The Lancaster ledger. (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, August 26, 1905, Image 1
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Th? nScnatlCOrtr IImAa* I? i hilt, nnt not M- n" ' ,:
auw MU|fwU3UlJ DIIUC1 IIIs I
vestigation. !
Startling Facts in Regard to Ope- I
ration of the G. M. I. ?Spi*
cy Stuff in Col. Mixon's
Testimony.
Columbia State :
While the proceedings yester-1
day in the investigation into conditions
nf. J : J
... .uv uio|jDunai y u?il 'l'|
bring oul. any violently m?mh> i
tional information, yet there wtta .
enough in what was said by the)
witnesses to impress thinking (
people with the fact that the
system has been loosely conducted
somewhere. Tho most startling
evidence of this kind wna
from Mr. S. T. Carter, clerk in
the State treasurer's office. Mr.
Carter stated that while all of
the county dispensers are required
to make weekly remittances
to the State treasurer,
many of them until atihort time
ago took their own good time,
about reporting.
Mr. W. O. Tatum, commissioner,
testified that, although
he is the highest salaried officer
connected with the institution,
although he is bonded for $75,000
with the American Surety
company and the other officers
of the dispensary are not bonded,
yet when he made a recommendation
that whiskey should
be bought in bulk with r?f?r?no??
to price and not by grade, the
board not only did not act upon
his suggestion but has not acknowledged
the receipt of his
letter. The law requires the purchasing
to be done as Mr. Tut ura
recommended.
Before beginning the taking
of evidence yesterday, a muss of
statistical information from the
booxs at the State dispensary
was presented by the sub comraitteo.
There realty was a great
deal more of this than had been
expected, and the showing was
comprehensive. Although it was
not quite iu the shape that was
expected by the sub-committee,
they will have their expert accountant,
Mr. W. W. Bradley
of Abbeville, to go over the figures
and aggregate the items belonging
to all of the big houses
which ship to the dispensary.?
Mr. Bradley has been engaged
by the committee in this special
work for several weeks. The
lists of stock and of purchases
were not prepared by him but
by some of the members of the
dispensary clerical staff.
In these figures it was brought
out that the liabilities of the dispeusary
are increasing and that
not one cent has been paid into
the school fund since the 10th
of January. The dispensary
now owes half a million dollars
for liquor and supplies and in
addition to this had ordered,
but had not received, liquor in
VAlue amounting to $300,000.
The assets consist of the stock
on hand in the State dispensary
and iu the county dispensaries
and the real estate of the State
dispensary, valued at $52,000.
Commissioner Tatum's explanation
for this increase in the
amount of liabilities is that he
was compelled by law last year
to reduce the stock in hand at
the State dispensary to a point
below $400,000 in value, and
that the only way to do it was
by increasing the liabilities. He
stated that there is (42,000 to
(he credit of the school fund,
? uw j vv uuv. i*i r v>ar ii
t3r in his evidence stated that t
should the State be called upon li
tomorrow to pay thin there ia li
nothing in the iroosury with a
which to give the schools the li
$42,000 noted in the lint of lift- I
bilities as being a part of the u
school fund. a
There was a ripple of interest b
whon Mr. Carter testified that l>
he had to turn down a warrant S
for $5,000 from the commission- o
r yesterday on account of a |\
lack of funds, but really the in- ()
cident is not sensational. A h
bauk would uot liavo turued (
down the warrant, but the State ?
of South Carolina knows no one V\
bo far as the State treasurer's c,
otlico is concerned, and nothing
but a certified check would he |\
accepted there in payment of p
anything due the oflico.
There was another ripple of
interest when it was stated in j
edict that the State treasurer's j,
ollice is. so to snoalr tim
w | vuw UUOU IU1 g
for the State dispensary and j,
that there is a difference of $30,- h
000 in the statement of cash on g
haud from the State dispensary (j
and from the State treasurer's c
office. But Mr. Chalet-, clerk 8l
to the board of control, stated j,
yesterday that this matter could
be explained and will be ex- ()
plained. A nother matter which t
was not understood was the fact n
that the dispensary had sonb to n
the Statu treasurer yesterday
two checks aggregating about
$31,000, but Mr. Charles, un- ^
officially, stated that these hud u
been drawn from the "eraergeucy
fund" kept by the com- c
missioner, in order to put some n
money on deposit with the State (
treasurer to meet outstanding (
warrants drawn by the dispen- ^
sary. j
8KCOMD DAY'S PUOCEKUINU. e
"Warmer, warmer," say the
children when they pluy hide the
switch and the seekers are getting c
close to the object of their search, h
The members of the dispensary H
investigating committoo felt that g
they were getting "warmer" upon ti
the trail jesterday afternoon when b
Col. F. M. Mixon, former com- v
missioner, testified that a fow [
months ago, while representing .1. p
W. Kelly & Co., of Chattanooga. \\
he bad received letters with in- H
structions to see certain parties. h
But Col. Mixon was obdurate.
He had given a lot of lntorosting n
and racy testimony, but on this g
point he would uot budge from d
his position. The letters from l
Kelly & Co., to himself, be said, ti
were in the nature of confidential r,
communications to an employe d
from his "boss." In vain did 0
Mr. Gaston plead that the case is v
that of the State of South Carolina \{
against J, W. Kelly & Co., with j|
Mixon as but a middle man, but f,
Col. Mixon could not be persuad- j
ed that it is bis duty to give up
the letters. y
Ho was ordered to be in con- u
tempt and placed in the custody t
of the marshal, but later was par- e
nled upon his oath bouDd promise j,
to keep all the loiters intact pend
ing a conference between himself r
aod hia lawyer. For some reuson ^
or other, the members of the tj
commission seem to set great store a
by thoso letters, hq<1 Col. Mixon's c
embarrassment a n it roticonce p
would bo enough to arouse their ^
auspiciona aa to the nature of the H
letters. c
There -vn* other apicy stuff in u
Col. Mixon's evidence. Me testi? t'
fied to having turned down whilo c
uspopsury commissioner m\ uiouipt
at bribe from Sam Laotian,
at that time a member of the
inn wf William Lnnahan & Son
nd now a director of the Kielimd
distillery. lie swore that
.anahnn had offered him fMO,000
year to divort to Lnnahnn an
ccour.t of #400,000 which had
eon given to another distiller in <
laltiniore. Furthermore thai Seth ]
eruggs, his bookkeeper, had been I
trered #5,000 t?y Lnnahan to got i
lixon to accept the biibe. Two i
ther lirms had offered Mixon
ribes, according to his testimony.
>no of those was the Mill Creek .
hstilling company of Cincinnati, |
hich is alleged to have been mix- j
d up in some other matters of a
sandal ous nature antedating Col. <
lix.m's connection with the dis- |
euaory. ,
Col. Mixon took a fall out of -t
lie present administration of the
ispensary by declaring that tlio (
icrouto in sales fs not duo to ri- ;
id enforcement ot the law against i
lind tigors, but to tho fact that l
o observed tho law strictly in reard
to salos 10 blind tigers and;]
ruiikards. and the sules had been I <
i
urtailed for this and other lea- *
ons, whereas the system now is t
ix and leniont. <
Commissioner Tatum yesterday <
cctipied tho stand from 9.30 unil
1 o'clock and made a good wit- y
ess, being always ready with his t
nswer, but ho would generally <
ome back to the starting point? <
nd that is, he would repeat that <
he dispeosary business would be <
11 right with the case goods fea- i
urcs eliminated. He spoke of a 1
uruful iovontory which had been
lade when he took charge as if i
hat wore Iho only one in the cxis- I
pnee of the dispensary, but Col. t
lixon showed his annual report in 1
895 to have given imprinted form i
very item of stock on hand. t
Notwithstanding tho fact that
1r. Tatum occupied himself prin- l
ipally with advising what should l
e done to muko the dispensary t
afe and sound, there was some ]
ood meat in his testimony. Ho
old in detail of the loss of $2,100 j
y Inspector Brown; he told of the c
isit of himself and Mr. L. VV. t
toy kin to Cincinnati when Mr. s
toy kin contracted for the print* \
tig of $38,000 worth of labels t
nd whore Mr. Tatum found Ida *
otel bill paid.
When asked as to shortages, tho
umes of Morns and l'oland in
ipartanburg appeared to be moat ,
eoply sot in his mind until Mr. (
,yon drew out by cross examine* (
ion tho tact thut Mr. Bryan Law- j
once of Augusta, Ga., ;owo8 the
isponsary $3,000 and has been |
wing it for several years and is i
rilling to bo sued for it in Char- j
sston or in Augusta. He owes '
he $3,000 in settlement of the af- (
air of his privilege on the Isle of j
'alms. ,
Mr. Tutum named tho houses |
rhich had boen putting too many
ottlos in cases and had been guil
I
y of other irregularities and staU ^
d that these same houses are sellig
to the dispensary right along. ,
Mr. Tatuni thinks tho dispensa* .
y plan is tho proper solution ot j
be liquor quostion. There is no
oubt about that. He answers in j
positive manner which shows his
onvictions. lie tnado a good im- '
ression on the witness stand and ^
is reiteration ? that the way to ^
trongthen tho dispensary is by ^
liminating tho case goods foaturo
* in itself a severe arraignment of 1
be system as it is now eondnctd.
,
Mr. Koddey's Views On
Cotton Prices.
The Well-Known lluycr Puts
Forth a Good Argument.
To the Editor of The Record:
1 am often asked for an expression
of opinion regarding the
probable or possible price of cot:on
for the season, and I give my
reasons both for and against higher
prices.
IN KAVOK OK IllCitER PRICES.
1. We have the worst August
cpOrt as to condition ever issued
3y the Government, which on its
"ace should catine higher prices.
2. The financial strength of our
Southern banks should prevent
farmers from forced sales when the
narket is depressed. The farmers
ire being educated to this,
3. The farmers' new indepenJcnce
and the gradual knowledge
\nd realization that pure gambling
" o
manipulation has so long caused
iini to sacrifice his cotton.
4. That if the farmer should
lappcn to rcali/.c that the world is
dependent upon his production,
;vhile he could be independent of
he rest of the world, and then
ihould be governed by this knowledge.
5. That the prices of cloths and
,'arns justify higher pi ices for cot.on
and that an immense amount
sf goods arc already sold ahead
nit of the coming season's production.
If sellers could not so
easily secure what they have in
imagination sold, what would
liappen.
0. That the New Orleans Conzcntion
proved to incredulous
rarmcrs and to the rest of the world
hat even the remnant of a four;ecn-million
bale crop could bring
1 1 cents, a supposed impossible
hing.
7. The disposition even now in
ocalitics shown by the farmer to
taul cotton home or warehouse it,
ather than take less than 10 cents
ler pound
8. That if it is realized that the
emnantof a fourtcen-million bale
:rop could bring 1 * cents and if
lie Government and Cotton Asiocation
reports are at all correct,
vhat shall the remnant of a tenliillion
bale crop bring?
SOW AGAINST PROSPECTIVE
HIGH PIECES.
I. The whole world is depenJentontho
South's cotton, and na:urally
or otherwise endeavor to
lepress prices. What are ex:hanges
for? To make a market
price for cotton. What price?
fust as low as producers who
lave a monopoly will submit to
What makes the price! The preponderance
of speculative money
Why will pricos probably be low;r?
Becansc the law permits acting
cotton that doesn't exist, and
jpot prices are fixed by future
:rading.
2. That were the farmers to
cccivc a good price and make a
*ood crop they might become financially
independent and present
thrcaftor being dictated, to
indsuch conditions will be fought
n every possible manner.
3. The fact that professional
lave always succeeded in forcing
prices down, and that cotton ncv:r
brings even present prices
through the month of October and
November, during which months
the largest prcccntago is usually
[marketed.
4. That mills use cotton twelve
months in the year, whereas farr
I
mors try to market their cotton in I)
a few months, and with absolutely
no system.
5. That the rest of the world (ii
studies the Southern farmer, his
disposition, his condition; whereas t||,
the Southern farmer doesn't real- co
ize his importance nor study
conditions for improvement, lie r,,,
is too easily contented, doesn't jn
know his real strength, nor take ()C
advantage of his position. m(
6. The Southern farmer, as a Cl|
rule, has no facilities for storing or tm
taking care of his crop without sj(
exorbitant insurance rates, and slM
may sell, not realizing that a ware- sw
house storage rcccipc is as good an
and as convertible as a Governmcnt
bond. ()?
7. The large wealthy bear operators
have sold futures heavily ^
short and will probably force far- ,m
mers to sell at prices they fix for .
their profits. They have been
successful and nothing succeeds
like success.
? Tl,r> .1: I .r I
v.. J. 111. uu.iuimi; UIMJCIICI L>y j.^j
the bears in the intelligence of the
fcj I!
farmer and their contempt for his jn<
being able t o carry anything jin
through successfully.
The fight this season, if the far*?
' 1111
mcrs are bold enough to make <4j
one, will be most beautiful and j|
the world will watch it with great .
^ fi(
interest. Ilcrc we have the far
i nct
mer with his monopoly, his (man- ^
cial ability, his warehouse system, ^
his every natural advantangc in the
way of decreased acreage and ,
, f?
poor crop conditions, the great ^
demand and high prices for goods ^
on the one side; and on the gthcr,
the rich bear, with his money, his
influence, the rest of the world
with him in his disbelief in the
farmer's ability and knowledge of
his ^position, his former success ^
and his many peculiar tactics for
. . . wl
depressing prices.
VII
If the farmers win this fight they
will be respected hereafter on ex- no
changes, and will show to the 1(1
world that they are not the weak, (
ignorant and helpless clans they lt(
arc now considered. If they 8*a
lose, the big bear will le'
smaek his lips, feel his importance
and continue to reach out *1,1
for more honey and money. Which 81U
will win? Is it not a most bcauti- ot<
ful opportunity for the fight?
Which have the more courage? ga
Wiwch will hold out the longer? gG
Truly yours, 'Ph
John T. Roddy. p0
Four Year Old Boy Shot Ilim- ^
self With Handy Weapon.
Newberry, Aug. 21.?Tho little '
4-year-old son of Mr. N. II. II iler
of Wo9t End accidentally shot y(
himself through tho arm with a alt
32-oalibro revolver lato on Satur- co
day ovening. It appears that
the child's parents wero out of pr
tho room when tho accident oct wj
enrred. The pistol had been loflvtnor
within ttin hnva rn.nnh nrul fin
I t ?1*> ' ~ ~ til
used it for a plaything with the Cll
unfortunato result above slated.
Dr. VV. E. Polhnm, Jr., was summoned
and it is not thought that ju
tho wound will prove serious. ().
NO FALSE CLAIMS.
Tho proprietors o f Foley's
Money and Tar do not advertiso
this as a "suro euro for consuniption."
They do not claim it will lo
euro this dread complaint in ad? ?p
vanced cases, hut do positively *,
assort that it will curo in tho car- rp|
lior stages and never fails to give ^
comfort and relief in the worst
cases. Foley's Ilonoy and Tar is V(
withoutdoubt the groatost throat tli
and Jung remedy, ltofuso sub- tn
stitutes.- Sold by Funderhurk ,fr
Pharmacy. |Y
ouiooratie Voters of (.ireonvillo
Demand lhree Resignations.
roenvillo News.
Indignant because of the mud?d,
crooked conditio!* of the
unty's finances recently exposed
rough tho otl'orts of Avery l'at?
i! nnd ttio other momhors of tho
vestigating committee, tho Dene
ratio voters of Bessie precinct
jt Thursday evening and udoptrcsolulions
demanding the 1111 diato
resignation jf Cotutniamer
T. l\ Neves from tho prent
county board in view of his
orn testimony whilo under oxlination
as to his oUicial acts in
d same capacity during a prcvi
? Hum illustration. The rosolu>ns
also ask Kxpett Oscar Hud
s, employed by the grand jury
<1 Comptroller General .lonow,
lesion
\\ lien it was shown ami not di Ml.th.it
the state was ontith d to
bates, and the books of the. intution
had no record of rneoiv?
these, many thousands of dols,
the people were frightened
t of thinking by an ingeniously
inpiul.itod scarecrow, called
actional ism,'' and were virtu ^
y told to take their eyes away
)Ui the accused and watch the
cuser; they did it, and tho very
iny thousands of dolars in rctos
has never reached tho treasy
to lighten the people's taxes
this day. The people wore told
ig ago that men connected with
e dispensary had suddenly be^
me very rich?men who boforo
sinning management had a baud
-mouth existence, later bocame
ignates; but their ill gotten
faith may be hidden in stocks
nds and other investments
tich can lie safely locked up in
nils of trust companies, whore
eye but the owner can see the
;ord. Those men tell the poo)
to search the banks and tho
wording otlices for their financial
r?
.nding, anil thoy might aa well
for the people to the mac in
3 moon. They k 11 o w tho
icks are covered; but all the
lie, like a murdor, it will out
ctisionally, and it is only, when
re is an accasional broak in th*
ng that ths rebate pocket lined
ntlenicn are made to Hide-stop
ic positive proof is almost im
ssible to secure, tho nearest to
was obtained when tho Lyon of
U 111 V uallglll I' JU UlllJIIIIllOi: 1IUMMthe
don of hungry carrion at
lartanhurg. ?Manning Times.
Capt. \V. H. Edwards was in
jrkville yoslorday and whilo
ting with some friends in tho
urt house yard discussed tho
spensary question, tic oxessod
himself as disagreeing
ith Senator Tillman, in tho latr's
claim that tho disponsary is
rected against the sonator. Tho
plain claims that tho opposition
the disponsary has no political
gnificancc whatever. "Why
: said, "didn't Cherokee vote it
ll ;s to i; ncKcns 3 to 1, un
n 2 to 1 All of those counties
ivc supported Tillman in every
mpnign in which he has ever
id opposition and will continne
do so. This is not a political
lestion ' the captain continued,
mil 1 hope it won'c become one.
lie way to prevent that is for all
c counties to go right on and
)tc the dispensary out before
ic meeting of the next legislate,
and settle the question bene
it gets in the primaries." ?
orkvillo Knquircr