Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

THE PEOPLE'S JOURNAL. VOL 7.---NO. I6 llCKENS, S. C., THJRSDA ' MAY i, 1897- ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. .ARRY GANU SPRINGS A SENSATION ALLEG11C,1) CROOKEONICSS AT ILIF STATI' DISPENSARY. A Letter Witiout. Signa Iture Whill Wais Privately Circulatct-Gatit Acknowledges lie Wrote 11 ittnd Threatens to Exposo Coiriuptiion Cleric Scruggs 'l'ells Why lie Wdated ilthe Maiter Kept. Quiet. The Columbia Regist-er contained a few days ago the follow ing letter, which purpor'ted to have been writtein to Clark Howm 1, of the Atlanta Con stitution, and has been exhibit 'd for the past month ) in a private way among ollicials in Cohlitiai:t, w L tibe understanding that it, wats written by the editor of the I'idont Ileadligh . 'T*ho story was told that tio letter had been brouglt to Colum inbia by Mr11. Bickart, of Atlanta, wllio name is mentioned in it, and who beIonis to:, liquor li-in in t.hat city. Alr. liw cli is said to have tranisferre..'d it to I ;' art, and h1a iied it to plriomUote ih is be i ness before the State b oa.rd of cot, trol iln tihe satle of liquolr. G'antt Wits wor'king in tie inteirests of Seti W. Scrugg , the el-rk of the i:oard, who was a can didate fVr re-elctilon, andi his pinci pal opponent was 1). A. G. Ouzts, the shiipping clerk, who is charged in tle letter w:th acept Ing a bribo from Uickart. With this explanation the reader will be able to understand tile corres)poidene.(, willch follow': SIAiw'rANL'RG, S. C., leb. 1-, 107 Dear Gia"--T'b; will b.. h-.jin'-d you by my friend, Mr. I. . J. WV (o.i, and who Vwill expain to you just wi. I want. I am xiott usXi101 ti control the State Board of Dhei..pen'ary Conuniis sioners, so that I can elp 1 out my friends, and also your. friends, 1 dIlel that and I3ickart , of Atlilnt, Ga. Now, Clark, to hi plain with you, in or'der to accomplish this we must down a man name 0uis, and keep oui' mu tll friend, Seth Seriuggs. in contri'ol. We can down Onzts if I can g4(L Mv. Bickart to give mile it statmullit, of thLe tian sautions beLtwe ii IhimUself ami Ouzt.s, and can slow, as I believe is tIe case, that Ouzt agrued to push hiL liquors if hc (3iekart) woulI paty hiil 25 cents pei ease. L wait you to see "I'. Ilickart anl get It -tateilllnt from himi) of his priop sition to Ouzts, and how it was tirst 'e cived. I ito not witb it for public: - tion. but siip1)ly to bulldezC' him oltl of tile rai4C agailt SCrugs. 11l. ). Al. , ies. el etd member of boar'd foi' ive yea. -S ily peri'onal friend and fr'om Spai tanluliirg County. Co!. \Vilie .onus, chIali'm an of the boad'i, is oiie of my warmest fi'inds, andt will visit him next Frviday and talk over iatt,_t rs. I wan t to get O /ts' condem4natLion by tL, at time. JoneIS is ia sti'ong SCi'igs nn. I wait yol to say to liiekart to evn body ill his statemLent that .t.ut' i ll lirst conferene with lie board he t'ied to get a Scd aulence, so as to it i the whole ti'th, ht was gag-4L'd and not allowed to do so, at the instigation of OIztas. If I ('cant ke'p Seiggs in, it ieans that our friends will be taken care of, but if (Uizts succeeds he will not order Ia pint from 11. & H., and lie is opol)sed to Mlr. l3iekart, because of that int.r view With the board. I ulso wait Soul aind youri' fatherl, if aI i. IB. gives tilis statement., to ceritify to his highI chaaueti'. I have other Lhings behind, h-.:t watit this ceritilicate its in opening shot. As stated, it is n1ot fo' piblicatin, buit Simply to use to kill aly support that Ouzts might get. Mr. Wood will ..five you the full story of that ilatter. Ti'uiy youi' fr'iend, P.S--Whly haive you ciut me11 oIf from youri ehantige list ? I have no~t seenI a copJy of the Conlstitultlin since Corist masZL. Also send11 m1e4 a sampllle copy of y'our evenIi ng diily. 0 O couse tis let tgr' is strictly coinfidentianl. Thle pu~bl ication oIf the foi'egoi ng let ter' had the cufeet of bing ing ouit otlber C'cesp)ondence on this sub ij ct, which11 reCvaklIs tile fact, that the '"D[ear Clai letter' wits wr'itten by T1. 1arr'y GaniitL, c ditor oIf tile l'idimoint, leadliight.. Thie r'um~or' to wichiii allusioni was made hlad been 1 the subject of a brief note a few daiys beiforie to i1 i. Seth W. Sciruggs, kin intl imato fr iend of GJaitt1's, andll wichl is ats follows: SPAtrraNiUnu, S. C., i-'eb. h0, 1 S7. Dearu Serugj~gs- I lear'.l tat an Atd an - La 1liquo mli ian hias e Ifored a bible to a eri'Ln dispen1sariy ollieiial, and to pay~ him1 25 eints oni ech box oif this mnf's hiq(juor'L tt said olieiali shi ipped out. .Huit, afteri'warids S~b li 'iuohr miani stated thait he1 had madtie ai miistake andii could only givo'im 01 l cents, aind be caIuse he fell ini hiis prlico2 thIiis ollcialI then stated tihat the Iirmi hadi tied to bribe hlim. It hias, atlso, comlo to my cars' thait ia ceritin liuoi' maiun had a membher of the boarid ias Is gueist it the hotel ;ithat they slepit t~igi tiler in i the samell rooml, anid tha tt th11is I luOr' man ialwaiys got the best, of tile orderis fi'oim the boaird. Ther11e are otherci rumor o10'Sif ia .s(iuls naiture. I tLlI y on, Sei'uggs, as4 your' true fr'iend1(, thait thiis condiition of alfairis wvill d isr'uipt the 'formi mlovieent. T'13h)peole are ai .tad~y res5tless anid suipiiciouis, anld, groinOLlIig as5 they ar'ite, unider' Incrieaised taxattioin, t hey are prieparei'd to believe aniy scandafll 1they mlaly hear. I amni mak ing furt her' in vesti gations into these rumiiors5 andi shll expose thbe wh ole malitterP. y'rutly, youru Iiendl, T1. fb. GA NTTi. i'. Secruggs heartd oIf the letter' Lto Clairk Flowel he ing ci irulatdc~ inl Co his nameli wnsii connelct-:dl wVithu the al legedl cr'ookedlness, he wr~ote* and atsked Mi'. ian tL tabout it, rece'ivi ng the fol lowing r'oily: SPA WT'ANIIIRIG, 8. C., A pril 9), l1 7. D)eair Scr'uggs-- Your lettegof the ' th in wich you sta te tha it you heari'L ita lumlbIka, p)urporting toi hay' beer it ton by mlyselIf, and in w bhich your4 na .e is connec 0t~cdl, etc., has b11leeni iC rci V(d. You as5k ine to hit3( 1, knoiw the sub stance of thlis ! ttei'. You r'emember' thlat some Limie in I.'ebruary I wr iota you Lbhat I had her'd a re port Inl citenu lation Lbhat i a certainI olli ial in the State d ispensariy hadu bjein iffere'd a bribe of 25 cents ia box for every box of a certain brma of mutkem, lie shipped out ; that this bribe hau bceni olIored by at Atlanta firm, but aftI r wards that the fiti stated to said of ficial that they could only pay 10 cents a box, and Lftar he foil in his price then the ollicial reportcd the repre sentative of this liria are trying to bribe him. J al -io stated il said lotter other re ports connected with the dispensu r Tamwi'otmeint and the plirchase of liiqtuors that smacked strongly of cor 'ul ption. I stated to you that I ill tended to publish these repj ortzs, 1.hat the people might know thUeim aid deC mand an inv-'estigration of tbe whol. busines. A few datys after the recei pt of this letter you caLim to Spartanburg and atslt k-td Ille to slpprces the puiblic0L tion. You know at the timo that I warned you against tile suppression of anyting crooked in the dispensary that came to your knowlcdge2, and told yo that you could not aflford to cover iup Ih IrotLLo'in:Cess of anyone connected witi th dispensary because of your friendship for him. You replied that you (lid not, wish to hide any corrup tion, and the ollicial in question you tl;.Veed to bho Your ciciOy ind wias vo'kingiI in Conjunction with others to secure your defeat. I stated to you that, I heard the reptresentative of this firm would tell much more, but that he was coerced or bulldozed, and was also afraid of publicity, fearing that it liglt destroy his Chances for future business with the dispensary. I told you further that I wai not satiblied, and that I. believed if they were as sutred that by Lolling the truth and all they knew would not i njure their pros pects for busi nes, that they Would itak': a full statenoent of all the facts. Wit' this view I wrote n1 p-ivatO let ter to tmy frienil. lion. Clark lhowell. editor (4 the A tlant a Cons.ti 1u tu on (not the liquor firmi), an aSsuritingL l4tter, which was ofersonal and private, alid setled up. 'lis let t r was written t.) Mr. Howell, who was a friend to baid firmzxi, with the hope of stilf.:niIng the backbone of ti is iq uor moan. aid there hy seci rilng all the facts. I d ::n'L e mnilbet' what I did write. but I can t.Ii you that I ami a free and indopen dent, Atnerican citizun, and can stand b% anything that I do or say. I wear nio man's collar and my hands are not ,oil with any corruption, andi what I n% roto was with a view to discovering COrrulption that I mo ight, eXpoSO it throul-gi the Headlight, and not to win k at rascality . The mistake I nade was in not piublishing at the time tihe ti mhrs I heard, but you know your ptr~isonal appeal to tmo not to d so is what deterred me. If necessary I will call oil you to publish the ILet' I wrote to you some timte in lPu'bruary. I3uiL to show you that I wits not Ish viaeking any man, upon learning that the AIanlta firm tated that the offer they made said ollicial had been re joet,(d, I camie to Col umto bia, saw tile accused party al] stated to him the report I had heard, told him just what I had duore, and that he seemed exon er'atel. h'lle Howell l Itter I sent by Mr. I. 0. .1. Wood, but that gentleian, instead of delivering it as addre.ted, turned the letter over to said I iq 1101f 1i rill, w len one of its members broke the seal and read tile contents,. l1 statetd to Mr. Wood tihat it was not nocessary to de liver tihe letter', as lie Could give him no information about the r'eported cot' ruptiotn. Mr. Wood left. the letter in the hands of said fitm1i. How it camitl to be( tiur'neld over to parties in Columi bia I do not know. If you will see that letter you will lind that I was simplev workinog to un earth repOrttd corrlption in tle dis sary maimnt .getmient, and to assist, Mr. Wood in seClluing a Lposition. I am not mo i xedu i In aily iebite or other busi nie-s coillected with the dispelsary, for tmy hands are clean and I defy any one - to pr- ove' otherI wise. I remtiCthembe ini that letter tell incg NI r. ii ow elili hat Col. WVilie Jones andI 11(on. I ). N'!. Miles wer ~'ipertsonail fr'iendls andit wouldi stan~d by ine. MIy r'eason for w riting th1is was that Ii intcnded that Nit. I lowell coii use it, to get the de sired~ in formaltionl from that, Atianta lhqior' h~ouse', for could I colnvince them t baL ihirI lIil5 business woulot, suler by telitng alil thbey knewv they would mtore. ikt. ly givte the desiredi in formation. I also toild two miembeirs of the State boiarthe L repi''lort that haid retachied my13 crs. Come upi Saturday and see me. '1Tuly, your1 fiind, 'T. L. GANTT'. A S'TA'T't2t-:NTL itOM SCiRLUS. Mr'. Scrutggs acknowledgfes that 110 dlid go to see NI r. Gtantt and1 pleaded wi th him t not to pu bilih1 t'he rpot'ts lhe bat] heard about Shipping Clerk Ouztai for' Lt Ihe board ha d lin~vest' gated Liihom1 and1( ha~d exiiner'atedi Mr. (O)zts. Mir. Scruiggs SiLti be did tihbis l'ecause tile Ltrough~ I i o periiod of grl(eat travttailI the trebate scant]ail) and lie dlid n't want it, to hatIve to pass5 thlrouigh an ~othlerI. ie saidl Ite simplly watnted Lii keepi down'v trtouble1, fothe bi 0loard' had ialrt adiy set tiedl tile miatteo and11( the d1isp~ensar'y coul11d tnot stantd Lbhese contntI scandaI l ini the neOwspaperst', evenl thought thty wee pr Iiov.n ti he )0wii(ithot found(1atl in. lie said Ile dlidnt, want to hu idotcorupj titot, but, simply urtgedl (antt tnot to stir tu~p thlis tiing in the interest, of Sih ipilng Clor'k OuzLe was asked what lie hiat to say conctrning the ebmarges madt~ie inr the " )cair Cler'k"' letter. 110 refered' the rep'horter toLI the~ board of cotntroi tor' furthurit in0'rmation. It, wais lea-ted thait, Nir. O.tzts repotrtedl the occurrience 1o the boardi'i and] thiat b)0th he and NMri. I lickar t, of Atlanta, made statementil s. Tihie b)oardi exoner' ated] Mr . Ouzn'ts, tot' they afterwar'ds te-( lected hi tm. MI r. Gant L, seems, L~io, to haivei comd to the conceluon that noth ing wvas wtrong het'o, as lie staltes in his letter, aftert having made an in vestigation. IL scorns to be admitted that aL prtoposition waIs maide, else the shipping cletrk woutld hauve nio occasion) 1 timake aL reorit Lii the board.t Co!. Wiiie .loies,. in speaking of the ltter, saM. hM .iu'd cnot help IwIVhat Nirt. Gian'.t uditi:u write- lie could do as~ he pleased anat thait,, out, thait ho had tnever spk n t , imt (.Jlones) about ever' b~iked 4 to h1 im o that, line was Mr t. Ilickat, hiimelf. As farl as Nir.' Scr'uggs lb c.)tn. -ernedi-.idonel Jones said lie voted for hi tm and tiu[ported him hecaunoa ho was the moat conmne tent mnan for the place lhe knew of. Last year there was a business of over $1,000,000. and in all that only a slight ioistake of 50 cents had been discov. ered in Mr. Sctruggs' books. Tho stub Wat tli right, but in transcribing it to tire books the error occurred, lie said that he knew of no man who could t.:ke lie books of so va t a business .11nid keep theiml as correctly and plainly its they are now. llevause of h is ability t. coniduii tle business Colonel Jones stys he "sticks" to hiin and lie catnot help what sone people ma)1iy think ablout~ it. Wool) MaLKE A STATEMENNT, Mr. 1. 0. .1. Wood, who was tle hearer' of the "Dear Clark" letter to A thmtar :u, has tt1ade the follow ig state On the Sunday heforo .1 Went, to At lanta, S. W. Saruggs and T. L'arry Oit t drovo ip in front of Trimiier''s bookstore inl Spartanburg and asked for me. I went, out and went up at their invitation to the Piodmont, lliad light (llieC, aid while in thu o1e13 they wrote two letters, one addressed to Clark Llowell, Atlanta, which they gave to ie seadled. I did not known what were the contents. One (ItherI letter written with peiel by Seruggs, which was copied by Gantt on tle type writer. I don't know who this one was addressed to. They know ! was going to Atlanta on tho following Tucsday. I had alto in my posse SsMi an eivel imOp which was written oil the back With pencil by S. W. Seruggs, certain questions for eic to ask Blumenthal & Hickart, of At.lanta. They deeired Illumentibal& 13 ickart to acknowledge that Ouzts hadl ;]iade a proposition to thleii to the ( tfeet that he would ship out their lhiilis provided thr-t they, Bilu.nithal A: Bickart, would 1pay him so iich per case. li. 1ickart said LInat "1 am11 1o0 honest aL manl to no SUchI at ,hin'er, and I Can't do it. NJIr Oa, never made me anV such I t)o'pI osition. Litil the man who made the proposition." I ai in no way responsible for the "IMe' Clark"confidr utlal Ietter reach ing South Carolina, nor for it being in thel hands of the presS. I make this statement in justice to NI r. Ouzts since I have been used in an attemlt to injurc h im. 1. 0. .1. Wool>. 1,AltiY G ANTT \VRlOTE- IT. The publication of the unsigned let ter brought forth Very promptly the following communication to The Rcg ister, in which N r. Gaitt makes a full btatteiont of his conne-.tion with the matter : SP'ARTVANiUl0G, S. C., May -1. >llitor Rlegister . In your Charleston correspondence of to-day you publish a letter that I wrote to Lion. Clark [low ell, the editor of the A tianta Gonstitu tion. After the lant ileeting of the State Hoard I heard that this letter was mace public. A friend in Colui bia having notilied me of the fact, aid a king its conitenits, arid to whieh I re plied by giviig the btiStanee of the 1.1., r. I also saw a reference to tihe samne inl a daily paper, and wioto at onceC to the Colulmbit corespnILdent to call on the gentlemian in Columbia. to whom I had written, and gut ily reply for publication. If that party ever re eeived my letter he did not respond. 3Iy. letter was ccrtainly mailed and stamped. Now, in regarird to the Howell letter: I penned every word of it, and have nothing to retract oi' apologise fo'. It was my intention, so soon as thbe 3oard had held its present meeting, to try and get at copy and have it publikhed. Infornation has r'eached my ears that lr. Iiiokart, of the liquor house of 13lumenthal & 1ickarrt, Atlanta, had been blacklistLd hy the State loard of Control for offeri ng Shipping Clerk Outzs 25 cents per case for sendingr out his goods ini preference to the liquoris sold by, other' lirms, and whieh had been ur'dered biy the County Dispe'nsrs : thatt A\lr'. Out zs had lierst consernted toi Ihiis proposition, but, at ter'wards Hick lir? camne to himii aind stated that he souild only payi3 but 10 ceints peri caLse, as be found tire pr'ofits tooi close. It, wats Lhen that AMr. Outzs wenlt to Mi'. L. .1. Williamrs iand compilineiid that liiekart, wa is try ing to briibe himn. Al r. I ickart was smnmiiionied 1before the I loiardo anid stateri that ire haid mlade thu priopoisi Lion to pay' Outze. WZhier'eu p.n hiis fi r'm was blatckIi sted. Aly inform'ian t then wen t on to) say thbat MI r'. I lickart., af ter hie foun rd onut tlihat, his hiouse could( not sellI the State any miorec gorods. stated Lhrt he wanrted to supp~llemre nt, hiis firist testimnony, atnd inisinruated that (Outz,. .m'isentedt to r'eeive tihe biribei of .5 .wits, but hatd only' "bIlowedr oni him"' wh len lie r'educeed the pr'piositionl to lii ::enits. Ale'. Bickart caerii to appj)it'arbefore Uhie Birar'd, burt one of the mirieber (a rend to AIlr. Ou)iitzs) olbjectehd to) his he ng hieitrd. NOW the iinfierenrce draiwni was thait Ihard riot MI r. O)rtz's Iirist, onisenitedl to tike the 25 cen ts per case, wh ly did 1M r. Hlickart, conmc a second time tio make aL lower oifer A-s peir halps evIer'y Couni ty D)isp~enrseri in the Stte will testify. it, is, or has~ breeni, Lhe hiar'dest, work to get, their or Sei's for whliske'ay ii ed, as sent, inr, for )theri brl1ads are shipp~ed i!) latCe of those wranted. I bo h eve that perhaptls Lh is I ickrt, matt ' woul hiuirnravel the mii stery, anrd so dleterminr ed to trv atnd unlover it,. Ju tst, iat tii'tt timio I wits Itrying to get lr . I . .1J. Wood, of thiis ci ty3, and who hiad atlways been one of miy warmest r'erieds, a posiIi on. lie had lost, his place0 in the i)isprensariy in Spartanr nurg, andit I knew lie needed woihrrrn ha ld It ftniily to suippo t. It occurrerd to rmn tha it I couldi secu re Xlr'. Wiotd a position with ilrmenitbal &x llhekatrt, andi, also, ur'avel that r'eport, uiriut ti. Mr. W'orod lhnd writtien tr. illuinienthal & lickart andl they ha~d p~'rnised himii aL laIcc, I t.hought, if tirb'y cnoll get re' in:,tated( wi 1th the I iord.r I know thiat lion. Clark Ifowell was urn irntimarte fend of .\Ie. i ok art, anrdi could ti i only hielpl out MI rn. Woode, hri t mi1ght alsor get thrat evidnlce abirout .\lr. Out z--, andl wniceh hadl 'r 'in luppr--,.-d. S., I wrote tie llowel ;et; r'. I k, *s that irn or lie knew it woul hi et a :ary to .,how himo that he ran or risk ini baving hnis biusinie's hurt. hy 'itt ing f' t1.nhe kno. on. Mi ii s wars abr piy tin trut 'u. Tlhiey wie myi3 fr'iendls ;I had wnirkid for' t po liticaul succeess of bhi tgen' i.wr, atnd I believed thrat, they wouI~ld hielp miy frilendg whanono thny cani, 10 n an'. orably andiit without, prejuidico to tihe State's interest. : would not Ic theimt to do otherwise, and they would nlot Were I to so request. In writing to ir. Lowell I had noth ing to gain personially, and no axe to iind save to help iy friends, and, its I so stated therein, I have never made any SeCrCt of sta.nding by and working for my friends and figlighting my one m11 ies. I have icver received, and nev er tIr. tied t. get, and nei ther would I receive. under any eirei4in StaLIer's, Olle cent,'s rebaato. lBut I broug ht the Dis pelsitry law to this Sttte, and deter iined to weed out rascality if discov red, aind it Was in Imly 1oweLr to do so. My reference L.) Ile explination to be made by Nr Wood in the letter was that he miatiiit cXplain to MIr. Ilowell the positioll in wanited was as agent in our State for 13111neithal & Mickart. Mir. Wood went to Atlanta and re turned to Spartaniburg in a daty or ,o. lie lte into iny oilie aid inl rt JONly to an inqtiuiry stated that hll did not see ir. Howell, but had left the letter wit h M r. Hic kar t. and who said that t here waLs n10 neccessit.y for delivelrg it. a lie had notthing to say inl the ( )t.:; mat, ter, and that, genitl iien had refued bis oflfer to receive pay for shipping out his I iqjuors tiret. I thought n' mi" ' ..t there was (I,. ..s g itt it, h t, I ca -red for the public 2) see. 3ut hurt. he ht. I meeting f the State HIIoartd a friend from CoWu abia wrote me thata certajit letteir, pur porting to have he' written by myself to Mlr. Clark JIowelIl, wa-, being privately circilated and shown around, al.d asking ine what, were its contents. I replied ats stated above I then wrot to lion. Clark iowell, stat inl tl Ci CinlstanteC. andl Itreply re 1t1l1tved a 1 iter from MIr. lH:kart, say ing that, .llr. \Voodl had river hwn hin the i lowell letter, anJ le would not have bWeen glilty of suCh art outige as to break the seal of a private letlt' direed to other than hiis-el f. Mlv. \Vood after wards said that he iight, have been muik.takeni abtut, giving the letter to Mr. Hiekarl., that It: couild itot re(inelliber jlst what hle did ith it, ht that. he had neVer tir'neid it OVerV to aii on1e inl Columbia. A few daiyn after MIr. Wood's retur nt froni Atlanta I was in Columbia, anI wen-it int~o AlrOt. ollieennUld tmld him11 jiolt whvat I hail iteard 114l whtt I baUl donte toLward intt tg;atin. itd the re port wa., foind to be n) ltfoundd. I then told him that I wa hanlds of ill his reCe, and was iaIds 0il'. I have nthiit linli to conceal aboit tbat, letter, arid what, I did I did oplenly arid not tlrtough any bushwhacking tietlhods. I have always heliped lly friendb-, aill internd to cotitiiu to ) 11o u ti h ,ey prove tr'eaebierous and onworthy of tru-1. No ole has ever aesused tme. or v ill ever ateccisei me of handliing a dirty shilling. for, My hands are Clean. If it be a Cl111e to useC every horiorable eid to ferrLet out reportei public venali ty. and to work for yur frienlds, thel I am guilty, and will reiain illty. 1uut, Nitl. El-itor, let me .14k yoUi, t, likewise every hoitn anid holorable itan, what do you thlink of any an, or set Of imei will) WOu I t hus securne posJ0 session of a privatcu letter written to a stranger whom thbey did not, know and marked "personal," anid then deliber ately break the seal and use the con tents ? Why, I wouldn't, trust themt wiith either public or private mtoneyI as far as I Could throw a locoinotivie by tibe cow-catcher. They will bear wailch intg, and Close watchingr too. Were I so inclined, I coulld have de nied the authorship of that letter, for my nille was not, sigred to it with 1(e iLn ink, but prin Ited Wit, tpewritr. Hut I wrote every word therein, am ntot ashallied to owl it, and if occ.sion ever Irises .-Vil! do tite same 1itthi over again. Respectfully T. ,. G -\ N'l the I -ther, but, that it, wast l.st by h tili or siolen by titose wh lilt 1 usin1 tg il. amt also contvincted tat, neil her U ill NI r. I lowell or NIlr. i3iekart, ever see that, let~tcir. Ally one1 w hI) has ia letter fromt nme is at libearly to) publIisht the samite ti) thle worbtl, as I have itotihinig to etv (I. uIp or conclCiI. As be fore sttledl, I always work for and( standl by mty ri' end(s. THlE B[CKROGE TRUNK ANDll8S CONTENTS I'itI'iC IiltlUOIC, (~ I (O A U S A NI lI'CALII CS A I )ti t li y to('' I th C2(ont i'riamti I Lt ,,tn-I) ispensoa ry I I licial s A ppro1 ''l'ir ('wn Irt'ISe-Culstm Maktes t C 2 th injLaaw in t his Gase', '1Te teslittron in the ntatter' of lieek roge'(s titik ani its conitts, wh ibi torities, is quilite vohnntiinouts aitt in teiresting soI fart ia it hat' appe~ared. IlThe alilitdavits wvere takert by .1Lud1ge C. I'. 'ITtownsend, th le 'eaittantt attorntey genterlai, and were' 5I;!rnel itt his itrer (came0 tf LWbecontete of the titutk i that, pllle ini thre tdiiptn,ar ot L be ackiiovledges tatking some (If the tV gars and pehes, butt , iends. ttrat, he. htad no idea of dojnig atnt jg wtrlntr, as i hadbeena cutom or 1be liialI to approprltliate such~l t.hinigs to thir ownel ise Clvtr Sitcehe had ti btetn conntreeted with t.he dlhisensary. Biutt the evidlette tart lbest, sPeak I for i t--eIf, and thte pub lie ttay formit otitwnt concl u~ions. NI '. Sitlh \'. .Serugtgj!, chief ceier; of the d ipensar:., atItter bin g sworrn,.,ut: T hat tot to- he I otf htis re2ol Iettiont til i. IG. W. Gai l rtthl hi therel lil s a.Ilt trk in '- I)ontabantd oom1 he wait not tink thel trunk eoitld tbe used Its theI lo1 Ck wt- ibrilo o ad theret wats ino key~ to the( truntk thau t: kntew of, NIir. -.e Ni*. I I Iu . D . co lI pt, e w :tto it n N:I h id ho did not. know what prien to nInlen on the trunk and het. would live to obtain the price of trunks from 01110 m detalt. il Columbia, before aI prico could bie fixed. AIr. Garris still insisted upon al agrieellent as to price so that lie could paY for it. I)ponenut, 'eplied thait heI had no intelligeit idea. of the worth of thet. trunik, and hadt no tine then to ascert ain Uthe woiLth of tle trunk, is the Hoarkd v: as at thiat el'omient in sessvsion aId h had Li to. , ht back to the Ileet! ing to littend to) bllsines . that he ohli M\ r. Gariris that Ie wiould senud him the hlill for the tiriunk its soon as the price was Ii xedl or lthat he could pay for it on It is niext visit, to Colunia. Ile replied : "I will call in the next ti 1ine I come to Co hnhilta and pa' for it ," that ie report, qd the stle of tilie trunik to the Statt Bioarl of (Coltro!. That tle dity iipon1 w hieh Con itissioleir Glaiston. Air. Gart ris an1d de-ponlent, went, to the coltro hand room to detliver the trunk was the ist ,ime hlie had any knowledge of tle contiLnti of the trunk to tle best of his reco(-let.ion : ht o thing t is posi live ahout--that, op to tlhiat tim Ile IIad nieve tanl( lIty 1,13 I prt, ofr tihe COitOts Of 0L. trunk. aid it that, time atii lie aiw inl thie trunk were a few pa.t.illy liiled bo"xe. of eigars and t wo or Lihri'ee cis of peiches, but scattered oi Wite Iloor were'O six Mr (light, eipty eigitr boxe, it on ltlUt day In the Iresencet of Gaston and Garris the depoelt, took at h1:nd(1fitl Of these cigar's. Garris took a hin il fl and (aston took a iuaidfitl a1,nd hid jok inuiy twitted Ju dge Gastoni with the reimrk that, Ie coubl now accoutlit fo' the eigars whitielt le ((;tStol) tnld IIarory hadl been sinloking folr sevor'a week: hat, igals wh ichi deponient, t. k he carriied into the State Hord 'O 111 unad gaC Nil'. Willian1IS aid Ir. IMuthit, -OmeW of theml ami tOl tl,hem h1., i l goit'len li heI out Of ti i co ftuI' ha nd roton and) Woul h ot, thbema somne Ill we, which ho initenldeu to do befmo the adjournmlllent of thev Hi-111d m w b fre they left the city, hilt in the m1uli t,. il ici ty of h is d uties it, escaped b is at t ;itioll. Tlat. a few dtys after this lie went, ilito the hordl rooin itid gIot the key of thecontrahnittd room whicht be.longed to thu SW,ae board Of control, and Which was il Lhe custody of deponilt, ais Clrk of the oard', and with Charles lynch, a Clerk inl his ollice, and got four boxes of cigari's part'tially lilled, as lie reinembers, and flr cans If peILces, and ini'iteld lynch to tatke tbeln it to the ollii.e, and1 the Illboys in the oillie CohlltI eaLL the iiahs, and lie Would di ividie the eigars with ,bei; Mhat thiese fou' boxe, of cigars iaLlid ans of peacles wet'e lit'rly viailuetess to the State, as tit eigrsi. weCe vet'y Ctcheap eigar3's, anld lie does not beli eve they could htave been disposeu of for aly conAiertation; that deponent abo discovcerd sever'al botle s Of doti tmecstie wine th e day lie took 1#ynch inl for eigar's aund peatuheks :iand hiunioously remarked: "We wil gt tha~t wineC, too, before- some1 01ne takes it-," biu t a a ilatte' Of fact, d id not, itan to take it at the tilie of miak ilg the rtuark, aS it wIs not i'o-V iae,11U1 and lie did mit take the iw liin andt( Ctl il issione. GasLton Lold hi he haI titkeni chiarge of the wine; thiat, le Se ldomt enterid the Coeintraid rooil antd never nli poin urIgent businless. Ai C):otl]eI ,1lnesl and the Attorniey Gna]PLI'S OllieuC Will hart tile 01ut,, Uhere wais Ia grelit deal of triuble With Con trabaid seizures inade by .te col s t~ ables, as miany Lthrea tening lettir wer .e ree ivel from pairities t 111 lh(UorS shippekd t,) HIPwm filr per-SOnal uie; ,, i iColOhel Giastont did not attc ni to Lht se Inatter.i a, promnptly at- Chatir linan .lne:, thought het Should anld Col. -lone-S told himn he and~ deponeunt would itav ti take this Ilatter inl han, aUti with tite A tLti'ney G;aeealI, wouIbl i:vi. tL ilok afr the return of contrahtid Il it'ors, aind Ile oly occasions on wleh i e !iIt, into til t Co luit.'i d tas bo) k; 1 ,iiit 1O sU V al' ' i i nIs, ith i W Lthe conisi'nt, iof Chairmani~t Jonelis, hei 313r eba-cd demlliijiihnIS of ciorn wh'liiskey~ wivieibui ha i been seizedl andi forfeiteti to tuhe St~ t:e,1an pa id imeifot' at tlibe 'atte wi'as frulil $1.10 Li)$1..t~ I er'gal lon; tbat, furthier Lduan inei n stated, hie has liver t'akeni a single; 1 atielIe fr'om theii .bontrabandtlit ro'in : Lbt ill takitng Liiese ~lIour bxi's oif cig ars a11133 en is if pI;elies lie wais ll n!y tfoliwintg iout, aL cuistom wii t(bii h 'c ieen inea~ 3vo5uevcr sinc te hish cha oftn diven Inaihon such o art.'ie ii inels andt 1 whris ve beent iit plahed in t; idy oftl the coriiL~nmitOsinet andhe hanii'1 ftwo gieimi~r some oasud -ret1ielut and' al' giens t~m tolt oteri -ind' Lii sh~owi I hty eponent diti not flip pos hen e i a oinmttn an~ ''acti whoi'lb souh. i utk hili'abtnlie kiins, hl oe ofk ine verys uligarst'v iii an ftold iy wher he hadllit riotten' tem;l Ipbai h idt ay to I ~aky ~c keiisa nouin all (lia hio .: beao lake iv' as h isilir mLrtia If it'h iiict;,,iand this wase thei i'uisonii he ub~t e- i olrehes: thal eol hadit. nI' bjio srI, J. Blakediiy knoing~~ik he toak th ig aruis nd pahis i'tioithey a-rk in u hi olline ovIidd friend.ly andl leiatt it. centucin p n whatt1ls he lid was -pjltit iv,rIi i's t when~d1 )11 it .ii "I. .\ lio n sc mi si ne l in I|ltGi .\Ir. LIks - chll e' cked~l itn. l o ta hand and he as' wettll asleponentl~I', In div r uca i t t has ben tin: e Iiienti I ii II itt . S 'i'' i t tu-. .' dailli g ivtatilien in i tO; sItidgnoil th( in.th nuetd ' of ;ir Scruggd Lltkno ATTEI "Too Good - .' I 1 '11 IS. W e propos (oras oonthere-after as giveto the successful cm at'e iving live thousand tie! Iu'e all giveni out WO Will gi greatest nnuin her of tickets, traid t tth 1 amou1nt of on d are ent it Ied t~l) a ticket,. It I its the celiapsLt. IJ.(Jderhuy an~dunrsl Our Drt y Goost and Notions I V isit us and get Our pricut true. Youts to sa New York I l'::tsy, S. G., Marchl 1, IS97. he had tbem lback there." Ser.gg said he hid anil ,aid : "Come back witl me mid I will show them to yo." Stulg"ItS nid I wCInt Ott, of the ollice to the conimtrahanil 'lld rom doo', and he took a key oit of his puCket and stoop ed down to ulocliek the door, and while littaing th key into the door he turniled ti) mue and said : " )n't, tell Itlybody I have got tis key." Ih then iun loecked thb door and we went, it; Seruggs wail kid over' tO siOIle eniLyty ia bxeCs seattL'eed abOut the rom. I;icked tbem up and thirew them downIi and said : I wiiI be d --d if le lias nOt sinIoked the last, Ine." I was ielar the dom. and a.ked himu if he hand not, told m that they were in a trunk, and Ie said " 's." I then riaid : "'There is the trunk unet,-r the ale.'" lie theln weit, to the truilk, liftedl the litd auid litved as'ide smine. winel. and pulil 41ut1 threet boxes vontainlingk cigars aml handedui themi to deoet ie thekrl 1'eac'h.-i onl top (f pigenil holes ove the trunk ant touik dtiwn anotlier ll) containing eigars and -said : " Here i imne I lind up1i heru when I was her Lhis mo1riling,"' aid handed themiii t deponllienlt and -aid : " Take I ihe boxe LO tie olie." Deomelt tleI askI hilin " Ilow abOut, thet, peacheI(S ? " II reliedj , "c( Thty are not here inl tl trutnk." DI)enen thenl plOinlttd to calns of peacihcis on the dezki ani1d said "I'here they arl', OVer there." SeI'ugg t.hen went ove. and got the-i'm and gavi theii t) him and said : " GO on to ti aliCe with the tLinogs," bI agai saI Wait mail i see if there is any One in tihe hall."H leIC d the dm-(10 and looked, and sald: There is no oiu thier en ahad." Deponent, thei wenlt to the te-phon1e rOom, and a.s he started iln the idliecl Scruggs said : '' lt Hile Sw if tilec is aiy olne in Lliere." Ile said : "G) alhead ; there is it) Onet it till Olelie : take them in aid hide LthIn." Srug gs the n stautled bhek Out lif the do ori ahd as Ie wi: leaving, deponentt, ra 1n1.i. NIlkb1ey, rellmrked, "Alinld. I did nOt, Ltake hs thilugs." l)Iumient thnll pule thinil On hiIs dcsk and Seruggs vamilei haek il thl 11lliCi and sai .id i. " li I, hi I til)oe things beforei' NI r. IZnkeley clini: and11 put, thibum ini at box at his fe< I SHeirll eanie over and said : "ivt AliSe 1)ne of the hioxeCS (minii g l.\Ji A'lalely ). D)eponent,. reachled downi and agot, 0ne oft the boxes and dlepoinent, handeil~d him11 over1 and b~e took iL andi put, it, ill t11be dlraw'ier of his desk, lie LIhen OI w t, intl L he ne 013xt, r'ooml and1 depnuent, openedl~i one3 of the eanis of eheul~ s and1( called11 him an iid as~kedh himi lie dlid not heiev:.'e hie d id j ust, t,bien, as heC waIs goin g u1p strelt,. I) -lyienit, NIlr. Charles, andl Mr . Niobley ate tile peaes. Dhpuinent Lten opieed . secondll enni ai toolk it inito the next r111)3n whle lIr. Scmruiggs wavis, and, noing a pae lticuiCitter', LIII k one oft Lthe lieaiches o ut, lon it nd11 ihanidedl it, LI) Mr. Nerulggs, LIeIlig himii to try it. 111e Ite t~htul ndieploinn, handl~edI1 bimi anoitheri, baicik into th llic and1C iti lr\II. Su'ggs I y anid (harles the penil ILiar l manner ini whicl h li. .'eruggs b~ruishIedl asidhe peai'1Ce. I1)epionent Lhiben went '.,o NIr. NIobley and saiilI : V "Give m eak lih r'epliled, ' Yes ; I do.' Depl~onent tlibin said :' Therei'i h, going Lo b hl-I thin.'' Mr. loliy thien sid :" It thait iS tbe case, I don~i't, wantL Lto have them bac1k to) deponentili, and~ I took the boIx andii lockedl it, up with Lthe oither t'..o I had. Deuponenit toiik the twoi reminingii Canls lit peacthls andi hidl them ini thu llliCe!, ias Nir. Seruiggs hal I wantV1 some1 oft Ltheml." '.'heCse two cansI lit phes~lll are now'' ini the ollice. A three h..x's itt Cigar~s andit iariedi themii therie noIw. Sieeral Limlies he1 Ihadi tew diays aft'r tii Seruiggs wain tl he lillieC and11 said :' " Aloe, give me1 a1 ligari."' .SIr. Nlohly r'eplied, ' I haven't any, SirI."' lie Ileft the olliice w ithouil Isay in li oreti. 'The nelx t (lay iSerutgg came to l leo et nd sa ei C.hrley wh tr are alhoil tgard ?" Done re I a. "i A I o si'-"I *ji er'age11 nt, Iifthe ha 13ifll'han Ga'on ith h:- ta--nthoekiga.h Dia' poune STION. I'o Be True." on the first day of September, th< tickets are taken up) to atomr a $75.00 SUIVRY. We kets struck oif and w hen they o to 1 he ctistomer holding the the Surry. lvery time you ollar in any department, you h1all be our aim to sell as cheap ali be our Motto, especially in .)epartmlenat. , and know that what we say Is le you money, acket Store. CL'D -& NAlLY, IPops. the trunk, he remar-ked : I'll have this wino before I get through," and ho aft.rwarls mado a similar remarI abou t the w ine in the ollico. Doponont fur-thler says Mlr. Seruggs asked him a daly or two ago if ho knew anything abiou t. the shoes, or had Gaston said ant.llhing to hilm about them. Deponent further says that ho 4inittoed toi, tatto above that the same d y3' the cigars and Ieauhes werO catrreled into the ollico Mr. Mobley asked the deponent where eh got the tlh ings. Deponent replied : " In the cutmtraband roolm." Lie then asked him how he got them, as he thought, .Judge Castonl was in chargo of the !14)M. I)eponent replied that Air. Seruggs hIaid a hoeus pocu1s key. De 1oeInt furthber I tltes thiat on the saim1e day the igurs and peaches were taken Out. (f tile cot111rLIaI r0111 ho wOnt down .) the Commissioner's otfice and Nr. Iln1eley tsked him if hie know antything about, the miissinug cigars from th1 onltraitand rool. )eptonent rplied: "' Yes; that is What I 111aV come14 1mvi to sel youi about," and then went oi and t h1)ld him al about the uigars antd leabes that, at the next ieeting of the board htle reported to Mr. Wil Inunis an14d Mr. I)outhit, what 110 has sid above ias to the ,ak inhg of cigars ind J itl'I s fromu 1011[.raabnlld room and has also sinc1e that timo reported it to the (GOvernor. A Wlii No T)s ON" ia Ita( II agIs, Gatherinigs f1r4onl Om Exnllitlgem Oil Varvioust Topiep. -lai ie's ice cirop is worth $1,000,000. -Germ11anty hats :8-1 felmale black sI I tlhs. -N evadit produtOcs Illore gold than silver. ---r ;k-l-ma I) g hts Ital f the wOild's breweries. --The prvailence of corobr-o-spinal Imleningities inl lston, Ntla ., is ap lp (441 teing ano epideli c. A I tooik fordtl, Ill., man has Ie ft $ 100 ) 4)110 fori Will iaiin's Collego and $1 00, (100 for 1,b1C lamp jtonl, \'irgin ia, inslti tte. - In som1e palrts of Tulare(N CII conty, Cal)., thiis sealson's sheep shearing has been giveil entirely13 to thbe Ind tans and Chin~ese. -O ver (l(0,000l head of catttle crossed the .line from Nlex ico into Aiz'ona with in two datys recently. One man paid( $5,000( duties. -ThJ.le ( 4',ar of ltissiia has Issued an or'deri that all cr'iininals sent to Siberia shlt) b) conveyed by railway instead oIf havin lg t41o martrch there. -The'14 Nlow ing up oIf anf old stump1 ne'ar \Vest Chester, P a., revealed a deposit oIf silIverPware, sutpposed to ho the proceds of a robbery. -A bill h as passodI both housos of AromI~a exempiting from taxation for .I (iteen years al) r ailIroads which shall 001n iienuo operations within six --'Thle ltuitable A id Uinion, a frater nial bene4licUill concern o'I(f WVootern P enn syl vait Ia, has bee poutJl ,1)4 ito te hands (of it recei1ver. It atllects overl 30,000 ) ol iev holde) rs in Ohiiio, Il'en nsyl1vanla and New YorkI. -Throug1 lIhut Germ'iany andiI ol0 land whlieever girls can h)o employed to) ad vaniitage they are taken in pre fIrenc tlo youn4)1 g 1110n. At Mutnich)1 the clerks and14 book keepers in the banks are nearly a)ll young and1 pretty girils. \ rubber111 comipany with) a capital of $: 100.000)1, has pu rchased a ru bber farm o 10i sq tiare IIles in MIexico, luponi whIichr read~y for tappin)ig are 350, (JII0 tre es, wvhoso ju415ics mkoi, it is said, a itub1 sti tiut or rubberil))C little in ferior' to) l'oro, which the compan.y proposes) to gather iand )pepare On scientillo inlc1) i'es, estimatinig the gr'oss re venue4. for 180i7 att about $500,000. - Colonel Ti llan, of Courtney, Ga. reorits hIs ostriches in line condition, It) IS thior'oughily convi nced nlOW that 11h0 co~nd itions in lt'lorida are favorablo for successful breeding and4. raising of the b~rds. Ilo has alreadly sold many feathers and pl umos, bringing hand some returns. I tecently ho nogotiated with 0one of the many succossful vego table growers for1 thle dolivor'y of a cargo lof cabbllagos at Courtney to be used( as oIst,-ich fo1od1. --1 ice a45it. Johannelilsbuirg, South A fr'i, : l'ottle.,. ii1)1 per iushel ; Ilotur, 575. ll sacrks of !H poundlts ; boof, 25 > o..t--I' p' 11und( ;t clbages, 25 cents 1 rIts, 2 cenIts Ine :tl t ugar, 8 cen1ts per SI 50 cents a por-*'d :1 hIC kens, 75 cents I con11ts p1)or poud ; kerosene, 1)0 Cents a fgallon ; ham, 35 cents per pound.