The Horry herald. (Conway, S.C.) 1886-1923, July 18, 1912, Image 7
WHAT REPORT SAYS I
SENSATIONAL CHARGES BY BURNS [
DETECTIVES.
I
?. }
AGAINST THE GOVERNOR
i
<
JviiriLs, Noted Detective of McXnninra f
Fame, Testifies That the Kocorcln '
(
Gotten by His Alon Show Graft oil j
the Part of Governor IJloase in
Various Ways. # 1
c
Augusta, Ga., July 11?.?William J. |
Durns, who has uncovered more graft
schemes than any other living American,
to-night took the stand before
the South Carolina legislative inves- ]
tigajing committee and told of his (
work in investigating the record of <
Gov. Cole L. Hlease in connection j
with the affairs of the old State dis- <
""ns.irv. Several hundred persons ]
l,v'"?"" / crowded
(he Richmond county court j
room to suffocation, and there was ?
upreme silence as I he great detective i
told his story. I
lie said that he had gone into die t
affair, made a thorough investigation, <
and that he did not propose to stop j
until every matter had been thor- ;
oughly aired. He recommended that i
tho entire matter he placed in the i
hands of a jury. He told of laying <
before Senator Tillman the testimony
he had collected. He promised the !
use of his men until the "graft situ a.- <
tion" has been finally cleared up.
"(live the committee, in narrative
form, the history of your connection
with this investigation," said Thomas i
IJ. Felder. i
"Some months ago I met Col. Fel- !
<ler at Washington, I). C.," said Mr.
Hums, "and he told me of this .situation
that lie wanted investigated. A
year or two previous to that he had
endeavored to secure my services in
- - . ......
this matter, but I was maKing uie investigation
of graft in San Francisco.
The last lime, however, the colonel
had endeavored to get me take it up
personally, but I told him it would be i
impossible as I had a great deal of
work on hand. He then explained to i
ine what the situation was, and when
.1 found that men occupying high public
positions were involved 1 felt that
it was my duty to take it up, and told
him 1 would.
Laid His Plans. 1
"We arranged for a conversation
at Augusta, and I came down here
and met the colonel and a couple of
gentlemen from South Carolina and
another gentleman from Atlanta, (la.
We went over the cases. These gentlemen
made statements to rue which
I confess shocked nie, notwithstanding
the fact I am making investigations
all the time involving men in i
high places. I felt from the statement
that had .been made that it was
a! so!utley true because it is not difficult
to determine from the details of
a case whether they are well founded
or not. I told Col. Felder I would
take it up. I detailed Mr. Bailey. He
is one of the men that made the investigation
at Columbus, Ohio, that
resulted in the conviction of a number
of men in the legislature. I intructed
?.\1r. Bailey as to what he was
to do down there, and I particularly
cautioned Mr. Bailey that I wanted
him to learn for my personal information
whether or not many of the
things Cot. Felder and the other gentlemen
told mo about were true. 1
was unable to take up the matter in
the first place for Col. Felder and he
ay as unable to get the best. A private
. detective sometimes falls down. All
. over the country in my public utterances
I am warning the public of private
detectives, because so many of
them cloak themselvos with this calling
solely for the purpose of robbing
and blackmailing and selling out
their clients. 1 was interested in the
matter, although not prejudiced
against those J was investigating.
From Another Angle.
"Wo always approach those matters
with an open mind and even
' vben we find our clients in the wrong
"we state the case to them and drop it.
Just as Col. Felder told ine 1 found
that situation was there. 1 then decided
to take it from another angle
and selected Mr. Held. Mr. Hold had
(lone fto-me or Iho cleverest worn in i
the country, lie has just, finished at
Atlantic City, where he caught a lot
of those crooks up there. I placed
him on the case to take up a certain
part of it. I think wo will be able to
lay before this committee evidence as
to the character of the work that wo
have covered fully in our investigations.
There are facts, as I suggested
to Col. Folder that ought to he
withheld for the present. I think that
all ought to ho shown up, because
personally I feel that at this period in
tlio history of the country we ought
to show up those matters where men
In high public positions are involved.
Men representing the public should
be made to do so in the interest of
the people. That being true, I told
Col. Felder I thought it was his duty
to go to the bottom of this and prosecute.
"I was not particularly interested
whether he would ever send anybody
to the penitentiary or to jail. I think
It far more important that light
should be turned on rather than send
a thousand of them to the penitentiary.
I think the day has come in
his country when the people them- V
nlves are becoming' enlightened as to I
everything. I think they are taking *
eiuendous interest in everything
jublic. The people are interested
hat .'list such an investigation as this jj
ihould be carried to its conclusion. 1
hink it would be a splendid tiling to
;he country at large if all this is
shown up, because if you can succeed
i: doing that it isn't any question but .
a hat many of those men become use* I
ful citizens. It is when men are
tempted, when they take advantage
>f a situation of this sort. I think all
hat. should be shown up and shown *'
jp thoroughly. I do not think it well
ind wise to go perhaps as far as you
gentlemen insist on their going. My
dea is it would be best for a grand
jury to go into the matter. All the
men I have detailed on this will be
iccessible at any time. You can see j
he men who made the investigation t
jus?t as you can see Mr. Held. C
c
I'coplo .Ire awjikc.
"1 think the people themselves ^
?ave become convinced that there a
here is suflicient proof. The day has
;one by when the personal feeling of !;
jeople themselves will permit men to ,j
.ro unpunished. It lias been said 1
nany, many times that a legislative n
investigation has never amounted to s
mything hut to whitewash. In the 1
ivay you are going at.this I am per- c
rectly satisfied you are going to see *
liat justice will he done to every man f
md are not going to smirch anybody t
lor spite. The evidence will lie there
a
uid if it does not convince we will L
not participate in it. We are going i
to continue in this matter until the *
dose." *v
Question by Mr. Felder: "Some t
months ago our meeting in the city
of Augusta, I met you in the city of (
Washington?" ,
"Yes, sir." 1
"1 called your attention to an in- ?
lerview that was published in several *
v.
0' the papers that purported to be by \
Senator Tillman?" 1
"Yes, sir." 3
"I suggested to you that we call {
upon the senator and submit the in- i
tc.rview to him?" 1
"Yes, sir."
"The interview was to the effect, j
that if the evidence adduced satis- '
fied the senator that the governor of 1
Sc uth Carolina had been engaging in j
crooked practices, in that event he (
would take ground against the gov-ji
ernor:
"That is correct."
"What did we do with relation to .
that matter and the result?" J
"We continued our investigation i
after that, and it was after that we ;
Look up other features of it. W? sent
Mr. Iteid from Atlantic City." <
"Didn't wo call upon Senator Till- '
man in his otRco at the capitol?"
"Yes, sir."
"And ask him if the interview was '
correct?"
"Yes, sir." \
"1 then said: 'Senator, I have a ?
very great admiration for you and j
you owe it to the people of South Car- (
olina to live up to the utterances you
have made and that I have Mr. Burns {
here to substantiate it."
"That's correct."
Trapped Blind Tigers, ]
"He said he was satisfied with it?"
"I think his expression was just as i
Cnl. Folder has said; that if we had
(
the evidence to substantiate the '
cl arges we had heard then he cer- <
tainly thought that (!ov. Blease was 1
not entitled to the confidence of the 1
people of South Carolina."
"State to the committee the name 1
under which Mr. Bailey operated in
the city of Charleston and the State '
of South Carolina." j
"Wilson. My instruction to Mr. <
Bailey was to go into the community \
am[ use the subterfuge of wanting to
start a high class gambling place, ]
where it would bring people from all <
parts of the country in a crooked "
gambling scheme. The people who ,
were to go there would never get
away with their money. He was only
to play with men with large money,
and that he would have to be abso- 1
letely protected; he didn't want to invest
his money unless he had absolute
protection. He did that, all but open
the gambling house. Many people do
not agree with me in using those tactics.
We are perfectly justified in
using every subterfuge in order to determine
whether or not they are the
character men they are charged
with being."
"How long did Mr. Bailey, alias
Wilson remain in Charleston?"
"He was there a number of
months; a long time, and as you say
ho spent a lot of your money."
Question by Mr. Gary: "'.Mr. Burns,
enlarge on this interview with Senator
Tillman. The evidence that you
submitted to him, was it satisfactory
to the senator in taking a decided position?"
"No, we only gave him a verbal ac- j
count of the situation and did not
submit to him any written evidence.
Col. Folder told him what we had
and what we could show. Col. Folder
asked me if that was right. I am
sure the senator will tell you exact I v
what ho said fo us. My recollection
ii that he said if we could substantiate
the charges we related to him
then certainly the governor of South
Carolina was not entitled to the confidence
of the people."
Question by Mr. Kvans: "Would
this evidence connect in any way the
present governor with the affairs of
the St Ate dispensary?"
"Yes, sir. What Col. Felder stated
to him covered the whole situation."
Question by Senator Clifton: "Mr.
Burns, did your investigation, and
%
'ARDON FOR DEFORD"
?.? i
IETECTIVE IN IROLE OF LAWYER
MADE BARGAIN TO i
? .
1AVE HIM TURNED LOOSE !
1
i Dictograph, Coiiciutlcd in the IVm
ference lloom, Records a Conver- J
sat J on lietweeii Sam J. Nickols, a
Spnrtanburg liuwyor, and l)etec- 1
tivo Heed, Who l'osed as Lawyer.
A correspondent of the Atlanta "
ournal says perhaps the most sensaioual
evidence yet given the South
Carolina disi>ensary investigation
onunittee was that submitted at Au- ;usta
Saturday afternoon by A. S. 1
teed, a Hums detective, who posing
s IT. N. Porter, a Chicago attorney,
rranged to buy a pardon from Covertor
Please for a notorious yeggman, ]
'rederick O. Dentley, alias James
ohnson, alias Edward Murphy, alias
Cdward Howard, alias tins Deford,
lias C. M. Deford.
Detective Heed was put upon the <
tand by Mr. Eelder, and in reply to
ending questions stated that lie was
onnected with \V. J. Hums National
detective Agency, and had been as- \
igned to work in South Carolina
rom Columbia west, and that Deective
Hailey, who posed as the
'Dashing Mr. Wilson." a real sport, <
md who had uncovered the blind ti;er
graft alleged to have been leved
by Governor IMease in Charleston
md been given work form Columbia
ast. Reed explained that when lie
vas put on the job he was instructed i
o select the "worst criminal In the
loiHh r.i ml inn nen i tentiarv" and en
leavor to purchase his pardon.
After looking ihe situation over, .
ic picked out. "James Johnson, alias
'hiward Murphy, alias Edward Howird,
alias (his Deford, alias CJ. M. I)eord,
etc., etc.," who was a professional
yeggman, and who had served
ive years in the Atlanta Federal
)rison, and who was then under a 10
rear sentence in the South Carolina
lenitentiary for having broken into
he ollice of the Enrose Man u fact urng
company at Spartanburg and robjed
the safe of more than $8,000.
Armed with letters of introduction
0 the warden of the penitentiary at
Columbia, Reed secured an Interview
with the yeggman, telling him that
le was interested in his case and had
jeen employed as attorney to obtain
:iis freedom. He cautioned the prisoner
to silence and secured from him
1 written statement in which he was
authorized to represent him.
Ilow Net Was Woven.
Next Reed went to Spartanburg
ind called upon Sam J. Nichols an
attorney who was reputed to bo a
go-between for Rlease. lie informed
Nichols that ho was the attorney for
? lii'om ootnto in whirh th? rnnvlpt
was a beneficiary, but under the peculiar
terms of the will the man
could not come into liis share of the
property unless he was in the full enjoyment
of citizenship.
Nichols is alleged to have become
very much interested a/id to have
made many inquiries concerning the i
amount of money involved in the estate.
Heed says he told him the
amount was quite large. Nichols then
stated he would have no difficulty in
obtaining a pardon if a fee was forthcoining.
The detective testifed that he
igreed to pay a handsome fee, and
hat after his conversation with
Nichols he went to Atlanta and had
Mr. Folder to arrange with the
Fourth National Bank of that city to
ssue a letter of credit in his name,
tor, rather, that of Henry X. Porter,
bv which name he was known to
Nichols) on the Bank of Commerce,
Spartanburg, S. C., for $2,500.
doing hack to Spartanburg Hoed
says he renewed negotiations with
Nichols and as evidence of good
Faith gave him a check on the Bank
Df Commerce for $4,500, which he
indorsed and deposited in the same
bank to his own credit.
There being some questions raised
by Nichols about the validity of the
check, Heed says he called up Cashier
Henry and had him personally to receive
the check from Nichols. Later
iccording to Heed he gave Nichols a
New York draft for $500 on account.
He says the draft was cashed by
Nichols and returned to him (Heed)
canceled and hearing Nlchol's indorsement.
This draft was turned
over to the committee as part of the
[evidence.
The sensational part of Detective
Heed's testimony was that referring
to two conversations he had with
Nlchol's about the desired pardon,,
rhich conversations were recorded hv
the dictograph and copies of them
were later read to the committee by
Attorney Folder.
Tells of Conversation.
Ouo of these conversations occurred
in Keed's appartments at the
Finch hotel in Spartanburg, and at
the time S. Tettlebauni, an expert
court stenographer, of Atlanta, was
in an adjoining room transcribing
the conversation by means of the dictograph.
This interview is said to
have lasted five hours and in it Nicliol's
told of his influence over (Jovernor
Blease and named the terms upon
which he would secure the pardon
ot the convict.
A second conversation, which was
also recorded through the medium of
the dictograph occurred in room 54 1
of the New Wlllard hotel in Washington
on June 2(5, 1912, and on this occasion
the transcribing work was
done by (leorgo W. Hoik, who for
several years was private secretary to
Postmaster (leneral Hitchcock. Again
the terms of the nardon purchase
were discussed in detail and Nichols
repeatedly referred to the portion of
i h?> nroceeds which would ho paid
the reports made to you l>y the invest
{gators under your charge show
wlietlier or not the present governor
?f South Carolina was guilty of grafting,
either as governor or State senator,
in connection with the old State
dispensary?"
"I would prefer that you wait until
yon got the reports on that."
"Keports made to you will show
that?"
"Yes, sir."
"Will show the present governor
has been guilty of grafting, either as
governor or State senator, in connection
with the liquor laws of South
Carolina?"
**Ye?, sir."
Classified Column
Yanterl?Traveling men; Balary and
expenses. Box 307, Shelby. N. C.
iiiliaii Jtunner Ducks?$ I each. Munnimaker
Poultry Farm, Normandy,
Ti.'iin. |
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Broad. Tho clean white place, Flor- .
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lieglsterod O. I. <3. pigs, $0 pair; .
mated no-akin. Oweu Bros., Bedrord
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1,4*4 Me* ? GJoiu6ing? made lute
switches, chignons. Write Mmo
Gates, Norfolk Vm
Mrs." Foil i no will open Breeze Inn,
Station a6, Atlantlcvillo, Sullivau's
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Write Os for Special Summer proposition.
Our place will please yon.
While Sulphur Springs, Mount Airy,
N. C.
konng Men Wanted for government
positions. Full information toe.
rfasfrorn Civil Service Schools, Darby,
Pa.
Wanted?PerHoip* to earn good commissions
getting members for Nests
and Auxiliary Nests. Order of Owl's
South Bond, Irtd.
Farms for Sale?11 interested, write
me. I can put you in touch with
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C? B. F. P. No. 2.
Children?sell 24 dime articles and
earn watch, rifle, doll, ball suit,
locket, bracelet. W. II. Mizelle,
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Saluda, N. C.?The "McAlpin" Cottage
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Reasonable rates, and exceptionally
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4Windover"?New house, largo newly
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Rates reasonable. Address
Mrs. J. H. Howell, Waynes
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Glenn Springs?The "Garner House",
nearest to spring. Write, phone, or
wire us for rates and full particulars.
Will meet guests at White .
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Wanted?30 students Freshman class. (
A most practical course in Veterinary I
Science. Send for illustrated cata- "
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Hoy and Girl Agents?Sell 2 4 pacdtages
high-grade post cards for us at
10c each and receive a beautiful air
rllle or dressed doll free. Write today.
Jesse Richardson Co., Rutherford.
Ala. \
For Sale?Men, why leave your wife
and baby alone at night when I can
sell you a bull dog so cheap. More
protection than a shot gun. V. P.
Drummond, Breeder of English Rull
Terriers, Woodruff, S. C.
Sensitive Paint?Thousands har*
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You can do a profitable buslnelM
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1000 seeds of this wonderful bo
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Plant* sell on sight. Fred Herber
304 San Adres, Mal&te, PhJlllpln<
Islands.
Efforts are being made by some of
the Republicans to get President
Taft to stand and let another candidate
be named In his place. This
may be accomplished, but it wou't {
Bave the grand old party. It is doom- n
ed.
Governor iilease for signing the pardon.
Reed said Nichols invited him to go
over to Baltimore with him and that
he did so. lie said that while there
Nichols introduced him to Senators
B. R. Tillman and 10. I). Smith, of
South Carolina, and also former Gov.
John Gary Evans. At. this point in
the proceedings Mr. Folder had the
witness read a number of telegrams
sent to him by Nichols.
These telegrams related to the pardon
affair and were sent to Heed at
Chicago, where lie was supposed to
be at that time. They were forwarded
to Reed from that city. One of
the messages was to the effect that
Nichols had left Spartanburg to confer
with Governor B.lease about the
pardon.
Mr. Felder drew from the witness
a statement to the effect that experts
claim 110 stenographer can fake dictagraph
notes; that it is as easy to
test their genuineness as it is to determine
the peculiarties of a person's
ha n d writing.
Folder Heads Records.
Mr. Felder then read the dictagraph
records of the conversations
between Detective Reed and Attorney
Sam J. Nichols. When he came
ttu? nnsaaees in which Reed had
adroitly but with seemingly unsophistication
led Nichols to make damaging
and incriminating statements
flie famous detective smiled and on
one or two occasions he laughed audibly
at some of the ridiculous utterances
indulged in by both he and
Nichols.
After reading the dictagraph records
'Mr. Folder introduced several
telegrams which passed between
Reed and Nichols. He stated that he
had expected that the pardon which
Reed had sought would have been issued
this morning and it was for this
[ reason that no morning session of
the investigating committee was
held.
"We know," said Mr. Folder, 'that
Nichols left Spartanburg Thursday to
confer with Governor Rlease: that he
saw Rlease at Barnwell Friday and
that he was again closeted with the
Governor at Rlackville Friday night.
We have been unable to locate Nichols
today however."
Here is the statement verbatim
i,? ifnni'u v :Pnrtor on July 2 0,
IliilllC iij iiv-ijij ........
MM 2, in the city of Washington, I).
C. The statement covers a conversation
hot ween Samuel J. Nichols ajud
Jlenry N. Porter in room 44 1 at rne
iplow W11 lard hotel, between the hours
of 12:50 p. m. and 1:35 p. m., the
conversation taking place between
the aliove mentioned being recorded
tiy stenographic notes by George W.
Roik, he recording the conversation
by the use of the dictagraph in the
adjoining room No. 4 4 0:
"At this time I was in room 4 11,
when a rap came to the door, I steppod
to the door, and looking out saw
Samuel .1. Nichols of Spartanburg, S.
(\, and a stranger knocking at the
door of room 4 4 0. I called to Mr.
Nichols and asked him and his friend
to come in. They entered my room,
NO. 4 4 1.
"In the adjoining room was a stenographer
named George W. Uelk, opperatlng
.a dictagraph. The transmitter
of this dictagraph was in room
44 1 and the wires ran into room 4 4 0.
"Mr. Nichols had previously stated
over the phone that he would arrive
from Baltimore at 12 o'clock, ho arrived
at about 12:50. I was still waiting
in my room for bis appearance.
Ills being accompanied by a stran
Why suffer the
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Protect your family?your lov
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At All .Druggists,
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1
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d; Consolidated Copper Company |l
seven Austrians and one Greek were U
instantly killed when several pounds Ay
of dynamite exploded prematurely In Ag
a drill hole in which they were work-jH