Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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made in a general circular letter. The evidence showed also that there was a first-class side line in the return of the empty beer bottles, which were sold at 20 cents the dozen. Mr. Manhiem stated that he has re turned as many as forty barrels of empty beer bottles for which he was paid at this rate. It was in Marion county that t-e sub-committee first heard of the sug gestion of a campaign fund with which to fight the prohibition move ment, that then seemed approaching. It was this clue that made the com mittee look so carefully into the mat ter at Spartanbvrg. The letter from Dispenser Bass, at Dillon, sugges ting a campaign fund, was present ed in evidence, but Mr. Manheim in sisted that there was no fund raised. Dispensers Order Liquor. Another amazing feature of the tes timony was that dispensers apepar to place their own orders and that li quors and wines are shipped directly to the dispensers. Even the bills of lading were presented from Garrett & Co., to show that at one time they shipped directly to the Marion dis pensary as many as twelve barrels of wines. Mr. Manheim said that the goods were billed through the state dispensary, but this, to say the least, a most loose way of doing business, and if a dispenser were inclined to do a bit of figuring on his own ac count there would be no check if he could order goods shipped directly in such fashion. The statement was made that the wine was shipped di rect to save freight. The bundle of letters gotten from the Marion dispnesary throw a flood of light on how eager the whiskey houses were to push the sale of their goods and retain the good will of the dispensers by presents, by buying empty cases that were worthless to the dispensers, by paying fancy prices for the empty bottles and all manner of clever schemes. The letters, ex cept those making remittances for bottles and empty cases ,which vary as the returns were made, w gener ally carbon or mimeograph ers, in dicating that the same form had been used in sending out presents, or ex tra bottles or in making offers to the various dispensers throughout the state. .There were several letters pre sented from stale agents, who evi dently traveled about the state work ing up orders and business for their firms. One of these letters found at Marion was from Mr. Moody. who, in former years. was connected with the dispensary, and a second from an agent, who, at one time, represented his county in the general assembly, but who was not a member at the time he represented the firm. Quite a number of witnesses have been summoned here from va rious parts of the state and a number are already here. Mayor R. Goodwyn Rhett, of of Charleston, has been asked to be a witness here, and as a straightfor ward, honest man, he is to be asked among other things how the sys tern works inl Charleston, and what he knows abc'.t the system of tribute to the constabulary, which it was currently reported existed in Char leston not many years ago. The sub-committee feels that it could continue the developments as to the management of the county dispensaries for many months. bt that it would be only to show what has been already brought out and what will be developed here as exist ing in certain other counties. The only witnesses examined here today by the Lyon-Christensen comn mittee were the dispenser and his clerk, at Marion. Mr. Manheim told much, but the letters told much more, and Mr. Lupo. the clerk, corroborat ed the evidence of his chief, and mere ly added that the extra bo:tles That came from various houses were put on the shelves and sold, as oTher li quors were, coming from the state dispensary. Mr. Spivey. of Conway. was un able to be present and as soon as the committee was called to order Mr Lyon stated that his sub-committee had several witnesses to present as a result of the inquiries during the last few months, into the conduct of the sub-dispensari es. Mr. M. Manheim was th:e first witness. He was the Ad;spenser a: Marion. where he has served as dispenser for three years. He1 sol fires where quarts were asked for. but he often told the customers that they were short measure. Some times he did not know that the fives were short measure. He thought I. Trager & Co. sent him a dressing case about Christmas and Mr. J. S. Farnum sent him a silk umbrella. Another firm sent him some Riverside rye, but he had none of this brand in stock and used the liquor privately. Mr. Lyon then showed Mr. Man heim a number of letters addressed to him and his predecessor. They came out of his dispensary at Marion. One of the letters was from Bern heim Distilling company, notifying him that they h2d sent him some Shaw's malt and meat and malt with their compliments. Another letter was from Bluthenthal & Bickart, in which they write that they sent sam ples "in accordance with your re quest." He explained that he wrote the house because he had been un able to get the "Old Joe" liquor. He insisted that he did not write for sam ples. Notices tha't samples of "Im perial Pilenser" had been sent him. He remem-bcred telling the committee that he did not know if he could find any letters from liquor houses. A bill of lading was presented from Cook & Bernheimer Co. for a cute of liquor. He said the case only con tained three bottles. Another letter was from Gallagher & Burton by J. S. Farnum, advising him of the shipment of samples of liquors for his use. A letter was also read from Galla gher & Burton by J. S. Farnum, ad vising Dispenser Stanley that compli mentary brandy had been shipped 'him. He was advised that the dis pensary had bought largely of these goods and that orders would be ap preciated and he was advised "in or dering make it plain that you want Gallagher & Burton's liquors." Mr. Manheim was clerk for Mr. Stanley. Mr. Maniheim said he never asked Grabfelder & Co. to send him any liquor. A letter was received from Wm. Lanahan & Sons advising him of a shipment of match boxes for advertising purposes. He distributed them. He received a fountain pen. He did not think he stood in extra well with I. Trager & Co. Mr. Lyon read letters from I. Trager & Co. in which they advise him of sending him an umbrella for favors shown, etc. He never received this umbrella, and so advised them. He received a comb and brush from them. He did not know why they had sent him these souvenirs, but he tried to keep all brands on hand. He never made it a point to place large orders for any brands. There were several letters relative to the umb-ella. which seems to have been lost. The Trager company has sent him a trifle every year since he has been in offce. He' went over several minor presents that were sent~ him as dispenser. He was quite sure no liquor was ever ordered 'or sold at Marion that was not regularly ordered from Columbia. Letters were exhibited addressed to his predecessor as dispenser. Acconm ponying these letters were bills of paning these letters were bills of Marion direct. The letters indicating the direct sales and shipments to the county, read as follows: WVeldon, N. C.. September I, 1905. Dispenser Stanley, Mar on, S. C. Dear Sir: VWe herewith hand you hill of lading for twelve barrels and two cases of wine, kindly ordered through our Mr. Clark. Please check up these -goods carefully immediately on arrival, being sure to observe they are not broken in transit. In the v-nt of any shortage take exception before the railway agent, and notify us of the same. so that we can put in claim, and send you goods to replace the shortage. Please give the goods a nice display on :;our shelves. as this is the surest way to get them in tro dued. Hoping they will meet with ready sale, and that we will have another nice order before Christmas, we are yours very truly, Garrett & Co. Weldon. N. C.. September 4. The Dispenser. Marion. S. C. Dear Sir: WVe herewith hand you bll and memorandum of goods, as per kind order given our Mr. Clark. We trust that These goods will open up to entire satisfaction, and remember that we guarantee every bottle. and ifv should have any trouble what eer kin d!v refer the same to us and wewexi adinxst it pro mptly. f yu will make a display of :hese your shelves you will find that you will have ready sale for them, and with the exception of clarets, cham pagne and Rhine wines, they can be placed in any position to show to the best advantage without the least fear or danger of spoiling. Trusting that everything will be satisfactory, we remain yours truly, Garrett & Co. Mr. Manheim said he could not ex plain in these letters except that it was stated that it would save freight, the bills for this liquor came from the state dispensary, at Columbia. The li quors were ordered for the dispen sary and so billed. He did not give Garrett & Co. an order for wine, be cause there was an ample stock on hand, and he had never gotten liquor or wine except through Columbia. Make Town and County Pay Break age. He is now enforcing the require ment as to request books. The dis pensary has not substituted liquors for him. His orders were to charge all breakage to the town and county. If there was breakage in transit the railroad paid it, but it was impos sible to find all breakage, at the t'me of receiving the liquor. He said he had sold two or three cases of Hos tetter's Bitters. He considered a few bottles of blackberry cordial as the only hard stock on hand. He shipped empty cases to Mallard, Richland Distilling company, and Bluthenal & Bickart. He shipped the latter cases to X. Y. Jones. He was paid 25 cents by each for each empty case. Mr. Manheim forgot about late shipments to Bluthenal & Bickart, and Mr. Lyon read him a letter, which together with many others, made the X. Y. Jones shipments and pay ments for empty casbs plain. The letter read: Atlanta, Ga., September 4, 1905. Dear Sir: With reference to our re cent letter concerning the return of empty boxes, there seems to be a mis understanding on the part of some dispensers, who think we discontinued buying the boxes because we did not want them. This is a mistake. We actually want the boxes-we need them urgently, aid we would be only too glad to receive them. The state board passed a resolu tion prohibiting all dealers from buy ing these boxes, and there wc-- no choice left us in the matter. A member of the state board has informed us that there is nothing to prevent dispensers from shipping the boxes to an out side party in Atlanta, and nothing to prevent us from buy ing the boxes from this outside party. In future you will therefore please ship your boxes and wrappers to X. Y. Jones. Atlanta, Ga., sending us bill and bill of lading, and we guar antee that you get your pay monthly. In making ship.ments, it is best to prepay freight, and mark on bill of lading " empty boxes returned to original shipper," so as to take low est freight rate. Assuring you that we are only too glad to help out the situation in this manner, we are, yours truly, -Bluthenal & Bickart. He said the check paying for the empty boxes was a cashier's chec! and he did not know it was from Blu thenthal & Bickart a letter was showr. for a bill of lading for 58 empty cases to X. Y. Jones, which was written by Bluthenthal & Bickart. Many other letters were in evidence, indi cating remitcances for empty cases. He could not remember how much he got altogether, for these empty cases. Mr. Lyon read these letters advis ing Mr. Manheim of checks for empty cases. One letter sent a check for $it0 from Atlanta; another from the Rich lar.d Distillery for $9. It might have amounted to $25 a month for empty cases. He considered the empty cases his property, beu use the cases for which there were no demand were used for kindling. etc. but he had no possible data to know if this was far beond what was received or not. He kept no empty case account, but thought it may have netted him $25 a month. Mr. Lyon filed a handful of letters taken from th:e Marion dispensary, but he said there were numerous letters advising payments for empty cases; the sending of com plimentary liquor, and .the like. Mr. Lon did not think it worth while reading any more of them. Manheim never kept account of his *eeeeee eeeeO@ S * PRESCRIPTIONS I WITH GREA 0 Prices Are C W. E. PELH. WAI One millioi old plows, horse shoes, buggy tires a castings, grates, in fac any kind. W old copper, zinc, rubber shoes. Woc wax. Highest S. S. Bil 3Pvcsper When Wanting Son CALI Oeo. D. D Cod Fish Balls, Devil pered Herring, Frenc Boneless Herring, Ro Beef, Lunch Tongue, Chicken and Potted Tui Pineapple, Mushroon Salad, Pickles-Sweet lets, Cheese, Coffee frc Cream of Wheat, Qu Force, Peanut Butter, Ferris' Breakfast Baco Spices for Pickling, Vir Apple, Fresh lot of Cho, pound. Phone 1 10. SOUTH CAROl 1805 Four Schools: Arts, Law System of Wide Election. Opens Septeml BENJAMIN GL FOR BARGA FURNI HOUSEN OI Kibler, De NEWBEF *@*@Ou@O@OO* S [RE COMPOURDED F CARE AND :orrect With 0 AM & SON., 0 I1ax'rmacists *..........@ [TED Pi pounds of )low shares, wagon and nd axles, old stoves and t old iron of e also want brass, lead, coats and > and bees prices paid. rge Co. ItyBe 0. lethin Good to Eat .ON iavenport. 3d Crabs, Shrimps, Kip :h Sardines, Lobsters, ist Mutton and Roast ,Sliced Ham, Potted rkey, Grated and Sliced , Asparagus, Celery and Sour, Junket Tab m 15c. to 35c. per lb., aker Oats, Grape Nuts, Butter Beans, Olives, n, Tetley's Tea, Mixed legar--White Wine and colate Candies 40c. per .INA COLLEGE -1905 , Sciences and Teachers. Expenses Moderate. >er 27th, 1905. DVER, President. INS [TURE .D GOODS ~RY. S. C.