The Horry herald. (Conway, S.C.) 1886-1923, September 16, 1909, Image 5
GRAFT CASES
Called and Eleven Men Are Indicted
by Jury
i~
FOR ALLlGED FRAUDS
In the Managt'niont of the State Dispensary?Sonne
Damaging Testimony
Drought Out?Joseph B.
Wylie, Former Member of Board,
and Three Whiskey Men Testify.
The Stato says the dispensary graft
cases have been brought Into court.
Men once given commission of office
by the State of South Carolina
now stand accused of crimes and offenses
against the State. Bribery,
conspiracy to defraud and other serious
crimes are alleged.
Not all of the indictments have
been handed out, but the prosecution
appears to have considered well its
case and to have made a move to
got a conviction in the cases in which
the State has the most conclusive
evidence. The indictments were
handed to the grand jury in the
morning by Solicitor W. H. Cobb,
representing the State of South Carolina.
Attorney General Lyon, who
has been at work on these cases for
three years, is assisted by Mr. W.
UV Rtpvpnsnn of Pthornw tnrnior
speaker of the house or representatives,
and by Mr. R. L. Abney, general
counsel for the Southern railway
in South Carolina, and a lawyer
of recognized ability and force.
The grand jury at 3:30 p. m.
heard the witnesses and shortly
thereafter returned a true bill in
each case. The witnesses were Joe
R. Wilie and Henry Hamuels of
Chester, J. A. Valentine Schmidt of
St. Houis, J. G. Thorpe of Aiken, T.
W. Collins of Columbia and Jno.
T. Early of Cincinnati.
Wylie is a former director of the
State dispensary and is alleged to
have turned State's evidence, although,
of course, the proceedings
before the grand Jury were in secret
session, Henry Samuels, now
mayor of Chester, and close friend of
Wylie's; Schmidt is bookkeeper for
f'" the Anheuser Husch concern, long
represented in this State by Jas. L. I
Earn urn; Earley for years sold to
the State dispensary the products of
the Fleischmann Company of Cincinnati,
and Thorpe and Collins were
bookkeepers at the State dispensary.
The Persons Indicted.
The persons under indictment are:
Jas. Farnum, who is alleged to have
made thousands of dollars unlawful
ly selling beer and liquor to tho
State of South Carolina; John Illack,
a former shipping clerk and lator
director of the dispensary; L. W.
Boyken, a former dispensary inspector
and later member of the dispensary
board; Joe. R. Wylie, who
was a member of tho dispensary
board; Jno. Rell Towill, a director
of. the dispensary; W. O. Tatum,
dispensary commissioner; Jodie M.
Rawlinson, a dispensary director,
and the following liquor salesmen:
Jno. T. Earley, M. A. Goodman, H.
? n _ i j y~\ iir ^ i ..i c
l^ee ooiomoiiH una ueuiua vv uiskupl.
The indictments in brief are as
follows:
First, State against James S.
v Farnum, bribery, the bribe being alleged
to have been given to Joseph
B. Wylie in the sum of $1,575.
Second, the State against James
9. Farnum, bribery, the bribe alleged
to have been given to Joseph B.
Wylie in the sum of $1,125.
Third, the State against James
S. Farnum, J. M. Rawlinson, Joseph
B. Wylie and John Black, being a
conspiracy to cheat and defraud the
State of South Carolina out of $4,800.
Fourth, the State against John
Black, accepting a bribe and rebate.
Fifth, the State against N. A.
Ooodman, John T. Fairey, Dennis
Wel&kopf, L. Whit Boykln, John
Bell Towill and W. O. Tatum, indictment
for conspiracy to defraud
the State of South Carolina out of
$22,500 in the "labol deal."
Sixth, the State against E. A.
Goodman, James S. Farnum, John C.
TSarley, H. Lee Solomons, J. B.
Wylie, John Black and J. M. Rawlinson,
indictment for conspiracy to
defraud the tSate of South Carolina
A^ and to accept and to pay rebates
In the sum of $133,000.
/ Tho Label Deal.
In tho renowned "label case" It
Is charged that In March, 190r>, L.
* Whit Boykin and John Bell Towill,
members of the board of directors,
and W. O. Tatum bought $35,000
worth of labels, which purchase, it
is alleged, was illegal, fradulent
and unlawful, and at a greatly excessive
price, to wit.: $22,500 in
^ excess of the value whereby tho
State was defrauded as tho result
out of tho sum of $22,500.
^ Dennis Weiskopf, M. M. Goodman,
. SUBSCI
ii H -J
WILL BE PROBED
SHOOTING OF MRS. G. C. BIG HAM
LEADS TO AlUtESTS.
Coroner Swears Out Warrants for
W. B. Avnnt, who Shot Mrs. Big*
ham, and for Her Husband.
A dispatch from Georgetown to
The News and Courier says Coroner
C. J. Fletcher Tuesday swore out
a warrant for William B. Avant as
principal, and for I)r. J. C. Blgham
as accessory for the killing of Mrs. I
G. C. Glgham, wife of the latter, a
Murrell's Inlet, on Saturday night
last.
The verdict of the coroner's jury
reads as follows: "That the doceased
came to her death by a gunshot
wound at the hands of W. 13.
Avant and G. C. Bigham as accessory
thereto, both men laboring under
great mental excitement and fear at
the time of the deed."
It is tho strong opinion of everyono
in this neighborhood that the
shooting was inexcusable in its gross
carelessness, and deserves to be investigated
to the bottom. It is reported
that one of the probable causes
of tho men shooting at tho unknown
object was because Sunny!
side house was said to be haunted,
I and they thought it a ghost. The
i deputy sheriff is expected to arrive
with the two men tonight.
Dr. G. C. Gigham, of Georgetown
county, who was implicated by the
coroner and jury in the killing of
his wife at Murrell Inlet, was arrested
at the home of his mother,
Mrs. M. S. Bigham, at Forestville,
Ufo/lnnn/lnif sv m fr ?
M UUIIUOVKIJ ?UUI IIVIUU uy
Sheriff Harrell. Dr. Glgham was
carried to Florence and placed In
1 jail upon telegraphic instructions
from the sheriff of Georgetown.
PBM AI iK COLLEGE lJL'HNKD.
Tlio Pride off the Methodist in the
State Lni<l Low.
The Columbia Female College,
the pride of the Methodist of the
[ State, was destroyed by lire at halfpast
two o'clock Thursday morning.
It was totally destroyed. It is supposed
the lire was caused by defective
electric wires.
I The plant was valued at $2 50,000
and was insured for seventy-five
thousand dollars. There was ten
1 thousand more on the equipment.
The property was bonded for sixty
thousand and twenty odd thousand
more in floating debt.
Liquidation would leave nothing
i urn uare ruins and grounds, but
J arrangements are going right ahead
for the rebuilding and opening for
the present session in the Colonial
hotel property, the former plant of
the college. The trustees are called
to meet next Tuesday.
Ij. Whit Hoykin, I,. W. Wowill and
William O. Tatum alleged to have
been In this conspiracy and to have
benefited financially therefrom.
Weiskopf, who printed the labels,
was the proprietor of a glass and
box factory, and the label transaction
was something new for him, it
is alleged.
Scale of Rebates.
The scale of rebates alleged in
the larger conspiracy is:
"That the said Jodie M. Wawlln
?oii, jos. r;. vvyno and John Mack
were to accept and receive for every
barrel of whiskey purchased at $1.47
per gallon, $1.59; for every barrel
of whiskey purchased at $1.50 per
gallon, $2; for every barrel of whiskey
purchased at $1.50 per gallon,
$3; for every barrel of whiskey purchased
at $1.75 per gallon, $f>; for
every barrel of whiskey at $1.85 per
gallon, $8; for every barrel of
j whiskey purchased at $2 per gallon,
$18; for each barrel of $2.10 whiskey,
$15; whiskey at $2.25 per gallon,
$17.50 per barrel; at $2.50
per gallon, $20 per barrel; at $2
per gallon, $25 per barrel; barrel
of beer, 10 dozen quarts, $1 per barrel;
each case of ehampaigne, $2 per
case; all wines, 50 cents per case.
"That (in consideration of such
payment and receipt of rebate and
extra comnensatinn H won ??
. , .v T? U0 a^i ecu
by and between the said Jodie M.
Fawllnson, Joseph H. Wylle and
John ITlake as chairman and members
of said board of directors of
the State dispensary composed as
aforesaid, should award the contract
to the persons, firms and corporations
represented by the said James
S. Farnum, John T. Eary, Morton
A. Goodman and H. Lee Solomon
and diverse other persons to the
jurors unknown.
"Tinder the schedule It Is charged
that this board on March 22,
1006, awarded contracts for liquor,
and that Wylle, Hlack and Kawlinson
did accept and receipt from the said
James S. Farnum, John T. Early,
M. A. Goodman and II. Lee Anderson
and others $24,000.
1IBE NO1
COOK'S HOUSE
i
Taken and Used by Peary Without
Owners' Consent
GOOOS STOLEN ALSO
A Danish Physician Makes a Very
Damaging Statement About Peary's
Tuking Charge of a House ,
Huilt by Cook and Leaving One
9
of His Men to Guard it.
A dispatch from Copenhagen, i
Denmark, says a remarkablo letter
giving Dr. Frederick A. Cook's version
of the troublo with Commander
!)?.? 1 -
t cm j uyci Buj^iinuo, ujiyuai H in uiu
newspaper Politiken. The letter was
written by I)r. Norman Hansen, a
prominent Danish physician, who
several times visited Greenland to
study eye disease of which he has
made a specialty.
Dr. Cook told practically the same
story to one of his closest American
friends just a week ago, before Commander
Peary reappeared, but said
that he did not intend to make it
public. Dr. Hansen was with Cook
for some time in Greenland and returned
with him on the Danish government
steamer llans Egode. in
his letter he says:
"Now that Dr. Cook has gone,
I am no longer under any obligations
to keep silence, and will exercise
my right to publish the story
about the house in Annatok, a story
which Dr. Cook himself had too
| much delicacy to relate to the world
I wrote it according to my memory,
in the same manner that Dr. Cook
in Egendesminde told it to me, and
I am fully convinced that in no details
are my recollections wrong.
"Dr. Cook had built his house for
stores in Annatok, north of Etah,
and it was this depot which lie started
to reach in February, 1 909, crossing
Smith sound. It was a pretty
large house, the walls being built
of heavily fi 1 loci provision boxes, so
that Dr. Cook knew that when thi.i
important point was reached everything
was safe. Ho had, before
tho start, arranged with a young
friend named Whitney that he have
the right to use the house while
hunting musk oxen for sport in the
winter of 19 0 8-09.
"When Dr. Cook and his two Eskimos,
exhausted and half starved,
came within a shot's distance of the
house in Annatok, young Whitney
came out to bid him welcome, but
inside the house was a stranger, a
giant Newfoundland boatswain on
watch. This man had been placed
in Dr. Cook's house by Peary when
the latter passed Etah with his ship
bound north. Peary had given the
boatswain a written order, which
commenced with tho following
words:
" 'This house belongs to Dr. Frederick
A. Cook, but Dr. Cook is long
ago dead and there is no use to
search after him. Therefore, I,
Commander Robert E. Peary, install
my boatswain in this deserted house.'
"This paper, the boatswain, who
could neither read nor write, exhibited
to Dr. Cook and the latter took
a copy of this wonderful 'locume.it.
This copy, however, he does not intend
to publish if Peary's courso does
not force him to do so. Dr. Cook
gave me a lively account of how
the yung millionaire, Mr. Whitney,
during the whole winter, was treated
like a dog by the giant boatswain
and how he had calmly witnessed
the sailor bartering Dr. Cook's provisions
for fox and hour 1
OIV I 11 D 1 Uf
himself. Dr. Cook also had to put
a good face on the unpleasant situation.
He had to bog to got into his
own house and had to make a compromise
with tho boatswain with
strong fists.
"Dr. Cook made a present of tho
house with all its contonts to his
two faithful Eskimos, with tho provision
that Whitney was to have the
use of the house as long as his hunting
trip lasted, but he was compelled
to let the Newfoundland boatswain
continue his watch. The boatswain,
however, received strict orders not
to exchange any more of the provisions
or guns.
"Now I suppose tho sailor will
celebrate his triumphant entrance into
New York harbor aboard Peary's
ship while Whitney is where?
Aboard his own yacht Jeannle? Or
perhaps he has not wanted to wait
for his own boat and has ironn nhrknrH
Peary's ship.
"To Mr. Whitney, Dr. Cook gave
his instruments and his observations,
as he thought those previous things
were fafer there than on tho long
sledge trip in tho spring across Melville
bay, but all his notebooks and
greasy and soiled record books which
have been so closely written upon
he kept and carried with him. To
me, who understand only a very little
astronomy, the records written
W TO
mills of the south
l?8Kl> OVER TWO AND HALF MILLION
BALES OF COTTON.
I just Year, Being an Increase of
Three Hundred and Sixty-six
Thousand Bales.
Supplementing his report on the ,
cotton crop for 1908-'09, as Issued
an August 31, Secretary Hester of
the New Orleaus cotton exchange
Tuesday made a detailed report on
the crops of the <}ifforont States
[18 follows:
Alabama, 1,428,000, against 1,171,000
last. year.
Arkansas, 1,052,000, against 787,000.
Florida, 75,000, against 60,000.
Georgia 2,1 IS,000, against 1,964,000.
Louisiana 185,000, against 673,000.
Mississippi 1,672,000, against 1,4
96,000.
North Carolina 7 17,000, against
689,000.
South Carolina 1,298,000, against
1,226,000.
Tennetrseo 4 2 6,000, against 3 35,000.
T/iviim O O 1 n AAA o o o *
i V7AU9 0|0IiJ|V/V/l/) | u ?i 1 pm
000.
Oklahoma 7 10,000, against 950,000.
Total crop 13,825,000, against 11,5
7 2,000 last year.
He puts the spindles In the South
at 11,255,787, including old, idle
and not complete, against 10,661,2
08 last year, an lncroase of 5 9 4,17
0.
Referring to the consumption by
American mills, Mr. Hester says
that North and South they have a
season of unparalleled activity. In
no past year, he states, have they
consumed ao much cotton, and phenomenal
as the extent of business
has been, It has not reached the
limit of their capacities.
The money value of the past commercial
crop, he states, is in round
figures $683,794,000, showing that
while the number of bales marketed
was 2,243,000 bales more than
last year, tho increase in money received
was but $11,509,000, equivalent
to $5.11 per bale for the excess,
and yet Mr. Hester contends
that considering all circumstances
if ever a crop was sold at a good
round price it was the one under
i uv a:u .
In (he South Mr. Hester makes
the consumption 1160,596 more than
last year and 1 2 0,765 over the year 1
before last. Twenty-one new mills
are building in the Southern States,
and including additions to old establishments,
10,000 new looms and
511,294 new spindles are under way.
The increase in the number of mills
over last year has been eight, making
a total of 841.
The year's consumption has been
divided as follows:
State Consumption. Increase
Alabama 251,871 46,261
Arkansas . . . . 6,038 2,190
Cleorgia 556,11 9 74,757
Kentucky .. .. 36,290 1,694
Louisiana .. . 1 7,244 3,331
Mississippi . . . 48,691 3,529
Missouri 1 4,826 6,449
North Carolina . 7 59,295 130,414
South Carolina . 700,352 75,806
Tennessee .. .. 69,211 9,154
Texas 42,456 8,675
Oklahoma . . . . 2,568 954
Virginia 77,912 3,382
Total 2,559,873 366,596
T n pnneluola?% %,t ? tt ^
... vu.,v.uniwii mi, iiuHior says the
facts concerning this remarkable
year in cotton consumption speaks
for themselves, but It Is safe to say
that had they been estimates Instead
of plain unvarnished truths, even
extremists would have been Justified
in classing them as exaggerations.
In the South, he says, "We have
brushed 2,600,000 balos closely during
the past year and this clo.se on
the heels of the panic, with 21F> out
of a total of 786 active mills from
one to two months late In getting
under headway. Most of the new
not complete spindles will be In
working order beforo the coming
year's close and with these on the
basis of the 1904-06 consumption per
spindle, the capacity of the Southern
mills will be something like
O OAA AAA ' ~ " "
*,ovv,v/uu 10 z.yuo.ooo."
Shot in a Show.
At Lowiston, Pa., whilo playing
Wild West Sunday with a target gun
James Lepley, aged 14 years, shot
William Shank, killing him.
down so closely and In all directions
wero very hard to read, but what la
the record to us? The two men,
Peary and Cook, their character,
their conduct, that Is what Interests
us, and every little item throwing a
sidelight upon their nature is valuable."
THE HO
THcOEMANOS
Made by th? Democratic Con- 1
ferenco Friday.
THEY ARE ALL GOOD '
The Mooting Adjourned After INv
during for Strict Construction of F
State und Nutiomvl Constitutions,
i
Support of Government, ll?ttor (
TaritT, Senators by Direct Votes. J
' C
After adopting a declaration of
principles, the Democratic conference,
which mot at Saratoga, N. Y., I
concluded a two days' session Frl-1 {
day and adjourned sine die.
The declaration of principles follows:
"'Pho Democrats assembled In
conference at Saratoga, September
9 and 19, 1909, announce the f?>l- 1
lowing as their undestanding of
certain essential Democratic principles
and policies:
"A strict construction of constitutions,
both State and federal.
"Loyal support of the federal government
in the exercise of all its
constructional powers; eternal vlgl- '
lance in watching and detecting, and
vigorous and persistent opposition
to all extensions of federal power j
that entrenches on those reserved
to the States or to the people.
For ltovcuuo Only.
"A tariff for revenue only; no
government subsidies to political
interests, directly or through protective
tariff.
"lOqual and uniform taxation;
covoring only the just needs of
government economically administered.
"The abandonment at the earliest
moment practicable of our Imperialistic
venture in the Philippine
I Minn flu Ci?.o? f" 11 ...
...dv otiti-KUiiruiug Liioir independence
by sulllcient guarantees. ;
"Steady adherence to the princl-I
pie of home rule and local selfgovernment
by the State and its
political sub-divisions.
"Rigid economy in government
expenditures.
Senators l>y Direct Vote.
"Election of United States senators
by direct vote.
"Reform in registration and in
enrollment laws; in methods of
election; and of nominating candidates
for public oillce so that nominating
conventions shall be composed
of representatives directly chosen
by members of the party.
6 "Reform in primary laws to give
to every citizen greater direct influence
in naming candidates.
"Taxation of corporations by tho
State alone.
"A constitutional amendment authorizing
a federal income tax.
"Enforcement of federal and
State lawH nimina* ? *
_D .~v. uiiiuumi irutHH."
COTTON 1IAHVBSTER.
To Ho Tried ut Hemiettsvillo in a
Very Short Time.
Mr. Augus Campbell, representing
Mr. Theodore H. Price, of New York,
was in Bennettsville Wednesday for
the mimnao nf "
ncvunilg U IlONl Of
cotton to be used in the demonstration
of a cotton harvester. Mr.
Campbell found what he wanted, and
has purchased one hundred acres
from Ex-Senator John L. McLaurin.
The cotton on this field will remain
unpicked until the latter part of
this month, or tho first of October,
when Mr. Price and associates will
go there and the demonstration will
be made. Mr. Campbell is the inventor
of this .machine, and Mr. Price
and others are interested in promoting
and backing the proposition
The inventor is a native of Canada,
though he lived for a number of
years in Texas.
DIIRAK OUT IN MACON.
Five Pellagra Cases Are Discovered
in That City.
Pellagra has boen diseovorod In
Macon, Ga., according to County
Physician William C. C. Pumpolly,
there are in that city Ave well developed
cases of pellagra, all the
patients being white. Threo of this
number are very prominent people,
living in a fashinoablo suburb, and
they are In a very serious condition.
The county physician was called
several days ago In consultation with
the attending physicians and has
been in constant attendance upon
the sufferers until Sunday, when he
gave out the Statement that the
cares were well developed. The patients
were all taken ill about the
same time the first of last week.
The disease is said to have developed
rapidly.
US
FRYING TO EXPLAIN
LEAHY'S ACTION IN TAMPERING
WITH COOK'S MAIL.
Ilridgman, His Particular Friend.
Admit* That I'earf Saw the Men
Who Had Cook's Letter.
A dispatch from Sydney, B. C.,
iay? Herbert L. Brldgraan, secretary
>f the Peary Arctic club, who la to
neet Commander Peary, arrived
here Friday evening.
Mr. Bridgman denies that he had
veen any communication to Prfjf.
Slelm of Dresden, but said that it
svas perfectly evident that Commander
Peary and Harry Whitney were
h-- '
iw(s>'iuui ior several days and that
It would bo a reuonable deduction
that Whitney had Informed Peary J
ot Cook's claims, and that Peary
would gather all available testimony
to refute the claim, having hoard
tho Eskimos' stories th it Cook "had
not been out of sight of land."
"I do not think," continued Mr.
Dridgman, "that Commander Peary
is bringing Cook's two lOsklmo boy
witnesses or he would havo mentioned
the fact. It won id not he an
easy tiling to bring them down, ns
they might die. Their testimony
would lie no moro valuable In tho
United States than as given before
the members of tho Peary party
while north. It will he Impracticable
for Cook or any one to send a
steamer up for tho Eskimos before
next year."
With regard to tho offor of the
United States coast and geological
survey to arbitrate tho controversy,
Mr. Hrldgman wild:
"I know that Commander Peary
will be perfectly satisfied to abide by
Its verdict. Peary has a commission
from the survey to take certain
reservations and data, and will submit
his results to that board.
"Cook's two witnesses," continued
Mr. Rridgmand, "are from 16 to
2 0 years old. Tho other six Eskimos
who declined to go returned
with Cook's letters to his wife,
John It. Bradley and Rudolph
Francke, dated Capt Thomas Hubbard.
Commander Peary, In a series
of conversations with tho natives,
found that tho letters were
not written where dated. Tho Eskimos
tobl of the number of sloops
passed since they parted company
with Cook, but It may bo the natives
did not tell the truth to Commander
Peary. It will depend largely
on the natives' testimony whether
or not Cook was where ho claim**
to have been."
In further explanation Mr. Bridgman
said he supposed Franoko show
ed the Cook letters to Peary, whlc.
naturally aroused curiosity to question
ttwi " ' ? 1 * * "*
..uvifQD v*nu uruugni mom
south.
Pour Liquor Into Aiken.
A dispatch from Aiken says the
officers of that county have made
a good deal of complaint because
they allege Alkon has been made
the dumping ground for Augusta
liquor since the prohibition law went
Into effect on August 3. Several
days ago the constables were busy
watching the trolley cars out of Augusta.
and It Is estimated that in
one day 500 yards of liquor were
brought from Augusta. On one car
there were 130 passengrs, and nearly
all of them carried the familiar
1a?1> i -- ~ ?
uumuk pucKagea. The constables
succeoded In capturing 13 quarts of
contraband goods. Augusta is supposed
to be prohibition, too.
Crew Massacred.
The captain and crew of the
French schooner Quality, engaged in
recruiting laborers, have been murdered
by natives of Mallicollo Island,
in the New Hebrides. The vessel
was driven ashore by a storm and
while stranded she was attacked. In
spite of their stubborn defense the
crew were massacred to the last man.
A British war ship is investigating
tho occurrence.
Finds Suicide's Body.
While hunting muscadines in the
woods near Columbus, Ga., Sunday,
a boy came upon the lifeless body
of Walter E. McCrary, a well known
bookkeeper, who had been mining
since Saturday. A bullet hole in
his hoad, a .32 calibre revolver at hla
feet, and a noto scratched on the
back of an envelono. "T ?
_ , ? %?til v?i fx&y
VV. E.," told a story that the coroner's
jury declared was suicide.
Died on the Hall.
Identified hy a letter from their
mother, two young men, J. It. and
P. H. Chastain, of Pelham, Ga., were
killed three miles east of Lumktn,
Ga., while asleep together on the
Seaboard tracts.
lALD i