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if -E e a VOL. 6.---NO. 6. PICKENS, S. C., THURSDAY, FLBUR 0 86 N )LA IER 4'BR R Dispeonsoy Message IMPORTANT CHANGES RECOMMENDED BY GOV. EVANS. Ho Suggests that tho Board of Control be Composed of Five Members and All Pur chases be First Approved by Them-A State Inspection of All Liquors Shippod in the State in the Interest of Health. The following Is the special message of Governor Evans on the dispensary, which was read last week to the Log Islature . Gentlemen of the General Assembly: In 1892 the dispensary law was enacted as a solution of tho vexed and imuch discussed whiskoy problem. All rea sonablo mon acting in the light of the experience of other States acknowl edge that prohibition is impractible so long as whiskey is regarded as a legitimate article of comnerce by the national goverlmont. It uan only be cherished as an ideal theory and must be classed with other Utopian ideas. The drinking habit is recognized by all civilized governments as an evil and one that is peculiarly within the province of legislative action. This action must be from the nature of the evil directed to the removal of the cause as we can not prohibit men from gratifying their tastes and thirss. We can punish muen for destroying the life, limb or property of others and to some extent restrain their actions, but we can no more legislate the tasto for whiskey out of an old toper than we can jealousy out of the human heart. As long as a stimulant is craved by the human appetito and whiskey is dis tilled in North Carolina the drinksrs of South Carolina will have It law or no law. I have n vjr dreamedof reforming a drunkard by law or moral suasion. For the habit once formed is a disease, a physical condition which legislation can not cure. We must address our selves then to the condition that con fronts us and not theorize on govern ment. The first object should be to Irovent this habit from being formed by the young citizens. Second. To eliminato drunkenness; third. To so gratify the thirst, of the Old tojpr as to imiake him unobjectionable to sober cltizens. We claim the diE p msary law has practically accomplined the tirst and second objects ; the third can only be fully accomplished by the death of the :ubject. W ben de th occurs and the national government outlaws whiskey and alco holic beverages, then and not till then, will prohibition be practicable. The law in this State has ha I a hard road. It has been ol)posed by the United States Courts with! partisan judges and by a few of our own citizens with riles and shot guns, but so far it has pre valled and is now wr tten in the or ganic law of this Stato and better on the hearts of the peoplo. It may be said now to be the sottled policy of the State. Its experimental stago is over and I am happy to inform you that in only one city of the State have the people refused to accept it as such. I have been req(Iuosted by a repro sentativo of the Gospel Tomperance League to ask you to amend the law so as to allow whiskey to be sold only for medicinal, pharmacutical and mechanical purposes or in other words to repeal the dispensary law and adopt what was rejected by -your honorable body and kut wn as the Nettles bill. I can not do this for reasons that must be apparent to you and which I stated while a member of the Senate, anI for the further reason that the dispensary is succeeding beyond the expectations of its friends, and to pass such a law as requeste(d would not accomplish what the dispensary ms now doing, but would simply increase the crime of perjury and false representation in the State. I would not be unfder'stood as objecting to the agitation of prohibition nor' to restricting the sale of whiskey by any means. It is beneficial to all govern ments to have idealists, for if not we might lose sight of the principle and 1 cease striving for the coveted goal. As a moral reformn measure the dis pensary must commend itself to any unp~rejudicedl mind. Th'e temp~tations to the youths of the State olfored by saloons has been swept away and with it has gone the games of billiards, pool1, the fare banks and the corrup~t influences of the 'oarkeoper ; in muni cllpal and State olectiona. During the late holidays there oIcurred only one homicide in the State arnd this was not from whiskey, hbut an old1 feud. This record has never been known beforo, not a caso of crime for which lynching is resorted to or attempt at such has ocurred,* within the p~ast year. Two circuses tra&vemrsed the State during I the past year, visiting large towns of imp~ortanco and with the (exception of Spartanhurmg not1 anl arr'est was mazde fomr drunken ness or d1isorderly condumct. In Gmreenvi lie e arres1t w as mnado for drunkenness and he was exhibited as a curiosity. it wvas the invariable practico of the color'ed p~opla~tionl to drInk on circus (lays, hut it passed away wvith har-moom dlays. i dlispatch ccl four constables t-) follow thbe cir cuses ini their tour th rough the. Sta te, but they were not1 needed to pIcservo the peace and not an~ accident of anty kindt was reported. I addressed to the various mnayor's of thme towvns of the State the following circular letter: Dear. Sir : You will greatly oblige~ moc by ahsweilng the following qtu's tions at your' earliest con veiniee. This is imp~ortant: I. Ha~s druen ken ness andl l e noin creased or decreased in your town and county since August 1, 18941, to the pre'senlt time ; if so, by wvhat per cent ? -2. Uins the0 number of plain cases of drunkenness tried before you, mayor or in tend antI, increased or dleereased since August 1, and If so, by what 1)or cent. ? 3. H~as the com-umption of whiskey incroahedl or doceosed since the estab lishmnent of the d'aponsary, and If so, by % bat per cent. ? 41. What has been tihe effect of the dlisp~ensar'y law upon the general good order alnd peace of your town or city ? Some time ago we had replies to these quioil los from your board of con trol ; hut the letters have been dispos ed of and it Is implortant that we bear from you. Please number your an swers to con form to the number of the qiuesti ons above. The replies received in some eases wene unreliable na thn mayors wre unworthy of belief. In such cases, however, I took the precaution to ad dress a letter to one of the aldermen of the town and they are submitted here with and I trust will be published it full as tpey spoak for themselves. In appears -frotn these reports that drunk enness has decreased for the entire St de fifty-soven per cent. The num ber of cases tried in nuyors' courts for drunkenness and disorderly con duct has decreased sixty-six and nine ixteouth per cent. 3. The consumption of whiskey has decreased forty-seven and six-sevenths per cent. It must be observed that this do crease Is not for the entire period since the anactmont of the law, but for the past year. Compared with the pre coding year 25 por cent. may be added as a reasonable estimate for the pro coding year. It is quito encouraging to the friends of the law to note the gen .eral change of sentiment of most of the towns in its favor. The country has always been a unit in favor of the law, and has demanded its strict en forcoment. The bitterest enemies of the system now admit that morally speaking it is a grand success. THE DISPENSARY AS A BUSINESS. In 1892-93 there were in the State ixty-nine dispensaries. rotal amount purchused by them ......... ......... ............$671,555 99 3ales at invoice price......... 573,578 38 I'otal sales to consumers... . 679,222 88 3ross profits................... . . 165,355 40 Expensus ...... . . .......... ...... 88,580 15 .qet Profits............... . 76,775 25 The operation of the State and sounty dispensaries for the past year iave been peculiarly successful. The rolume of business has greatly increas d. The sales of the county dispensers or the eleven months ending Decem >er 31, amounted to nearly one mil ion one hundred thousand dollars. It s not to be inferred from the increased ales of the dispensaries that the -con iumption of intoxicants is on the ncroase, for the statistios which I iave already given clearly prove the :ontrary, and go to show that the ntemperate use of intoxicants is on he decrease. That the dispensary is 6 potent factor in the great moral eformation I venture no unbiased nind will dispute. The increased sales )y the dispensaries are accounted for rom the fact that the fierce and bit eor opposition to the dispensary law vthich has hitherto existed has 1 irgely iubsided in its intensity and the sober econd thought of law-abiding citizens ias disclosed the fact that their un 'oasonable opposition to a law design 3d for the protection of the morals of ihe State was grounded more on pre udiced and a misconceived idea of >ersonal liberty than aught else. With this return of reason and the 3xhaustion of the supply of barroom ,vhiskey came in a large degreo a ,essation of the bitter hostilities to :he law, and as a result the trat11c in iquors was directed to its legitimate -biannels, and public sentihent cry italized about the disipensary law as the wisest and most practicable solu ,ion of the whiskey problem. The sales of county dispensaries for the Mleven months ending December 31 Ltmounted to $875,530.20; the sales by ounty dispensaries for the same period amounted to $1,076,963.65 at a xross profit of $201,383.45. The not profit that has accrued to the State 'rom the operation of the State dispen iary for the eleven months ending Decomber 31 amounts to $133,467.77, mtd the not profits to the towns and .ounties from the operations of the mu)-diispensaries for the corresponding s)ti iod amounts to $106,131.28, making i total of accruod profits to the State md towns and countios for the cloven nonths of $239,599.05. Adding the 125,571.85 unearned profit due the stato on good1s in hands of county dis onsar-ies at the close. of the past year .t would swell the total of ear'nedl and mcarned profits to the State and owns and counties for- the eleven nonths to the amount of. $265S,170.9J0. 'rho net proflt accruing to the State Ls revised1 to December 31 fr-om the )eginning of the operations of the lispensom y to theiclose of ex-Cemnmis .ioner Traxier's term on January 31, 895, amounted to $110,348.80. Added o this the not accrued profit of $133, 67.77 for the period of eleven months rom Fe bruar-y I to December 31, 1895, nakes a total of net accrued pr1oits to ho Sta to from the operation of the tato dispensary to the amount of 243:,816.57. Thelm hooks of thoState Commissioner s Is shown in his annual r'ei~ort, and .lso by the special legislative examnin ng co.s: nittee, show that at the close if the pal~st year the total assets, at ost price, of the State dispensary vrco *314,070.241, and the total liabili ie $70.253 671. Thliose asts consist as h ........ ..................$ 5 ,107 03i Vines and liquors at the State dlispe'nsary-........55.631 56 'cams and' w agons............ 800 65 vlachinery and (Aile fix tu res......... ......... ......... ..2,656 47 1ottles, corks andl cooper age....... ...... .. ...... . 26,681 43: jashm loaned to the Stati, TIm r a-oi r'e.. ....... ...... ....50,00 00 Nines ati liquors at sub d iP s pi'krs.............. ..16.235 o5 'er'mal ac:counmts......... ... 8.057 .15 laking totatl available as se t-; of ... ........... ....... 314070 24 )mts:unding against these assets are labilI ties to the amount of $70,253.67, wvhich, is duo by the State for wines amilq oginespuhased, makIng a net Illa:n'e onf assets ab):ve labil ities of 02l1,81 5ts7, whih a nfount represents the net iend prollit tin the State at the 'lo'in of the~ yearL, and this priollt has1 b~neelniacodl by thme Commissioner' bk)tho credlit of the general fund of the State. in confor'mity to a clause in the n-aw confltitu'inon. prinoviding that Ill futuro earnmings of the State (dis pensary shall go ton the schools of the Stato, tihe Commissioner will place to the creudit of the school fund all net sar'nings wvhich shall hereafter accrue. From a careful analysis of that pro vision of the !onstittion, it will be meen that the school funimd will not be entitled to any portion of thme net earnings to Dajcemhor :31 of $243,.815.57 shall have been covered into the State treasury to the credit of the general fund. -Henco it will be eighteen months at the earliest bofor'o we may. expect any increase in the school fund fr'om this source. I am happy to state that the state appop-ation- of $r50000 excluded from the State or if all persons were prohibited to import alcoholic liquors or if the laws ol South Carolina had declared that all alcoholic liquors were of such poison ous and detrimental character and that their use and consumption as a beverage were against the morals, good health and safety of the State other and different questions would arise." Let an injunction issue as prayed for in the bill. The following injunction was is sued: "Ordered and decreed that a writ of injunction, be awarded and do issue out of this court commanding and enjoining and restraining the defon dants M. T. Holly, Sr., as Chief Con stable of the State of South Carolina and all other persons acting under him, his and their successors in ottilce, and also the defendants J. M. Scott, I. M. Gardner and N'. C. Beach and all other Stato constables of the State of South Carolina and all county sheriffs and their deputius and municipal ofilcors, chiefs of police, and policemen and all other officers of the State of South Carolina or any county or city or town of the said State of South Carolina and all persons whomsoever acting or claiming to act under the authority of the Act of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina, approved January 2nd, 1895, or any warrant issued by or under authority thoroof from seizing or attompting to seize in transit or to seize both before and after arrival in the State of South Carolina and at any place in the State of South Carolina take carry away, or con fiscate any package whatsoever of ales, wines or spirituous liquors or any in toxicating liquors the product of any other State or foreign countries im ported into or brought into South Car dina by any moans of transportation whatsoever by complainant James Donald or any other person whomso ever for his own use and consumption, and from entering and forcibly search Ing or attempting to search the prom ises or dwelling of the complainant James Donald or any other porson in the State of South Carolina, or any railroad depot, railroad car, or steamboat or sailing vessel or other vehicle of interstate commerce, or any vehicle whatsoever within this State for transporting such intoxicating 11 quors as aforosaid imported or brought into this State for his use or consump tion from hindering or pireventing by any means whatsover the complainant, James Donald, or any other person in the State of South Carolina as fim porter and consumer of tho ales, beers, wines an. spirituous liquors of the other States and foreign countries from importing, holding, possessing, using and consuming the said intoxicating liquors as aforesaid so imported for his use and consumption." I incorporate this injunction here in order to per petuate it as a legal curiosity a nd to show the extent to wuich a partisan judge can be swayed by unreasonable prejudice. It will be soon that he en joins everybody from unborn babes up to the high sheriff from interfering not only with Donald's whiskey, but from interfering with any citizon in the State who had not eovn asked his gentle protection. Courts of Equity sometimes legislate for parties before the court, but this Judge has assumed the power of our General Assembly to make a law for the State and also of Congress of the United States. U-ider contempt proceedings he has incar cerated men in jail who were absmute ly without notice of his injunction and when brought to his notice that the sheriffs were treating the jailed col stablos as men charged with contempt and not as ordinary criminals he :rdered them removed to city jails with instruction that they be treated xs the commonest, criminals. You are familiar with the state of rifairs that followed his injunction. Whiskey was imported into the State by every quondam barkeeper for per ional use and the barrooms of Charles Lon were virtually thrown wide open. I'bey became so bold under the pro tection of their judges as to violently resist the efforts of the constables to 3lomse their hell holes. I found it im possible to do anything with them on recount of the sentinent of the city being overwhelmingly in their favor. ordered the constables to confine ilhoir efforts to seizures that they h-rd reason to believe were not for personal uise and they accomplishedI a great deal although the results were quite un satisfactory. I, appealedl to the mayor, and he promised co-operation ; but shortly afterwards the city council re fused to pass an ordinance prepared by the mayor which provided for the p~unishment of tihe keepers of blind tigers. I calledl upon the mayor and le endeavored to have the ordinance enacted; but in vain. They wore joined to their idols. TIhe chief of police was a friend of the law but he bad neither the moral nor the legal mupport of the council or the com munity and his aippeals were only p~ar tially successful. I gave tee city notice that unless the law was~ better enforced I would have to re.sort to the metropolitan piolice law. Tnis had slight effect ; but it soon wore off.I igain gave war'ning soveral monthis afterwards and the eh ie'f of pol~iice asked rae to give him a little more Lime and he thought matters wo)uld be In a better condition. LHe succeeded in making several eases against illicit dealers; b)ut the grandl jury, of tihe best citizens, so we are i nformecd, re fused to take the oaths of men who they placedl in charge of their homes and liv' s and unceremoniously threw outI all bills against illicit dealers in whmis.key. This emboldened thbe illicit dealers and I again invoked the aid of the L'ourts andl suceedoed in obtaining charges of venue in several casi': but the question is still in the supremo Court as to our right to such change. My patience became exhausted and I appJeaied to the State Ibard of I 'ol ice Commissioners and they did not hesi tate to place the police of the city of Charleston under the control of a comn mission. I regret that this was neces sary, but it was simply a qumestioni of whether we should abandon the Dis pensary in Charleston or first exhaust every means in our hands for the en forcemont of the law. I am satisfied that the police0 can d1( mor(E3 than all the constables in the State towards en forcing the law in our cities, and if the city authoritIes will not allow them to do Bo it is the duty of the State to take change. If .the next yoac (loes not af ford better results then a new law must be made for Charleston. I ai satisfIed, however, from present indi cations, that we will have nothing to complain of. Convictions of violators of this law have been promptly had in nearly every county of this Stato whore tried, except in Charleston. This is encour aging and shows that the stubborn re sistanco to the law has gradually sub sided. You will readily see that the protection given by Judge Simionton to erson- importing liquors into this State for personal use and the burden of proof being placed upon the consta blos to show that the samo is not fot personal use, makes our task indeed a hard one, In fact it preveuts us from seizing imported liquors except where it is consigned to persons convicted of violating the law, and oven those can always find a frion'd who will allow the u,, of hiu name to shield a criminal., In order to comply with the Inter protation of the interstate commerce law by this United States Judge I would respectfully recommond that the law be amended by declaring that all alcoholic liquors, except w hon analyzed by the State chemist and found to be chemically pure, are detrimental to the health, morals and welfare of the c! .izens of this State, are contrabAnd and liable to seizure wherover found without a warrant, and when seized shall, be forwarded to the State Comn missioner and by him destroyed. This would cover the objection of Judge Simonton and would relieve the law of a continual warfare by the "whiskey ring." I will endeavor to point out to you the amendments to the law which have suggested themselves to the Attorney General and to me in our offorts to enforce It during the het, year, and which wo believo absolutoly necessary for its protection and por potuation. The Board of Control should bo composed of live members, consisting of the Governor, Secretary of State, Comptroller Gonoral, ox ollicio, and two members to be elected by your honorable body who hold no other oflice and are of the blusinuss people. Thoso two members should be elected for a term of four years, and so arranged so as to requiro the election of one every two yours. The object of this must be apparent to you. As the board is now constituted three of the busiest State ollcerS are re quired to look after this stupondous business of more than a million dollars a year. They elect a Stato Commis sioner, whose term of ollce expires with that of the board. Next yone the duties of the Secretary of State will be almost doubled by reason of the additional work imposed upon him by your body. The Comptroller Gonoral Is one of the busiest men In the Stato llouse, and is required to be absent from the capital a great deal by reason of his settlements with the County Auditors. Our terms of o1ico expire every two years, and if tie two additional members are not furnished the Dispensary affairs are liablo to be placed in now, inexperienced hands every two years. The incoming board would in all probability elect a now Commissioner and the institution would be greatly embarrassed by in exporiencod officers. By the plan I have suggested there would be two directors always in olice who would be familiar with the business and not dependent upon State officore for their appointment. The responsibility for the success of this business rosts upon the Board of Control and it, is unfair to the Governor and his associates upon. the board to compol them' to vouch for every check that is signed and every purchase mado and every dollar expended. The duties of their oflices ronder it impossible for them to do justice to this business and to oven know of wvhat is going on. L"or tunately we have had Commissioners so far in whom we have coulidence ; but should this oflicor' provo to he cor rupt or incompoetent be could in a few woeks wreck the entire institution. The inducoments to corruption in this business are exceedingly great, andl the men with whom the Comnmissioner is compeclled to deal are ofteni uni scrupulous. It is useless for mne to enumerate the many ways in,whicha the boadrd of Control may be imp~osedl upon an~d unles the most, stringent regutla tions are thrown aroundl the buin~zess to .protect it, I fear the result. It is mnaide the d uty of the Governor as Onmairman or theo lynnrd of Con trol to approve every warrat drawn bily the Comnmissioners upon thbe State TIrens urer, and I have apIproved( as high a.. ti e.1y thousand dlolarr in one (lay wi houf having any evidence as to bow it was to be app~iliOd excpt the signature of the Coinimissioner aind the draft of the fIrm for whose benflit it was drnawn. This is too much re 51pons1 iility to lacoi uiponl the Gover norn, and he should bo1 roleioved of It. I would, therefore, recommend that, all accounts of the Sf,uto Comninmiioncr be first approvedl by thme Statmi Hoard of Control and the consent of the board bo first obtainod beforo the Comnmis sioneor is aiillowed to incur anmy dlebtas, and that such hills when so approveu ~oe pmres~entedm to the Governor for approval and paymnont. I would further recomn nmcnd that tho clerk of the board be paid a salary of fifteon hundred dollars por annum and his dumties enlarged and he he required to certify all bills5 approved by the b~oard and chock off the mnerchand iso purported to he cover 0(1 therein. In this manner the hoard wvill be enabled to know what, thoy are doing and tihe Governor rollovedl of a responsibility that should not be plaeed upon him. This would also relieve tho Conmmissionor of any Insinuation or charge of favoi tlsm andl remnedy the weakest feature of the law, and thu lhaco It beyond the criticism or reproach of Its enemies. Of one thing you may be certain, If any deogroe of corruptilon iseover dIscovered at this institution the people will destroy it as quickly as they inaugurated It, and should such corruption ho practiced it will ho sure to be unoarthed sooner or later. it is your conscientious duaty to so frame this statute as to guard against any contingencies that may arise In the future by the election of State oflicers hostilo to the law or from its careless (inforcoiinout b~y Its friends. There are amendments of minor Imp~ortanco, but which are necessary for the enforcement of the law, but I am sure they will appeal to your good judgmont without further hint from me.. Trho system of operating the County Dispnsaries since the Inaugurain has been refunded to the State from the not earnings of the (lpensary and an additional $50,000 surplus covered into the State treasury to pay the ex pons6s of the constitutional convention. From the following tabulated state ment you can gain an Idea of the heaviest items of expenses Incident to the running of the business: Supplies used for eleven months................ $93.804 70 Freight charges............... 50,953 14 Cost of constabulary...... 43,032 01 1 found that the system of bookkeep Ing in vogue at (he disponsary was most unsatisfactory, and I employed Mr. Soth W. Scruggs, an export book keopor, to deviso a Aystem especially suited for this business, for which I paid him $250, and I regard it as the best investment the State has ever made. The system as inaugurated by and now in charge of Mr. Scruggs, its originator, has received the endorse ment of many of the leading business men of the Union. It is a most satis factory check on the county dispen sers, and is so si1nplo and comprelion sive that any one of any business knowledge can understand it. A record of the gallons, value and brand of all liquors bought and sold is kept at the office, as is also a record of the number of gallons of all kinds dumped into and bottled from the tanks. The county dispensers are required to send a weekly statement of their sales at invoice and consumers' prices and a weekly statement of their cash trans actions, and a check covering the State's share of all sales. At the end of each month they are required to send to the State Com missioner a copy of their merchandise purchases and sales and remittances and a copy of their cash transactions for the month and also a copy of their sales at invoice and consumers' prices for the month and an itemized state ment for the monti-. They are re quired to take stock tt the end of each month In the presenc3 and with the assistance of one membor of the county board of control and to send to the Commissioner an itemized inventory of all merchandise on hand signed by the dispenser and the member of the board of control who atsisted in the stock taking. At the end of each quarter they are also required to send to the State board of control a quar terly statement of their purchases, sales, expenses, gross and net profits, and stock on hand. A duplicate state ment is also sent to the board of con trol. Under this system we have been enabled to dispense with the inspec tors. The expense of the constabulary has been more than met by the the value of the contraband whiskeynand wines seized and the suppression of the illi cit traffic in such. The amount for maintaining the force was $43,032.01. The value placed on contraband dump ed was $17,031.70, leaving a net cost for maintenance of $26,000.37. The value placed upon contraband seized does not represent the true value of the articles captured as there is a large amount still on hand of goods unsuitable for the business of the dis pensary, and consequently of no actual value. I am satisfied no State officers are entitled to more commendation than these men who do not hesitate to risk their lives and in several instances have lost them in defense and in exe cuting the laws of this State. If it wore not for the espionage of these officers the "blind tiger" would be rampant and the dispensaries would not be self-sustaining. If the present improvement in public sentiment in the towns and cities continues I am satisfied the constabulary can be safely out down to one-half the present force at the end of another year. THE uNFOicEMiNT Or THIE LAW. The Governor is empowered to em ploy two chief State constables and as many State constables as may be nec essary to enforce the law. Upon my induction into oflice I determined to reorganize the constabulary and if pos sible dispense with it altogether. A fter trying a small force for a monlh I found that It was Impracticable and unless the for'ce was increased the execution of the law would be a failure. Whet ever the constables were with drawn fromn a town or county im mediately potitions would be sent me requsting their return. F'or the year ending the lirstof June, 1895, there were issued by the United States 1internal lb..vonuo Collector 805 licenses to retail liquor. This Includes as Dispensar-ies which leav'es for illicit dealers 7:30. For the year ending June 1st, 1893, there have been issued so far 387 licenses, this includes 88 Dis pensaries, leaving a total (,f 299. for illicit dealers. Of this number 167 were taken out in tiho city of Chmarles ton, ten of whichb were for the Ditspen saries, which being dleduced leaves a grand total of 157 illicit dealers in this cit, it will oc seen from these figures that over fifty-two per cent. of the illicit traffic in whiskey is carried on in the city of Charleston. It, will be further obsoervod that the number of United States licenses issued for the State hns decreasedl over for ty-one p)or cent. for the past, year. The illicit sale of liquor had al most heen starved out andi dwinlel to a minhnum when we wecrc par-alized b~y a most unexpected dlecroe by the U nited States Circuit Cou rt, through Jludge Simoniton. Tihxis .Judlge it will be remember-ed was the first4 to suis tin the constItutIonality of the law; but ho has now completely reversed his former decision and undler the guIse of intorstate comnmer-ce ho null i ieos every section of tho law i ntendled to prohibit the Illicit, trafile. This la~w scomns to be the be-to noir of our (1is tingulihed United States Judges, B~rawlIey, Simonton and Goff, but so far we have reversed them and I feel satisfiedi we will continue to do so. The case before Judlge Simonton was brought by a citizen of Charleston nahnmed Do~nald, who claimed that wh'skey had heen ordered by him from without our Stato for his per sonal use and had been sclaied by the constableb and conliscated by the 'State to his damage $6,000. A fter able arguments the Judge declared that the Dispensary law no where declares that the use and consumption of alcoholic liquors in themselves ar-e Injurious to the morals, goed health, and safety of the State or of her peopple. Alcoholic liquor Is declared to b)e con traband and against the mor-als, good health and safety of the State only when it Is not i'nported by the Dispenser oi' Is not in his hands. He winds up by saying:i "If all aloholic liquors wne.e of th SCruggs for111 of bookkeeping is, as near pErf 'et as you can mako It. During th 0past year we bavo discov ored tfhree doi tcation.s t" ng Courty DispetOrs. Tijoy havo been reported to the Attounoy General, and ho had ontoitd suit upon the ho.ndst nI cowi mened iinal mli'i'Cfss aainst tiue Dblnsers. It, is blu, jut Lo s'ato that these tien 'catl-ms ccourred ( ur ing the Yea' pre1viu0s to the inaugllfuratllli of thb erug k ystem of b-kkesg L ap-ehe1n Cd no' ith-.r Irouble on t.h lino. I wold recmillmeil t.hlnt the County Superv isors be take n IT th10 (C ou nty oar1d of Control as under the new Constitution he is ineligible, and he. '1des tie, d utles of his of1lb0 are incon sistent With thOse of the 1 )ispen and if he attenlds to them properly he will havo but little time to devoto to the busiIess. I desire to linipreHs upon you the adviability (A divorcing the Disapen.ary from any o!diier oflie or State ill: ti Lit ion. So th-' no res'ponsi bility for its mnana ' ut-n ruces nMy not h0 divlid. but Ist. eIn Ltil ' upol th sholIder..of Ofli'r aimointledl to look after in exclusively. In conclusion, per11init mit to uv Lltt I feol a peculiar anxioty and interest in the siccess of this intituiOin by reason of my connection witii the enact mont of thi lIa while a mem'iiibir of your honorable bodty, and without any hositation or apparont egotisi on my part 1 (10 not believo that any future Govornor will feel towitrds the law and guard it as scrupul)husly as iy prole cessor and mllysolf. For these reashonil I havo ondeavored to talk to you plain ly and point out what I sincerely bo hovo necossary to perpel0uto a law so w ise and salutary. AWFUL TRAGEY AT BLACKSBURG. AStranriiiA' A oi*.no o melii '..n-. A Wman in th C) . The mur-der of Chas. T. WVillhims, at stranger in the towin. has created in tense excitement. in -11d ia rouid IBIlacks buirg. 'Phe foul veed was commitled inl one of tho pri nc ipal streets, ail for ai .illo the alfTtir wis wrapped in mystery, 1u1t the Coroner's jn 'y render emi atverdiet Whicb cleared up It iystery, ah follows: That Clas. '1'. W illillms clie to his do' ettl by a I~istol ball shot from It pistol in the ha1tids Of M. R. LUeese, and that one In ltIckie is accessory." On Thu rsdzay i it.rht two citizenis ro turning to their hoarding i houe stu1)1 bl 0(d over tle o dead bodly of .1 1nan. Iln Vestigat-ion showed it to h Chas. '.1'. Williams, (f Tunnel liill, Gia. Aln alarm wits raised and on searching his body thre notes were fouind rom ANiis. A nderson, a milliner. Nl rs. A uderion hias b8en tWicO lllr'ried to 11r Ilrit husband,~ll I hainig beenC iIivorced, aind then remarried abotiL eight 1nonthlIs ago. P'rom these notes it was found t hat Williams had been seit here by \Itr Anderson in the capacity of a peace maker, and( while acting in this ca pacity was rmurdered. There is no direct proof as Io who cominitted the imrder, hut MIairion IH. l eesu and Dian iel I .uekic are mor thaln suispected. I "Vosie is one of tile richest men1 ill ,own anI has a wife in Greenvilhe County, with whoml he ha1s never lived. Luckie is a brother of Mrs. Anderson. Both have left for parts unknown. 'PhO ovidon1(o a1gtinst lIt se isthis I tees is known to have heen insauely jealous of and almost wildly inIaLtIattl with Mrs. Arldcrson. On tile night, of the mur l'dI' tihere ValS IL li'ty t, the house of Marin Nic0or and on a piazzl overlooking thet residlIec of I ees was a Mis Iairingtoln, who tustilied that she Saw two eleVOl IL the ie 1110 of Lh 3 shots riun fiom wh ieire the dlead 111a1 wvas found. One of the(,e parties she positi vely iden LiliedI as itoese and the~ other went, into thet hiouis of NI rs. A nderson ani is su pposed to have been Luck io, ho beIinog the briothiei of NI rs. A udersnHl. .Its ~A0wats reipire iito haIive booni undu111ly inti mate wit \LeNIis. An dlerson, and, it IS said,1 furniisheid aL hiouis an;.1 supplorted 1her, oly! IL few doors fromn his own~i reseneu~~t'. Wil h ams, in spite (if thea wairn Iing of MIrs. A ndersion, cIaIled it, her0) hoiise a~bount 9:30 oin Lhe e'veining oif t he killinug, and was shot aL short w h'le a 'er. Th'Ie moIIStlin(tens wi' anent, prevails inI Ilacksburg. NI i~ ~u-ring ton has left for Chlarlot~t, 51tying thmt e was aifridio lence110 woi lbe done1 her if she( relmamiled herre. 'iile friends oif oil hiave empi Iloyed co.unis.-IL u proset U i I teese. D)etectivces hiaivi bieii etniplOy ed, ani ar noi )w acti vely sciarebing for ((i [Loese, who I is upposu(i to bie witli friends near here. I t is .the universal opjin iion thlat lhe comm)1Iitted thle mulirderi. Thie GaiTney ILedger giv~es aL muchl fuller statemeinL of the troubles11) which led to tihe aLwful tragedy, in the follow inlg version) of Its coriresponident, ILL this tragic deedh is MIrts. M. 1l. Andor0) 'Joni, wiho is101 1vli Ii ren)wed i thi conunu ity for her beauty. Shuis a I blIond1, not large, but1, stately, with ehamrming features', anId genl'IIly wVore IL sio I tha it wold be iicllated.( to dive Vsome11 menC~ crazy'/. Sho1( camel here abou11t, twoV , years' agi from Georgia. She, withb other pa:rties, it manU and1 IL wVomlan, openedl IL millinery store inl theo I r'on CIL~y Ilotol builing. After' a fewI m~ont~his tile manLf .drow (lut, and1 the two w~oimen co11IntiuedlL t~ bu1sind135 Ia short whiile. Thien Mr is. Anderson run the biusinelOss lIn1o un, Liill hmuary~ '95. 1I the m1ean11ti me she boarded w ih LIIMrs. Demnpsy, proprlietross of thbe I rn City Hotel, anld for aIwh4Il il hd tile entro to the blest homes0 (If I lamcksburg. Mrs. Anderson wais aL grass.-w idow. M'o . Ii nal ly left, thi hotel anfd renmtoed aLsu'ite of rooms5II ii i ,e rea and1( abhove hur miil liniary store'i. 'Thion it wais that her1 Iintimanity wIihI iteCH0 became~h s(o pro~ noulnced IasL to asO comn it. Gossip bCeamo~l~ 50mo rii h (lit koopinlg houselS and1( wentl , L,) boaflrd with Dr'. Ihamls)uri, Ia hIghly lesipectedi citizenl. lier di vorced husband caime Lt) the city' abott .1luly a yeatr ago, ieo sought IL reconI by the Rtev. Mrl. .11lisoni. 'Thu next dmty after tie reO-marriage Lthe husbatid loft, and ho hias not bioon heartld of since. It is thought thle woman~l desir 001 to appearI~i to have aL s(ioro of livoili hood atnd thlat she ind( '.ced her huts band to roturn ind remarr'111'iy hoir for the nurjnosO of having that annna-anco, for llooso was wealthy and if h her too freely people would bl 'ay liablo to susoct, but if she was ried shte could claim her husband wa providing her with funds. WhileMrs Anderson wias boarding at the 1ron City Hotel and before her re--marrkag0Y.' this man Williams called on her onj day. After he loft IRoese quarr4lled w ith the wo uan. Mrs. Anderson after wards roturietd to Georgia. Soon after nur departcrv LRoeso left and went to AtMlanta 1unU then out west. In a few miontlis LUooio roturned and a few Weeks artcr Mrs. Anderson returned. She then purchased a piece of property. lHer home was elegantly furnished and sie seened to have an abundance f, wealth, carrying an account with a Charlotto bank. On her former stay here she was financially embarrassed and was generally regarded as being without. menn. Shortly after she re turned her brotlier, Dan Luckie, came here. le secured a position with I'tese and lived with hissister. There atfter lieese' visits to the Anderson do main were quite frequent, in fact she was generally regarded as. ROOs's mis t ess. An.1 so inattors wont until the. night of the tragedy. M. I.. leese Is a large, ilne-looking mian about forty-three. He has made conlsiderable money in real estate and tradingi. iie was generally regarded a a good eitize,,n except in this affair. \Vhen a I'dger representative saw him Saturday he was faultlessly attir --d in a becominitg suit of black of the 11utaway pattern. le looked some wit nervous and uneasy, but would not be taken for the midnight assassin that Iiis fellow townsmunen have pro iounced him to be. TJho most damaging tostimony before 1the coroner's ilqtuest, and that on which the warrant was sworn out was gi venhy Miss Parr ington,a d ross'manker from11 Charlotte, bit wlo Is at p'resent in the eiploy of D. L. Brown of Ghis placo. The shooting occurred almost, I not i inted iately, in front of Miss 'ri ng ton's boarding house. She nwore in sistance as follows " I was reading a novel when my at tOntion was drawn by the three shots in front of the house. I -turned down a leaf at the place I was reading, laid 'ho book on a trunk and wont to the w inidow. I heard voices and the shuf 1.n1g of feet on the outside, and a man a ' hon't say a d-n word about, this.' 'Two in tien weot, into Mrs. Ander oil's liouse. As the door oponed I could e from the reflection of the lamp in 1.Ie hall way that they were M. R. llese and Dan Liuekey. The figures wer' abIout their siz.e." THE EVIL Of FOOLISH TALKING. L .i V; I ii urm a Pre her Abou Itvv. .1. C. Iliden, D. D., of Rich MIond, Va., pr'eaehod a very practical seirion not long ago, in which he dwelt w itfh great force upon the danger of g.ossip tbta tends to imnpair public coUl idelbe. The text was lM1h first verse of the S27h I salm: " 'xcept the Lord iildi te house: they labor, In vain that 1hild it; except the Lord keep the City, the watchimtan waketh but In vain." In discussing the last clause of his text., Dr. iidon said that the word " keep " meant to guar'd. "In this connection," said the preachor. "I havo a few words to say which may imfpress smite people as being too seen lar; but mly theory of a proacher's duty is that he ought to help his people at every point, at which he can do them good. I do not recognize the hard and-fast line which is drawn between the secular Iud the sacred. If a man if eng~ aged i ian indefensible business six days in t 2e week, he cannot keep Smindery holy if I sec my p~eople con ductitng the tr business in a way that tmutst endl in dtisaster, I feel it my duty to sfpeak o it, andl in no uncertain "etO of our evening paper's had an edlitorial In yesterday's issue, calling attetntioni to a matter' which Is of real. im porfanee to all our people just now. We atre livintg in harltd times. The ox p.rts in finance tell us ; andl the recent bonud safe jutsti lies the view, that those hard timtes atise, not, from lack of mooney, but, from lack of confidence. W toit~bn conltidoec credilt Is impossi blIe, and wit~lhout Credit business dis solvos. "Now, if you go about town wit~h your head hanging dlown like a bul rush, tred ictinug fiInancial disasters, haying that this and that and the other firm ar'e shaky and must soon go by the iJoalrd, then you are helping your neighbor01s to fall, and you may well hook out that this does not cut short yout' ow n rations. P aul says profound ly, 'None of us liveth to himself, and no moan dioeth to himself.' Your busi noss depends largely upon the business prtospertity of your neighbors. Your kiing Is made here In lRichmnand and largely out of I.tich mond p~eople. 'i'heir success means youmr success. T[heir failurie means short, rations for you. "Somec people r'un ol' to New York and pay for somte article as much as tO same or per'haps a better artIcle w i cost, here at home. is this wise ? My rutle Is never to go or send out of ltichmurond for aunything I can get on rn' a..onalfe terms ini [ichmnond. It is phrint, common sense, that as my living s to come out of lRichmand people then Itichomond people must live, and if the money which they pay out is all sp'ent somnuwheroe lse how can they thrive ? Well, but the Lord is to 'keep the city.' Yes,' but it was a wise mana who said, 'Trust God and keep your ptowde(r dry.' It Is not faith, but pre sumtption in you, If you say you trust Goid, and then fail to do your part. Thme Dcvil tried to tempt Christ'into this kind ,of sin, when he told Jesus to loap dlown fr'om the pinnacle of the !emnplo, because he could trust God to pr'otect him. The Master refused, and said it would be tempting the Lord God. it is foolish and wicked presumnp tion for you to embark your own and your' friend's money in a -business which you (do not know -how to con duct. The whole land is full of bank rupts who have failed because they have gone beyond their means. The p Iolitical economy that was ever put iInto l'nglish is, " Pay as you go ; and if ; ou can't pay don't go'" - -Many a man has lost his reputa tion by taling to much