The Manning times. (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, August 15, 1894, Image 1

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

VOL. X. I 3MANNING, S. C., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, HOT IMES IN UNION THE CANIDATES FOR SENATOR HAVE A TILT. The C,owd Checr f.or TIIsrnit While Butler To 1 a t o Speatk, at d %, e C iled Blackuar de-Great Exctement-Caugh man Tois to Sp- ak. UNIoN, July 31.-Strong men and brave men locked fcr serious trouble at Union this afternoon and early to night and held their breaths until it was over. Well, its over, and there was no personal diticulty between Butler and Tillman. There were hot words, however, and the two men shook their forefinger3 at each other and talked hard and fast while the train on which they were dashed noisily along and everybody breathlessly awaited the outcome. It's a long story how it all came about, but the public will de vour every word with eagerness and will not then be satisfied. HOW IT CAME ABOUT. Here's the story, although some of the same facts appear elsewhere in this report. On Saturday at Laurens Senator Butler gave to the newspaper men a part of a speech which he in tended to make there. Tbis wasgiven for the purpose of getting it to their pa pers by mail. The entire matter related to the Dispensary. Each correspondent mailed the matter to his paper. Sena tor Butler did not use the matter in his speech and the newspaper men tele graphed their papers not to use it. For some reason the News and Courier saw fit to publish it on Monday morning with a statement that it was a part of the proceedings of the Laurens meet ing. How it made the mistake is not kuown. Governor Tillman was mad. The matter again insinuated that there was something wrong in the Dispen sary. When the Governor spoke today he jumped on the article and on Butler, using some strong language to the senior Senator. When the Senator re pled he was severe on Tillman and the crowd got mad. Butler got mad and for a while things were squally. BUTLER GETS HOTTER. Soon after the speaking Governor Tillman went to the private house of Judge Townsend, where he was stop ping, and was not seen again until the train came by Union for Spartanburg. Senator Butler was stopping at the Union Hotel but he and nearly all of the others took dinner at the railroad eating house. The Senator appears to have brooded over what Tillman said about thim and the way crowd treated him. As the afternoon wore on he did not cool off, but got hotter I have never inown him so mad. At the dinner table, at which over a dozen men were seated, Senator Butler publicly stated that Tillman had not treated him fair ly and that as soon as he saw him he proposed to denounce him to his face is "a damn dog, scoundrel and vandal." He was also bitter in speaking of some of the men whom he considered lead ers in yelling for Tillman, one being a man named Mobley and another named Evans. The Senator said he might as well settle all this thing now; that he had only a few more years to live and it would not make much difference if he had to go now. There was some thing to admire in the old soldior as his eyes flashed and he talked diflantly. Every man present knew that he would keep his word. They presumed that he might cool off and not use such severe language to Tillman. He did not use the same~ language but it was strong enough. Senator Butler went to his hotel after dinner and remained there. While there he saw Mobley and denounced him in the presence of many people. When he turned from Mobley the story is that biobley said something derogatory to Butler. A. W. Harris, postmaster at Union, heard it and started to attack Mobley, reach ingfor his pistol It is said. Later Cal Caughman had a allfliculty in a room of the hotel wtth a man and pulled his pistol. Friends interfered and stopped this trouble. All over town rows were brewing and were avoided only by the presence of cool headed men. Senator Butler himself assisted iu s..oppmig some of these. Liquor got in its work on all sides and it is a wonder that the Coroner does not have to work tomnor row. THlE GIANTS MEET. The train from Columbia rolled Into. Union tonight about 7.30, o'clock. Twenty minutes were allowed for sup per. Senator Butler sat for some time on the portico of the eating bouse. The train stopped at the station fifty yards from the eatibg house. Governor Tillman ate supper at Judge Town seno's and was driven to the depot. He got on the train and took a seat in the Pullman sleeper which was in charge of Conductor Dawkins. The train was in charge of Conductor Car son. Senator Stanyarne Wilson sat in the same seat with Governor Tillman. No others of the cam paign party were in the sleeper. Senator Butler got on the first class coach with several friends. As soon as the train pulled out he appeared to begin a searcn for Tillman. Not seeing him in the lirst class coach he went into the second class. A few people followed him. Ile even looked into the baggage car. Not a dozen people on the train suspected his mission, but reporters had their eyes open. Senator Butler retraced his steps through the second and first class coaches and entered the sleeper. Close at his heels were newspaper mer., his brother, who jives in (Jnion, Gen eral Richbourgr, W. II. Yeldell, General Ellerbe, Col. .John Gary Evans and Cal Caugbman. They crawled around little aisles. In a front seat on the right hand side sat Tillman and Wil son. Senator Butler walked lip to where they were sitting. THlE ROW. It was impossible because of the noise of the train to catch all that was said, but the substance of it w as that Senator Butler wanted to know if (i av ernor Tillman knew that the publica tion of that article was premature. Governsr Tillman admitted that he knew so through Kohni, correspondent for the News and Courier. Butlef then wanted to know why Tillman had made use of it. Tillrman answered be cause he did not think that Kohn had anything to do with it and that Butler ought to have informed him (Tiliman) that the publication of It was an acci dent while they were coming up on the train together on iionday. That would have removed all trouble. General Butler then remarked- "All that has nothing to do with it and I want to say to you that you perpetrated a deliberate fraud today. 1 have ccome to tell you that these things must be settled personally and that I will meet you anywhere." Tillman answered: " you are an old man and one-legge d and I do not care to have a difficulty with you under these circumstances." Butler- You are one-eyed and need not mind my infirmities. Tillman said his one eye didn't lessen his physical abilities. The car rocked along. Conductor Dawkins did not at first seem to comprehend wnat was the mat ter and refrained from interference. Seaor Butler sai something about Iblack-,uar s at the miiting. Tillm:Jn said: "Yts,: his is a day of blackgwivrds. You helped to enact the anti-duelling law about 1itteen )ears ago and a gn tieman can no lorger obtain s itisfac tion for an insult. You know I am not afraid of vou." Butler: "1fat is all iight; but I say that you have perpetrated a deliberat'e fraud and lie and that I am r-'ady to settle with you personally." Cal Caughman became wild at this point and shouted: "le is a liar. G--d d-n him," and made a motion towards his hip pecktd. Caugh man had been talking boisterously for several min utes and Conductor Dawkins had told him to cease. When Caughman broke loose with his profanity Conductor Dawkins and General Ellerbee seized him and hustled him out. Ile did not return until the trouble was over. Butler continued oy telling Tillmin that he had indulged in personalities and by God he did not propose to stand any more of them. 1 could tell you," he said, "of what I have heard how you paid off a $16,000 mortgage." Tillman: "Then why don't you do it. You know it is a lie. You cannot sep arate my public record from my pri vate character for honesty." Butler: 1 want to repeat to you not to presume on my age or infirmities and tell you that I will meet you any place or any time." The Governor told Butler that he was tired of his insinuations that he had stolen money. Butler: "I have not insinuated any such thing. Why don't you deny what I charged and not go into personalities. When you want to fight, G-d d-d it, say so and we will have it." Governor Tillman acted very pR 'lently daring all this. IHe talked with out a break aud tremor in his voice. Once or twice he and Butler had their ingers in each others faces. Senator Butler repeated his remarks several times, each time appearing to grow more excited. Once he said, '-When you ever have anything personal come to me. Don't put those G-d d-m hoodlums on me." Tillman: "You know that is not so and I didn't put anybody on you." Butler: "I am going to have free speech or I am going to fight for it." Tillman: "When ever you insinuate that I have been stealing I am going to resent it." Butler: "There is no use to talk any further when you have any thing per sonal say it to me." Conducter Dawkins had for some time been trying to put a stop to the row. He at last said that it must stop as ladies were complaining. Tte affair 1 was dropped by Senator Butler walking 1 out and Governor Tillman who had been standing up sitting down. 1 The train rolled into Spartanburg to- i night without further incident. Every body is looking for trouble here tomor row. Senator Butler is getting desper ate. Political feeling is runninghigh 1 tonight and I understand contingents I of Butler men are expected here from Columbia and elsewhere to back .up whatever the Senator says and does. Two thousand people will be here. .1here were other incidents at Union today. Mr. Minnegerode, the popular agent for Church & Co., soda men,who has been following the campaign dis tributing samples of his house was ar rested for obstracting the streets and fined heavily. Mr. Minnegerode has I never interfered with the speaking or I with anybody and his house will bring j suit for false imprisonment. THE SPEAKING. All the above occurred after the speaking was over, and after the party had left Union fur Spartanburg. We I will not report the speeches of any can didates but Tillman and Butler's,as the others made about the same speeches that they have made at other placas. After several candidates for State 011i ces and Railroad Commissioners had spoken, Governor Tillman was intro duced. TILLMAN's sPEECII. He said that before he began his dis- I cussion of issues he would pay his re spects to Senator Butler. ie said that I Butler Is allowing his mouth to be used as a sewer through which othera people squirt filth at him (rillman.) He reviewed Butler's various charges] against him. Now there appears in the s ews and Courier part or what is al-5 leged to have been a speech of Butler's at Laurens. Butler did not deliver anyt such speech. The article referred to ist as foltows, and was intended to have been spoken by Butler at L'iurens:_ 1 have already during the campaign< referred to the management of tne t State Dispensary and asked Governor< Tilman what had become of the 7 cents per gallon rebate the State was: entitled to on his liquor purchasers in reply he stated that he did not get this rebate because he did not confine his purchases to the trust. I was nct thoroughly posted then but have sincer had the benefit of Commissioner Trax- 1 ler's report from ,July 1st, 1893, to Jan-1 uary 1st, 1894, and in looking over it< find that Governor Tillman is in error in saying that the State was not enti-1 tied to this rebate as none of his pur chases as published in tis report re leased the Mill Creek Distilling Com pany from payment of not only of this 7 cents per gallon, but as I will show you of a much greater amount,. ar.d if it has not been paid steps should be taken te have it collected as the tanx payers of the State are entitled to it. In Commissioner Traxier's report we are informed that the first purchases for the State were made on May 22, 1898, from the Mill Creek Distilling Company, who are in the trust, andt amo.urnted to about sixty-one thousand,< three hundred gallons at a cost of< about $84,300. Of this purchase all 1 except about 1,350 gallons were entitled to a rebate of 7 cents per gallon, but also two cents per gallon more for cash. The 1.350J gallons of high priced whiskey was entitled to a discount of 4 per cent. for cash. Further review ing this purchase, I find that the State paid the Mill Creek Distilling Com-' pany S1 30 per gallon for 17,986 gallons of single X rye, which was only worth< on that day $1.20 per gallon. They also paid the Mill Creek Distilling Com pany ou the same date $1 .2'6 per gallon for 18 581 gallons siragle X Bourtbon, the market price of which on that day was $1.20 per gallon; so In this singlei purchase we find the taxpayers of the State over paid. On 17,930 gallons X rye at 10 cents< per gallon $1,79360. On 18581 gallons X Bourbon at 6 cents per gallon Sil14Ms~ Rebate on 59.950 gallons at 7 cents 4196.50.1 Cash discount, 59.950 gallons at 2 cents per gallon, 81.199.00. Cash discount, 1,345 gallons cost abo-it 30 27 at 4 per cent. $120) 00. Making a grand total of $8,423.9G lost to the taxpayers of tne State on this single purchase amountimg to less than $85,000. I do not propose to go over all the purchases made by the State but simply call your attention to the loss made on this single purchase from the Mill Creek D~istilitog Company. The Governor promises that the dis pensary will be in full blast again at an early day and apparently he is anxious to have the law in force again and while I do not propose to give my vie ws tor or against it I do think that the State should buy its liquors tO the very best advantage and not vest the purchas lng power in ode who has no knowledge of the busines; : bsies, I do not think it w-ise to have 1 tw whico opns the door to corruptiol. It is not my in tentior to coivey the 1i-a that (over nor Tillman is dishoins', but I do sAV that an Act that giv; w power to any one man to us-> m- rOoiney and creiit of the S-.Ve to he exrit (.f hundreds of thousands of dollars arid permit his ac countings to the State for this trust as is done in this Dispensary report is, to say the least, an unewise Act. I have only covered the iirs. purchase made by Goveroor Ti]liman and under stand thit all rye liqiors have since been bought from this campany for the &ateDispens:iry a-i wil! go n-> fur ther, but I would be glad if some one perfectly familiar with the liquor busi ness would carefully review all the statements issued by Camnisstoner Traxler and let the taxpayers of the State know whether the others purchases were made at or above their value. Replying to this article G(vernor Tillman said that it was another insin uation that, he was either a fool or a ras ca!; that he had been s windling the peo pie or had been cheating. Ile asked Butler where he had got his inforna tion about the price ot whiskey at the times named. Receiving no answer he said that Butler didn't know and was allowing himself to h used as a tool of the.whiskey trust. Gavernor Tillman went over the other insinuations of Butler and answered them, demanding of Butler thesource of his information. lie said he was getting tired of these insinuations and wouldn't stand it. Ile had never attacked Butler's honesty. The people of Edgetield know that he (Tillman) is honest and endorsed him two years ago by 1,500 majority. They will give him 1,500 mrj ority this year. The Governor said: -It comes with poor grace from Butler to insi:uate anything about my honesty when he cannot say as much about paying his own honest debts." Butler, be said, charged him with having power to purchase all the whiskey. This was not so. Tne purchasiog power is vested in the Board of Contro'. of which E! lerbe and Buchanan are members. They are responsible but all the respon ibility is laid on me. They frequently leave the purchasing of whiskey to me because I am familiar with all details of ,he business. but they know that there is nothing in these insinuations. After finishing with Butler Governor rillman jumped on Grover Cleveland. peaking of the scarity of money he book a hand primary to see how many men in the audience had any money. It was a rather delicate question, but the primary showed an enthusiastic majori ty without a cent. Governor Tillman ouched again today on the Alliance nd the sub-treasury. He declared that ,hip pressing of that demnad at this ime is simply blindness and may preci itate a row in the Reform ranks whicti may allow some of our enemies to slip .n. "I could have d odged this sub-treas ry issue and let you go on and fall in he ditch, but I am not a demagogue mnd will tell you the truth every time." 'Cheers.) The Governor told his friends o make every man who is a candidate or the Legislature tell exictly how he stands. Voice: "They have got it to do." The last thing the Governor spoke on was the Dispensary. le said that he iad hid the 1893 law from the Supreme Jourt because he didn't want the ex )ense of an extra session of the Lagis ature to renact it. The Goveror was ustained in what he had done in re pening the Dispensary by a hand pri nary. The crowd promised to do their uty as jurors when men are arrested or violation of the law. The Gover"mi old the crowd that when they know man is violating the law to send him ord and he wilI send .. constable to ;ake charge of that man. The Gover ior was uproariousiy.apphauded throgh )t his speech. BUTLERS's ECIL Every body who ksiow Ssnator Butler :an magine how it must have affected iim when Gover ior Tiloan told hi~n us mouth was a sewer pipe through vhich other people squirt tneir filth at tim. Knowing this the reporters looked or hot stuff from Senator Butler. They ere not disappointed, but the occa ion was hotter than anybody expected. t came near amounting to a riot be ore the hour alloted to the Senator vas over. Senator Butler was probably little paler than usual as he faced ,be crowd of 1,200 men, nearly all of hem Tillmanites. Grasping the railing .n ront of him, General Blutler first >id a few compliments to the old sol iers of UnioD. Then he said in stern ,ones: -"Sioce the progress of this :ampain I have endeavored to comply -ith the rules of parliamentary debate. Che exhibition here this morning is no 'xception to the quotation that " When Sman gets mad he is a fooL." Turning toward Tillman and back igain to tne crowd, lButler said: " otify both him and you here and now .bat in the future l do not propose to ash our dirty linen in public. If he >r you have any personal grievances gainst me let him meet me and we iii settle it. Hie knows where to find ne and knows lbe can, get sutisfaction it any titme." This statement.or at least that part irected to the crowd, was drowned out >y the loud cheers for Tillman. General Blutler explained that he had >repared the article which was in the ews and Courier to use at Laurens. le had given it to the reporters to copy Ld mail to their papers. The Courier ~orrespondent had mailed it to his paper id that paper had prematurely pub ished it. Is was pub~lishied without au hority. Governor Tillmnan knew the ircuis'ances and yet took advantage f it. Notwithstanding thtis ha sees lit o o) out of his way toa make flings at Gn-ral lButlter got warm again and id: "lle ( l'iltl:e) tasks about my nomubt being a vehicle for tilth. God iave the sewer pipes of this c~mntry if its mouth is not worse than any sewer >ipC I know of." This was greeted by lou-l cheers for illan which corntinued for a few sec )d. lIesuming, General B-itler said: 'The figures on this Dispensary matter [secured from competent. authority md not from the whiskey trust. Why loesn't he answer and give facts; s iy whether they are true or not and not nditlge in nonsense ard idle stuff vich has no reason in it." Tillman: "I have denied what you ~harge." General Butler: "I have secured these figures from proper sources and ben he answers them I will have ~ometing else to say. lie iatimates hat I am not paying my debts. If I iad thie Dispensary at my back with he hundreds of thousands in it I w~uld ay my debts and feather my nes':, tf I ,vas like some people. Any man who nys tnat I do not pay my honest debts tays a falsehoo-l. Tilman talks like he .s a rich man. I am a poor Lmanl and 1 an't help it. I have done my duty to nyself and my country." Te cheering for Tillman had gradu :lly grown louder and more freauent luring Butler's remarks and it 1:roke into a fury all at once. Wnen' the yell ing partially ceased, Batler said: "i~e will need all the holierimg you e in give An old gray hasrea ex-Confederate said to Butler: "'You used to lead me right in war. IHe (I'illman) leads me I CO'NTINUED) ON P'AGE FO)UR I LARY GANTT HIlTS BACK. H'-- REFUSES TO BE TURNED OUT OF THE ALLIANCE. He Cibrn that a Whitew&%hInz Commit ten Recomanded Bim Fxpulsion from thA Order-Sava 1e is EKs'dy to Prove HMte4 Chavras Against Dancan. SI'ARTANnURO, S. C, Aug. 1-The article printed below, written by Edi tor Gantt. of the Piedmont Headlight, on his expulsion by the State Alliance from that Order, was published in this week's issue of the Headlight. Here is the article: The editor of the Piedmont Head light was the first journalist In Geor gia to espouse the Alliance demands. lie has also the distinction of publish ing the only daily paper in America that supported Alliance principles. And it was on account of this defense we lost our position as managing edi tor of the Athens Banner. The direc tors of the paper came to us and stated that unless we stopped advocating the Alliance, that our resignation as editor would be asked for. We told those di rectors that these principles were right and just, and we intended to stand by them if it made us a pauper. We were displaced and another party given our job. Afterwards we were elected edi tor ot the Georgia Alliance organ, which position we held until our health gave way, when the State Alliance pavsed highly complimentary resolu tioLs of thanks to us. We have never made one dollar out of the Alliance but on the other hand have sacrificed half of what we had accumulated by bat tling for the farmers. The above are facts and every state ment can be substantiated by leading Alliancemen in Georgia, who will tell you how hard, devotedly and unselfish ly we have labored for their movement. We came to South Carolina because the Ai!iance in Georgia had decided to go into the Populist party, and we knew it meant destruction to their movement. We had the confidence of the members and would not fight them but. at the same time we determined not to aid in any effort that we knew must result in their injury. When we took charge of the Columbia Register, we found this same Third party senti ment in South Carolina, but did all in our power to suppress it, and succeed ed. As a result in our sister State of Georgia, the Alliance lost all it Pad gained, and the order three fourths or more of its members; while in South Carolina the farmers are in the saddle, they have made the Ocala platform the platform of their State, and control every ofifle from United States Senator to coroner. We are not working for either gain or applause,- but shall hew square to the line, fearlessly and unflinchingly stand by our principles and convictions and Dlace our trust in the people. And another thing: We do not propose to keep back any information from the people that we may possess, for they are intelligent and patriotic, and have a right to be informed on all public matters. Oa tt -ine, some months ago, it be came our duty to expose the manage ment of the State Alliance Exchange. We stated nothing but facts, and can prove before any unablased and disin terested committee, every charge we have made against the management of P'Arcy P. Duncan. 1. We charged Mr.Duncan with try ing to make his brethren in Spartal burg county pay the Exchange $1.80 per ton more for guano than an agent for the same company was selling the same brand of goods for, and that our county trade agent, Mr. Bartor, had to write Duncan several letters before he cculd get any satisfaction from him. This charge we can substantiate by Mr. Barton himself, and by any num ber of Alliancemen. Now, we contend that there Is something radically wrong with the management of the State Ex change when Allianeemen must use outside competition to force their manager into reducing prices. 2. We charge that Manager Duncan stated on the stand at Spartanburg that he paid $1750 for a sewing machine that sells for $18 25. We hid a stand ing offer in the Headlight to sell the identical machine, to any farmer, at only $14; we also proposed to Mr. Dun can at Iniman to ship him one of these machines, and let it be compared with the machine he says cost him $17.50, and if a committee did not say that they were identically the same ma chnes,then we would present tne one we ordered to the Exchasge. So Man ager Duncan either misstated facts or he Is not a competent man to conduct the business for :our farmers, when a weekly n ewspaper can purchase a sew ing machine at S$350 less than the State Exchange, that receives them by the car load. 3. We publish a letter written by Manager Duncan to an Alliance brother at Boiling Springs, in this county, so liciting from him a letter endorsing the Exchange, for publication in the Cot ton Plant. But so far from this Alli anceman giving the endorsement asked he states to us 'ihat he ordered some flour and molasses through the Ex change, and the Ilour cost him 90 cents per barrel more than mernhants sold the same brand for, while the molasses was billed ten cents a gallon over tho market price. We can give the name of this brother if desired, and he is the purch.asing agent for his lodge. 4. We charge that Manager Duncan in direct violaition of a plain statute of the State of South Carolina, has been using his railroad passes to travel over South Carolina in his private Interest and conduct his political campaign. Now can tne Alliance afford to con done or endorse such a plain and shameless violation of our laws in one of i~s highest cslicials ? We say not. 5 We are prepared to prove that Mlanager D~uocan has been buying goo:ls for Alliancemen from retail mer chants in Columbia-including Lorick at Lowrance. Governor Tillman's bit terest enemies-an'd that charging his brothers a higher price for these goods than the same merchants sold to farm ers for. Now, these are the only charges we have made against Mr. Duncan as busi ness Manager of the State Exchange, or with which the Alliance has to deal. We have charged him with political disloyalty against the Reform move ment, and using his powers as chair man of the board of railroad commis sioner - to unjustly oporess the people, but they are matters foreign to the province .f the Alliance, and the peo ple will pass upon them at the polls. At the Inman Alliance we met Mr. Duncan face to face, recited our char ges in his presence and before fifteen hundred people, and we can prove by every person present that he did not answer a single one. On the other hand, he appealed to the prejudice of the people because he was a tarmer, when Mr. Duncan is no more of a farmer than his opponents, having held oflice In Columbia for many years. lie claimed that the Ex change had reduced prices, when he knows that the reduction in the price of all manner of goods Is owing to a contraction of currency, [or the same presa rule in State where there Is no Alliance Exchange as in South Caro lina. le boasted of reducing the rail road freights on fertilizers, but did not tell his people that he also permits these roads to charge one-half cent per mile more passerger tariff than tbe same lines exact in other States; and while the rates on. third class freight from Baltimore to Spartanburg are 48 cents, goods are hauled through our city and 150 miles further on to Ath ens, Ga., or only 25 cents! Mr. Dun can says this is at:ributable to the fact that those Georgia cities have water transportation. '.his is not t rue so far as Athens is concerned, for it is fifteen miles further from water navigation than Spartanburg. Now it was far from our desire to misrepresent Manager Duncan, and it is also our earnest desire to have this business investigated to the very bot tom by the State Ailiance. We stated both through our paper and on the stand that if a full and rigid investiga tion of our charges were made, and it was shown that we had done the Alli ance Exchange or its manager the slightest injusticeP, that we would cheerfully and freely make the correc tion. So with tbi end in view, we transmitted to the State Alliance by Dr. M. 0. Rowland, delegate from Spartanburg dounty, the following communication: "To the State Alliance: "I have called attention in the Pied mont HeadlIght to the reports which had come to me as its editor, concern ing the management of the State Alli ance Exchange, whereby the Alliance men were charged excessive prices for fertilizers, sewing machiaes and other articles; and the manager of the Exchange having entered into a con troversy with my paper, in which he denies the reports; and Alliancemen in different parts of the State having manifested considerable interest in having the correctness of those reports established or refuted; and inasmuch as the manager of the Exchange has constituted me the prosecutor in the matter and the representative of the complainant; it is a matter of vital in terest to the fature usefulness or the Al liance Exchange that these reports be inquired into. "I respectfully petition that a com mittee of five Alliancemen be appoint ed by your honorable body, who ,ahall be authorized and empowered to make a full, complete and thorough investi gation of the business management of the Exchange during the past three years, and that they have power to take testimony o! witnesses, to receive testimony of witnesses, to receive and collect letters, papers and documents, to appoint a bookkeeper if Decessary, and to make their report to the presi dent of the State Alliance; and in order that it may be fairly, impartially and satisfactorily done, that the manager of the State Exchange be permitted to select two of the committee, your peti tioner two, and these four to select the fifth, which last shall be chairman of the committee, that said committee be required to accompany their report with all the testimony which they shall take, and all the letters, papers and other documents which they shall col lect. T. L. GANTT." Now, we ask every reasoning Alli man in South Carolina,is not the above proposition entirely fair to both Mana ger Duncan and ourself, and whom he had made the Drosecutor? We pre sumed that the honor of the order, and consistency to the professions and plat form, would demand of the State Alli aDee that the very bottom facts be got ten at in this Exchange business, for as an honorable body they could not afford to endorse anything that smacks of whitewashing or a cat-and-dried report. All we asked, and what alone will satisfy the pe-ople, too, will he that the business transactions of this State Exchange for the past three years be thoroughly ventilated and laid before Alliancemen. Taat there is wrong somewhere, and sme one is to blame, we are thoroughly convinced. We are prepared to establish every charge that we have made, and defy Manager Dun can or his friends and backers to ac cept the perfectly fair proposition that we have made above, and let the AllI ancemen read the testimony taken by an Impartial committee, chosen jointly by the accused and the prosecutor. And again the proposition that we made was the fairest and best that could be made, for to have the conven tion investigate the Exchange business would require at least a week, and ne cessitate an expenditure of a large sum of money, in summoning witness es and examining bills. Manager Duncan publicly .stated both at Inman and West Springs that he would bring our ch1arges before the meeting of the State Alliance at Aiken, and where we would be summoned to appear. We cheerfully accept this proposition, and made all of our ar rangements to attend that convention, were our presenc' asked. But to our surprise we had no notification to at tend said meeting, and the first intima tion received by us that these charges had come up and were disposed of was a telegram In the Greenville News, a bitter anti paper, and which was du plicated in the other ring-rule sheets over our State; and so elated were these papers over what they thought defeat for a man who had fought them and their faction so lung anid ur~tlinch Ingly, that they gave the proceed ings that referred to us under flaming head lines; and some of these same papers actually penned editorials3 favorable to the action of the Alliance-an organi ztion that they haye fought so long and slandered so villainously. Now, it seems to us very strange that infor mation touching the loyalty of a brother member, who is in good st-and ing, should be given to the public be fore even the members of our order were made acqatnted1 with the same. llere is the report "exonerating" Manager Duncan: 'The committee, atlter repeated ef forts, due notice having been given, failed to get alr. Ganti before them in person or with testimony, finds the charges alleged are groundiess and the committee fully exonerate3 Mirm ager Duncan of said charges. W. N. Elder, Chairman. Now, bear In muind that the above report was made without summoning us before the Stai e Alliance, or hearing our charges or giving us an opportuni ty to produce our vritnesses. Hlow then does this commir.ee kno w that our "charges are grou~uless ?" and in pblishings their proceedings, why did they omi~t to also give to the public the perfectly fair proposition handed the convention by Dr. M. 0. Rlowland? It simply shows to the world that these men had organized themselyes into a whtewasi'~g committee, and trampled every principle of justice and fairness under foot. We asked for an oppor tunity to present our charges and cur witnesses, and tt.ls was denied to us. And not only this, but that report is signed by "W. N. Elder," the same man who had already made a report exoner ating Manager Duncan, and upon whihthe whitewash was so transpar ent that even its beneficlary ref used to use it. Now, for Mr. Elder to have made any other report, or have accept ed our proposition, would be acknow legement that he had not oischarged his duty In the first instance, when flis committee pretended to examine into three years' business of the State lEx hange, and vindicate its managrement, in about one hours' time. The men who made that first "vindication," and which Manager Duncan was ashamed to use, have now goue to work and du plicated their job. And then, In order to add insult to the injury that they have done a brother member, they pub lish toltbe world the libel that "having failed to get Mr. Gantt before them in person," when they well know that we were never summoned to the State Al lianco, and when this self same com mittee was in session in Columbia that we asked them to postpone matters for two days so that our business would premit us to appear before them. But our enemies did not stop here but in their desire to crush us, have gone to work and attacked our loyalty to our order-and an order, too, for which we have spent our time and our means striving to foster and build up. Here is their report, in which our ex pulsion is recommended: . "The committee to whom was re ferred the resolutions to investigate the conduct of T. L. Gantt, editor of the Piedmont Headlight, and a mem ber of the Farmer's Alliance, would re spectfully submit: ",'hat as such editor he Lcas persis tently used the columns of his paper in preferring promiscuous charges against a brother member, D, P. Dan':an, the State Exchange agent, instead of pro ceeding according to the provisions as expressed by the constitution, Section 4, article 1. "'rhat in thus using the columns of his paper he not only violates the spirit and a letter of Alliance la v, and brings discredit upon the order, but forfeits the condition upon wh1ch editors are eligible to membership under section 1, atticle 10. "In view of the above violation of the constitution, we recommend that he be expelled from the order. "Signed: W. 0. Tatum, J. R. Blake, .Jr., J. D. Montgomery, J. C. Elliott, J. L. Smith." Now we appeal to the just, rational and fair-minded Alliancemen through out this country, who we feel will say that a brother member has been wrong fully and shamefully treated. But we don't intend that this matter shall end here. We shall appeal to the president of our county Alliance to appoint a fair and impartial committee who will give us a hearing, and before whom we can make our charges and bring our witnesses. As an Alliance man in good standing, we have a tight to demand this act of justice and pro tection and we know that the sub lodges in Spartanburg county will all unite in asking that this be done. This thing of condemning a man unheard is a parody on justice, a shame upon any convention that countenances such, and we do not propose to quietly sub mit to it. When this county commit tee reports the people will know all the facts, for we have ready reliable witnesses by whom we can establish every charge that we have made against Manager Duncan. If the Head light has misrepresented Mr. Duncan, let censure be put upon us; but we have not misrepresented him, and are ready and axnious to prove every state ment made. To expel a member you must try him before his sub-Alliance, and this we are ready for. The Headlight is not aa Alliance organ, while supports and dorses the principles. We publish a political newspaper, and intend to keep our readers posted as to all public mat entersithat transpires. If we must have a gag put upon us, and are forbidden to lay any information before our readers except such i s the State Alliance judi ciary committee sees fit and proper to have published, then we shall at once resign our membership in the organiza tion, for our selfrespect, our manhood and our duty to our people forbid us to accept such servitude. That day has passed, never to return, when informa tion must be kept from the people and only given to a chosen few. Our far mers are now educated, and they are the jury to which we shall always ap peal, and whatever we learn they shall know also, if it affects their interest or welfare. But while that committee were pass icg their vote of censure against the Headlight editor, and demanding our expulsion because we "preferred con spicuous charges against brother D. P. Duncan," why did they not also demand the explusion of brother J. W. Bowden, editor of their own organ, for bringing "conspicuous charges" against brother J. L. M. Irby, the man who organized every sub-Alance in Laurens county, and who is as true to our cause as the needle to the pole? The motto of the Alliance is "equal rights to all and special privileges to none;" then why emngle out brother Gantt and arraign him for attacking brother Duncan, over looking the fact brother Bowdlen has denounced brother Irby in even harsher language than we have ever used to ward Manager Duncan? And again, the Cotton Plant Is your State Alliance organ, and you have jurisdiction over its columns, as it is kept up by a month ly appropriation from the State Ex change. Qa the other hand, the com mittee has no juridiction whatever over the Piedmont Headlight, and neither shall they ever have any control over its~columns so long as the present edi tor remains at its helm. It is a piece of brazen impertinence on the part of that committee to designto middle with this paper, while condoning, by silence, in their own organ just what the Iheadlight is charged with. The proceedings of the State Alli ance convention plainly show that it was captured in the Interest of certain politicians, and was used to defeat Governor Tillman for the Uuited States Senate and to crush every man who Is his friend and supporter. This was proven by the great interest that the old ring and Haskellite organs mani fested in the proceedings, and when these papers were given out news be tore our o wn members were informed. And we are also told that "more than fouir-iifths of the delegates were Ellerbe men!" Well, this azcounts for the In justice done the editor of the Ileadlight, and the attempt to pull him down.But we accept the gauntlet cast at our feet and Intend to take up the work where that so-called "investigating" commit tee left off, and lay before the people the facts and the testimony. Our Al liancemen will then see whether or not we have made any charges against Manager Duncan but that can be sub stantiated by reliable witnesses. The money to start the Exchange was taken from the farmers, and they have a right to kno w just how every dollar has has been expended. The Alliancemen of Georgia Invested over $7,0002 In an Exchange, under the charge of as honest a board of directors as ever lived; and yet their manager in three years' time had gotten away with more than half of their entire capital, and only $1,500 in cash were found in the treasury when the expose was made Now, with this lesson before our Alli anceunen, we do not believe that they will rest content with any such white washing reports as that made by the committee. We do not charge Mana ger Duncan with appropriating money that does not belong to him; but we do assert, and can prove, too, that as the State Exchange Is now operated our Alliance members must use outside competition to batter down 1ts prices. There are now $17,000 in this Exchange belonging to the farmers, and we learn that nutim $350nf this sum is due, Spartanburg county. S!veral of our county Alliances have asked their sbare of this fund returned to them, as they feel that they can use it to bet ter advantage than Manager Duncan is doing. But this claim, so we are told, has been refused. Then we do say, if our people's money must be kept back from them and against their wishes, and they petitioning for it, the n it is right and fair that a report be mad- so that each Allianceman can kno w jist how every cent received by the Ex change, under its present managment, has'teen expended. So far as the prnciples of the Alli ance are concerned, they are firmly implanted in our bosom, and we shall uphold and defend them as lang as life lasts. But when we see our movement turned over to politicians, and the niost palpazle acts of injustice done a inem Der, then shall we expose the outrage and shame. Our principles cannot be tray or mislead us, but men can, and only too often do, betray and mislead ag. BUTLER MEN IN COUNCIL. They Ley Claim t) Abomt E'ghteeu Conu ties for the Sanator. COLUMBIA, S. C., August 1.-The first real big political gathering that has occurred during the present month took place in Columbia yesterday. It was a gathering of the friends of Sena tor M. C. Butler, who came to canvass the outlook for his re-election. It was a representative body of men, and men were here from thirty-three out of thirty-five counties in the State, while reports were received from every coun ty. All along the Senator's friends have been working quietly, but now they are beginning to step to the front. Their unexpected appearance in the Capital yesterday caused quite a flutter among the Reform politicians. The significant fact is that the Senator's friends now lay claim to eighteen counties. Yesterday was a live ly day politic il ly in many respects, as will be seen in the columns of the State today, and this Butler conference was one of the features. The men, which composed the conference, were abotit equally di vided among Conservatives and Refor mers. There were about sixty-five or seventy-five present. It looked like 'old timi' ' convention times to see them gathered about the lobby of the Hotel Jerome in the forenoon, all ap parently beat on business. They made no "bones" about saying what they were here for. It was soon ascertained that there were several men from near ly every county here to report the sta tus in their several counties, and ex change views. This was probauly the last conference they will have before the election. It has been known for some time that, while the Butler men were con ducting a quiet campaign, they were well orgamzed, and were at work in every county and township in the State. A correspondent in writing from Rock Hill, on the occasion of the opening meeting of the campaign,said: "Certain it is that Gan. Butler's cam paign is conducted by business men in a business like manner and there is no counting on the force that their untir ing efforts will develop." Certala it is now that the still hunt, the house to house campaign, the township and county work has been prosecuted with unfailing zeal and organization and from present Indications there is sure to be something drop. Yesterday an Anderson county far mer-one of the straightforward kind, when asked about the conference said: "Yes, I am here from my county in at tendance upon a Butler conference, and if you men who don't think the gallant old General has got a showing culd you have beard Capers read five to fifteen letters from every township in every county in the State and heard the reports from the delegates present, you would have opened your eyes as big as moons. I am a pslain farmer and belong to the Alliance, but we have been fooled long enough by that selfsh, salary drawing Ben Tillman, and we bellieve that in peace, as always In war. Gen. Butler will be able and willing to be the best and most patriot ic friend and worker for the people of the State. We farmers find our taxes higher, and instead of peace, prosperi ty and prohibition in the State, we fiod bitterness, strife, slow business and the State dispensary; and in my humble judgment the light has at last been thrown on and Tillman has no longer the sympathy and support of the farm ers he has fooled. "We farmers are independent folks and as much 'quality folks' as you are, and when a man of line family, like Tilman, gets down on our platform and we ride him into big office. we ex pect a great deal of him;~ and when he fools us. as he has done, man-let me tell you, the farmers could eat fire. He has given us no Comptroller's re ports to help us with our fertilizers, as saved us no money, and in no in stance, h as he reduced taxation. We, n the other band, find that Gen. But er has never misled or fooled us, and we are for him. Anderson will elect Butler men, and, in addition to the thirteen counties now for Builer, put down Anderson, Edgelield, Colleton, Carendon and Hampton. I have kin folks by the dozen in all of these and I know what I am talking about." While such expressions came from farmers who were here, there were at the conference business men and pro fessional men, who had come from their homes to report Butler's strength n their respective sections. The con ference was a secret one and there was little, if anything, given out for publi ation, but it is indeed significant that the Aiken Alliance convention, Elier be's attack on Governor Tillman, as to the opening of the dispensary, without law or authority; Senator Irby's attack on Congressman McLaurinethe new is sue, which it is said is bringing out men for the Legislature in every coun ty, irrespective of Butler or Tillman men who propose to run on the issue f repealing the dispensary law,) and hen this businessllke and potential emonstration of strength for Batler hould so closely follow each other. 'he Butler men seem well satisfied with the outloek.-State. Andrew Jackson's Grave. NASIVILLE. Tenn., Aug. I.-Infor atIon was received to-day from "The ermitage," where General Andrew Jackson's remains are buried, that his grave was disturbed last night by some uknown person or persons. A hole ghteen inches in debth and three feet n length was dug at the head of the grave, but the parties were frightened away before they accomplish tneir ob ject. The Hermitage is twelve miles from this city. The desecration of general Jackson's grave was discovered at an early hour to-day and the fact Immediately report ed to the Ladies Hermitage Association A long plank was le: lying beside the grave. Suspicion rests upon a well dressed negro for whom the authorities are now looking. He went to the resi dence of a white man living half a mile from the Hermitage yeserday afternoon nd borrowed a shovel, which he re turned this morning. While near the ermitage he made some inquires ahot -Tackson's tomb. AS EN THROUG-H THEEYESOF -H;! NEWS AND COURIER. That Paper R'prcsents the Rteformers as Refuc at DaggeL'A 1o1:t-Not Likely to W:, PAs 11,d s R.4 presented. COLUMBIA, S. C., July 2.-The last forty-elgbt hours have witnessed more significan: political events than the entire four years previous. There has been no end of slate smashing, and in a word the entire political situation in South Carolina has been turned upside down in this short spac6 of time. When one loogs at a Reformer today especial ly an office seeking Reformer, he no tices that each and every one of them has unconsciouly taken unto himself that peculiar "where am I at" stare. All schemes and plans have been knocked into a cocked hat. The action of the State Alliance 1 - displaying a huge undreamed of back bone and declaring war on everything connected with the Tillman-Evans- Wit son combination has stunned the Refor mers who are about the Capital. None of them expected to see the Alliance develop a fighting humor, but throught that it was going to quietly submit to everything. Nothing else is talked of here today but the aetion of the Alli ance and its effect upon the outlook. I ascertained before leaving Aiken that a census of the Evans and Ellerbe strength in the Alliance had been taken and the result was that out of the entire membership including the officers and committeemen, Evans had but six sup porters. There wereamong these the delegates from Aiken, Spartanburg, Laurens and Georgetown. Every one of the politicians says they dare not try and say what will happen now. One thing is certaiD, although the Alliance has not fifteen thousand active members, its strength is greatly dreaded. Tne cause is that each Alli ance man is usually a middle aged man of in duencein the community in which he lives, having great power over all the younger male members of his fam ily and over his neighbors. Then again the Alliance organization is not only perfect but far-reaching and the results of any such action as that taten at Al ken can extend to the very uttermost backwoods district quicker than any political machine can carry it there. Ellerbe's friends are somewhat jubi. laut over the result of the Alliance meeting. They consider that the ac tion of the body in expelling Gintt was a heavy blow to the Evans side-ja as heavy as the "Legislature" resolu tions were to the Tillman side. Now there was one thing which neither I nor any other correspondent heard of at Aiken. The Alliance after passing its own resolution in regard to how the members of the body should vote, went to work and endorsed those Marion County Alliance resolutione along the same line by a big majority. But the Alliance's action is not all that has paralyzed the office seekers. The action of Dr. Pope has created another stunning wave for the Reform leaders. It is true that Ellerbe and Tindal have sent in their pledges, but there is nothing to prevent these two withdrawing them. It looks to me as if the fight will finally narrow do wn to a battle in the general primary election between Ellerbe and Evans. Yet I am told that Ellerbe's friends are now per fectly confident of controlling the Au gust Convention. But all one can do on this line is to wait and see. It would amuse mo3t of the people of South Carolina to be able to be around here a little today and hear the many harsh terms that are being applied to Governor Tillman by men who two weeks ago would have kissed his feet if he told them so to do. I have not found any two "Rsformers" today who hold exactly the same views with regard to the outlook. All agree that the developments of the last two days have overturned ali schedules, etc., and frankly say they do not know what will happen next. A good many of the Alliance mem bers returning from the meetingat Al ken passed through the city today. Among them were Col. Norris, Senator Evans, Col. Duncan and others. I no ticed-one thing yesterday, that every m.ember of the body seemed to be per fectly delighted with what the body had done, and seemed to be In a more hopeful and satisfied humor than any body of men I ever saw just complet ing their work .-News and Cou-ler. A Slickc Swindler. NEW YORK, Aug. 1.-The arrest of Horace D). Baker, alias a dozen other names, at South Vmneland, N. J., Tues day on a charge of forgery is an impor tant one and will probably put a stop to his operations for awhile. The pris oner's right name is Robert E. Howey. Some time in the eighties he is said to have served a term of imprisonment in the California State prison, after which he went to Montana and from there to Topeka, Kas , where under the name of Robert H. Alexander he claimed to be engaged by the publisning house of Rand, McNally & Co. of Chicago. Here he connected himself with the order of Good Templars, T. M. C. A. and other religious and charitable organizations and, it is said, married the daughter of a very respectable family. His crimi nal operations extended over several Western States, notably Montana and Colorado, In 1889 he was arrested for forgery at Washington, D. C., and sen tenced to three years Imprisonment. After his release be continued his crim inat career, committing forgeries in Elmira, Cleveland, Chicago and several other places. lie usually prepared for his forgeries by entering into corre spondence with some minister or oin cer of some religious organization in the city where he proposed to operate. lie then followed up this correspon dence with a visit. He is well versed in the rItual of the order of Good Tem. Diars, understands the Bible thorough lv. is well acquainted with Christian Endeavor woik, conversant with boors and authors, and the apparent sincerity of his addresses and prayers at religious meetings alway s brought him hosts of frieras from wnomn he soon picked out some one to introduce him to the bank he proposed to swindle. Hie then de posited a small anmount and for a short time kept a running bauk account and finally deposited a forged draft against which he woul draw 2.nd then dissp pear. The prisoner is wantel by the police throughou the United States and al ready reqisitions~ are being pre pared for tim 1: several other States including~ Maryland and Massachu setts. Snot the Gbet. COLU.MBUs, mud., Ju'y 31.-Dr. C. Bck was visiting his sweetheart, Miss Grace Cohee, at Newbern, when she teak it mnto hzr head to frighten him by playing ghost. She left him cn the veranda. saym-a she was going for a drink. She threw a sheet over her head and came upocn him sudd'enly from arou~d the heuse. Dc. Back drew his revolver and called on the iizure to stop. He called thre.e times, but the girl heed ed him not. Then the doctor shot twice. Oiz. lhall entered Miss CAhef's abdomen and another is lo ged im her leg S't will n robably die.