Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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. owe it to the people of South Carolina to live up to the utterances you have made, and that I have Mr. Burns here to substantiate it?" A. "That's correct." Q. "He said he was satisfied about it?" Tillman's Alleged Comment, A. 44Yes, sir. I think his expressions were just as Col. Felder has j said. That if we had the evidence to substantiate the charges we had heard then he certainly thought that Governor Blease was not entitled to the confidence of the people of South Carolina." Q. "State to the committee the name under which Mr. Bailey operated . in the city of Charleston and the State of South Carolina." A. "Wilson. My instructions to Mr. Bailey were to go into that community and use the subterfuge of wanting to start a high-class gambling place, where it would bring people from all parts of the country into a crooked gambling scheme. The peo- j nia irhn wpro to there would never i W " O - get away with their money. He was only to play with men with large money, and that he was to be absolutely protected. He didn't want to invest his money unless he had absolute protection. He did that, all but open the , wimbling house., Many people do not | agree with me in using those tactics, j We are perfectly justifiable in using every subterfuge in order to determine "whether or not they are the character of men they are charged "with being." Q. "How long did Mr. Bailey, alias Wilson, remain in Charleston?" A. "He was there for a number of j months. A long time, and, as you say, spent a lot of your money." Tillman Interyiew Again. Q. (By Mr. Carey.) "Mr. Burns, to enlarge on this interview with Sen ' ator Tillman, the evidence that you ! submitted to him, was it satisfactory ! to the senator in taking a decided po- j sition?" A. "No, we only gave him a verbal account of the situation and did not submit to him any written evidence. Col. Felder told him what we had and what we could show. Col. Felder asked me if that was right. I am sure the senator will tell you exactly what he said to us. My recollection is that fce said if we could substantiate the charges we detailed to him, then certainly the governor of South Carolina was not entitled to the confidence of the people." Q. (By Mr. Evans.) "Would this evidence connect in aiyway the present governor with the affairs of the State dispensary?" A. "Yes, sir; Col. Felder's statement to him covered the whole situation." Q. (By Senator Clifton.) "Mr. Burns, did your investigation and the reports made to you by the investigators under your charge show whether or not the present governor of South Carolina was guilty of grafting, either as governor or State senator, connected with the old State dispensary?" Walt For Beports Says Bnrns. A. "I would preier tnat you wait until you get the reports on that." Q. "Reports made to you will show that?" A. "Yes, sir." Q. "Will show whether the present governor has been guilty of grafting, either as governor or senator, in connection with the liquor laws of South Carolina?" A. "Yes, sir." The committee on the conclusion of this testimony adjourned until tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. Hundreds at Hearing. The Richmond county court house was filled with several hundred BDec tators this morning to hear the testimony of Thos. B. Felder, who reached the court house a little after 1 o'clock. Members of the South Carolina dispensary investigating committee present were Senators H. B. Carlisle, chairman; J. H. Clifton, G. W. Sullivan and Representatives J. J. Evan? secretary, and F. M. Cary, and the stenographer, W. P. Tillinghast. Col. Felder was represented by Burton Smith and Carl Hulbeson. of Atlanta; Boykin Wright, W. K. Miller, E. H. Calioway, C. E. Dunbar, of Augusta, and W. H. Davis, of Waynesboro, seven of the leading lawyers of Georgia. Col. Felder announced that sev<^ months ago he had employed Mr. W. .T. Burns, the well-known detective, to take charge of the South Carolina situation. He said that Mr. Burns had h^en operating in South Carolina for several months; that Mr. Burns woul'1 arrive in Atlanta at 12 o'clock and the j committee took a recess until 12 o'clock to await the arrival of Mr. Burns, who would he the first "witness. on the South Carolina situation for several months the spectators leaned forward in their seats with renewed interest. Burns is the detective who unearthed the McXamara cases and other nation wide cases which have given Burns a world-wide reputation. Col. Felder said that Burns' operators had been working in South Carolina for several months. Burns Tses J>istagraph. Burns uses the dictagraph in catching his men and the announcement that he would be the first witness foretold the introduction of the dictagraph in the Felder testimony. "Just wait until Burns arrives and tutjxi matters wiii yiwccu iapiuij enough," announced Col. Felder, as he took his seat and the committee recessed until Burns' arrival. Col. Felder said he would show that the income of Governor Blease had been derived from three sources, which he gave as follows: From the blind tigers, from the sale of pardons ; and from his meagre salary. He said | he would lay bare the official and pub- j lie life of Cole. L. Blease. Chairman Carlisle called the meet- j ing to order at 12.30, and Col. Felder j announced that he would first present j Mr. E. F. Reed, Burns' chief operator, i who would give a practical demon-1 stration of the workings of the dicta- j srvanTi "thp rplpvanr>v nf xuhiph Ttrill hp later abundantly demonstrated," said Felder. Detective Barns Arrives. Just at this juncture W. J. Burns arrived in the room and was introduced to the committee. The audience gave Burns a cheer. He took his seat directly next to Felder. Felder announced that C. Henry Co- i hen. of Aususta. had been added to i his list of counsel and Mr. Cohen was introduced to the committee. Mr. Reed, Burns' chief operator, then installed the dictagraph to demonstrate its practical workings. The j machine was installed in the ante- j room, the receiving end being in the j cuuri ruom. ot;iiaiurs suuivan ana | Clifton went into the anteroom to do the talking while the rest of the committee remained in the court room to listen to what was being said via dictagraph. It is a curious arrangement, the transmitter of the dictagraph being installed in a room with the doors closed and the receiver being placed on the judge's stand. "I think we will clean up the Augean stables," remarked Mr. Felder, as me aiciagrapn was Demg fixed up. Felder Takes Stand. . Col. Felder was sworn by Chairman Carlisle and he took the stand at 1.05 p. m. Mr. Carlisle questioned Col. Felder and after some preliminary questions Col. Felder launched into a j history of his connection with the dispensary graft cases.. He said he met up with former Governor John Gary iiivans in Washington in 1905 and he told Felder that Senator Tillman had i been invited to appear before the investigating committee in 1905. Said he told Governor Evans that everybody suspected graft in South Carolina. Said Felder: "I represented some liquor houses then, as I do now, emu as many otner nonoraDie men do | now, strange as it may seem." Felder said he told John Gary! Evans that "Hub" Evans had come to ! Atlanta with his attorney, Cole. L. | Blease, then senator from Newberry; that "Hub" told his client, a liquor house, that the liquor business wras too much scattered, that collecting +V> - v.~-U 1 1 * - ' cut? icucites was 100 trouoxesome, and he ("Hub") desired to concentrate the business, whereby the rebates could be more easily collected. Said that his client told him "Hub" Evans and Cole. L. Blease were in the Kimball house, "in the bridal chamber, where they were living sumptuously and luxuriously," said Felder. Said he | advised his client not to take up "Hub" Evans' proposition, and finally he understood that "Hub" Evans and his attorney, Cole. L. Blease, made the arrangement with Bluethenthall & Bickert, whereby rebates were paid to H. H. Evans and Cole. L. Blease. Says Wouldn't Take Cheek. I Felder said that the collectors of graft in Atlanta formed the habit of taking currency, and not checks. Felder told of receiving a long dis- ! tance 'phone call from attorney general Lyon and finally he came to Au- j gusta where he had a conference with 1 Attorney General Lyon and Dr. Murray, chairman of the Ansel winding-up commission, and the upshot was that T71~ 1 J * - reiuer was employed by tne Murray commission to gather evidence of |"gratt" in collecting the overcharges from the liquor houses. He said that i Attorney General Lyon told him that j Governor Evans had suggested that he employ Felder, as he, (Evans) thought Felder would assist them. Felder said he told Lyoa that he represented a number of liquor houses who were [ j I situation; that they did not pay re-1 ' bates and graft and did not want to ; compete with the liquor houses which j had been guilty of paying graft and overcharges. ? i.lJ nnmmiccinn vinf I reiaer tutu ui mc. wu..uwaiUU , I thinking he could do anything, that j every effort to ferret out the graft had failed. Finally Felder said, he was employed on a contingent basis, his firm i to pay all expenses and to receive 10 per cent, of "live" claims recovered to the State and 50 per cent of "dead" claims. He said his firm spent soma $20,000 in hunting the evidence of "graft" He told of the commission getting impatient and talking of distributing the $800,000 due to liquor dealers from the old dispensary fund. | Presented Evidence to Lyon. He told of taking Lyon into his confidence, showing him the evidence he had gathered an'" saying if the com| mission would only give him time to collect the evidence he would defeat every one of the claims of the liquor houses. Finally, he said, Lyon prevailed on the commission to give Felder the necessary time; he gathered the evidence and then the "graft" trials were begun in South Carolina. Felder told of the requisition of j Governor Blease for him being refused by Governor Brown and went into the matter in detail, charging that Governor Blease wanted him brought to South Carolina so "I could be put out of the way," as Felder expressed it, and charged that he would prove that Blease entered into a conspiracy to assassinate him. He told of recovering $500,000 to the State, working with Lyon and the commission, and wnen ne saia 11 you j hadn't elected J. Fraser Lyon attorney j general, your State treasury would j never have seen a cent of that $500,- j 000," the audience broke into-a cheer. He denounced the famous "T. B." : letters as forgeries. He said that dur- j ing the investigation of the Lanahan j claim it was shown that Cole. L. Blease, while State senator, repreresented Lanahan and received $100 or $200 per month, "and I have documents to prove it," said Felder. Tribute to Lyon. Witness said: "In the five years of my life of association with Lyon I was never able to influence him," paying a tribute to Attorney General Lyon's . sterling qualities. Said Lyon wanted to put the "grafters" in the penitentiary and he (Felder) didn't want to put anybody in the penitentiary but to j recover the overcharges from the li- i quor houses. He seaid that "Hub" Evans came to his room in the hotel in Columbia one x * ^ J + f\ Ofof Q,.P ! time emu uuci ru lu cum uiuit o ^ * I dence, talking to him with tears in his ; eyes. Charging that Blease wanted to make good his pre-election promises and pardon the "grafters," he told of Blease's message asking for the investigation of the Murray . commission, the attorney general and T. B. Felder. Felder told of "Hub" Evans once m his office in Atlanta, Lyon being present, offering to turn State's evidence if he would be granted immunity and not be required to go on the stand and testify; that Lyon told "Hub" his / >/-.n"horl Viqoii that whprp Tip prnnt V/UU1 OV uuu WVWU v? ?w Q* MM W , ed immunity the person must testify, I This "Hub" would not agree to do. "That was the only time a conference was ever had in Atlanta and when Blease charged in his message that John Gary Evans, "Hub" Evans, Lyon and myself held a conference jn Atlanta he embalmed in the records of your legislature a deliberate falsehood," exclaimed Felder. He denounced as false the charge that he once entertained "Hub" Evans in Nashville, Tenn., during a Confederate reunion. Felder Resumes. The committee reassembled at 4 p. m. and Col. Felder took up the thread of his argument, when he resumed the stand immediately following the dinner recess. Xo further relation to the | "T. B." letters ami tn TT H Kvans : saying that Evans had testified that he called on him in Xewberry with W. E. Hull, general manager of Searle & Co., of Peoria, 111., and Felder denounced Evans' statements as fals*. Mr. Felder announced that several j months ago he and W. J. Burns han a conference at Augusta, with twj lead n* ~ ~ I lllg ooulu oaruiiuiaiis, cti wu:u.u um?-' they spent over a day in conference, going thoroughly over many records and that at its close Mr. Burns said that in his thirty years of experience, the South Carolina situation was reeking with more graft than he had ever seen; that the San Francisco graft was infinitesimal in comparison with the boldness and character of the I grafters in. South Carolina. He stated | that Burns said that he usually did not take charge of such cases, but that on account of the condition of affairs hevwould personally ta^fi charge of He said that Mr. Burns nut two men [ to work in South Carolina and he also said that the two South Carolinians had promised to assist him financially in bringing those responsible for the condition of affairs to justice, but that the assistance was not forthcoming and he had financed the matter alone; that he proposed to continue it to the end and to bring the culprits to juei tice. Says Going to Grand Jury. "When this man in unfrocked of the robes of his office," said Felder, referring to Blease, "I propose to lay the t 1- -1- T 1 i.V J V evidence which i iiavc gdiueieu ueiuic : some grand jury in South Carolina that he may be brought to justice." He referred to Blease as the spirit and genius of the "plunderbund" and charged that he had received rebates j an/! nn the of ill-eot- i ten gain. Felder said that iie under- ; stood that Blease had some letters | purporting to refer to some connec- j tion of his and the attorney general with an improper woman and he announced that if Blease had such a let-J ter it was a forgery and he del'ed Lim j to have it published. Felder started to read some afiida-1 vits concerning something which happened during the peace confere ;c*e in Atlanta, but the committee wov.kl not allow them to be read and ti*ey were privately handed to the committee and turned over to them. The affidavits concerned the conduct of Governor Blease during his visit to Atlanta on the occasion of the peace congress referred to. ! Rurn? "Man in Charleston. I Mr. Felder said that following the Augusta conference Burns put two men to work in South Carolina; that; one of them operated in and around j Charleston for several months, posing j as a big gambler and blind tiger, by! the name of Wilson, and seeking a lo- . cation there. He said that this man . Wilson's real name was Bailey and he was received with open arms by the . Charleston tigers. He said that Wilson represented that he wanted to get , a location in Charleston and that Farnum and others "were very attentive . to him and the result was that he ' learned all about the Charleston situa- , tion and the financing of Governor Blease's second primary election by the tigers, all about the graft situation, the "protection" money collected by the constables, etc. He presented documents gathered by Wilson while in Charleston. He said that Wilson was not present today, being away on another case, but that he was at the disposal of the committee "when- ' ever they wanted him and in this Mr. Burns assented. He gave a lot of the dictagraph information Wilson gathered on the Charleston situation. Referring to the said Wilson's temporary residence in Charleston, while he was posing as a gambler and blind tiger and gathering the leaders of the j calling from all parts of the country, J Mr. Felder said that' Wilson was so j well liKea mat ne came near Demg elected a delegate to the State convention in Columbia. "He obtained a history of Charleston from Dan to Beersheba, found all about how fo obtain protection and j got the whole history of the seamy side I of the city," said Felder, referring to J Wilson. The following is the affidavit which was submitted on the famous "T. B." letters: "T. B." Letters Declared Forgeries, "Georgia, Fulton county: Personally appeared before the undersigned, an officer authorized by law to admlnnntVio noni'ol W R/inntroo TirVi n lOLTZL UauiO) l/aiuwi TT . AWVUUUA Ttuv first being duly and legally sworn, deposeth and saith: "That during the years 1904 and 1905 F. H. Krauss was employed by his law firm, Felder & Rountree, and afterwards Felder, Rountree & Wilson, as chief clerk and stenographer. In this capacity he kept the books of the firm, wrote checks, receipts, deposited money and, in short discharg- j eel an cuues aevuivmg upon iiim iu the capacity of chief clerk, stenographer, bookkeeper and cashier for said firm. During the year 1905 deponent and his associates discovered that the i said F. H. Krauss was short in his accounts with said firm and with deponent. Upon investigation of the matter it was discovered that said shortage aggregated several thousand dollars. Upon being confronted there with, the said F. H. Krauss made to deponent and his associates a full and complete confession, subscribing minutely and particularly the method employed by him in concealing his speculations. "It developed that the said F. H. Krauss had forged checks, drafts, receipts and other documents, signing thereto deponent's name and the name of deponent's firm. The forgery was so well executed that it was hardly possible, even with the use of a magnifying glass, to distinguish the genu I GLASS nil?III! MB?i?l A new shi] ceived. Lead Blown 1 biers, as cl< Plain Tumble cheapest tc Jelly Tumbler Ice Cream Ci Bowls and V< I have a fuii stock of! Better Goods at 1 MAYES'S The House of a 1 I associates from the spurious. Deponent further says that this practice of the said Krauss extended through the period of about two years. From his knowledge of the extent to which the said F. H. Krauss practiced this ^art of forgery, deponent says that in his judgment he is a master of the art of imitating handwriting. Deponent fur ther says on oath that in referring to Mr. Felder, or in speaking of him to deponent, he would usually if not always refer to him as "T. B." i (Signed) "Daniel "W. Rountree. "Sworn to and subscribed "before me this 11th day of July, 1912, Cas S. Bowen, Fulton county Ga." Mr. Felder said, as taken from offi cial stenographer's notes: Alleged "Legislative Syndicate." "My firm represents the Postal Telegraph and Cable company as general counsel of the Southern department. We represented it in 1900 and in a somewhat more restricted territory. "A bill was introduced in the South Carolina legislature prescribing a penalty for delay or non-delivery of telegrams. I went over to Columbia -? ?fx? _ J. _ to make argument in opposition u> the passage of this act. While in the city of Columbia I was introduced to Mr. Evans and one or two other members of the legislature. The bill received a favorable recommendation. We were opposed to it. "I was informed in a rather confidential way that there was a legisla tive syndicate and in order to compass the defeat of the pending measure it was necessary for me to reach the ear of the syndicate. I told the gentlemen that I would be very much pleased to reach the gentlemen who controlled the South Carolina legislature. I went down to the Jerome hotel, where Senator Coleman L. Blease was stopping. He said in a very modest way that he controlled the legislature and that if my company was with him to come across with the quid pro quo f meaning money.) I made it clear to him that I did not represent that part of the company's business. "As strange as it may seem, there are many honorable men engaged in the liquor business," said Felder; "I mean as strange as it may seem to South Carolinians. Evidently when the governor of South Carolina promulgated his famous message of a year ago he was not laboring under the impression they were my friends. Alleged Rebate Proposition. "A gentleman by the name of H. H. Evans came to Atlanta several years ago with a gentleman by the name of Cole. L. Blease. Then the State senator from the county of Newberry. Then my client came to my office and " ' -** - " TT T7!? stated to me tnat ivir. n. n. mvaus uau said to him that the business of the dispensary had been too much scattered, that it had been too difficult a matter to collect the rebates; that he desired to confine the business to a few strong houses; that his proposition was that a few strong houses would file their bids, covering the total amounts of purchase of the State, and that when the warrants were made and :he payments for the in i nr WML Dment just re4 ce Tea Tums ler as crystal, srs, from the i the best i s, Punch Cups, ips, and Glass ises. Glass. Call and see me. ? . the Same Price at < !,? STORE fhousand Things J g <?><$>3><S><$><s>3><?><$><$><$>^^,,$><$<?<$><S> . ^ . <S> BARBECUE NOTICES. <3> <S> / <$> (Barbecue notices $1.00 each up to eight lines; all oyer eight lines at the rate of one cent a word.) 4 We will give" a first class barbecueat Keitt's grove August 20. A good riinnpr is smaTiuitppri 0. A. Felker. B. M. Suber. I "will give a first-class barbecue at my residence Tuesday, August 13* State campaign day. Will sell meat and hash at 11 o'clock. 7-9-tf. J. M. Counts. * "We will give a first-class barbecue at Silverstreet on Friday, July 12.-All candidates are expected. J. W. Berry. W. V .Bledsoe. We will give a barbecue at Mt? Pleasant on campaign day, Tuesday* July 23. Dinner 50 and 40 cents. We , will also serve cold drinks during the day. This is the opening of the county campaign, and we will prepare a. Ine dinner and expect a large ciowd. G. H. Cromer and Son. I will furnish a first-class barbecue at my home at the late J. A. Cromer's ? old home place on Saturday, July 13. Dinner, gentlemen, 45c., ladies 35c. There will be plenty of amusement for the young people. J. A. Felker. I will furnish a first-class barbecue j at my residence on Friday, July 19, 11912, near St Phillips church. The 1 ?.kli? on/1 a 1 en Iyuuiiu Its Wi Ulaiij 1U fivvu uuu u*uv jolly candidates. Special arrangements will be made to serve a first- class dinner. D. E. Halfacre. * We, the undersigned, will furnish a . first-class barbecue at the residence of W. W. Kinard, known as the Jno. B. Fellers' place, one mile north of Prosperity, July 26. A good dinner guaranteed, an invitation is extended ' to all. Wilbur W. Kinard. I. H. Wilson. I will give a first class Barbecue at d Longshore's store, campaign day, 1 Tuesday, August t>, 1912. J1_M;_Count^j^Bfcj| I will give a first-class Barbecue al^H my residence, County Campaign day, MB Monday, August 26,1912. J. M. Counts. We will give a first-class Barbecue at Pomaria, S. C., on Saturday, July , 27. 1912. A good dinner is guaranteed. Governor Blease and other candidates ^ will make speeches. JA J. Walter Richardson, JK George Richardson. A?UAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the 6tock~< holders of the Farmers' Bank, of Silverstreet, will be held in the preei* ? dent's office at Silverstreet, S. C., oa Monday, July 29, 1912, at 11 o'clock, for the election of directors for the 1 ensuing year, and for the transaction * -- i oi otner ousiiicao. Piease attend in person or by proxy. ' W. A. Asbill, Cashier. Only a Fire Hero j but the crowd cheered, as, with burned I hands, he held up a small round boxy 1 "Fellows!" he shouted, "this Bucklen's ^"**1 ' Arnica Salve I hold, has everything beat for bums." Right! also for boils, j ulcers, sores, pimples, eczema, cuts, j sprains, bruises. Surest pile cure. It j subdues inflammation, kills pain. On- j ly 25 cents at W. E. Pelham's. J ~ jB