Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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LARRY ?ANTT SPRINGS A SENSATION. ALLING KD OROOKI3DNES8 AT in 10 STATE DI.Sl'NNSAKY. A Letter Without Signature Which Was Privately Circulated?Gautt Acknowledge* Ho Wrote It und Threatens to Expo o Corruption Clerk Scruggs TrMls XV by lie Wanted tho Matter Kept Quiot. The Columbia Register contained a few days ago tho following letter, which purported to havo beon written v^to Clark HoweII, of tho Atlanta Con \atitution, aud has been exhibited for fbo past month in u private way ammg olllcials in Columbia, with tho uiHlorntunding that it was written by tho od^pr of the Piedmont Headlight. The story was told that tho letter had beon brought to Columbia by Mr. Biekart, of Atlauta, whose name is mentioned in It, and who belongs to a liquor firm iu that city. Mr. liowell is said to have transferred it to Bick art, and ho used it to promote his busi ness before the State hoard of coutrol in tho sulo of liquor. Gantt was working in tho Interests of Seth VV. Scruggs, tho clerk of the board, who was a can didate for ro-olection, and his princi pal opponent was U. A. G. Ouzta, tho shipping clerk, who is charged in tho lotler w th accoptiug a bribo from Biekart. With this explanation tho reader will be able to understand the correspondence which follows: SPARTANBURQ, S. C, Fob. 14, 1807. Dear Cla-k?Thit; will be handed you by my friend, Mr. [. O. J. Wood, and who will explain to you just what 1 want. I am anxious to control the State Board of Dispensary Commis sioners, so that I can help out my friends, and also your friends, Biurnon thal and Biekart, of Atlauta, Ga. Now, Clark, to be plain with you, In order to accomplish this wo must down a man name Uuzts, and keep our mu tual friend, Seth Scruggs, in control. Wo can down Ouzts If 1 can get Mr. Biekart to give me a statoment of tho transactions between himself and Ouzts, and can show, as 1 bolievo Is tho case, that Ouzts agreed to push his liquors if he (Biekart) would pay him 2;"> cents per caso. I want you to see Mr. Biekart and got a statement from him of his propo sition to Ouzts, aud how it was first re ceived, f do not widh It for publica tion, but simply to bulldoze him out of the race against Scruggs. lion. D. M. Miles, elected member of board for five years, is my personal friond and from Spartanburg County. Col. Willo Jones, chairman of the board, is one of my warmest friends, and will visit him next Friday and talk over mattord. I want to get Ou/.ts' condemnation by that time. Jones iu a strong Scruggs man. I want you to say to Biekart to om body in his statement that after hib first conference with the board he tried to get a second audience, ho as to toll the whole truth, but was gagged and not allowed to do so, at the instigation of Ouzts. If I can keep Scruggs in, it means that our fi'iunds will be taken care of, but if Ouzts succeeds ho will not order a pint from B & B., and he is opposed to Mr. Biekart, because of that inter view with the board. I also want you and your father, if Mr. B. gives this statement, to certify to his high character. I have other tilings bohind, but want this certificate as an opening Bhot. As stated, it is not for publication, but simply to use to kill any support that Ouzts might get. Mr. Wood will give you tho full story of that matter. Truiy your friend, P.S.?Why have you cut mo otT from your exchange list ? I havo not seen a copy of the Constitution since Cnrist mas. Also send mo a sample copy of your evening daily. Of course this let tor is strictly confidential. The publication of the foregoing let ter had thcclTejtof bringing out other correfpondenco on this subject, which roveals tho fact that tho "Dear Clark" letter was written by T. Larry Gantt, editor of tho Piedmont lloadlight. Tho rumors to which allusion was made had been the subject of a brief note a few days beforo to Mr. Seth W. Scruggs, an intimate, friend of Gautt's, and which is as follows: Spartanuuuci, S. C. Fob. 10, 181)7. Dear Scruggs?I hear that an Atlan ta liquor man has offered a bribe to a certain dispensary otlicial, and to pay him 2? cents on each box of this man's liquor that said official shipped out. But afterwards tho liquor man stated that ho had made a mistako and could only givo him 10 cents, and be causo he foil in his prico this ollleial then btated that the linn had tried to bribo him. It has, also, como to my ears that a >:ortain liquor man had a member of tho board as his guest at tho hotel; that thev slept togcthor in tho same room, and that this liquor man always got tho bost of tho orders from tho board. Thoro are other rumors of a serious nature I toll you, Scruggs, as your truo friend, that this condition of affairs will disrupt the Reform movomont. Tho people aro already recess and suspicious, and, groaning as they aro, under Increased taxation, they aro prepared to bollovo any scandal thoy may hoar. I am making further investigations into these rumors and shall e:.poso the whole matter. Truly, your friend, T. L. Gantt. Mr. Scruggs heard of the lottor to Clark Uoweil being circulated in Co lumbia privately, and belioving that bis name was con .ectcd with tho al leged crookedness, ho wroto and askod Mr. Gantt about It, rocolving tbo fol lowing renly: Spartanburg, s. c, April i?, 1897. Dear Scruggs?Your lottor of tho 7th In which you slate that you hour that there is a letter in circulation in Co lumbia, purporting to have beon writ ton by myBolf, and in which your name is connected, etc., has boon recolvcd. You ask mo to let you know tho sub stance of this letter. You romembor that some time in February I wroto you that I had heard a report In circu lation that a cortaln ollleial in tho Stato dispensary bad boou offored a bribe of 25 cents a box for ovory box' of a cortaln brand of whiskoy he shipped out; that this bribo had beon offered by at Atlanta firm, but after wards that the firm stated to said of ficial that they could only pi. / 10 cents a box, and after ho fell In price then tho ollleial reported tho repre sentative of this firm aro trying to bribe bim. I ? 1 o statod in Bald letter other re ports connected with the dlsponsary management and tho purohase of liquors that smacked strongly of cor ruption. 1 stated to you that I in tended to publish these reports, that tho people, might know them and de mand an Investigation of the wholo busloes?. A few days after the receipt of this letter you came to Spartanburg and aeked me to suppross tho publica tion. You know at tbo time that I warned \ou against the suppression of anything crooked In the dispensary that came to your know lodge, und told you that you could not afford to cover j up the rottenness of anyone connectod with the dispensary because of your friendship for him. You replied that I you did not wish to hide any corrup I tlon, and tho official In question you ! believed to bo your enemy and was j working in conjunction with others to I secure your defeat. stated to you ; that I heard tho representative of this I firm would tell much moro, but that ho j was coerced or bulldozed, and was uLo I afraid of publicity, fearing that it [ might destroy his chances for futuro business with tho dispensary. I told you further that I was not satisfied, and that 1 boliovod If thoy wore as sured that by tolling tho truth and all thoy know would not Injure their pros pects for business, that thoy would make a full statement of all tho facts. With this view I wrote a private lot tor to my frlond. Hon. Clark Howell, editor of tho Atlanta Constitution (not tho liquor tlrm), an assuring letter, which was personal and privato, and soaled up. Tnis letter was written to Mr. Howell, who was a friend to said Arm, with the hope of stiffening tho backbouoof this liquor man, and thoro by securing all tho facts. 1 den't re uiembor what I did writo, but I can tell you that I am a frco and indepen dent American oit'aen, and can stand by anvthlng that I do or say. 1 wear uo man's collar and my hands are not soil with any corruption, and what 1 wrote was with a view to discovering corruption that I might exposo it through tho Head light, and not to wink at rascality. The mistake I made was in not publishing at the time the rumors 1 heard, but you know your personal appeal to me not to do so ia what deterred me. If necessary I will call on you to publish tho letter I wrote to you some time In February. But to show you that I was not bush whacking any man, upon learning that the Atlanta firm stated that the offer they made said official had boon re jected, I camo to Columbia, saw tho accused party and stated to him the report 1 had heard, told him just what I had done, and that he Boomed exon erated. Tho llowell letter I sont by Mr. I. O. J. Wood, but that gentleman, instead of delivering it as addressed, turned the lottor over to said liquor firm, when one of its members broke the seal and read tho contents. Ho stated to Mr. Wood that it was not necessary to de liver tho lottor, as be could give him no information about tho reported cor ruption. Mr. Wood left the lottor in tho hands of said tirm. How it came to bo turned over to parties in Colum bia I do not know. If you will see that letter you will find that I was Blmply working to un earth reported corruption in tho dls sary management and to ausist Mr. Wood in Bocuring a position. I am not mixed up in any robato or other busi ness connectod with tho dispensary, for my hnnd? are clean and I defy any uno to provo otherwise. I remember in that letter tolling Mr. llowell that Col. Wilie Jonos and Hon. ?. M. Miles wero personal friends and would stand by mo. My reason for writing this was that I intendtd that Mr. Howell could use It to get tho de sired information from that Atlanta liquor house, for could I convince them that their business would not suffer by tolling all thoy know they would more likely give tbo dosirod information. I also told two members of the State board tho report that had reached my ears. Come up Saturday and boo mo. Truly, your friend, T. L. Gantt. a STATEMENT PROM S0RUGG8. Mr. Scruggs acknowledges that ha did go to boo Mr. Gantt and pleadod with him not to publish tho reports ho had heard about Shipping Clerk Ouzts, for tho board had investigated thorn and had exonerated Mr. Ouzts. Mr. Scruggs said he did this because tho dispensary had already just passed through one period of great travail (tho rebate scandal)and ho didn't want it to have to pass through another. Hoaaid he 6imply wanted to keep down troublo, for tho board had alr>ady set tled tho matter and tho dispensary could not stand these constant scandals in tho newspapers, oven though they wore proven to be without foundation. He said ho didn't want to hide corrup tion, but simply urged Gantt not to stir up this thing in tho interest of poace. THE SHIPPING CLERK. Shipping Clerk Ouzts waa askod whet ho had to say concerning the charges made in the "Dear Clerk" letter. Ho I reforred tho roportor to tho board of control for furtbur in ormatlon. It was learned that Mr. Ouzts roported the occurrence to tho board and that both he and Mr. Bickart, of Atlanta, made statements. The board exoner ated Mr. Ouzta, for they afterwards re-elected him. Mr. Gantt sooms, too, to havo como to tho conclusion that nothing waa wrong hore, as ho states in his lottor, aftor having mado an in vestigation. It seems to bo admitted that a proposition van mad*, also the shipping clerk would havo no occasion to mako a report to the board. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOAKl>. Col. Wilie Jones, in speaking of tho lotter, said ho could not help what Mr. Gantt might write?he could do as he pleased about that, but that ho had never spokon to him (Jones) about Blumonthal it Bickart or any other whiskey firm. Tha only man who had ever talked to him on that lino was Mr. Bickart himself. Ab far as Mr. Scruggs Is concerned, Colone? Jonos said ho voted for him and supported him because ho was the most compe tent man for the placo he knew of. Last year there was a business of over $1,000,000, and In all that only a slight mistake of 50 cents had been discov ered in Mr. Scruggs' books. Tho stub was all right, but In transcribing it to tbo books the error occurred, lie said that he know of no man who could take tho books of ao vast a business and keep them as correctly and plainly as they aro now. Because of his ability to conduct tho buslnoBB Colonol Jones say i bo "sticks" to him and he cannot help what some peoplo may think about It. WOOD MAKES A STATEMENT. Mr. I. O. J. Wood, who was the boarer of tho "Dear Clark" lotter to Atlanta, baa mado the following state ment : On the Sunday before I wont to At lanta, S. W. Scruggs and T Larry Gantt drove up In front of Trlmmler's bookstore In Spartanburg and asked for me. I went out and went up at tholr Invitation to the Piedmont Head light office, and while In tho office thoy wroto two letters, one addressed to Clark Howell, Atlanta, which they gave to roe sealed. I did not known what woro tho contents. Oao other lotter written with ponoll by Scruggs, whioh was copied by Gantt on tho type writer. I don't know who this one was addressed to. They know I was going to Atlanta on tha following Tuesday. I had also in my possession an envel ope which wan written on the back with pencil by S. W. Sorugga, certain questions for mo to auk Blumenthal Jt Bickart, of Atlanta. They doslred Blumonthal & B'okart to acknowledge ' that Ouzts had made a proposition to them to tho effect that ho would ship out their liquors provided that they, : Hluuicnthal & Blekart, would pay him so much per oaBO. Mr. Blekart said j that "I am too hone?t a man to do I such a thing, and 1 can't do It. Mr. Ouzts never made me any suck a prop ? - h inn. [ arn the man who made tho proposition." I am in no way responsible for the "Dear Clark" confidential letter reach ing South Carolina, nor for It being In tho hands of the prea*. I make this statement in justice to Mr. Ou/.ts sine* 1 have boon used In an attempt to Injure him. I. O. J. Wood. lakry (jantt WROTK it. The publication of tho unsigned let ter brought forth very promptly tho follow lug communication to Tho Reg ister, in which Mr. Gantt makes a full statemout of his couno^tion with tho matter: SPARTANBURO, S. C, May 4. Editor Begietor . In your Charleston correspondence of to-day you publish a lottor that I wrote to Hon. Clark How ell, tho editor of tho Atlanta Constitu tion. After tbo labt meeting of tho Stato Beard I heard that this letter was made public. A friond in Colum bia having notified me of the fact, and asking its content", and to whien I re plied by giving tho substance of the lettt-.r. f also saw a reference to the sumo In a daily paper, and wroto at onoo to tho Columbia corr?Hpoodont to call on tho gentlemun in Columbia, to whom I had written, and got my reply for publication. If that par ty ever re ceived my letter ho did not respond. My lottor was certainly mailed and stamped. Now, in rogard to the Howell lottor : I penned overy word of it, and have nothing to retract or apologise for. It was my lutontion, so soon as the Board had hold Its present mooting, to try and got a copy and have it published. 11. formation has reached my ears that Mr. Biokart, of tho liquor house of Blumenthal J? Bickart, Atlanta, had been blacklisted by the Stato Board of Control for offering Shipping Clerk Outzs 26 conts per case for sending out his goods in preforence to tho liquors sold by other firms, and which had been ordered by tho County Dispensers; that Mr. Outzs had tirst consented to this proposition, but afterwards Bick art camo to him and stated that ho could only pay but 10 cents por case, as ho found the profits tot) close. It was then that Mr. OutZS went to Mr. L. J. Williams and complained that Bickart was trying to bribo him. Mr. Bickart was summoned before the Board and stated that ho had made tho proposi tion to pay Outzs. Whereupon his lirm was blacklisted. My informant then went on to say that Mr. Bickart, after ho found out that his houso oould not soli tho State any more goods, stated that he wanted to supplemout his lirst testimony, and insinuated that OutZS consented to rocolvo the bribo of 25 cents, but had only "blowed on him" when ho reduced tho proposition to 10 cents. Mr. Bickart came to appear beforo tho Board, but one of tho members (a friend to Mr. Outzs) objected to his be ing heard. Now tho inference drawn was that had not Mr. Outzs lirat consented to take tbo 25 cents por cuho, why did Mr. Bickart oomo a second time to make a lower offer ? As per haps every County Dispenser in tho State will testify, It Is, or has been, tbo hardest work to got their or ders for whiskey filled, as sont in, for other brands are shipped in place of thoso wanted. 1 believe that perhaps this Bickart matter would unravel tbo mystery, and so doterinined to try and uncover it. Just at that time I was trying to get Mr I.O. J. Wood, of this city, and who had always been one of my warmest friends, a position. He had lost his placo in tho Dispensary in Spartan burg, and I know he neoded work and had a family to suppoit. It occurred to me that 1 could secure Mr. Wood a position with Blumenthal <fc Bickart, and, also, unravel that report about the Outzs matter. Mi. Wood had written to Blumenthal <k Bickart and they hud promised him a place, I thought, if they could get re instated with tho Board. I knew that Hon. Clark Howell was an Intimate friwnd of Mr. Bickart, and could not only holp out Mr. Wood, but might also get that evidenco about Mr. Outz*. and which had been suppressed. So I wroto tho Howell letter. I knew that in or der to get Mr. Bickart to tell all that he know It would be necessary to show him that ho ran no risk in having his businoss hurt by lotting facts be known. My reference to Messrs. Jonoa and Mllos was simply tho truth. They wore my friends ; 1 had worked for tho po litical success of both gentlemen, and I believed that thoy would holp ray friends whenever they oould do so hon orably and without prejudice to tho Suite's intoroBt. I would not ask them to do otherwise and thoy would nut woro I to so request. In writing to Mr. Howell I had noth ing to gain personally, and no axe to grind save to help my friends, and, ad I so stated 'thoroi^, I have novor made any secret of standing by and working for my friends and lighting my ene mies. I have never received, aud nev er tried to get, and neither would I rocolvo. undor any circumstances, ono cent's robato. But I brought the Dis pensary lav to this Stato, and deter mined to weed out rascality if discov ered, and it was In my newer to do so. My roforonce to tho explanation to bo . mado by Mr Wood In tho letter was | that ho might explain to Mr. Howell the position hn wantod was as agont in 1 our State for Blumonthul & Bickart. Mr. Wood wont to Atlanta and re turned to Bpartanburg In a day or so. Ho camo into my ofllco and in reply to an inquiry stated that he did not sco M r. Howoll, but had left the letter with Mr. Bickart, and who said that there was no necessity for delivering it, as ho had nothing to say in the Onus mat ter, and that gentlomon had refused his offer to rocolvo pay for shipping out his liquors find.. I thought no more of tho letter, as thero was nothing in it that I cared for tho public to see. Hut during the last meeting of tho State Board a friend from Columbia wrote ?oo that a certain lettor, purporting to have been written by myself to Mr. Clark Howoll, was being prlvatoly clroulated and shown around, and asking mo what woro its contents. 1 replied as stated above. I then wroto to Hon. Clark Howoll, stat ing the clicumstancos, and in roply re ceived a letter from Mr. Blokart. say ing that Mr. Wood had nevor shown him tho Howell letter, rind he would not havo been guilty of such an outrage as to break the seal of a nrlvato letter dirooted to other than himself. Mr. Wood afterwards said that he might havo been mistaken about giving tho lottor to Mr. Blokart, that he could not remomber just what he did with it, but that ho had never turned itovcr to any ono in Columbia. A few dsys after Mr. Wood's roturn from Atlanta I was In Columbia, and went into Mr. Outzs* office and told him just what I had hoard and what I had done toward investigation, and tbo re port was found to be unfounded. I j/j. / told him that i was hands rio#, and was hands off Ing to conceal about that lotter, and what I did I did openly and not through any bushwhacking methods. 1 have always helped my friends, and intend to continue to do until they prove troaeherous and unworthy of trust. No one has ovor aeeused mo, or will evor accuso me of handling a dirty shilliug, for my hands aro clean. If it bo a erimo to use ovory honorable end to ferret out roported public vonallty, and to work for your friends, then 1 am guilty, and wdl remain guilty. But, Mr. Editor, let mo ask you, as llkewlso every honest and honorablo man, what do you think of any man, or Bet of men who would thus seeuro pos session of a private lottor written to a strangor whom thoy did not know and marked "personal," and then deliber ately break tho seal and uso tho con tents? Why, I wouldn't trust thorn with either public or prlvato money as far as I could throw a locomotive by tho eow-catohor. They will boar watching, and close watching too. Wer?. I eo inclined, I could havo do ulod tbo authorship of that lottor, for my name was not signed to it with pen and ink, but printed with a typewriter. Hut 1 wroto ovory word therein, am not ashamed to own it, aud if occasion ever arises wV[ dn ?^>o -nothing over Rgaln, itwopuutiutly, T. L. Gantt. P. S.?I do notbcllovo that Mr.Wood betrayed my confidence and gave away tho letter, but that It was lost by him or stolen by those who aro using it. I am alpo convinced that neither did Mr. llowell or Mr. Biekart over Bee that letter. Any ono who has a lottor from me is at liberty to publish tbo Bumo to tho world, as I have nothing to cov er up or concoal. As before stated, I always work for and (stand by my friends. THE BECKROGE TRUNK AND IIS CONTENTS FREE MOjUOIt, C IG AUS AND PEACHES. A Duplicate Key to the Contraband Itoom?Dispensary Olllcials Appro priate Uo?(1n Under Seizure to Their Own Use?Custom Makcu the Uaw In this Case, The- testimony in the matter of Bock rogo's trunk and its contents, which had been Hoized by the dispensary au thorities, is quite voluminous and In teresting so far &i it has appeared. The affidavith woro taken by Judge C. P. Towneeud, the assistant attorney genoral, and woro signod in his pres ence The ovidenco to show what bo camo of the contents of the trunk is somewhat conflicting, but it Is evident that people In the dispensary got the contents of the trunk. Mr. Scruggs acknowledges taking some of the ci gars and peaches, hut pleads that he had no idea of doing anything wrong, as it had been a custom for the oUicials to appropriate such things to their own Use over since bo had been connected with the dispensary Bu the ovidenco can best epoak for itr-clt, and the pub lic may form its own conclusions. OLiBRK SORUGGS TESTIFIES. Mr. Seth W. Scruggs, chief clerk of the d>B|)UUbt?l Jr , .U I .1 I' ?Clng O ., U I , mi, . I j That to the bor t of his recollection Mr. C. W. Garr.s told him there was a trunk in the contraband room ho want ed to buy. Deponent told him he did not think the trunk could bo used as the lock was broken and t- -ere was no key to tho trunk that he know of, Mr. Garris then suggested that he could havo another lock put on, and deponout told him If ho would go up town and see Mr. Husomann, perhaps he could put a new lock on it, which ho did; that during the March meeting of the Board of Control Mr. Garris came for tho trunk, and Commissioner Caston and deponent went iu the contraband room and lot him hate It. Mr. Garris insisted upon paying for the trunk at that time, but depouant told him that ho did not know whit price to piaco on tho trunk and he wind havo to obtain tho price of trunks from some dealer in Columbia before a prica could bo fixed. Mr. Garrisjjtiil insisted upon an agreement as t? price so that bo could pay for it. Di.onont replied that ho had no intelligent idea of tho worth of tho trunk, and hid no time then to ascertain tho wortjof tho trunk, as the Boa J was at that moment in session and ho had to gotj>aok to tho meeting to attend to buslnbs ; that ho told Mr. Garris that ho wojld sond him the bill for tho trunk as son as tho price was fixed or that ho Ould pay for it on his noxt visit to Colunbia. Ho replied : "1 will call in tho njci time I como to Co lumbia and pay fir it 5" that ho report ed tho sale of th trunk to the Stato Board of Control That tho day upon which Commisalhor Gasten, Mr. Gar ris and doponoivwont to tho contra hand room to defvor tho trunk was tho first time ho hadany knowlcdgo of tho contents of tho tunk to tho best of his recollection ; bii one thing ho Is posi tive about?thajup to that timo he had never taken anjpartof the contonts of the trunk, and I that timo all ho saw In the trunk w<e a fow partially filled boxes of cigaratnd two or three cans of pcacbos, bujscattered on tho floor were six or oipt empty cigar boxes ; that on that iy in the prosonco of Canton and Cu-ih the doponont took a handful of tho> cigars. Garris took a handful and Us ton took a handful and ho jokingly tyttod Judge Gasten with tho remark t^t, he could now account for tho cigar*vhich ho (Gaston) and Harry had an smoking for several weeks; thaVcigars which doponont took ho carrfi into tho Stato Board room and gs; Mr. Williams and Mr. Douthit Bomof thorn, and told them ho had gotu them out of tho contra band room ml would got them some more, wblopio intondod to do boforo the adjourtfont of tho Board and bo f >re they it tho city, but in the mul tiplicity Ofjis duties it escaped his at tention. That a w days aftor this he went Into tho bed room, and got tho key of thocontlband room which belonged to tho Sfo board of control, and which wain tho custody ot deponent as clerk ojho board, and with Charles Lynch, a crk In his office, and got four boxipf cigars partially filled, as ho roraen irs, and four cans of poach js, and lnstited Lynch to tako thorn in to tho oil', and the boys In tho office could of tho poaches, and ho would divido tl dgars with thorn; that these four box of cigars and cans of peaches woro utPy valueless to the Stato, as tho olgl wero vory chouo olgars, and ho doeiot bolievo they could havo beon di nod of for any consideration; that do lent also discovered several bottles domostlo wine tho day he took lich In for cigars and poaches and hiprously remarked; "Wo will get th! wine, too, before snmo ono takes I but as a matter of faot. did not 11 nl to take It at the timo of muk Ing thumark, us It was not seriously mado.jd he did not tuko tho wine, and Umlssioner Gaston told him ho had tin ohargo of tho wine; that ho hcldoenterc.il the contraband room, and vV unless upou urgent business. ?^orMyinol Jones and tho AHornoy k. 'mjIuoo will boar mo out, there ""?bai?fAt deal of trouble with con voisrures made by the con stables, as many threatening lotters wore received froui parties about liquors shipped to them for porsonal use; that Colonol Gastondid not attend to these mutters as promptly as Chair man Jones thought he should and Col. Jones told lilra he and deponent would havo to take this matter iu band, and with tho Attornoy Qjnoral, would have to look aftor tho return of contraband liquors, and tho only occasions on which ho wont into tho contraband was j to refer to tho records supposed to be contained in tho receiving contraband ! book; that on several occasions, with ! tbe consontof Chairman Jones, hopur | chased doinljohns of corn whiskey i which bad been seized and forfeited to i tho State, and paid therefor at tho rate of $1.50 per gallon, which the records In bis otlico will show, whilst the price tho State board paid for some goods i was from $1.30 to $1.35 per gallon; that ! further than herein stated, bo has I 1 never taken a single articlo from the contraband room ; that In taking these four boxes of cigars and cans of poaches bo was only following out a OUbtom which ha* toon in voguo over since bis connection with the State dispensary; that on divors occasions such articles as brandy peaches, brandy chorries, cigars aud other articles other than vines and whiskies have been placed In cus'udy of the commissioner and ho has often given him somo of such articles and also given thorn to others; and to show tbat deponent did not sup pose ho wap. committing an act which would make him liable to censure, ho gave to two members of the board somo of the80 very cigars and told thorn whoro bo had gotten them; that he did say to Lynch to say nothing to Slake - ley, beoauso Blakoley was hie mortal onemy, for some reason ho knows not why, and ho did not wish any distortion of the facts, and this was the reason he told him to say nothing to Blakoley about cigars or peaches; that ho bad no objection to Mr. Blakoley knowing be took tho cigars and peachos to tho clerks In bis otlico, provided a friendly and legitimate construction upon what ho did was placed thereon ; that when P. M. Mixson was commissioner in 181)5, Mr. Blakeluy checked up all contra band, and ho as well as deponent on divers occasions bus been the recipient of those little courlesios through the good 0IH0080 of Commissioner M ixson. s. vv. Scruggs. LYNCH QOES FOR SCKUUOS. Mr. Cuarles J. Lynch, assistant book keeper in tho dispensary, mado some dumaging btatemonts in his testimony as to tho conduct of Mr. Scruggs, Ho deposed as follows : That ho has been in tho Stato Dis pensary since it was first opened, but was appointed bookkeeper, or assistant to Mr. Scruggs in April, 1806, and is still in the same position. That some time in February. 18!)7, Mr. Scruggs oame into tho ofllce, in tho presence of Mr. Mobloy and Mr. Charles and himself and said: "Charlie, do you know that Caston has a trunk full of cigars, poaches and wine hack in tho contraband room?" 1 replied that 1 did not. Scruggs said : " Well, he lias been walking up and d )wn tho street smoking thorn, and 1 havo been wondering whore in tho h?1 he got the in." 1 said : " No ; 1 did not know i?o bad them back there." Scruggs said ho had and said : "Come hack with mo and I will show them to you." Scruggs and I went out of tho ollice to the contraband room door, and ho took a key out of his pocket and stoop ed down to unlock tho door, and while Utting tho key into tho door lie turned to me and said : " Don't tell anybody I have got this key." Bo then un locked tho door and wo went in Seruggs walked over to some empty cigar boxes scattered al>out tbo mom, picked them up and threw them down and said : " I will be d-d if lie has not smoked the last one." 1 was near tho door and asked him if ho had not told mo that thoy wore in a trunk, and ho said "Yos." 1 thon said: "Thoro Is tho trunk under tho table." IIo thon went to tho trunk, liftod the lid and moved aside some wine and pulled out throe boxes containing oigars and handed them to deponent. He then reached on top of pigeon holes over tho trunk anu took down another box containing cigars and said : " Hero is ono I bad up hero when I was hero this morning," and banded them to deponont and said: "Take tho boxes to the ofllco." Deponont thon nsked him "How about tho peaches?" Ho replied, "Thoy aro not bore in tho trunk." Deponent thon pointed to cans of peaches on the desk and said : 'Thoro thoy are, over there." Scruggs then wont OTor and got thorn and gave them to him and said : " Co on to tho ofllco with tbo things," but again said: " Wait until I soo if thero is any one in tho hall." He opened the door and looked, and said : " Thoro is no ono there; go ahoad." Doponont thon wont to tho telephone room, and as ho started into the ofllco Scruggs said : " Let mo SCO If thoro Is any one in thero." Ho said : "Go ahead ; thoro is no ono in the ofllco ; take thorn in and hldo them." Scruggs thon started back out of tho door and a9 ho was leaving, doponont, 'aciog Mr. Mobloy, reinarkod, "Mind, I did not take thoso things." Deponout then placed them on his dosk and Scruggs came back in tho ofllco and said i "Cnarlie, hido ti ose things boforo Mr. Hlakeley comes in; J don't want him to see thorn." Deponent then took them off tho desk and put tin-in in a box at his feet. Scruggs camo ovor and said : "Give Mose ono of tho boxes (meaning Mr. Mobloy). Deponont reached down and trot ono of the boxes and deponent handed him over and ho took it and put it in the drawer of his desk. Ho thon wont into tho next room and deponent oponed ono of tho cans of poaches and called him and asked him if ho did not want somo. Ho replied he did not boliovo ho did just then, as ho was going up Htroet. Deponent, Mr. Charlos and Mr. Mobloy ato tbo poaches. Deponent then opened, a sooond can and took it Into the next room whoro Mr. Scruggs was, and using a paper cuttor, took ono of tho p-achos out on it and handed it to Mr. Scruggs, telling him to try it. Ho ate that and deponont handed him another, which ho ato. Doponont thon wont back into tho ofllco and Mr. Scruggs wont up strcot. While oatlng the rcBt of tho peaches deponent showed Mob loy and Charlos tho peculiar manner in which Mr. Scruggs brusoed aside his moustacho whllo eating tho poaches. Deponent thon wont *,o Mr. Mobloy and said : "Give mo back that box of cigars ; you don't want It." lie replied, "Yos; I do." Doponont thon said : " Thoro Is gblng to bo h?1 raised about thorn, and you don't want them." Mr. Mobloy thon said: "If that is tho ca9e, I don't want to have anything todo with them," and handed them back to deponent, and 1 took tho box and locked It up with tho othor two I had. Doponont took tho two remaining cans of poaohes and hid them In tho ofllce, as Mr. Scruggs had sa'd : " Don't eat all tbo poaches, as I want pomoof thorn." Those two cans of poaohes aro now In tho office. A few days afterward deponont took the throo boxosof oigars and carried them home for safe keeping and has thorn thero now. Sovural tlmos ho had missed things out of his drawer. A few days after this Scruggs was in the olllco and said : Mose, givo mo a cigar." Mr. Mohley replied, " I haven't any, sir." Ho left tho olllco without saying more. Tho next day Scruggs eamo to doponcnt aud said : " Charley, where aro all thosee igars V" Deponent replied," " a.U gone, sir." Scruggs said: "Tho pieces of boxes, too?" Deponent replied, " Yes, thoy aro all gone." Ho then left deponent without any further remark. A day or two afterwards Scruggs asked depo nont if ho had told Gasten he had taken those cigars. D.-pouont . replied, "No sir." Deponent says ; that at the time ho and Scruggs , went into tho contraband room and ' while ho was taking thtt cigars out of 1 the trunk, ho remarked: "I'll have i this wine before 1 get through," and he | . afterwards made a similar remark about tho wine in tho office. Deponent I further says Mr. Scruggs asked him a day or two ago if ho knew anything about tho shoes, or hud Gasten .-aid adj thing to him about them. Deponent further says that ho omitted to stuto abovo that tho same day tbo cigars and peaches were carried hi to tho olllco Mr. Mohley asked tho deponent whore ho got the things. Deponeut replied; "In the contraband room." Ho then askwd him how he got them, as he thought Judgo f-astou was iu charge of the room. Deponent replied that Mr. Scruggs had a hocus pocus key. De ponent furthor ftates that on tho same day tho cigars and poaches were taken out of the contraband room ho went down to the Commissioner's oflico and Mr. Blakeley asked him if ho knew anything about tho missing elgai> from tho contraband room. Deponent roplled : "Yes; that is what I have come down to see yon about," and then wonton.and told him all about the cigars and peaches ; that at the next meeting of tho board he reported to Mr. Wil liams and Mr. Douthit what ho has said abovo as to tho takiug of cigars and peaches from contraband room and has also slnco that time reported it to tho Governor. Charles J. Lynch. gaston tells WHAT he KNOWS. Ex-Commissioner .John T. Gas ton, in giving his testimony, ad ml ted it hat he smoked some of the cigars, but after wards he fastened the door with a new lock to prevent any further depreda tions. He mii wl ? That some time in November last he was appointed pro tcm. Commis sioner, and continued to act as such until his retirement recently. While acting I remember that a large drum mer's trunk came to tho Dispensary from Charleston and was placed in the contraband room, it contained four jugs, one of which came broken, with whUkey, several bottles of wine, some cans of peaches, ten boxes of cigars, a few decayed oranges aud one pair of shoes. Since tho trunk eaino Ibe whiskey was dumped and bottled, and tho wine is still in tho Dispensary. Some timo after tho trunk came 1 went to tho loom aud found that the cigars had been tampered with. About one-half to two-thi>-ds of the eiga s had been taken out of the boxes with the exception of one, which was full. I thou emptied all the broken boxes into four boxes and placed them with tho bottles of wine in another trunk. Soon after this I went into the room and looked in tho trunk into which tho four boxes had been placed and found them gone. On examination of tho empty boxes again. 1 found a few in a box which 1 took down to my otlico. 1 then called Watts, who bad a key to tho room, and Don Harris, and told them thore must be something wrong and somo one must have bad a key. They both declared thatooooe bad a key, ami no Odo had been allowed to go in the room. I immediately notified Blakt ley about what had been done in tho room and asked him to look out and aid me in Ii ruling who was going into tho room and interfering with con traband stulT. I then ordered a new lock put on the contraband room door, and then bolted securely tho other door insido, and since that time noth ing has been missed up to tho time I left there. Tho pair of shoos in the trunk I sold for $1 ; tho part, of a box of cigars brought down to the ollioo I have paid for. I made a full report of this matter to the Stato Hoard of Control at its la t mooting, which is hereto appende, and in that the disposition of the troublo is stated. John T. GASTON. " I havrt a matter I wish to call at tention to. I have had charge of tho contraband room for somo months. I took tho keys and after attending to tho contraband business for somo time I found that took up a groat deal of my timo, so I gave the keys to .Mr. Watts, who is perfectly reliable. I visit.ul the room every few days to see bow mat tors stood. I missed occassiunally a bottlo of whiskey from the eases. I complaiaod to Mr. Watts, and ho as sured mo that ho had carried tho keys and no one had been allowed in the room. " About tho timo of your last meet ing a largo trunk came in with throe largo jugs, several bottlosof wine, two csns of peaches and ton boxes of cigars. While in there one morning, Mr. Oarris told me that Mr. Sotuggs said he could have tho trunk. So I got the things out and let him have it. I pu? tho things in another trunk. I took throe cigars for myself. I was in there soon again aud found about half of the cigars or more taken out of every box. I put what was left in boxes, tilling them up, and gavo Mr. Garris some and put tho rost in a trunk. A few daysaftor I found the whole amount of cigars bad boon taken except one piece of a box, which I now have in my pos session. I iia\. ..i nee had a new and strong lock put on the door, so I now lock one door and bolt tho other. 1 regret this very much, and am now satistied it will never occur again. Somo one mutd bavo had a false or duplieato key. Nothing has been missed by mo sinci that t ime." ?A roador of Harper's Weekly writes from Virginia to say that uh Jamestown Island has been offered for salo, it ought to be bought by tbo government and turned into a public pa'-k. " It is tbo moat historic soot in this country," wrltoj this correspon dent. "Every school child who studies history or geography knows that on May 13, 1007, the first permanent Kn trllsh colony in A mere i was founded at Jamestown. If we caD pay thousands of dollars for battlo-flelds, wo certain ly ought to pay what <s nocossary for this spot. There bavo boon many tourists on tho island this spring, and tho opinion has boon universal that tho proporty ought not to bolong to an individual, but should bo a public re servation. Tho place could bo made Into a beautiful park, and could be made to produce revenue enough for its maintenance. Tho annual onlobra tion Is to be held May 13, under the direction of the. 0 dlego of William and M iry Of Williamsburg." ?The Czar of Russia has issued an order that all criminals sent to Siberia ahull bo conveyed by railway Instead of having to maroh there. BI1X A Kl? IN CAROLINA. Ho Is Pleased With A Visit to the Palmetto State?TIlO Towns Show a Wonderful 11.'movement ami tho People Appear Prosperous. "Itest on, embalmed und sainted dead, Dear as tlie blond you gave ; No impious footsteps here shall tread. The herbage of,your grave.'' This is one of the verses on a beauti ful monument 1 looked upon with tear ful reverence while walking through Rosemont cemetery, at Newberry. Calvin Crozler was a Texas Confed erate soldier, who, shortly aftor the close of tbo war, was going homo and had some ladies in his charge. When the train arrived at Nowborry some lawles-, negro soldiers who wcro in camp near by went into the ear and grossly insulted the ladies. Crczier and some others defended tho ladies and in the melee one of the negroes was slightly wounded. Before tho train left Col. Trowbridgo sent some of the negroes to arrest tho man who did it. They made a mistake and seized Mr. Jacob Rowers, a railroad employee, and hurried him away to the colonel's quarters. Without trial ho was sum marily ordered to bo shot. It was near midnight when Crozior was told of Bowors's arrest and condemnation ; he promptly wont forward and declared that he himself was the man who wounded the negro. Bowors was re based and at sunrise next morning Crozior was shot to death, notwith standing his demand for a trial and the protest of Prince Rivers, an otlicer in Trowbridge's command. Tho negro Bold lore danced with fiendish delight upon and around the shallow grave where they had laid him. Long after the war his bones wore removed and this monument was erected by the good people of Newberry to his mem ory. Does history record iniy nobler sac rifice V Damon was the friend of Pythias, but this man Bowers was a stranger to Orozier. Much more of this pathetic story is recorded in the "Annalsof Newberry," an Interesting volume written by John Belton O Ncall, L', D. I was pleased to learn that Other counties in Carolina were having their initials written and published in book form. How ^lse can we hand down to posterity the good deeds of our ances tors? State histories cannot do it for it would make many ponderous vol umes, but even now it is not too late for someone of literary taste and fidel ity in every county to confer with the old men and compile such a history. Such publications could be cheaply done and would be of inestimable valuo to the citizens. Mr. Chapman, a well preserved veteran, a cultured scholar, a gentleman of the < Idea times, is now writing the annals of Kuge?eld. I was informed ou good authority that this Mr. Chapman was the real author of the schoji history of the United States that was published in Columbia, S. C, as tin; work of Alex. 11. Stephens. Mr. Chapman submitted his manuscript to Mr. Stephens and for tho use ami pres tige of his name gave him en interest in the royalty. There was scarcely a ehango made in it from beginning to end. Newberry is a gem of a city and its population is perhaps more cultured and relined than any city oi South Car olina. Tho professors of her college < and high school, her lawyers and doc | tors and preachers and editors are all gentlemen, not only in manners hut at heart. The standard of good citizen ship is high and the influence of her leading men pervades the entire com munity. Mr. Aull, the editor of The News Herald, is perhaps the bestall round man for his work to be found, for he is not only a man of high culture, hut is eminently a practical newspaper man and is devoted to his calling. Ho has written the history of tho Statt-, atul it is the standard in tho schools. Two of his boys, aged ten and twelve, are at work in the printing room, and do good service. Mr. Ami is not at all reconciled to the modern system of grading the schools, so that it takes eight years to go through their courses. If four years more are added for a college course there is no time left for a boy to acquire knowledge of work or habits of work. From eight to twen ty ho is a non-producer, and when he graduates is lit only for tho learned professions, if tit for anything. Hut Iiis boys have to minglo study with la bor and alternate the years of each. Mr. Aull is tho president of the Stato Press Association. Of eour.-a Newberry has a large cot ten mill. Almost every Carolina town has one or more. As you travel from place to place they are in sight, and give employment to the poor. Five years ago Union had only 1,800 inhabi tants, but during all these distressing i ears has continued to grow and pros per until now thoro are ?.UU?. One lit tle mill, as they call it, started tho boom and encouraged them to build another?a very large one, whose four Moors cover a space equal to six acrefe. Next came an oil mill and a knitting mill and other industries, and now they aro boring for artesian water to supply a system of waterworks. Neither in the city nor near it are any people beg gbig for work, for employment is at hand. Then go to Spartanburg and be ama zed. When i was there a fow years ago there was nothing to make note of save a college, but now there are cot ton ni I id near by that manufacture 1 lo.nun bales annually, and it is claimed that no one county in the United States consume* as much. Not an acre of sub urban land can be bought for less than (30. Everything prospers and every body seems happy. The taxable prop erty has iOOreased four-fold within eight years, and the population has more than doubled. Where did all tho money come from, I inquired. From a small beginning?from ono little mill and it did so wi ll that others soon followed. Northern manufactu rers of machinery wore attracted there and look one-third of the stock and paid for it in spindles atd looms?and havo inado good money and aro con tent. Some Charleston money is there, too. These mills havo made from 10 to 20 per cent, for several years and keep on making It. ant. these machinery men up North wl 1 do the same thing for the people of Cartersville or any other Southern town that I? hea.thy and well situated. They only wait to l<c invited. The Piedmont rogion of South Carolina In now tho New England of tho South. Fvon the young men and young ladies of good families in their towns aro not too proud to tako ositiona in the fac tories. They are book-keepors, typo writers, correspondents and superin tend in some of the departments and earn good honest money, .hist think of It, what a revolution. For many years we havo supposed that tho State was nearly worn out und her young mon would have to accept Groeley's inuxnn : "Go west, voung man, go west,'1 but not so. Northern South Carolina is richer to day and more prosperous than any portion of Georgia. Anderson has nearly doubled nor population during the last live years. Now stores, now dwellings, now ohurohea, parsonages and u Iwio public - ihool building have gone up, a now courthouse is projeotod und till this comes from tbo cotton mills. It does seem us though tho cot ton wo grow should bo spun und wovon at homo. My last visit whs to tho old historic town of K.lgetield?a town ulmost re tired from the public gaze,but ono that has always folt proud of its prestige as the domicil of more great men than any in tho Stato. MoDufnO lived horo and Governor Riekons and tho Butlers and Rhutts and Garysand many others. Tho Tlllmans live hero and 1 was the honored guest of ono of thorn. The nobility havo no better manners than mine host and bostoss and it is rare to tine u handsomer couple. Hill. ahh. CLEVELAND'S AMBITION. The Designs Of Hin Faction ?An Kf fort to Hide the Kcal Troublo ol'the Country. Mr. James H. Randall writes as fol lows in his Washington correspondence to tho Augusta Chronicle : Henry Watterson's severe arraign ment of Mr. Cleveland contains potent truths, but I do not know that 1 would put them in tho shape ho did. Mr. Cleveland is a phenomenal egotist and a born despot, but he is built that way and has bad enough adulation and suc cess to swell a tougher head. Few doubts arc expressed as to his being groomed to run again in 1000, but that is a long look ahead for a d , n of his age and bulk. The Republican* havo no use for him, although bo tried to socuro their triumph. The Bryan De mocracy would not consider him as a candidate. Ho would have to run on a third*ticket. I cannot Imagine any regular Democratic convention capable of being induced or debauched suili oiently to nominate him. He is the logical candidate for the money power. Ho bus never disguised bis sentimonts in that direction, if wo except some phrases about "organized pelf," which mean nothing when the acts of tbo man are considered. The Democracy may, in 1900, bo somewhat embarrass ed by the tar ill and money quostitona. in conjunction, but deliverance and solution will arrive. Hut it is almost humorous for Mr. Cleveland and tlm "sound money Democrats" to pretend that they did not expeot proteoion legislation as a result of Mr. McKin ley's BUCCOSS at the polls. If they are sincere in sueh a statement their bliud ness must bo beyond tho ordinary, aud no rational man would cure to follow such fatuous loaders. The whole game of the so-called "sound money" men is to divert the. people from tho real cause of their misfortunes by getting them into another tarilV snarl. It is a desperate move, but bus disturbing and dangerous features. Their chief design al present seems to ho to pre vent the election of a free coinago De tnocratio majority to tho next house. In this effort they are again playing into tin; hands of the Republicans, while, professing to bo the bitterest enemies of that party. My opinion is that Bryan is a half million votes and more BtrODger than he was last Novem ber. Even the Baltimore Sun sees this, and dreads it, while the Savannah Morning News talks right out in moot ing thus : "Last fall a great many Democrats supported Mr. McKinley directly or indirectly from patriotic motives, sup posing that it was to tho be^t interest of the country that he should bo elect ed, und that the "promising" politi cal party of which he is the head should r*e placed in power. Such Do moorst8 are now regretting their er ror. If tho elootion were to be held tomorrow there can bo little doubt Mr. Bryan would bo successful. Uis election last fall would have been fol lowed by a financial panic, which would h ive been far reaching in its ef fects. But tho country would bavo gradually adjusted itself to tho chang ed conditions, in the light of develop ment since the election, tbo peoplo are beginning to think that they would prefer to have the Chicago platform screws put on, and stand the consequen ces for a fow months, with tho as surance of survival and revival, rather than bo saddled with tho iniquities crowded into the Dingloy tarill bill." The regular Democracy should mako what they can out of the tariIT matter, but never abandon the fundamental cause of free coinage. ALL SORTS OF PAKAtillAl'HS. Gatherings from Our Bxohangos on Various Topics. ?Maine's ico crop is worth $1,000,000. ?Georgia has 3,UUO,Uuu cotton spin dles. ?Germany has IISI female black smiths. ?Nevada produces more gold than silver. ?Germany has half tho world's breweries. ?The prevalence of cerobro-spinal meningities in Boston, Mas.., is ap proaching an epidemic. ? A Kockford, HI., man has loft $100, 000 for William's College and $100,000 (or tho Hampton, Virginia, Institute. ?In some parts of Tulare county, Cal., this season's sheep shearing has been given entirely to tho Indians t.ad Chinese. ?Over 60,000 head of cattle crossed the line from Mexico into Arizona within two days recently. One man paid $5,000 duties. ?An order for 30,000,000 feet of lum ber has been placed with the Tacoma Mill Company for South Africa, by a Johannesburg capitalist. ?The blowing up of an old stump near West (/bester, l'a., revealed a deposit of silverwares, supposed to be the proceeds of a robbery. ? A bill has passed both houses of Arizona exempting from taxation for fifteen years all railroads which shall commence operations within six months. ?The United States Department of Labor ostlmates the value of goods produced in the vai ions penitentiaries of the States and Territories in 1 s?>."? at about $20,000,000. ?Tho Equitable Aid Union, a frator nal benetietui concern of Western Penn sylvania, has been put into tho hands of a receiver. It alfocts ovor 30,000 policy holders in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Now York. ?Throughout Germany and Hol land whenever girls can bo employed to advantage they are taken in pre ference to young men. At Munich tho clerks and bookkeepers in tho banks are nearly all young and pretty girls. ?A phonograph conducted all the services exoopttbo sormon in a Cam den, X. J,, ohuroh. The machine sang, read tho Bible ami uttered a prayer, the latter ln>lng In tho pastor's familiar voice. Tho congregation hardly know whother to like the innovation or not.