on the subject and that he is now "hands off." This in the face of the letters from which I have quoted, and in startling contradiction of Tillman's subsequent action. "Rnt in thft darkness of the night conspirators work, and through all this time, as is proved by later events, one of the foulest conspiracies ever hatched in the politics of any State was brewing. The conspirators had not m?t yet, because they were personal and political enemies of twentyone years' standing. The jealously of me in the heart of one, however, and the deep malice against me in the heart of the other, at last brought them together, over the wires, and for the time being, and for their then purposes, Lieutenant Governor James H. Tillman and Editor N. G. Gonzales were forgotten, and the echo of the magazine gun was temporarily silenjced. The conspiracy was hatched, and it lived long enough to direct the infamous eleventh-hour stab. But, thank God, the people of South Carolina, remembering their many bitter experiences as the result of such infamous politics in the past, refused to bow to dictation from Tillman or any other man. They rallied round about me, closer than ever before, in the face of the attack of these strange companions ?Gonzales and Tillman?in the vile politics they were playing. The people of my State proved true Tillman's former statement, that they needed no dictator; they repudiated Tillman's' attempted dictation, and they gare Uim a stera rebuke. " "l I am reliablv ini'onned? and it ha,-. ! practically been admitted by the Columbia State?that the following tele? i grams passed between Columbia, S. C., and Washington, D. C., on Friday, August 23, 1912, and Saturday, August 24, 1912: (Day Letter). August 23, 1912. ? ? ? ? * .-v-v ^ P. H. MCUOwan, <izz .viuuse) duuuiho, Washington, D. C. Tillman wrote private ]etter to Ferguson, in Spartanburg, saying Blease "has brains to eminently qualify him for governor," but complete letter is severe arraignment of Blease and Abney. Tillman being quoted as to the complimentary words, but other concealed. Blease knows contents of letter and is sure to strike Tillman with full force of his organization on Tuesday. If whole letter were published, Tillman's gains from Jones' side would counteract losses sure to be sustained in present status. Without letting Tillman know source of information, place facts before him and make earnest effort to get whole letter for publication. Time is precious. WILLIAM E. GONZALES. P. H. McGowan, 422 Munsey Building, Washington, D. C. If senator would let correspondent copy letter the matter in it could be disseminated from Spartanburg and not from Washing ton. William E. Gonzales. P. H. McGowan, 422 Munsey Building, Washington, D. C. Tillman's letter must strengthen Jones' lines and cause Blease losses of some honest supporters and of many without convictions, who jump from weakening candidate. Blease will fight Tillman, who will get many Jones votes. Use Western Union. The State. William E. Gonzales. As I will show by affidavit, these telegrams were issued of falsehoods? but what cared Gonzales for the truth if he could encompass my defeat, and what cared he for all heaven and earth if he could encompass the defeat of me and Tillman at one and the same time?an<J when the law?as I will show?and that is the main object of this communication to you?gave me and others who might be placed in similiar situations, no protection whatever! Tillman, driven by his insane jealously, in the feebleness of his mind, 11 - fVrn trnn TL'VlinVl WQc flAt for him, and becomes a co-conspirator with his ancient arch-enemy, Gonzales of the Columbia State. In the darkness of Friday night, August 23rd, he releases a villianous attack upon me, contained in a letter which he had previously written to Harrison Ferguson, of Spartanburg?written while he was proclaiming loudly this "neutrality" of his?and all that dark night the wires sang with this infamous attempted defilement of my reputation, furnishing the accompaniment to the paeans of iov which went ud in the office of the Columbia State and other newspapers ?paeans of joy later turned to mournful dirges. This foul stuff was signed B. R. Tillman, and I hope that before the senator passes to the Great Beyond he will tell who was with him in Washington when it was prepared, and why he dragged in the names of Col. Abney and Hon. Sam J. Nichols, and! if he did so voluntarily or was per-, suaded to do so by a once-prominent! South Carolina politician, who is nowj a statesman (?) without a job? Was the senator's weak mind swayed by this astute big "Ex," who was present when the letter was dictated, and did Tillman or this other man dictate it? Was it voluntary, senator, or was it the result of over-persuasion of an en feebled mind? If your memory is feeble, and failing, and you cannot recall, possibly your stenographer, whoever he or she may have been may refresh it. The next day after its publication I addressed the following letter to the people of South Carolina: Tr> tVipv "P^r>nlo nf Qmifh P-a-rrv1 ini I have received reliable information j that three telegrams, containing about j the following; were received by P. H. j McGowan, correspondent of The State at Washington, D. C. signed by William E. Gonzales, August 23, 1912. "Tillman wrote private letter to Ferguson, in Spartanburg, which is severe arraignment. Blease knows contents j of letter and is sure to strike Tillman j with full force with his organization on Tuesday. If we could get whole letter published, Tillman's gains on Jones' side would counteract loses sure to be sustained in present status. \CC-&r\ TMllmor* fmm l-nrvrtr?n cr -vr*rt r\f a iuuiA ii vux xvuv n iu^ ijuui vu vi information. Place facts before him and beg for whole letter. Time is precious. (Signed) William E. Gonzales." And another: "If correspondent could get copy of letter, the matter in it could be sent out from Spartanburg. (Signed) William E. Gonzaales." And anther: "Tillman's letter must strengthen Jemcs' Itee* and cause Blease losses. ?:? iilease will light Tillwho will ; get many .Jones vot<v. (Signed) AViliam E. Gonzales. Of course, I cannot say these are the exact words of the telegram, but I dare Gonzales to deny that he sent telegrams containing statements similar to these, and he need not deny them, but in order to be honorable (if he can) let him present the messages | that he sent (copies of which L sup| pose he has on file, or which he can j easily have duplicated froii the Wash' ington office, which delivered the tele! grams to McGowan) and let the peo! pie see whether my information is j correct. j Th-ese three letters will show to the I public absolutely the cause of Tillman ' writing the vicious letter that he did and that Jones' campaign has been and is up to now being absolutely hand led and controlled by William E. Gonzales, notwithsanding the. fact that .Tones denied on the stump that Gonzales was supporting him, when I charged him with it, but later said he was glad for any newspaper to support ; him. | 1 have never seen the Ferguson letter, and did not know what was in if ' until I saw it in the newspapers, and when Gonzaies says 1 did, and thai c. *- rr11 v,.; win U?f;:iL uiuiaii, jic itucu what was wilfully untrue. I have today been handed a ieter written by Tillman, August 16, 1912, to a friend of his, in which he (Tillman) j says: "The railroad attorneys in the legislature have been too venal and corrupt to protect the people against | the railroads." At another point in his ' letter, he says: "In the lawsuit over j my grandchildren, he (Jones) did bow to public opinion and clamor rather than to enunciate the law as it was found on the statute books, which had been recognized a hundred years or more." Thus it seems that Tillman has written many letters, and that he speaks ; of Jones?as chief justice of the suj preme court?as having been influenci ed by "public clamor" and having I violated his oath as a justice and not ! decided the case according to the rej cognized law. I am thoroughly satisfied that Tillj ma's letter will not injure me, for I | have received messages by telephone, | telgram and letter from every section 1 of the State, and they all give me j assurances that this has done me no [ injury, but, on the* contrary, in many instances, I am assured that it hasj gained me strength and given fur-i ther assurance to the people of their I confidence in my character and fidelity to their interests. i I publish this communication only; ' to show that Gonzales is fighting forj dear life to elect Jones and was lead-! | ing McGowan into deceiving Tillman j j by lying on me; and, further, to show,; 1 as I have shown throughout the entire | campaign, that Jones is Gonzales' can- ; didate. Why? Because he cannot control Blease. The victory is ours. It will be re corded on Tuesday and my friends will j see that I am not defrauded?hence,! I am sure of re-election. Very respectfully. (Signed Cole. L. Blease. Columbia, S. C., August 25, 1912. The Columbia State refused to pub-1 lish this address, either as a news, i item or as an advertisement, saying; that the article contained "more or less accurate copies or tnree private, telegrams, two sent by the edition of t The State oil Friday evening, and one j on Saturday to the Washington corre! spondent of The State." It was refused publication by the Columbia Record, August 26, 1912, "on 1 grounds that as it appears to be article as to private telegrams, same was referred to counsel of Record, who advised against publication, not knowing what consequence might be." This -x-J. 4. , TTr,,?v+ I KUiueiiitruL WCLS uuiuc uy ?rjavt ' of the Columbia Record, in returning same to Hon. Fred H. Dominick, my for publication. It was also refused campaign manager, who offered it for publication, either as a news item or | an advertisement, in the Charleston News and Courier. That I had never seen the Ferguson letter, and knew nothing of its contents, is shown by the following affidavit of Harrison Ferguson, to whom the "Ferguson letter" was written and sent by Tillman: State of South Carolina?County of Spartanburg. Personnally appears before me Harrison Ferguson, who, being duly sworn, says: That during the campaign for; governor of South Carolina, in the; summer of 1912, in which John T.j Duncan, Ira B. Jones and Cole L. \ Blease were candidates, that much was! said and- written in regard to Senator! Tillman's position; that this deponent,; on the 14th day of August, 1912, ad- \ dressed a communication to Senator. Tillman, and that on the 19th day of August, 1912, this deponent received from Seator Tillman a reply to his communication; that this deponent lives ia the county of Spartanburg, and thai j "" s;i. I communieaiioii was rec<'iwd r: ; m the county of Spartanburg, in the city i of Spartanburg; that he dici not com- j inunicate cither bv word of mouth or i by writing, by himself or by any others i ; the contents of said communication to ' Governor Cole. L. Blease, and that i ' this deponent knows of his own know- J I _ _ _ _ I ; ledge that Gov. cole. jl. mease ma ; I not know the contents of said com- j ! munication at the time of the closing ; | of the State campaign at Greenville, j j South Carolina; and that deponent fur- ; | ther knows that Gov. Colo L. Blea.se j I could not have been fighting or using ; his influence against Senator Tillman I on account of facts set forth in Senator i I Tillman's letter, because Gov. Cole. L. i Blease had never seen the letter and did not know of its contents, and that ; any statement that he did is absolute| ly and unquivocally false. Deponent I further states that, ^o far as his knowledge goes, Gov. Cole. L. Blease has j never seen the letter written by Sena tor Tinman to tnis aepononi; mat irom h the receipt cf said letter until after | the primary election, which was held 8 on the 27th day of August, 1912, that'# this deponent had no conversation with a Governor Cole. L. Biease, nor no cor- ? respondence. , | (Signed) Harrison Ferguson. | Sworn to before me this 1-Stii day | of November, A. D. 1912. , Robert J. Gantt, 1 (Seal) Magistrate for S. C. ; That tne object of the malicious j?? telegrams was to injure me politically , j telegrams was toinjure me politically : i I - - I no one will day. But, even though , the falsehoods were of the deepest dye, j ! and conceived in the blackest malice, j j the law gave me no relief?because ' my personal reputation was unscathed, i j and, the people realizing the villainy! | , | of it all, my political fortunes were! bettered, probably, rather than injured, j But it is not for myself that I am pleading, but for those: who are to follow me, and for the good name of j the State. I submitted the matter to the Hod. W. Hampton Cobb, solicitor of the Fifth , : Judical Circuit, which includes Columi bia, and desire to quote herewith his ! | reply. ! Columbia, S. ., November 20, 1912. T -r->l /~1 ? 1.. O P j LrOV. UOie Li. UXtJcise, VyUiUJi'i ia, o. v^. ? Dear Sir: Replying further to your ! | letter of the 15th inst., asking "if j [ there is any criminal statute cover- j j irfg the offence for person sending a j i telegram in Columbia, S. C. which was j | delivered to another person in Wash- i j ington, D. C., containing a deliberate I and malicious falsehood and a libel! upon the reputation of a citizea of this State."I beg to say that the only sta-j tute I know of is the one passed iJ1912, Vol. XXVII, Statutes at Large, page 775, which provides as follows: j "Any person who shall with mali-j cious intent originate, utter, or circulate, or publish, any false statement or matter concerning another, the effect of which shall tend to injure such person in his or '-:er character,or reputation, shall be deemed guilty j of a misdemeanor." etc. j This statute has never been con-! c-j i. V..? T' struea Dy our supreme cuun, uut i . [ think the elements necessary to consti-; ?j tute a violation of this statute are: (1) ! pr< The statement originated, uttered or; lin circulated, or published, must be false; sir (2) It must have been done with a j ou; malicious intent; (3) The statement j et ortginated, etc.. must end to injure the! hu character or reputation of the person as alleged to have been wronged. lat Yours very respectfully, tio (Signed) W. Hampton Cobb, liq Solicitor Fifth Circuit. pu I also submitted the matter to Unit- yo ed States District Attorney Er: est F. dai Cochran, and received the following j est reply: |~th< Charleston, Nov. 16, 1912. j Hon. Cole. L. Blease, Governor of South 7? Carolina, Columbia, S. C. i f0! My Dear Sir: Your letter of the 15th j 1 inst. received, and pursuant to your an request I have looked very carefully coi into the matter referred to. As I un- i th? I derstand it the facts are that three li- re< belous telegrams were sent from Col- | an umbia, S. C., over the lines of a tele- th( graph company, to Washington, D. C., no and the question is whether there is ! ho any Fed-eral criminal statute covering Ce such a case. I have been unable to j 1 find any Federal criminal statute cov- : of ering such a ca3e, and am satisfied is Co none. The prosecution for the libel, in the district courts there. I am not fa- j th? in such case must be in the State court, j th( However, it is barely possible that a ga' prosecution could also be maintained i be1 at the place of publication of the libel; Ri< that is, in the District of Columbia, in n'e miliar enough with the jurisdiction and cai statutes relatives to the District of Co- we Tnmha to pynrpss an oDinion on this tor point, and I suggest that you lay this ex; question, if you desire, before the Uni- bn ted States District Attorney for the mi District fo Columbia. I have not his kn name before me, but a letter addressed j an simply United States Attorney for the pr< D'stncf of Columbia, Washington, D. pr< C., will reach him. j an Respectfully, j iri \ \ ParlnaH .Tiici I have just recei good, first-class H< that I will sell for wil! trade. Come and inspi you are thinking see what I have to Red Stables in rear BnMMnUHBnBMMBBnBMEBHnBttWBm The Second Car Will Arrive at my perity on Saturday will be one of the V ever received in thi prices will be reasoi Don't fail to co: you want a Mule. A. G.\ PROSPERI (Signed) Ernest F. Cochran, j pi TT? :a?-i Attn.rnpv ! fp \ uiiilcu ouk'vco . | jentlemen, the matter is before you ; er lot with a desire to review the re-! ar I shensible conduct of South Caro- j ar a's Senior Senator, nor with a de- | of e to parade before you the infam- j w; s conspiracy of Gonzales, Tillman j C( al, to do me political and personal j es rt?"but to show you the necessity, j th I began by saying, of some legis- !y ion which will protect the reputans of the citizens of South Caro- E< a, when maliciously assailed ih the blic prints. The matter is before- er a. I have made to you a reconimen- er tion in my annual message I earn- b? :ly urge that you pass an act along ds ; line I have suggested, or some act of nV?h annealine: to vour wisdom and I cc ?j ?mtjk w ar conscience, will achieve the result th which I am laboring. sc tf a man is thus mistreated, villified u* d abused, and the people rebuke the S1 aspirators and falsifiers by electing ) man lied upon, he can submit and * >t on his laurels, but he be defeated, r d feels that only blood will remove c* i stains, because the law gives him 01 redress, then, if he defends his j nor with blood, who blames him? j C rtainly not a Lexington jury. I p( [ might cite you to a later instance | infamous newspaper conduct The j lumbia State and other newspapers j tr South Carolina have been- scouring j m i newspapers of the world for all1 02 } mean and vile editorials they can & ther attacking me for my remarks s* core the conference of governors in ^ chmond recently. Newspaper after ec wspaper with favorable comments me into my office. Many of these ta re sent by my secretary to the edi- th of the Columbia State?not with any a pectation of seeing them published, j w t in order that the Columbia State; bl ght have the opportunity?which I j w ew it already had?to publish them, w d in order that you might have the as Dof that it had such opportunity?the Gr oof in the connection in which I 1 now giving it to you. Not content th this, my secretary, tor the same ti< BaBflSBBaSHBQMmMnBDBHCHQnmM t Received. ved a carload of | arses and Mules cash, credit, or set the stock if of buying, and I offer you. I H ?T ? I of Court House. I 0 I aqf] nf MhIpq AJl/UU VI AflUIVU I | Stables in Pros- V ? morning. This I finest shipments 1 / fr ^ fl s county, and the j nabie. me to see me if f ;1 VI 9 . ' i ri nn " ioc, I TY, S. C. N irpose,' addressed the following let-"^"^| r ta the editor of the Columbia State, 4 1 iclostag him an editorial in the letter id calling attention to the hundreds J id hundreds of letters and messages congratulation I had received. As as- expected, not one word did the ] )lumbia State say in regard to it? fl :cept to quote one paragraph from m e editorial, in an editorial venomous- fl attacking me again: M Columbia, Dec. 18, 1912. 'jl!j Jitor The State, Columbia, S. C. Dear Sir: Since the address of Gov- ^ nor Blease before conference of gov? nors in Richmond recently, you h?x& Kin running in The State from day to A iy, prominently displayed, comments. ' "various newspapers throughout the fl >untry adverse to the governor and to- MB e sentiments which he expressed? a me of these comments being sually vitriolic in tone and expres on. In view of the publication of ^ j ese adverse criticisms in your papery H beg to hand you herewith, with the squest for publication, an editorial 9 ipping from the Austin (Texas) atesman of December 12th, sent to I us om-ce. governor isiease nas i c? sived many newspapers and newspa- AH >r articles commending his stand, and fl indYeds <of letters and telegrams of U >ngratulation from all over the coun- S y; but this particular editorial com- 1 ent is sent to you with the desire to ill particular attention to this para- I *aph, which is, of course, best under- fl ood when read in connection with flH ie entire editorial herewith encloe-^^H I: I "We merely meant to say that if fa^W .1 blunder has to be made we prefe^J| ie mob to miscegenation; we^preffli white race whose hanas?B^^BHH ith blood than a white rac^^B ood is tainted with that of a e can not in such manner hile we kill ourselves. And feel&;ip| i we do we are not sorry to learn that overnor Blease will go to the senate, I 5 he boasted he would." fl In the interest of fair play, publica- M on of the ?atira dltorial to rtHfecV M