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FRAUD CHARGES TO
BE INVESTIGATED
Committee (Meets Today to
Start Probe.
TO PROSECUTE
ILLEGAL VOTERS
Following Wholesale Charges of Fraud
and Irregularities, the Executive
Adjourned Friday to Meet Again To
day to Go Into Fraud Charges.
Columbia, August 30.? (Special.)?
The charges of Illegal voting in the
primary last Tuesday will be rigidly
probed by the Executive Committee
of the Democratic party. The com
mittee after two sessions today ad
journed until next Wednesday at
noon when the Investigation will be
gin. Several specifllc charges have
been filed with John Gary Evans, the
chairman.
The following resolutions by W.
Fi Stevenson of Cheraw, were adopt
ed by the committee:
"Whereas, an unprecedented vote
is reported and widespread charges
of fraud and Irregularities have been
brought as to election on the state
ticket and it is the duty of this com
mittee to see that whatever nomina
tions Aave been made have been
honestly made, and If the charge Is
true it shall be corrected and If not
true It shall be refuted and the pri
mary election system vindicated and
preserved.
"Resolved, that the chairman
shall call on each county chairman
where fraud or Irregularities are
charged to take charge of the club
rolls and compare them with the poll
lists and compare the poll lists with
each other and take such evidence
as shall be available and pertinent
and send up such club rolls and poll
lists, or certified copies of the same
to this committee and report all Irre
gulatlons.
To Punish Fruud.
"Resolved, further, that the chair
man of this committee do furnish
such assistance to the respective
county chnimen as may be necessary
to facilitate the completion of this
work and that the candidates for
governor be each allowed a represen
tative at such hearings if desired.
"Resolved, further, that this com
mittee hereby declare it to be its
purpose to see that every effort be
made to see that the primary be
honestly conducted and detect and
punish all frauds committed, vindi
cate the primary system and rid it
oJ all imputations of crookedness,
and to call on all citizens to co-op
erate with this committee In such
work and save the primary system
from destruction. This committee
calls on citizens, and especially all
members of the executive committee
and all club officers, to swear out
warrants for persons violating the
primary laws in connection with the
said election, and have the offenders
bound over the court."
Tito above resolutions which were
generally discussed by the members is
the sum and substance of the work
acompllshed at the meeting of the
executive committee today. Several
members objected upon the introduc
tion of the resolution on the grounds
that there was no fraud reported on
their counties. The resolution was
ably defended by Mr. Stevenson.
Rlease's Position Explained.
The position of Governor Rlease
was fully explained to the committee
by Eugene Blease, brother of the
governor and his substitute on the
committee from Newberry county.
Members of the executive commit
tee made It very plain that the nom
ination for Governor and other State
officers would not be declared until
the committee after a thorough In
vestigation was able to write the
words, "clean and fair" across that
nomination.
Mr. Stevenson made it very plain
that it was not the intension of Jones
members on the committee to show
favoritism but that if illegal votes
were found for Jones that they would
be thrown out. The members of the
commRtee expressed themselves as
being in favor of Investigating the
Situation to save the primary law
from destruction in South Carolina.
Bvery charge or intimation of fraud
in the state will be carefully isves
tigated.
At the meeting today Chrite
GOVERNOR BLEASE
ISSUES STATEMENT
Asks Forgiveness for Any Word or
Action Which Might Have Keen Dis
approved During the Campaign.
Governor Blease Issued the follow
ing statement Thursday:
Columbia, S. C. August 29th, 1912.
To the Democratic Voters of South
Carolina:
On Tuesday, the Demcratc of this
State decided in behalf of an honest
clean campaign.
Two years before, in an interview
(on September 14th), speaking of the
primary election In the race for gov
ernor, Senator B. R. Tillman said:
"This is a remarkable illustratiin of
what little Influence our newspapers
have. They have been so unfair nnd
unjust that they are descried by the
people."
What he said then has been more
than emphasized In this election, but
j I do not care to re-hash the bitterness
and the filth which South Carolina has
1 passed through for the past three
months, and I hope that it may be
possible for me to forget and to for
give. God, in His all-wise Providence,
has protected me, and though the
voice of the people, which Is the voice
of God, has given me the greatest
victory ever known in the world.
It would be Impossible for human
tongue to speak or hand to write what
I feel and what I would love to say to
my friends in South Carolina?to say
that I thank them is indeed so little
and insignlvcant that I feel ashamed
almost to use that word. I thank
them and from the bottom of my heart
I say, praise God from whom all bles
sings flow and may His choisest bles
sings rest upon my friends and our
proud commonwealth; that He may
give to me the power and wisdom
to sedve my State and my people bet
ter than 1 have ever served them be
fore, and to serve them with a heart
devoted to the cause of humanity and
Christianity. My friends, I thank you
may God bless you, and If I can ever
serve you, command, and I will obey.
And, to the many hundreds of good
ladies, who have added their words of
encouragement and their prayers for
success, I say to them, 1 thank you
and may God's richest blessslngs ever
rest upon you.
If I have said one word or done one
single thing which you disapprove of, I
beg your forgiveness and that you re
member the circumstances under
which I labored were most trying.
Cole L. Blease.
THE FIRST COTTON BALK .
Mr. W. II. Hamilton, Who Also
Brought in (be First Cotton Bloom,
Sold the First Laurens County Cot
ton Saturday.
Mr. W. H. Hamilton of the Ekom
Becton brought the first bale of cot
ton to the Laurens Market. It weigh
ed 526 pounds. The market price now
is about 11 cents. Mr. Hamilton, it
will be remembered, also brought the
first open boll to The Advertiser office
on the 30th of July. The bale of cot
ton was full sized and of good fibre.
Mr. R. C. Franks boug.lt It for Messrs.
Cooper & Griffin, of Greenville, pay
ing 13 cents per pound for it. Tho
seed and lent brought a total of $70.00.
Though it is quite natural for cotton
that produces ear:;, bolls to produce
an early bale, It Is very seldom that
the finder of the first boll brings in
the first bale. So it is quite a dis
tinction for Mr. Hamilton to win this
double honor.
The first bale brought In last year
was by Mr. Z. R. Trayhnam on tho
19th of August. On that same day
Mr. J. W. A. Boyd brought in two
bales , All of this brought around 12
cents. The first bale the year be
fore 1910 brought In by Mr. T. L.
Sumerel and sold for 17 cents, the
lent and seed bringing a total of $100.
Bent, the secretary, said that the
Governor of the State had criticised
him and that he desired, that a spec
ial committee be appointed to Invest
igate the charges. He said that the
Governor had charged In a public
speech that he had not sent a suffi
cient number of tickets to Pickens
and Lee counties, Mr. Bent showed
that he had sent out 522,000 tickets
to the various counties. After some
discussion W. T. Crews of Laurens,
R. I. Manning of Sumter and J. A.
Willis, of Barnwell were appointed as
members of a committee to investi
gate the charges by the Governor.
The committee will make a report at
the next meeting of the comittee on
"Wednesday.
Talbert and Dial File Two
Contests.
DID NOT FILE
EXPENSE ACCOUNT
Mr. Dial Claim* That Sen. Tlllnuin
Tried to Ellmlnntc Him on a Tech
nicality, ?o He Has Taken Advan
tage of a Technicality Hi in elf.
Comes up Today.
Laurens, Sept. 2.? (Special.) A ru
mor having been spread around the
city today to the effect that the elec
tion of Sen. Tlllman would be con
tested, Mr. N. B. Dial, one of the can
didates who opposed Sen. Tillman in
the recent primary, was approached
upon the question and asked as to
its reliability. Mr. N. B. Dial con
?rmed the rumor and stated that Mr.
W. Jasper Talbert had served notice
of the contest upon him and suppos
edly upon Sen. Tlllman and that
thereupon he. himself, had served a
like notice. The cotest Is based upon
the failure of Sen. Tillman to file his
expense account with the secretary
of state as provided for on page 919,
Vol. XXIV, Acts, of 1905, wherein it
it made obligatory upon the candi
dates to file their expense accounts
between the close of of the campaign
and the first primary. It will be re
membered that Senator Tillman filed
an account on the 15th of August,
some weeks before the campaign
closed.
Mr. Dial went at length into the
situation. He declared that he was
not one to take advantage of techni
calities in politics because ho had
never done so In the practice of law.
However, he thought himself perfect
ly justified in taking advantage of the
present situation as S*en. Tillman had
attempted to make use of a like situ
ation a few weeks ago when, as a
result of Sen. Tillman's activity Mr.
Dial was for at one time thought to
have been eliminated from the race.
Mr. Dial thinks that the temporary
lossening of the political strings at
that time resulted in the loss of a
considerable number of votes by him.
What Mr. Dial referred to was the
Intervelw of Sen. Tillman given out
several days after it had been er
rouneously circulated that he, Mr.
Dial, had failed to comply with the
national election laws in not making
proper returns of bis campaign ex
penses. The interview as it appeared
in the Columbia State, was in part as
follows:
"When asked as to the status of
the candidates for the house of rep
resentatives in South Carolina who
have failed to comply with the feder
al statues by not sending in their
sworn expense accounts prior to the
primary election, and about N. II.
Dial, candidate for the senate, whose
account was was received here but
not sworn to, Senator Tillman said
tonight: "I would say that these men
simply have no status now. Should
any of them be elected It would be
for the house of representatives to de
cide whether the law had been "wil
fully" violated. This word "wilful"
appears in the statues and its con
truction might be a mtter for tbo
house to decide just as it decides all
contested elections. "
Mr. Dial noted the difference be
tween the federal law and the state
law. In the former some latitude
is allowed as to the "wilful" viola
tion of the law, but in the state law
there is no such provision. If the
candidate fails to file his account "at
the conclusion of the campaign and
before the primary election" such
failure will"render such election null
and vlod, In so far as the candidate
who falls to file the statement herein
provided, but shall not effect the
validity of the election of any other
candidate complying with this sec
tion."
It was upon the section above that
Mr. Talbert took action and upon his
own account filed a contest claiming
the election upon the ground that h?
had amajority of the votes cast. The
protest was served upon Mr. Dial
Saturday. looking Into the consti
tution and rules of the state demo
cratic party, Mr. Dial saw that Mr.
Talbert had overstepped his mark, In
that according to Rule 9. "a majority
of the votes cast shall be necessary
for Mr. Talbert, so he has filed a
HEADS THE TICKET
Has a Majority Over Both
Opponents.
SECOND RACE FOR
ATTORNEY GENERAL
With the Largest Number of Votes
Ever Cast Jn tin Election in South
Carolina, Governor Hleuse Has a Ma
jority Over Both of His Opponents.
Complete election returns presented
by the News & Courier Friday morn
ing give Governor Blease on their
face a majority of 4,00"?.
The vote stands: Blease. 72,00!?;
Jones, 66,505; Duncan, 2,169. The
total number of votes accounted for
In this contest is 140,739.
There are seven boxes missing for
other State ofllces.
The fuller returns show .Major John
G. Richards 2,700 votes ahead in the
race for railroad commissioner, Major
Richards has 70,807; Cansler, 42.627;
Wharton, 26,418. The likelihood of a
second primary in this contest seems
to have disappeared.
Senator Tillmun has a clear majority
of 8,141 in his race for re-election to
the United States Senate. The vote
stands: Tiillman, 73,456; Dial, 28,794;
Talbcrt, 36,315.
For Attorney General, Mr. Lyon's
lead is a long one He was given 63,
602 votes, as against 15,982 for Barle;
12,098 for Evans, and 47,119 votes for
Peoples.
County Ticket.
In this county, O. I'. Goodwin was
elected Senator over R. Dunk Boyd.
W. C. Irby, Jr. was elected to the
house of representatives on the flrtD
allot and Messrs. Aycock, Blackwell
'.frowning and Miller will be In tho
on- '-nee. John 1). Owlngs was
elected sheriff over W. S. Bagwell and
I. Thos. Peden. John F. Boll and c.
\. Bower will run over for clerk of
court. C. F. Brooks being left out
on the first ballot. J. Waddy Thomp
son defeated Joel A. Smith for auditor
by a large majority. For county com
missioner Messrs. Austin Abercromble,
L. Dunk Curry, J. B. Hitt and T. Mae
Roper will run over. Tito impression
has gotten out that Mr. Aborcrombio
will not be in the second race be
cause of an erroneous report trat he
had failed file his expense account
This is a ong impression as Mr.
Abercromble Is still in the race.
Burns Burned.
Last Sunday afternoon about seven
o'clock fire of unknown origin de
stroyed the barn and two cribs on the
place of Dr. W. H. Dial located sev
eral miles from the city. The barns
contained about six thousond bundles
of fodder, twenty five bales of hay
and a lot of other stock feed. The
total loss was around $1000.00 with
insurance of (500.00. The animals
that occupied the lower floors were
all saved by quick work.
Death of a Child.
Conway Dial, the infant son of Mr.
and Mrs. f. k. Spratt, died in Hondor
BOnvllle Saturday. The little one had
been sick for several months and its
parents had carried It. to tho moun
tains in the hope that its health would
return. The child gradually grew
worse, however, until death came.
The body was brought to this city Sat
urday afternoon* and interred in the
cemertery. Rev. C. F. Rankin con
ducting the services. The parents
have the deepest sympathy of many
friends in their bereavement.
Express Office Moved.
The office of the Southern Express
Company has been moved from the
Robertson building to new headjuart
ers next to Count's livery stable. The
new office is much larger and more
conveniently arranged than the old
one and doubtless will enable the
company to give better servlco than
heretofore. Mr. L. O. Hires, chief, ex
pects to give the patrons the best
service that they have ever had be
fore ,
counter protest on his own account.
If the state executive committee
upholds Messrs. Talbert and Dial, It
appears that the second race will
have to be run over between the two.
The committee meets Wednesday in
Columbia, when it is supposed that
the contest will come up.
VACATION DAYS
ARE NEARING END
City Schools to Open on September
16th. Mr. Jones to he at Building
Few Days Before.
School days are fast approaching.
The period of rest and recreation for
the young folks will end after next
week. Supt Jones was In the city
several days last week making prep
i nratlonS for the opening of school
on Monday, Sept. 16th. He will be at
the building Thursday and Friday of
the week before, where he expects to
see all new scholars and those schol
ars who failed to meet the require
ments during the past session. All
such arc requested to be at the school
building to see him during the two
days.
Mr. Jones states that he has been
working dilligently upon the courses
I of study and that several long felt
changes will be made. It will be
pertlcularly gratifying to those who
wish to see the school put upon the
very highest plane, to know that a
course of German has been introduced
Into the high school. It is a matter
of common knowledge that the graded
and high schools of this state do not
prepare the students to enter upon
full courses In the Freshman classes
of the higher institutions of learning.
There is a small breech between the
high schools and the colleges that
tends to place a great many students
at a disadvantage when they enter
college. This breech is being filled
up by many schools and the intro
duction of German in the Laurens
school Is a step in tills direction.
Mr. Jones announces that Miss An
nette Stover, a raduate of Winthrop
college and a teacher witli high roc
omendations, has been secured to
fill the vacancy made by the resigna
tion of Miss Laura ('miner. Miss
Croiner will pesue further studier, in
art in New York city. The resignation
was accepted with regret here as
she was very popular with patrons,
pupils and teachers alike and took
the greatest interest in lie individual
work and the work of the school.
! With flu- excoptlon of Miss Croiner
and Mr. Barton, prlclpal of the high I
school, the faculty will lie the same
as that of last year. It will be re
membered tht at the close of the ses
sion in June, Mr. Jones made a point
to state that the year just past had
been one particularly noted for the
splendid co-operation on the part of
the pupils and teachers with the
seperintendent and that the best of
work had been done and that the
kindest of feeling existed as a result
of it. This is a matter of the pa
trons of the school are doubtless proud
of. because it denotes progress. Mr.
Jones is erpoctlng the same spirit to j
prevail this year.
M l I.son CAMPAIGN FCXI).
Willi the State Campaign at an End
the Wilson Fund Should Begin to i
"Look |'p.w
With the dose of the state cam
paign, it seems that now the atten
tion of the people should be directed
to the national campaign. A very
handslme subscription was collected
for the Wilson-Marshall fund several
weeks ago by Individual parties in
the city. Although this sum was a
fairly large one. there ate many who
did not subscribe to it. The Adver
tiser started a subscription list scv- ;
eral weeks ago. but the state cam
palgn was so cnggrosslng that Wilson
and Marshall were forced to the back
ground Now that this state cam
paign is apparently river, this Wilson
campaign fund should begin to climb
agan. There are many others In
the city who ought to contribute. The
Advertiser would be glad to receive
funds from either place. The total
on hand now Is $2.00. Let the money
begin to flow.
ELECTRIC SIGNS.
First to be Installed in the ( it) Now
Working.
The Palace of Sweets has just in
stalled a new electric sign for the
front of their store. This is the first
to be installed In Laurens and shows
the progressiveness of the firm that
has only recently bought the stock
of the Ixiurens Candy Kitchen. They
have also made many other Improve
ments on the interior of the building.
The Advertiser is in receipt of an
Inquiry as to the place of residence
of one T. W. Pruitt. If there is any
one in this county by that name he
should ap"dy at this office for further
information..
An Inquiry.
REMOVAL REFERRED
TO PRESBYTERIES
Chlcora College Again
Within Our Reach.
ACTION TAKEN AT
GREENVILLE LAST WEEK
While tho Hoard Would not Itcsrind
the Action Taken on .Inly l?th, It
Consented to Laying the Entire Mai
ler liefere the Presbyteries of tho
State.
Thai the matter of the removal of
Chlcora college from Greenville to
Laurens Is now In the hands of tho
Presbyteries is in effect the substance
of the resolution passed at the meeting
of the board of trustees of the college
Wednesday night. The resolution Is
as follows:
"Whereas, tho people of Laurens
seem to be aggrcivod at the action
of the hoard hold July 19, 1912, at
which meeting the resolution to re
move the College to Laurens was re
scinded.
He it resolved, trat the minutes of
all meeting of the board bearing
upon the subject be referred to tin;
Presbyteries, as expressing the views
of the whole board, but, in fairness
to all parties concerned, tho whole
matter of the removal of Chlcora
College Is referred to the controlling
Presbyteries upon the action of this
board made at our annual meetings.
July 2-:?, 1912."
There were present at the meol
lug: Kev. io. 10. Glllesplo, Rev. w.
M. McPheeters, Mr. R. B. Wylle. Rev.
J. M. Holladay, Rev. J. L. McLcos,
Mr. J. c. Dlllingham, Rev. T. W.
Sloan, Cnpt. O. 1?. Mills, Mr. C. 10.
Graham, Rev. io. P. Davis. Mr. 10. R.
Plowden, Rev. H. c. Hammond, Rev.
ii. A. Knox, Rev. C. (i. Hrown. Mr,
W. 1?. Nesbit. Rev. J. C. Halley, Mr.
J. H. Anderson, Mr. s. c. Hodges, Mr.
J c. Weir, Dr. w. io. Pelham.
The meeting was presided over by
Mr, c. io. Graham.
Dr. II. K. Alkoil, Mr. W. I.. Cray,
Dr. W. II Dial and lion. It. A Roper
attended the meeting in Greenville
and were asked to appear before tho
board to make any statement which
they wished to make. They advised
the hoard that they uud no statement
or protest to make, other than tho
answer which they had sent some
time ago and which appeared in these
columns, Howover, they were re
quested to come before the board and
they did. Upon being questioned as
to LntironR1 attitude In the matter they
again went into full dlsc.nsion of the
situation, showing the advantage., of
Laurens* and the resons why Laurens
should recolvc the recommendation of
the hoard.
The entire matter is in the hands
of the Preshytorlos,
RICHMOND BOOSTERS COMING.
special Train of Richmond Business
Men hi Make a Tour of this Seel Ion
of Hie Country.
The Advertiser is i'> receipt of
a letter of Richmond business men,
in which it is stated thai a special
train of business men will make a tour
of this section during Scptcmbtr.
The train will arrive in Laurens Wed
nesday, the isth, at I0:3fi a. in., com
ing from Columbia. The train will
be made up of sleepers and dining
cars and will have about a hundred
men aboard. The party will carry a
special brass band which will give
concerts in the towns and cities vis
ited. As a great campaign Is being
carried on tit this time for the pur
pose of Influencing the southern mer
chants to buy goods in southern cities,
doubtless these gentlemen will re
ceive a cordial welcome whereever
they go and certainly Laurens will
extend its usual hospitality.
Magisterial Election.
In the rush and hurry of tabulating
the "big guns'' last week, the magis
trates and would-be magistrates did
not come in for much notice. In this
township the race was rather breezy
Anally ending up with W. T. Crews
and R. IL Donaldson in the lead.
They will have to make the second
race, as will J. Krank Walker and
P, B. Boland at Waterloo. W. H Ful
ler was elected at Cross ftill W. A.
Cannon In Hunter, P, M Hullantsj in!
Dials, J. W. Donnon In S. ufi . ;own.
J. W. Kellctt in Sullivan, R R Mllam
In Clinton tnd Alexander \e? rcrorabie
in Youngs.
