University of South Carolina Libraries
MR. A. C. JONES REPLIES. In Regard To His Young's Grove Address-Quotes Testimony Be U. S. Court of Claims. To the Editor of the Herald and News: I find the following editorial in your paper of the 22nd inst: "When Ellerbe died and McSweeney became governor there was a reign of blind tigers and wholesale viola tions of the dispensary law,' said Mr. A. C. Jones, in his speech at Young's Grove, as reported by the Observer. 'He believed there was an under standing between the dispensary au thorities and the blind tigers that the latter would not be disturbed so long as they got their liquor from the dis pensary. This state of affairs con tinued through McSweeney's second term, and then when the people elect ed Heyward on the unders*anding that he would enforce the law; and he believes he is trying to do his duty; but has been told that blind tigers are almost as open in Charleston and Columbia as they was in McSweeney's time.' The man who told Mr. Jones this wonderful thing was evidently well informed. "Possibly it may be that he should have told Mr. Jones, however, that there are no blind tigers in Charles ton; that there is nothing blind about the iliegal sale of liquor there; that it is sold openly now, as it has been since the dispensary law was enacted, and asit will be so long as the public sentiment of Charleston upholds it. Nye believe that Governor McSweeney tried to do his duty, and we believe that Governor Heyward is trying to do his duty. ,Why this effort at this time, three years after Governor Mc Sweeney has voluntarily retired from the highest office within the gift of the people of South Carolina, to cast reflection upon his administration. And where is the proof? Let's be specific, rath'er than general, in our charges." That your readers may understand what I said in connection with that portion of my speech you find fault with, I would say that I was giving a review of the history of the dispen sary law from the time it was passed tnrough the different administrations, up to date, and I had said in beginning my talk that I did not mean to be personal in the remarks I would make but would endeavor to give a fair statement of the law and 'the manner it had been enforced and let the peo ple decide for themselves whether it should continue or not, and when I reached Governor Ellerbe's term I - told them that he seemed 'to be anx ious to be reelected, and was trying to please the people; :hat he used to great advantage the organization of the mrilitary for the Spanish war for this purpose; that when he issued the call for trocops it was responded to promptly; without regard to the fac tional differences existing at the time and met to a considerable extent in the same spirit by Governor Ellerbe, and had Governor Elierbe lived 1 believed the condition of :fairs would have been better, but his failure to carry out his promise to The State newspaper, to recommend high li cense to the general assembly and the criticisms by the press of the State of all parties connected with the deal iS said to have hastened his death. Then followed th-at portion of my re marks, the substance of which you quo:e above, and after commenting upon them then you call upon me to specify. In doing so I will use the sworn testimony given by Mr. WV. E. Johnson before the United States court of claims in the case of South Carolina vs. the United States, as follows: 1. Question. State your name, age, residence and occupation. Answer. My name is WV. E. John son; my age is 40 years; I live at Laurel Md.; my occupation is that of a journalist. 2. Question. State whether yon have any interest, direct or indirect, in the subject-matter of this suit. Answer. I have no interes:, direct or indirect, in the subject-matter 'ot this su4t. 3. Question. State whether or not you are related. and if so, in what degree, to any of the parties plaintiff or defendant in this suit. Answer. I am not related in any~ degree to any of the parties plaintiff or defenidant to this suit. 4. Question. Sta:e whether or not von ever visited the state of South Carolin for the purpose of examining into t*e dispensary system in vogue in that state, and if so, in what capaci tv and when. Answer. In May, 1899, I visi:ed South Carolina for the purpose of stuVing and investigating the work ings of the dispensary law. I went in the capacity of a staff correspondent of the New Voice, then published by tie Funk & Wagnalls company, of New York City. In February and March of this year I also visited South Carolina for the same purpose. On this trip I went in the capacity of staff correspondent of the New Voice, now and at that time published by the New Voice company, of Chi cago, Illinois. 5. Question. If you answer "Yes" to the foregoing question, state in particular the -character, nature, scope, and extent of the examination so made by you, giving the place or places visited by you in said state and the character of your investigation at such places. Answer. I visited Charleston and Columbia on both trips. My investi gations consisted in a thorough ex ai- 'ion of 'th-e reports of the dis pensary, of the liquor legislation of the state, of examinations of the books of the collector of internal revenue for the district of South Caro lina, a personal examination of the premises of each local dispensary in said cities, in interviews with leading business men and newspaper men, as well as of the state and municipal offi cials. I also personally visited and examined more than 250 so-called "blind tigers"-places where intoxi cating liquors were on sale by the drink-most of the proprietors of which had paid an internal-revenue tax as retail liquor dealers. I made maps of some of the localities, show ing- large numbers of these "blind tigers" in the immediate vicinity of local dispensaries-in some cases in the same buildings. 6. Question. As a result of your examination, what can you say with reference to the effect of the dispen sary system upon the increase or de crease in the consumtpion of spir ituo,s, vinous and malt liquors with in the confines of the state of South Carolina? Answer fully. Answer. The dispensary has re sulted in large increase in consump tion of liquors. This is especially true of the past three years. Prior to 1899 there is some uncertainty in this statement, for the reason that the sales of the "'blind tigers" were then an unknown quantity. Also, owing to litigation in Federal courts, 'the dis pensary did not have a real monopoly of the traffic. Its monopoly as in name only. "Blind tigers" were numerous in most parts of the state, where liquors were sold openly or secretly by the drink. This liquor was largely so calle<d "moonshine whiskey," and was chiefly made in the norhwestern counties. "Moonshine whiskey" is that made in illicit stills, mos-tly small affairs, and which pay no revenue tax on their product. In 1898 the dispensary adopted the policy of fighting the "blind tiger" competition by putting on the market what they called "eighty proof whis key," an article composed of 8o per cent whiskey and 20 per cent wa:er. In 1898, shortly after this scheme was inaugurated. I visited the State dispensary at Columbia and inspected the room set apart for watering the whiskey. A distilling plant was put ir. and distilled water was used for this purpose. In this way a brand of whiskey was put on the market at a c- 3.per rate than the "blind tigers" co'.. . supply it. The local dispen saries would sell a whole i-alf pint of whiskey for 15 cents, the price of a simple drink in a license state. The result was the state was flooded with cheap whiskey by the dispensaries. The colored population particularly became accustomed to chipping 5 cents each into a pool and buying w~hi sk ey by the bottle and drinking it on the street corners. I have stood on the street corners of Charleston freauently and seen three or four parties of colored men sucking at a bottle that they had bought from a dispensary for the price of a drink in a license state. The dispensary followed up this at tack on "blind tiger" competition bay lending its influe'nce in the direcionu of0 proscuting liquor sellers who were in c ,etito,u: th at is. those who did m:prhase their supplies from the di.spensaries. This they were able to controlled the machinery of the domi -ant political party of the state. Th rcsult was that the "blind tigers found it to their interest to purchas their supplies from the dispensaries Since the close of the year 1898 th policy of purchasing their supplies c 1 liquors from the dispensaries has bee closely followed by the "blind tigers. Since that time the sales of the dis pensary very closely indicate the tota consumption of liquors in the state I have here a statement compilei from the annual reports of the dis pensary showing the sales of liquo to the county dispensers since i89: and .by county dispensers since 189o The figures are in dollars instead o quantities, but as the prices of liquo has remained practically stationar3 the tabulation is an accurate index o the growth in the consumption o liquor year by year in the state o South Carolina. The said statemen is as follows: Liquor Sales by the Dispensary. Fiscal Yr. Sales to Co. Sales by Co; Net profi Dispensers Dispenser. beer dis'r 1894 a....... $ 573,539.91 - - - -....... 1895 b........ 1,076,963.65 ............ ..... 1896 ... ..... 1,305,340-00 ............ ........... 1897.......... cl,125.674.oo $1,252,289.08 $26,1o-q. 1898........ 1,225-303.00 1,.358.989.42 d 50,867.4 1899.......... 1,513,777-77 1,788,425.80 26,448.S goo e.........1,755,924.22 2.421.840.22 27,669.E 1901.......... 2,003,313.93 2,328,681.21 44,443.5 a Nine months ending April 21. b Eleven months. c Temporary drop caused by th "original package" decision. d Beer dispensaries pushed to figh "original package" competition. e Eleven months; fiscal year cihang ed to end November 30. f Not including sales of beer dis pensairies and blind tigers. This table shows, therefore, tha the consumption of liquor in the stat, is now increasing at the rate of abou $2oo,ooo worth' per year. - Under the present plan describe4 the illicit sellers are practically im mune from prosecution. They bu: their liquors from the dispensarieE and the officials controlled by the dis pensary political machine do not ser iously prosecute the dispensary's bes business customers. The report of the attorney-genera for the year 1901 shows but five ca.e of selling liquor without a license ii Richland county, the county in whicl the city of Columbia is located. Eacl one of these five cases was dismisse< without any trial whatever. Th same report shows but fifty--nin cases of selling liquor without a li cense in the city of Charleston fo 19ox. Not one of these cases wa prosecuted. 7. Question. As to the result o your examination, what can you stat concerning the dispensary system il that state as a temperance measure Answer. The dispensary is not temperance measure in any respec whatever. It is purely a shrewd an successful business method of sell ing liquor and a shrewdl politica method of preventing the adoption c a prohibitory policy. 8. Question. As the result of you investigation, what can you say wit1 reference to the practical operatio: of the dispensary law as it was ad ministered during the time of your ex amination upon the morals and sc briety of the comunity? Answer. The operations of the dis pensary had a disastrous influenc upon the morals and sobriety of th people. The fact that the state it self was the dispenser gave a stand ing and responsibility to drinkin. customs that they had not known be fore. The cheapness of the liquor sold added to the incentive to drin1< The advertised purity of the dispen sary liquors also served to promot their use. 9. Question. In the practical ad ministration of this law during th time of your examination, was it ad ministered in such wvise as to dis courage or encourage the sale o spirituouis, vinous and malt liquors. Answer. The dispensary manage mue:.t encouraged and pushed the sale 'f liquOr in the same way aid for to same purpose that priva:e deal er 1woIubl. L'cai dispensers xho wer unable to~ sell enough liquor to pa; their salaries and expense:; and re turn a profit were discharged. Dis pensaries that could not be made t< pay a profit we-re closed up. Dis pensaries were not established a places unless there was a prospec of making a profit. 10. Question. Frora your exami nation what can you say as to the in - law upon the ete-t of the sales made by the various dispensarie? Answer. The average monchly net profits of the dispensary have arisen from about $6.6oo dturir the first administration of nineteen months to more than $45,ooo during i the fiscal year 1901. The success of an administration is reckoned in the ~ public mind upon 'he amount of the profits turned into the state treasury. The sales are therefore pushed in or der to show an attractive balance - sheet in the annual reports. ii. Question. During the course of your examination, did you in any f wise have occasion to examine into r the numbers and locations of places v.-here whiskey and spirituous liquors f were illicitly sold, commonly called f "blind tigers;" and if so, please give a f full and complete statement of the ex t amination made by you and state whether or not these illicit sale rolls, or "blind tigers," were or were not operated with the knowledge and tacit consent of the officers and agents of 'rhe dispensary system? Answer. I made a careful per sonal examination of the location and character of the so-called "blind ti gers" in both the cities of Columbia and Charleston. The "blind tigers," as a rule, were much more numerous in the immediate vicinity of the local dispensares. I made maps of two lo calities of the'sort showing the loca tion of the "blind tigers" surround t ing the dispensaries. One of these maps, showing the locaton of the dis pensary at 1422 Assembly street, Co lumbia, managed by C. C. Cooper, is as follows: t (Here appears Map A.) This place is on the corner of the t alley, by the city market. On the op posite corner of the alley, at No. 1424, was a "blind tiger," run with no pretensions to secrecy. Next door to this "blind tiger," at No. 1426, was another dispensary run openly with a regular bar. in the rear. On the other side of the dispensary, and two doors away, was still another "blind tiger," t run as openly as a grocery store. The number of this place was 1416. At 1 No. 1404, burt a few doors away, was I another "blind tiger," run by a man named Hendricks. There were in February last fourteen "blind tigers" run openly and aboveboard within two blocks of the dispensary managed by Mr. Cooper. - I also made a map of the surround r ings of the dispensary at 911 Ger s vais street, Columbia. managed by W. D. Price, as follows: f (Here appears Map B.) SThis dispensary was within a block 1 and a half of the State capitol grounds and within two blocks of the city hall and police 'headquarters. tIt was within three blocks of the State dispensary. Yet within two blocks of this dispensary were 1 "blind tigers" running openly and abovebgard. These "blind tigers" were operated with the full knowl r jedge and tacit consent of the dispen 1sary officials and agents. SI could continue until I gave you the location of the 208 blind tigers in the city of Charleston and the names of the persons keeping them, as shown by their having paid the required United Sta:es Revenue Li cense, but I think I have shown be yond question that this was the day of Iblind tigers in South Carolina. as well as the day when the dispensary run things to suit themselves. I have Iverified myself hj other witnesses s some of the testimony of Mr. W. E. Johnson and believe what he testi-' fied was true; but if The Herald and SNews is not satisfied I will furnish additional evidence to prove the cor rectness of what I have stated. I ihave no desire to be personal, but II do want the records kept straight. f A. C. Jones. INewberry, S. C., August 22, 1905. Miss Raffle McIver Leavell (B. lil. o1f0Wo19.l1 0o 16 hi%i11A,V Pupil of Virgil Piano School of' - New York, N. Y. INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC. Studio over Mower Go.'s Store. School Opens September I st, 1905. SSpecial Attention to Beginners. NOTICE TO STOCKHOLDERS. Notice is hereby given to the stocl: iolders of The Pomaria Ol Mill. hat by order of the board of d-irec :ors a meet!nz cl :.ie stockholders. Xil! be- h&d at the said mill at .> naria, S. C. on thC T3 day of Sep:_m >er :10 o'clock a. m. to consider a -eso.ution to authurize the president :o borrow thirren thousand do.. ,or the Pomaria Oil Mill, and to se :ure the same by executing its bond Lnd mortage of its franchises and )roperty, real and personal.- All stock iolder:, are urged to be present in per ;on or by proxy. Ben. M. Se*zler, P:esident. A goodTypewite I am agent for the FOX rYPFqWRITER. This Type writer is not better than the: >est, but is better than the rest. Dur terms are easy, and whether you are thinking of' >uying a Typewriter or not, I will be very glad to have youe :all and see this machine. I carry a full line of Type writer Supplies, Ribbons, Pa per, Carbon Paper, Brushes, Erasers, Oil and Oil Cans. I am also agent for Office Furniture, such as Filing Cab nets, Section Book Cases, Desks, Etc. waVes Book Store. Dr. R. M. Kennedy, DENTIST. Newberry, - - S. C. OVER NATIONAL BANK. Best Mineral As phalt Roofing. C. H. CAN NON, Near C., N. & L. Depot Newberry College SEMI-CENTENIAL YEAR. Courses in Science, Classics, Philosophy, and Engtnearing. Thorough Collegiate Training under positive Christisn in-~ fiuences at a minimum of of expense. Next Session begins Sept. 27. Address JAMES A. B.SCHERER, President. (Schedule in Effect April x6, 395 No. 52. Daily. Lv. Newberry............12.36 p. m. Ar. L.aurens ...... ... .. ..50 p. nm No. 2. Daily. Lv. Laurens.............. .50 p. m. Ar. Greenwood ......... 2.46 p. mi. A.r. Augusta............. --5-20 p. m. ar. Anderson ............7.10 p. m. No. 42. Daily. Lv. Augusta........... ........ .. .... 2.35 p. mn. Ar. Allendale....................... .. 4 30 p. m. Ar. Fairfax.... ............. ........ 4.4! p. mi. Ar. Charleston............................ 7.40 p. m. r. Beauf ort............. ............. . t.c p. mn r. Port Royal............... ..... 6.40 p. m. A r. Savannah..................... .. 6.45 p. ml Ar. Way'cross.......................... ic.oo p. m. Ar. Iack-son ville. .................................. No. !. Daily. [v. Laut ens... .......................- 2.07 p. m ar. Spartanburg .......................32 p. m . No. 52. No. 87.. Daily. Ex. Sun. v. Laurens............. 2 09 p. mi. S.oo a. mi. .r. Greenville .... ....-.. 3.25 p. m. !o 20 a. mi. Through Pullman Cai Service between An uvsta and Jacksonville, Flis. {. G ASQ UE,. Agt.. Laur ens. S. C. O. T. BRYAN. Gen'l A gt., Greenville. S. at SN EST WILLIAMS,Gen 'iP ass. Agt Augu