The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, August 25, 1910, Page SEVEN, Image 7
IA DODGES REPLIES TO!
11BOGERS' CRITICISMS
PrOLL STATEMENT OF HIS FIEnancial
FAILURE AND SET- I
I TLEMENT OF DEBTS.
Ktiitor County Record: ?
-'Mr T I Rodgers has given to
Hhe press a letter purporting to i
Hsuck upon questions involved in
ne Congressional campaign, and I
' ' - > i i
XX) iniormea znai mere Jiu\*r iatcu
irinted for circulation in this dis3Ct9,000
copies of this letter,
fc Thinking possibly that this cirttlar
signed by Mr T I Rogers'
light fall into hands of parties not
horoughly acquainted with Messrs !
* I Rogers, J H Ellerbe and my-1
elf, who might thereby be misled, I
briefly as possible, give the
tablic my version of the situation.;
Whenever I have had occasion to
efer to circular issued against me
wo years ago by Mr Rogers, I inariably
stated that I would not disross
its merits, for the reason that
>arty who assumed responsibil-1
y" for its contents was not in this
Bee. Have refrained from discusing
Mr Rogers since the campaign
pened and even before. I am in
Mo wise responsible for the newstaper
reports?never saw any of j
|tem until they were published, i
it Dillon, after the speeches, I
rave the repor.er all my papers and
ft Marion I asked Col Banks to
mblish Mr. Rogers' letter in full. |
ie copied the letter and told me!
le would do so. I do not think
Hoi Banks is responsible for the !
act that it was not published in '
jail.
In reference tc circular my i
friends were kind enough to issue
in my behalf two years ago, I am
lot willing to allow Mr Rogers,as-!
Ute and adroit lawyer though he
may be, to read therein a meaning
tioreign iu u?> uu.ii.ciii.> duu puipuat.
IEarly in the nineties, during the1
[panic, I failed in business, as did j
lother honorable gentlemen through-,
Pbnt the country, I turned over to 1
Bay creditors all I had, not even re- j
Staining a personalty homestead.'
pi went to work and by economy
and ndustry in two years I had j
Succeeded in accumulating a small
^capital?sufficient to enable me
fence more to commence business
(in a small way. I prospered and;
in five years . was enabled to settle
those old iebts satisfactory to
my creditors. Those who did not
accept my assignment and obtained
judgment I compromised, but those I
who held open accounts and notes j
^ against me I paid in full as per my ,
I promise to them, and there is noth- i
!:ing in circular isssued by my friends!
'two years ago at variance with this j
statement.
v '
The Bennettsville Hardware Co. j
?
5 was not a corporation when owned ;
Mby me, and upon investigation it j
will be established that the papers j
^conveying this business to Messrs. \
; Welling & Bonnoit were signed by
^myself, not as an agent, but as)
(. sole owner.
j- The P A Hodges Manufacturl'
ing Co was a corporation organized
} to manufacture harness, with*a
P paid up capital of $25,000, and I
i owned $24,500 of its stock.
r Through misplaced confidence in j
. the ability of another and through j
. no fault of mine this plant was!
. wrecked. Soon after I assumed i
active management of the business
I learned that it was liable for approximately
$25,000 in excess of
its capital stock and other assets.
It being a corporation I, individually,
could not be individually held
for its obligations, but I felt
" morally bound and assumed them
and made provisions for their pay1
m^nt I even caused a morttraee
to be given on my home,which was
: lp my wife> name and bought with
her money, for my obligations.
There was only one suit brought
against this company and that was
brought by Mr Rogers for a disputed
account and in my absence
judgment was obtained. My attorney
being of the opinion that
the case could not be tried at that
term of the court I had left Bennettsville
to fill important engagements
at distant points in the.State,
I
and though my attorney was al-|
lowed less than 24 hours to communicate
with me I was unable to
reach Bennettsville in time for the
trial. This was not compromised
at 50 per cent, as stated by Mr
Rogers,but about 70 per cent of the
amount claimed was paid, the remaining
30 per cent being approximately
the amount of counter
claims against the company bringing
suit.
The circular issued by my friends
two vears atm was distributed in
Marlboro county and especially at
Clio 011 the day of the campaign
meeting there, which was nearly a
month before Mr Rogers issued his
circular. It was printed in Pee
Dee Advocate office?110 attempt at
secrecy was made?was published
in papers all over the district?was
seen by dozens of people in the
county before l>eing published,
whereas the circular of Messrs Rogers
and Hllerl>e was printed by a
person bound to secrecy?all coaxing
and importunities failed to get
from him an admission that the
circular had been issued.
If Messrs Rogers and Ellerbe
honestly believed there was merit
in their circular, why all this se-1
crecy? Why did they wish to keep
it from me, until too late for reply
l>efore the primary."
The envelope inclosing Mr Rogers'
circular mailed me shows by
postoffice stamp that it was mailed
Saturday morning, August 22,'90S,
when Mr Rogers knew I was in 1
Hartsville, having left Bennetts
ville at 3:3i> o'clock Friday after- '
noon, August 21, 1908. and could
not return until Saturday night?
too late to reply and get to the peo-}
pie l>efore the primary the follow- I
ing Tuesday, August 25. 1908. I;
have other evidence that the pur-!
pose of Messrs Rogers and Kllerbe '
was to prevent my securing their
circular, but the above is sufficient.
Now I ask why this persecution?
Why should T I Rogers hound me
thus? Mr Rogers is a relative of J
K Kllerbe and connected with him
by marriage. The late Governor
Ellerbe, a brother of J E Ellerbe,
was a brother-in-law of T I
Rogers. Before Mr Rogers' last
circular was issued, J E Kllerbe
stated during his speech at Xebo
in Marion county that he proposed
to flood that county with circulars, I
or words to that effect. The circulars
are being distributed. Is this
not significant?
This is not the first time that Mr
Rogers has attempted to besmirch
my busiuess character and reputation.
Those who know me and are familiar
with my business career
have always been ready to bespeak
their confidence. Was my business
failure in the nineties and the settlement
of my affairs in 1904 clean
and honorable? On account of former
attacks upon me by M r Rogers
I deemed it right and proper to secure
the two letters following:
"Bennettsville, S C,
August 20, 1906.
"Mr P A Hodges,
Bennettsville, S C.
"Dear Sir:?At your request I
beg to state that in 1894 when you
assigned all your property to me
for the benefit of your creditors, it
was done after I carefully considered
your entire business affairs.
Owing to your heavy losses by
making advances on liens, it was
all that could be done to pay up
each creditor and guarantee to each
one his pro rata share of the assets.
You turned over to me at that time
your entire property, which was
sold and paid to the creditors accepting
the terms of the assignment.
There were some who did
not accept and reduced theirclaims
io judgment anu hince maiuincyuu
have paid off all claims and settled
all costs in the courts. In my opinion
your conduct was straight
throughout.
"Yours truly,
"T W BOUCHIER."
"Bennettsville, S C,
August 20, 1906,
"Hon P A Hodges,
City.
"Dear Sir:?You request from
me a statement as to your moral
conduct in reference to your failure
in business about the year 1894. I
%
represented the largest, of some o
the largest creditors against yoi
and was familiar with all the de
tails of your failure and the wind
ing up of your business, and then
was no fact or circumstance con
nected with the whole mattei
known to me that would the least
tend to reflect upon your charactei
as a Christian gentleman. Yoi
gave up all your. property to voui
creditors cheerfully and it paid 2
good dividend on your debts. Thost
that did not accept this dividend
n'orti off<arTt'Qrrl nritli Ki* i?aii
and the record is clear and honorable
in every particular.
'' I will add that I have had many
dealings with you during the whole
of your business life among us and
have always found you fair and
upright, and a true gentleman.
Your administration of our town
has been clean and successful, and
you have been wholly impartial is:
the administration of the law.
"This certificate is given you ir
a spirit of simple duty, and maybe
used as you may deem best.
"Yours truly,
"HH Newton."
Below is reproduced in full the
circular my friends issued in my
behalf two years ago, and which
Mr Rogers has so violently criti
cised in his recent circular and ir
the one issued two years ago:
"an address to the democrats
voters ot the sixth district.
"We, the undersigned neighbor!
of P A Hodges, Marlboro's candi
date for Congress, do hereby com
mend him to the Democratic voter:
of the Sixth Congressional distric
as .an able, consistent and loya
Democrat,a business man of sagac
itv and ability, a Christian gentle
man of high ideals and pure life, ;
man who has never proved recrean
to any public or private trust, anci
who,we believe, would bring bono
and prestige to this district as ou
Representative in Congress.
"Mr Hodges is a native of thi
county and has spent his life amonj
us, and we feel that he is worthy c
any honor that his fellow-citizen
can bestow upon him. He was fou
times elected Mayor of Bennetts
ville, and he discharged the dutie
of this office with conspicuous abil
ity and fearlessness. He dealt jus
tice to all with an even hand, with
out regard to the financial or socis
standing of those charged with th
violation of law, and hisvigorou
prosecution of law-breakers dimuch
toward driving all forms c
vice out of the city.
"MrHodges is a man of recog
nized business ability and integrity
Several years ago, when he wa
just beginning what promised to b
a successful mercantile career,ther
came a panic and two bad cro
years,and the failure of those whor
he had furnished supplies to pa;
their accounts caused him seriou
financial embarrassment for a whilt
but he was not satisfied for his cred
itors to lose, and he went to wor
and settled every dollar of indebl
edness against him, though it too
him several years to do it.
"Mr Hodges is an earnest an
loyal church and Sunday-schoc
worker. He has been for fiftee
years a steward and a trustee of th
Methodist church, for ten yeai
chairman of the board of stewards
and for fifteen years superintenden
of the Sunday-school. He was
lay delegate from this State to th
last general conference.
Last winter when the trustee
of Columbia College were lookin;
over the State for the best man t
make their financial agent, th
choice fell upon P A Hodges, al
though no layman had ever befor
occupied that important and re
sponsible position. He undertoo!
this work with that zeal and enthu
siasm which always marks his ef
forts, and the remarkable succes
with which he has met in his cam
paign for the college shows that th
trustees made no mistake in select
ing him.
"As he would have to be awa;
from Bennettsville most of his tinn
in the interest of the college, he re
signed his official positions in th<
city and church the first of thi:
year. Should he be elected to Con
gress, he will have till the assem
bling of the next Congress, in De
f cember, 1909,to finish the campaign
i for the endowment of Columbia
- College.
"Mr Hodges comes from an ag- j
j ricultural family. He was born and
. reared on a farm; his brothers are
r farmers; he knows the needs of
; farmers and will work for their in
terests, as well as for those of all
i other honest occupations in the dis:
trict.
i '' Marlboro sends forth this son of!
> hers with the earnest hope that the
I Democrats of Darlington, Flore nee,!
i Georgetown, Horry, Marion and i
. Williamsburg may also recognize!
his merits and fitness for the posi- j
r tion to which he aspires, and join |
. in giving him a sufficient number of,
I ballots to make him our next Con- \
I gressman.
"T S Evans (Farmer and Couni
ty Commissioner),
I "T K McCall (Merchant and
, Chairman Sewerage Commission),
"K L Hamilton (Merchant and
t Meml)er Board Public Works),
> "PA McKellar (Wholesale Gro-1
cer and Member City Council),
"J R Patrick, Freight Agent A J
C L Railroad.
; "J L Napier, M D, (Chairman'
r State Board Medical Examiners), '
! "C B Crosland (President C B
Crosland Company),
i "AS ^ownsend, M D,
"Chas R May, M D,
; "H W Carroll (Merchant),
"O Atwood Matthews (Druggist j|
, and Chairman State Board Phar*
maceutical Examiners),
"J O Breeden (Merchant and
Member City Council),
t "C E Exum (Cotton Euyer),
j "L J Breeden (Major of Bennettsville),
"RK Breeden (Farmer),
a "H H Newton (Attorney at Law
t and Farmer),
[ "J K Owens (Attorney at Law),
"R L Freeman (Editor Pee Dee
Advocate),
"TW Carniichael, M D,
"Sam J Pearson (Jeweler),
' "J A Faison, M D.
f "Note:?Friends of Mr Hodges,
who got up this during his absence
s 011 the campaign; could have ser
cured hundreds of signatu^fes, but
i- thought it superfluous to multiply
s the witnesses. These representative
citizens, representing the various
callings and professions, are suffi-1
cient to establish the facts set;
l* forth."
il In spite of Mr Rogers' construce
tion of this letter, not one of the
gentlemen who signed it has asked
' to be relieved of the responsibility
d of its contents or expressed any uneasiness
of his veracity being
questioned.
PA Hodges.
: Built on Honor
P
\ Sold on Merit
' There are mo its and and- about
our guarant-e, and no rebate
" schemes about our sales. We
k prefer to believe that our customers
are sensible )>eople in search
d of a square deal, and we make it
jj our business to treat them as
^ such. When you buy a
' Stieff Piano j
>1
you'get what you pay for, and
a pay for what you get. Expere
ienced buyers know that this
constitutes the only bargain you
,s can count on?all other bargain
forms are gambles, and the pur*
^ chaser is usually the loser. Hon0
esty may not lie the best policy,
e but years of practice convince us
[ that it is good enough. If you
e contemplate the purchase of a ,
piano, don't f til to examine the
1 Stieff. A showdown is onr delight.
I
! Chas. M. Stieff
e MANUFACTURER
Baltimore, - - Md.
V
?0?
Southern IVareroom
i
s 5 West Trade Street
Charlotte, - - - N. C.
C. H. WILMOTH, Manager.
/
Educate Your Childi
KINGSTREE GRADED AND
prepares
Boys and Girls for Collet
Climate unexcelled. Flowini
Competent Instructors. Thorc
Music. Building well Heated
jSpacious Auditorium and Sp
Boarding Pupils and Go-operation
Fall Term Begins Monda
For further Information apply to
J. W. Swittenberg,
Superintendent. C
Kingstree, 5
| Excellent F<
? To secure good banking facilitiei
efficient service and to receive 1
? earnest desire of every man who c
5^ These are a few of the imports
? characterized the operations of
SZ LIAMSBURG for years past. T1
? thoroughly appreciate the confidei
p their institution by each individua
? erted every effort to afford the ve
g sible to obtain.
g Upon this basis, we solicit your;
| Bank of Willi
? Kingstree,
? CW Stoll, President. E C El
F Rhem, Zice-President. CWB
To Tobacco Farme
So confident are we in our positk
highest prices?grade considered?j
in the State.
Our buyers are unsurpassed.
We Guarantee !
If after the sale you are not pleas
higher prices are paid elsewhere, w
fare to any market in the State, wh
sales and iudflre for vourself. Then
lieve that our prices are not as higl
the hogsheads and we will sack and
railroad for shipment free of cost t<
ROOM FOR
Improvements sufficient to give u
have been completed and we extern
welcome. Our buyers represent a
turers, and our own.Mr Slaughter i
BANNER WA
King'stree,
Laurence H. M
Civil Engineer?Si
ROAD AND DRAINAGE
LAND SURVEYING A
Nesmith P. 0. l
imJ&I
? If not ready now, wi
^ we wl U let you pay la
mall if you prefer.
BUSIN1
WMtUUlD u
*?* 'Z??ZAW*m' iiou]
t k
'en at Home.
HIGH SCHOOL
ro nr Diioinooo
jC Ul UllOIIIUtiUI
g Artesian Wells- .
rngh Training in 4^
and Ventilated,
ilendid Libraiy.
of Patrons Solicited.
y, Sept 19,1910
E. C. Epps,
!lerk Board of Trustees.
;. c.
abilities |
s, to obtain prompt and 2
iberal treatment, is the 3
pens a bank account. 2
mt features that have
the BANK OF WIL- 3
le officers and directors 3
ice reposed in them and 2
1 depositor.and have ex- 3
fry best service it is pos- 3
account 3
amsburg |
s. c. 2
5PS, Cashier. ^ 4
OSWELL, Asst. Cashier. 3 7
iUWiiuwuMMUumift
rs in General I '
1 -90
>n to secure for yoir the
>aid by any other market
Satisfaction
edand you believe that
e will pay your railn>ad 1
lere you may witness the
if you conscientiously bei
or higher, you furnish
[ deliver your tobacco to
) you. I
ALL
sail necessary floor space
I to one and all a hearty k
II the leading manufacs
mightier than ever.
REHOUSE
So. Car.
cCullough
irveyor
ENGINEERING
ND MAPPING
- - s-c- v
LYS for our FULL BOOKKKBPQ
OOUBSS SCHOLAB8HIP If
iu write at once and state where
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rite and. have one reserved and
ter. we can also teach you by
ESS COLLEGE.
M UfOOSrOIATBD 1<B4
iBViuua* m-M..
- !