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VOL XX. BARNWELL SOUTH _ CAROLINA. THURSDAY MAY — LARRY GAM I SPRINGS A SfNSAIION. AIXEGKD CROOKEDNESS AT THK gryfR rnsT'ENSA u r shipped out; that this bribe bad been u 11 or oil by at Atlanta firm, but after wards that the Brm stated to said of ficial that they could only pay 10 cents a boit, and after bo fell in bis price ThWlttw oftiuinl reportod Aha MpMte A tietter Without Signature Which Was Privately Circulated—6a«it Acknowledges lie W'rote it and Threatens to Expose Corruption- Clerk Scruggs Tells Why He Wanted the Matter Kept Quiet. The Columbia Register contained a few days ago tbe following letter, which purported to have been written to Clark Howtlt, <Sf the Atlanta Con stitution, and has been exhibited for tbe past month in a private way understanding that it was written by the editor of the Piedmont Headlight. The story was told that the letter had been brought to Columbia by Mr. Biclcart, of Atlanta, whose name is mentioned- in it, and who belongs to a liquor firof* ia that city. Mr. Howell is said to have transferred At to Hick art, and hi used it tn promote his bu»i- nees before tbe State board of control in Ifcenale «4 Lquur. Gaatt was sorRlog la tbe later*»u at tsetb W. bereggs, tbs clerk of tbe loerd, wbo was a caa- didake fee re eiectiue. aad bie priegl* pel eppoeeet ee* 0. A. Is. Oeaie, tbe •blppisg clerk, wbe t* chercrsi la tbe *tHt~ w tk a.tcfH ag a brlwr from Htrtarl Wkta tai* •sptaaatMa tbe reader srtll be able to eedrrwtead tbe aamepwadeer* ebkcb lathsws SgabTaisMJbk K. C . T*b H. IWC tentative of bribe bins. this firm are trying to 1 also stated in said letter other re ports connected with the dispensary management and tbe purchase of liquors that smacked strongly of cor ruption. I stated to you that I in tended to publish these reports, that tbe people might know them and de mand an investigation of the whole busines 1 . A few days after the receipt, of this letter you came to Spartanburg and asked me to suppress the publica tion. You know at the time that 1 warned'you against tbe suppression of anything crooked in the dispensary among officials in.Columbia, with tbe, thatxame to your knowledge, and told tent man for the plane be knew of. Last year there was a business of over +1,000,000, and tn all that only a slight mistake of 50 cents bad been discov ered in Mr. Scruggs' books, t'he stub w^fall riuK but in transcribing it to >ks the the books the error occurred, STTntta gi’inu n&yg tortretp-my that be knew of no man who^could 1 so stated therein. I have never made you tbat you could not afford to cover up the rottenness of anyone connected with the dispensary because of your friendship for him. You replied that you did out with to hide any corrup tion, and the official in question you believed to be your enemy and was working in conjunction with other# to secure your defeat. I staled to you tbat 1 beard the representative of this Arm would tell much more, but that be ■as coerced or bniMened. aad afraid of publicity, fearing that might destroy hie chance* For future NMinsn* with tbe dUpeaeary I w Id ! you further that I was not aallsiad. ; aa4 that I nuils**d kf they aavu as , aavwd teat by lelllag Usa truth aad a! I they ka«w »«al4 aot Isjeru tbetr pew*- I tnr haatasaa that they eau>4 make a tail *tat*m-nt af a*i tw last* j W Hi tats » I umas a an saw -•* take the books of so vail A business and keep them as correctly and plainly as they are now. 'Because of his ability to conduct the business Colonel Jones says ho “sticks" to him and he cannot help what tome people may think about it. > WOOD MAKER A STATEMENT. Mr. I. O. J. Wood, who was the bearer of tbe “Dear Clark” letter to Atlanta, has made the following state ment: * """ "" ’— O i tbe Sunday before I went to At lanta, S. W. Scruggs and T. Larry Gantt-drove up* in front of Trimmter’s forme. I went bul and wetrrup~at they- invitation to the Piedmont [lead light office, and while in the office they wrote two Utter#, one addressed to Clark Howell, Atlanta, which they gave to me sealed. 1 did pot known ■ hnt wore the contents One other letter written with pencil by Scruff#, wbieb wunuopird by Gantt <io the type writer. 1 don’t know whotbUoae ua# orahlv and without prejudice to tbn State • Interest. ! would not ask them to do other*i#e, and they would not were I mi so requeat. In writing to Mr. Howell I had noth ing to gain personally, and no axe.to klffml Have to help -my friends, aud,- any secret of standing by and worktBg ascertain tbe worth of th« trunk, as the for my friends and .lighting my enc miee. I have never received, -and nev- -ami he had toJf^Vback to the meeting er tried to get, and neither would I receive, uodar any circumstances, one cent’s rebate. Bull brought tbo Dis pensary law to this State, and deter mined to weed out rascality if discov- ered. and_it waa in my power to do so. My reference to the explanation to be made by Mr Wood in the letter was that he might explain to Mr. Howell our State for Blumenthul A Bickart. Mr. Wood went to Atlanta and re- hoekstore in Spartanburg and asked IS m.. r lilo «*we Into my office and la reply to uiry stated an ioqt Mr. Ho 'that •Adreused to. Tht r Si. W I *#•*.- rg to Atlanta ou tba foMuwtug Tuesday l Lad dUsi ia my pusauadiup a* uavui wp* which *a* wruwa ou lb* bark with pupcit hy K W, *irri»fg*. rwrtu's q sssltoas tot mo k» ask H umwwtWu* A tLckucv uf At aatu. They U.«m«aiba. A U ckart lx arks' tbat Oast# Lad mail# a prupua lb»m la tbe *ts<t tbat b* w«a ¥e dm not see oweil, butbad left the letter with Mr. Bickart, and who said tbat there was no necessity for delivering it, as he had nothing to say In tbe Outs# mat ter, and that gentlemen had refused bla offer to resalva pay lor •hipping out bl* liquor# first. I thought no more of there was ao'hlng 1* th# t** - .Smt aaniMf meviiifppr rfuiU* tkiard f*t»m dh$9» pur * myeef the trunk aad b« would have to obtain th* price of trunkn from some dealer InXjolumbJa lieforo a price could be tixisd. Mr. Garris #1111 insisted upon an agreement an to price #o that he could pay (or it. Deponent replied that he hurt bn inir 11 Igrn 1,idtJLuLLhSjs<)rth of the trunk, and had no time then to He ta Pleased I Palmetio Hiac CAHOA4JIA I situated. They ouly flih a Vi.lt to the The Piedmnut region of flouth I ►- The Town# fibow * now lh# New Kn N Board was at that moment in session '• now tb# New Eoflaod of tho South. a WowdeefYal Impmvomoot and the too proud to take positions in the fao- tweiee. —They -aeu hwok-koepn writers, correspondents and tuperln- People Appear Prosperous. “ Hest on. embalmed 4bfl NilII 18(1 UMd, pear as the blond you Sn tmtntms hwHste. The herbage of.your grave.” L - tend in *oa« of thu i to attend, to business ; thatlie Idld Mr Garris that ha would send him the bill for tbo trunk as soon as the price whs fixed or that he could paydor it on his next visit to Columbia, lie replied ; “1 will caij.iirthe next time 1 come to Co- Tumbia and pay for it * This is one of the verses oh a beautP ful monument I looked upon with tear ful reverence while walking tbrougn Rmemont cemetery, at Newberry. Calvin Crozler was a Texas Confed erate soldier, who, shortly after, the earn good honest money. Jnst think of iV-what a revolution. For many years we have suppoaed that tbe ttate waa nearly worn out and her young men would have to accept Greeley’s maxim: “Go west, young man. go west,” but not to. Northern South Carolina Is ed the sale of the trunk Board of Control. That the day upon 1 tYial he repui t- close rrf the war, was going home and richer to-day and more prosperous thaw ak to the State had some ladies In ills charge. When *oy oortion of Georgia. Andersoa has the position he wanted was as agent In which Commkstoner Gaston, Mr. Gac- rls and deponent went to the contra band room to deliver the trunk was the (irst time he had any knowledge of tho contents of the trunk to the best of his Tocwliectton : but one thiny be b posi tive about—tbat up to tbat time be had never taken any pari of the contents of the trunk, and at that time all be saw in the trunk were a few partially filled boxes of cigars and two or three cans of peaches, but scattered on tbe floor were sis or eight empty cigar boxes; that on that day ie tbe presence of <5 -toe aad Garris the deponent took a ■—dfei uf these nlgara Garris Vwk a a frteed 1 hardful aad Ga*toa Ls>k a handful aad I a. . twitted J > ■baadfwl mm O k* j teg / twHiad JadweGanlaw with wtiag U» base bee- wrttMa tbe remark that be could bow aeeoeat I# Mr C’-ark Hoe*!', aa* ' ,a W tike elgars wbieb be »«»eat»«e. aad waiy Hrweialed aad ebowa Ha/ry bad aaa<af me chat wsre lie' *e^k»; that rl l vwpHed M ilakrd a** v e 11 trw»k be carried lato tba I# Hjc l are I ww* aad tl» raply re • •■*•*»•» *ama as taam. aad takd tbe a •m Mr lb«aa#t. end t be uarf fMiwa ■S <ag lev several wbarb Aapaaaat aw fifia WeaMe Marne j <e saaebM lAa bM^lbim wtsat^MMa { M^mamrmad*■*» •e* a .•.awaMa aad ’ gW. • Sb ••* «m* §m* «a..*^w%ua, L charge the train arrived at Newberry some lawless negro soldiers who were in camp near by went into the car and grossly insulted tbe ladies. Crczler and some others defended the ladles and in the me)ee>ooeof the negroes waa slightly*' wettoded.—Before t left Col. Trowbridge sent some of tbe negroes to arrest tbe man wbo did it. They made a mistake and seized Mr. Jacob Bowers, a railroad employee, and hurried him away to the colonel's quarters. Without trial be was sum marily ordered to be shot. It waa near mblelfhl wbea Crosier waa told of Bowers’s arrest aad onodemnatioa : be promptly weal forward aad declared tbat be himself waa tba maa wbo wooaded tb* aegre Hewers was re- l"a**4 aad at swartae Beit mo -a lag • real** *a* sbot to death, aatalib etaadlag *fcte dvmaad Nor a trial aad . tb* prwtaet af I'rtaee Klvera ae effievr | Hi Trowbridge • eaesmaad Tbe aegre | wiidtsrH das red wvsb bewdtob deligbt Georgia. nearly doubled her population 'during the last live years. New stores, new dwellings, new churches, parsonages and a hoe public school building have gone up, a new courthouse Is projected and all this cornea from the cotton _It does teem, as though the cot- ton we grow shoo Id be spun and wovea at home. My last visit was to the old historic towa of Edgefield—a town almost rw* lined from the public gaze, but oao that has always foil proud of He prestige as the domicil of more great men than aqgla tha State. McDuffie lived here aad Governor Plekea# aad tbe Bettors aad Ithetle aad Garys aad maay other*. Tbe Ttlimaas flee here aad I was tha honored guest of oae of them Th* aobtlily bare aa better Ynaaain lhaa ^ r * r * ** Biu. Aar. e berv toM him li Keabesvs te hts < I ffMm * a'mv ta* be ! M* w**« was v# frt «d tarn a •«. sa -a* asaNfidf < . O* ev bm | •w w v •V • if a < aw ■»• JjgtEi VaailMh f«wte< Scrugg*. aa latim aad wblcb Is as fu I* .a — si by ba*v ♦■•* w* m* pamo ••*•*#« Iml •' I haw ahsmt • Ate* saw# saaa vamr** * • aaaos»«e ag datil tW wwrse tatstst-1 Iso la ttftcwy twetAes ■■ a- Tbe #ab teateea ef tbe lavwrwiag Mb- ter bad tAe rff««t af Srtagieg wet etber oarvwvpaadrscw aa thto eebjart. wbieb reveal* the (art tbat tbe "Dear t lark" latter was writtea by T- Lwry ttoatt, editor af tba I’tcdnsoat Heedugbt Tba manors te wbtob ailesioa ••* ■Mde bad beva tbs sabjrct of a brief note a few days before te Mr. Seth W. imalr (rleed of Gantt’s, follows: 8l*AKTANIIUKli, 8. U, Feb. JO, |Hp;r Dear Scruggs—I hear that an Allan ta liquor man has offered a bribe Vo a certain dispensary official, nod to pay him 25 cents on each box of this man's liquor that said official shipped out. But afterwards the liquor man stated tbat be had made a mistake and could only give him 1U c^uts, and be cause be fell in his price this official then-stated that the firm had tried to bribe him. It has, also, come to my ears that a certain liquor man had a mepiber of the board as his guest at the hotel; that they slept together in the same room, and that this liquor man always got the best of the orders from the board. There are other rumors of a serious nature. I tell you, Scruggs, as your tpue friend, tfiat this condition of affairs will disrupt the Reform movement. The people are already restless and suspicious, and, groaning a^ they are, under increased taxation, they are prepared to believe iv scandal they may, hear. 1 am making further investigations into these rumors and shall expose tbe whole matter. Truly, your friend, T. L. Gantt. Mr. Bcruggs beard of tbe letter to Clark Howe’l being circulated in Co lumbia privately, and believing that his aame was ooaaecved with tha al leged crookedaase. be wrote aad asked Mr. Geatbaboet 1C recelviag tba taf- April A MT ef tbe Tib as* warn* «d Tw fip Mb fiHl H Mb Mr. Memyti rowto w*» It ter* ,«we*eMy pay *"* laecate par smse mj water A-, am* Wbabaeateate* teem *4 U * m* dte-te. *bteb te. »■ \wmU rwwef te.to.n ‘ ^4^ •••■I t C%Jd iMMlIpIMV I || f I >$t£b Vp Uf l* J ■ W&%A { (VP t ImMNI IS ^ t® 1 '* ®NNVi VwppN^ (■■■• PPiUM*** — W 6 ? William* aad rwmpteiaea tbat u*eart|«« agar eaaaaat Aa tebevw teate* I ooo »vbm tl » te W » te* gte’tow saw* ? * J tetitag all tbfy baew tbay mpblg Wbvw mm ^m brtb* him. Mr Btcbart aiwbr* Mr pad *tea4 by my J fwrtbea lba« berate isiirf be ba* lib* It cite tbe deal red latormatlea. I , -- - • ., m ■ . I »-*—■*- I a***a iaa«a a • a* « artlete mate tba •*■** gamas • g an ja*iy give tbe deal rad later malt I aw laid two stem bar* of tbe Mate heard tbe report tbat bad reached my ears. Come up lialurdey aad *ee ata. Truly, your friead, T L Gantt'. A UTATKMEXT ERON teTtUDOB. Mr. Bcrugirs ucknowiedge* that he did go to toe Mr. Gantt and pleaded with him not to publish the reports he hnd heard about Shipping Clerk Quite, for tbe board had mvest'gated them aqd bad exonerated Mr. Ouate. Mr. Scruggs said he did this because tbe Oispeesacy had already just passed through one period ^o( great travail {the rebate scat»dal)and he didn't want it to have to pass through another. He said he simply wanted to keep down trouble, for the board had already set tled the matter and the dispensary could not stapd these constant scandals in tfae newspapers, even though they were proven to b6 without foundation. He said he didn't’want to hide corrup tion, but pimply urged Gantt not to stir up this thing in the interest of peace. • • • . THE SHIPPING CLERK. Shipping Clerk Ouzts was asked what he had, to say concerning the charges made {p the “Dear Clerk" letter. He referred the reporter to the board of control for furthur jin'ormbtron. It was learned that Mr. Ouzte reported the occurrence to the board and tbat both he and Mr. Bickart, of Atlanta, made statements. Tbe board exoner ated Mr. Ouzte, for they afterwards re-elected him. Mr. Gaatt seems, too, to bare ooma to U& ooaclusloa that nothing was wroag hers, as he vUtes after Laving mad* aa la to ba admitted a FHKK nothing was wr la bis latter, af raaltgTliiia It •swaateMaa la Cte | a ba*. bam > **teb mm WuW Jama* la agaabteg^wf tea fba date am. aaa Wy •Aau tom m ffijftte *«• mmmmmt --s:nr tey ag ■ _ waa saaMBaasd teteva tea Bbavd asU | Frtead* •teted tbat a* Lad mad* lb. ^ros*M< lto. to pay <>.ls*. WL*v*-upja al* firm . ■ a* b ack. *‘*d My la(»vmaat tb*. • < nt on to »ay tLai Mr ItvekaM. after I b. found out tbat bia bo.*# could sot 1 *eU tb. Slate any mor« goods. *tated tbat be wanted to supplement bln first tcstitnonv, and insinuated that Quiz* consented to receive tbe bribe of 25 oente, but bad only “blowed on him'’ when bo reduced tbe proposition to ID cents. Mr. Bickart came to appear before tbe Board, but one of the members (a friend to Mr. Outzs) objected to his be ing heard. Now tho inference drawn was that had not Mr. Outzs first consented to take the 25 cents per case, why did Mr. Bickart come a second time to make a lower offer ? As per haps every County Dispenser in the State will testify, it is, or has been, the hardest work to get their or ders for whiskey filled, as sent in, for othe£ brands are shipped in place of those wanted. I believe that perhaps this Bickart matter would unravel the m/stery. and so determined to try and uncover it. Just at that time I was trying to get Mr. I. O. J. Wood, of this city, and who had always been one of my warmest friends, a position. He had lost bis place in the Dispensary in Spartan burg, and I knew he needed work and bad a family to support. It occurred to me tbat I could secure Mr. Wmx) a position with Ulumsntbah A Bickart. aad, alw* unravel tbat report about >he Quiz* matter. Mi. Wood bad writtea te Blumeuibai A Bickart aad tbay bad promised bim a plan. 1 thought, if they aoulJ get r» tasteted with if- Board I kaaw teal Clark Bowel! wm aa imu frtead of Mr Btetarv aad aated wa ateykatfwtMv Waad. btetolgte abi gtetea* MidaMW atewt Mr I wteteHbdd kaadtepd——* te t A*, to god Mr tesdar* to towi te* ^ __ _ _ _ «tod . »♦* *d » * I viiA i him bum ap ■**>ite to*vw to am..- • te* IHl BlCtROGI IRiMtUDIISCMIUlS UQI «4t. CIOAHd l*KA« HKB tea • • a •rag * arte ■.teste* s to . ft al *wr Loaesaf «<xar***d emom ol pomtOoo »• .a* ualy Iwito.iag mt a eminm ►bicb ba* *.r«e ia *• *»«v stada k * •'••aaectto. .lib lb. litot* dtspeasary. AMD tbat oa diver* ooeaelom *acb articte* I as braady pracbm, braady eterries, cigars aad other articles otter tbaa . .. . , , i wine* aad wbUkto* have baea placed linpiit air Key to the GoairaUate , cnttody ^ th9 commimt,mar te Hoorn-DUpriutery onw ial* Appro- hM ofUB bite Mima of such prime GimmI* L’ader 5eUurr to nrtlclM and also glveo them to others; and to show tbat deponent did aot sup pose bo was committing an act which would make him liable to censure, be gavp to two members of tfce board some of these very cigars and told them here he had gotten them; tbat he did say to Lynch to say nothing to Hlakt- ley, because Blakeley was his mortal enemyrfw some reason he knows not •to Party should te I Make* Thrlr Own L'ar—Custom the Daw tn this Ga*r. The testimony in tbe matter of Beck- rogo'a trunk and its contents, which had been seized by tbe dispensary au thorities, is quite voluminous and teresting so far at it has appeared The affidavits were taken by Judge C. F. Townsend, the assistant attorney general, and were signed in biwpres- ence. The evidence to show Whlit be came of the contents of the trivik is somewhat conflicting, but it is evident that people in the dispensary got the contents of. the trunk.. Mr. Scruggs acknowledges taking some of tbe ci gars and peaches, but pleads that he bad no idea of doing anything wrong, as it bad been & custom for the officials to appropriate such things to their own use ever since be bad been connected with the dispensary. But tbe evidence can best speak for itself, and the pub lic may form its own Conclusions. «'LEKK SCRUGGS TESTIFIES , Mr. B< th W. Bcruggv, chief clerk of j the dispensary, after being sworn.said . That b> the be*v of hi# rwoullectioa j Mr. C W GarrU told him iter, waa a wuak la ite roatratmad room te .aat- •d to tey. Dcpomat told blm te did apt tfctak tte irwak aawM ba and aa taaft tey ta tte irate tte* te a am* al. Mr Ugpifli tflna aagantoad ifimt te is*.* amsMbww tmo yafiadt ami i-*#* *n* % ted Mm t§ te wssiwd ga pud « ate bun «a kt • w an Ha why, and he did not wish any distortion of the facts, and this was tbe reason he told him to say. nothing to Blakeley about cigars or peaches; that he had no objection to Mr: Blakeley knowing he took the cigars and- peaches to the clerks in his office, provided a friendly and legitimate construction upon what he did was placed thereon ; that when F. M. Mixson was commissioner In 1895, Mr. Blakeley checked up all contra band, and be as well as" deponent on divers occasions has been theaecipient of tiiTro little courtesies through the good offioess of CommUsloner Mixson. —8. W. Scruggs. —Prkda at Jonaaoe*burg\ South '•ica' Cut aloe*, ft per busbelY-dour, Africa B 75. al! sacks tff c-sato per you ad ! pwv tead L oattes. roto X reals rock prates; beef, 25 caobagto. 25 c*nt* I east* aptoaa; car- •tear, • aawt* par T *■ sd km topw up*, mm aad sm>*s*a J mkdks m araamatf asam aad ■ • *~* as a. tte maffimk tefitom sd vaas a batea toyatkraaffk tte » sBaroua 11 baar yaara mas. ar. addte tor a saHag. stoars* Iter, la aa Maa to#* tar a ’»•) toaaqtov. aa.aiadga oi aark er Latot* af wavk- From atgM to Iwaa by te to a aM prodaror, ate wtea te s rteaaLr* |p fit saly tor tte laarate arwtroataa*. If fit tor saytLIag B.I p| vte bis Lujr* Lav* to mlagta /tody altk Ik bur ate alUraat* tb* y*arv of racb Mr, Aall la tbu praaldaat of tb* BtaU Pro** AsaouiaHo* Of cuura* Ne.terry ba* a large cot ton mill. Almost *v*ry Caroliaa Iowa has one or more. Ak~fnu travel from place to place they are la sight, and give employment to tbe poor. Five years ago L'nlon had only 1,800 inhabi tants, bqt during all these distressing years has continued to grow and pros per until now there are 5,000. One lit tle mill, as they call it, started the boom and encouraged them to build another—a very large ope, whose four floors cover a space equal to six acres. Next came an oil mill 'and a knitting mill and other Industries, and now they are boring for artesian water to supply a system of waterworks. Neither in Ihe’city nor near It are any people beg ging for work, for employment is at band. ; ■ - - . Then go to Spartanburg and be ama zed. When I was there a f ew years ago there was nothing to make note of save a college, but now thare are cot ton mills near by $hat manufacture 149.0U0 bales annually, and it is claimed that oo one county in the United States consume* as much. Not an acre of sub- urteo late cm te bought for less than 130 Everything prospers ate «v*ry body •cm# bappy. Tbe taxabte prop erty ba* iucretote four-fold witbia populaUaa "aCTL. Mt '*" >l "art te +te» It poiltl- of which te la tte bate lacte la power. Bach Da ta ar. aow rogroUiag their ar* If tte aleotloe ware to te bald tomorrow there cm be little doabt Mr. BryM would be suooemful. Hie election iaat fall would bava been fol lowed by a floMclal pmIc, which would have been far reaching in ite af* feet*. But tbe country would have gradually adjusted itself to the ehaag- ed conditions. In the light of develop ments since the election, the people are beginning to think that they would prefer to have the Chicago platform screws put on, and stand the consequen ces for ; n few months, with tbe na- surance of survival and revival, rather than be saddled with the iniquities crowded Into the Dingley tariff bill.” The regular Democracy should make wbat they can out of tbe tariff matter, but never abandon tbe fundamental cause of free coinage. amw* % daa*a bettor •a icate*. *» as fit • aaak 1 teffia* fib k tetesama tk aaato a to «*#» * fte* tete B^tete te 4to S*>