The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, July 17, 1912, Image 3
-. i I ' ? i *:-? -
startling testimony by dr.
tectiyes in THE EMPLOY
of tk08. b. FELDER,
(Continued From Page One.)
ed Wilson, and seeking a location
there. He sahi that Wilsno's real
name was Bailey and he was receiv
ed with open arras by the Charleston
tigers. He said that. Wilson represent
' ed that he wanted Jo,got a location In
Charleston and that James 8. Farnum
and others were very attentive to him,
and the result was that he learnod all
about the Charleston situation; that
Qox. Blease's ?cccnd primary campaign
was financed by the tigers, all about
the graft situation, tho "protection
money" collected by the constables,
etc. He .presented documents gather
ed by Wilson while,In Charleston. He
said that Wilson was not present today,
being away on another case, but he
was at the disposal of the committee
whenever they wanted him. In this
Mr, Burns assonted.
. Felder gave a loj; of the dictagraph
Information Wilson gathered on the
Charleston situation.
In With '?tigern ?
Referring to Wilson's temporary
residence In Charleston while he was
posing as a gambler and blind tiger
and gathering the leaders of the callr,
Ing from all parts of the country, Mr.
Felder said that Wilson was so well
liked by the "tigers" that .he came
near being elected a delegate to the
State convention from Charleston.
"He obtained a history of Charles
ton from Beersheba, found out all
about how to obtain protection and
got the whole history of the seamy
side of the city," said Felder, referring,
to Wilson.
"My firm represents the PoBtal Tel
egraph and Cable company as general
counsel of the Southern department.
We represented it In 1900 and In a
more restricted territory," Felder tes
tified. "A bill was Introduced In the
South Carolina legislature prescribing
a penalty for the delay of non-deliv
ery, of telegrams.
"I went over to Columbia to make
an argument in opposition to the pas
sage of this act. While In the city of
Columbia. I was Introduced to Mr.
Evans and one or two other members
of the legislature. The bill received a
favorable recommendation. We were
opposed to lt. I was informed In a
rather confidential way that there was
a legislative syndicate, nnd in order
to compass the defeat of the pending
measure It was necessary for me to
reach the ear of the syndicate. I told
the gentlemen that I would be very
much pleased to reach the gentlemen
who controlled the South Carolina leg
islature.
Blease "Modest."
"I went down to the Jerome hotel,
where Senator Coleman L. Blease was
stopping. Ho said in a very modest
way that ho controlled the legislature
and that if my company was with him
to Com3 across with the quid pro quo
(meaning money.. I made It clear to
Mm that I did not represent that part
of the company's business."
F\ "You may expect to have pretty
./rough sledding If you undertake this
graft investigation miles* you employ
such distinguished men at. ? W. J.
Burns," said T. B. Felder this after
noon. "There Is so much corruption
and so much graft in connection with
this case that I hardly know where to
start."
Folder said tnat he was not afraid
to go to South Carolina, but that he
had been advised by his friends to
remain away, because If he crossed
tho line his life \vas In danger. He said
that he know that mercy had been
promised to one of the governor's,
henchmen to put him out of the way.
He declared that he had received r?00
letters from South Carolina advising
him to remain out of the State. Me
said that, his life was Indanger In
"such a ?t?te of anarchy In that un
fortunate, graft-ridden State." He
said that Blease had sent an emissary
to Georgia to Influence certain persons
to use their power with Gov. Brown
to honor requisition papers. ?Gov.
Brown refused.
Concerning his relations with .1. H.
Evans of Newberry, Felder said that
Evans called on him every time he
went to Columbia.
"In one occasion," said Felder, "I
was In Columbia at the Colonla hotel.
The card of H. H. Evans was sent up.
I knew his reputation as a gun-play
artist. He came into tho room as
mild.as a cephyr."
" 'You don^ want to Bend me to the'
penitentiary,' said Evans to me, and
the team were trickling down his
cheeks. I did not ask blm how many
?children he had."
>Felder said that Evans wanted to
ake a clean breast of connection
with the dispensary affairs, but that
he did not want to testify before a
court.' ?' ' " ' "' '
Tribute to Mr. Lyon.
In 'his testimony before the com
mittee Felder paid a high tribute to
the honesty of J. Fraaer Lyon, attor
ney general of South Carolina. He
said that Mr. Lyon acted straight
^throughout tho entire proceedings and
that Mr. Lyon was a man not to be
influenced by any one. The mention
of the attorney general brought forth
fresh applause.
Early In his testimony Felder dis
postd of the famous "T. B." letter by
submitting an affidavit that the chief
I clerk in his law office, F. H. Krauss,
was a confessed forger; that he went
to Newberry and forged the "T. B."
letter, which was kell known to Blease
when the governor gave the letter to
the pre.88. Substantiating this testi
mony, Felder submit*** **? following
affidavit, as testimony:
"Georgia, Fulton county:
"Personally appeared before thei
undersigned, an ofllcor authorized by
law to, administer oaths,. Daniel W.
Rountree, who first being duly and
legally sworn, deposeth and salth:
"That during the years 1904 and
1905, F. H. Krauss was .employed by.
bis law firm; Felder Sc. Rountree, and
afterwards Felder, Rountree & Wil
son, as chief clerk and stenographer.
Ju, this capacity, he kept the books of
the firm, wrote cheeks, receipts, de
posited Btt.oneys. and In short, dis
charged all, duties devolving upon him
In the capacity of chief clerk, stenog
rapher, bookkeeper and cashier for
said firm. During the year 1905 de
ponent and his associates discovered
that the said F. _H. Krauss was .short
lu his accounts. with said firm and
with deponent. Upon Investigation of
the matter, it was discovered that
said shortage aggregated several thou
sand dollars. Upon being confronted
therewith! the said F. H. Krauss
made to deponent and his associates
a full and complete confession, de
scribing minutely and particularly the
method employed by him in conceal
ing, his peculations. It . developed that
the' said F. H. Krauss had forged
checks, drafts, receipts and other doc
uments, signing thereto deponent's
name and the name of deponent's
firm. The forgery was so well exe
cuted that It was hardly possible, even
with the use of a magnifying glass,
to distinguish the genuine handwrit
ing of deponent and hi s associates
from the spurious.
"Deponent further says that this
practice of the said Krauss extended
through the period of about two years,
from his knowledge of .the extent to
which the said F. H. krauss prac
ticed this art of forgery deponent
says that in his judgment, he is a
master of the art of Imitating hand
writing.
"Deponont further says that in re
ferring to Mr. Felder or in speaking
of him to deponent, he would usually,
If not always, orfer to him as "T. B."
"Daniel W. Rountree."
"Sworn to and subscribed before
me. this 11th day of July 1912, Chas.
S. Bowen, Fulton county, Ga."
The bulk of the documentary evi
dence submitted by Mr. Felder up
to tho time of evening adjournment
was that gathered In personal conver
sation and by use of the dictagraph
by "Mr. Wilson of Charleston," who
in reality Is Detective Bailey of the
Burns force. Those documents which
got In through being read by Mr.
Felder before turning over to the
committee, as sworn evidence, are as
follows:
First Document.
"Ben Stothart, chief constable, ap
pointed by Blease. stated at the time
of his appointment to the position, It
wan understood between him and the
governor that protection ? should be
given to tho blind tigers operating In
the city of Charleston, provided they
would pay a stipulated sum per month
to him. that this sum amounted in the
aggregate to between $3,500 and
$5,000 per month; that as soon as
the collections were made he deduct
ed his commissions for making the
same and would personally take the
bnlnnce to Columbia, S. ('., and pay
it over to the governor.
"He stated further that protests
had been made to the governor
against these collections by Interested
lmrtles; but that, the governor would
pay no attention to them; thnt de
mand had boon made upon the gov
ernor 'for his disposal, but that he
felt perfectly secure in his job, for
tbe governor \vns a man of independ
ence and had the power to do as he.
plensed with it.
' "Also that the governor had Is
sued a pardon to Ruldoph Rabons,
a blind tiger man of the city of Char
leston (I believe thla Is'the name),
receiving then for the sum of $2,000
in cash. Tho said Stothart stated that
be had conducted the negotiations
which' resulted In the pardon of this
man.
"This conversation occurred in the
Argyle hotel in the city of Charleston,
after the ^sald Stothart and -party
had had several drinks together in
the blind tigers of the city of Char
leston."
Second Document.
"During the time that Cole L.
Bleaae represented Newberry county
In the State1 senate, a gentleman by
the name ?f F. Charlton" Wright, who
camo from Savannah, Ga., whose
brother was division superintendent
of one of the railroads, perhaps tho
-T7"??-????r-^"-1-"
Seaboard Air Line, with headquarters
in Columbia, and who oame to Colum
bia as private secretary to P. I. Welles,
superintendent of the Southern, was
transferred from that position to tho
position as ? private secretary of the
general counsel of the Southern rail
road. \
"Mr. W. Cbarlton Wright was inter
viewed at length In the city of Co
lumbia, and discussed conditions ob
taining there during his incumbency
as private secretary of the general
counsel of the Southern railroad. He
dtscussed at length the dishonesty of
Senator Cole L. Blease. The most
pertinent statement made by him,
which 1b quoted literally, in as fol
lows":
'"Why, or course, I know he Is a
crook. When I was working for Ab~
ney, I handed him a check In the
ante-room of the senate chamber on
one occasion," fqr $500 as compensation
for his services In defeating a ponding
bill affecting the interests of the ^all
road.' ",
Third Document.
"Henry Hasselmcyor, whose place
of business Is near the market |n
the city of' Charleston, upou being
asked how the blind tigers In the city
of Charleston were getting on, his re
ply was: 'Wc elected Colo please gor
ernor and we' now have full protec
tion.'
"Asked as to the method by which
protection was obtained, he stated
that, shortly after the governor^ in
auguration the chief of the constabu
lary force was called to Columbia for
conference with the governor. In
this conference with the governor 1$
Was agreed as to the amount that
each blind tiger In the city of Char-1
leston should pay monthly for pro
tection.
"On the return of the chief con-1
stable to Charleston, he called upon
the president of the local brewery j
and told him that he wished to see
him on conference, that he had a
proposition to make to him which
was authorized by the governor, ask
ing him when it would be satisfactory
to see him.
"The president of the brewery told
him that he could see him at any;
time and in any place that suited.
The chief of the constabulary force
said that he would come to his home
at once. The president of the brewery.
suggested that this would be an un
wise move from the fact that some
one might see him. To this the re
ply was made: 'We don't care who
sees us.' Ho then proceeded io the
home of the president of the brewery,
where he dllvered the messt ge from
the governor to the effect that, on the
consideration of $10 each per month,
they would extend protection from
arrest to the blind tigers of Charles
ton. He also stated that there were
In the neighborhood of 350 blind
tigers in Charleston and that these
were to pay $10 each during the first
week of each month. The president
of the brewery asked what disposi
tion would be made of this collection
whereupon the chief constable told
him that under his agreement with
the governor he was to be allowed a
commission for collecting and the
balance was to be paid over monthly
to the governor.
"In said conversation the said Ilas
Bclmeyer stated that he personally
visited the governor at Columbia and
entered his protest against this ar
rangement, stating to the governor
that this graft should not be collect
ed; but the governor waved his aside
with the statement that he was run
ning that end of the matter."
Fourth Document.
' Mohn H. Morris and H. L. Toland
of Spartanburg, s. C, have stated,
and will undoubtedly swear if called
before your committee that Cole L.
Blease, then a senator from New
berry, who was acting upon the in
vestigating committee to investigate
the affairs of the late dispensary, was
employed by Jeff Dunwoody of At
lanta, agent for the Atlanta Brewing
and Ice company, to obstruct the pro
ceedings of the said committee
"They will also swear that the said
Blease sought A private interview
with them and did everything In his
power to prevent them from testify
ing bofore said committee.
"Jeff Dunwoody, being a citizen of
Georgia, can not be compelled to cor
roborate this evidence; but the faot
will be sufficiently established by
those two witnesses.
"In this connection I desire to
state that when Cole L. Blease was
senator from Newberry and a bill
was Introduced to appropriate $15,000
to be used by the attorney general of
tho State In conducting .the" prosecu
tions against fahe grafters, that the
liquor dealers employed1 the said
Blease," then a senator, to oppose the
.passage of said measure; and as a>
matter of fact the said Blease did
oppose by speech, vote and Influence
the passage of said resolution, and
that he received for his services the
sum of $250 in cash, which was paid
to him at Wright's hotel In the city
of Columbia, State of South Carolina.
"W. B. Roy of the chy of Louisville,
Morton A. Goodman of the city of
Cincinnati and James 8. Farnnm of
the city of Charleston are said to
have knowledge of this tran^^tlon.
A New Avenue.
"After calling the election for the
new county of Heyward, and after
the bill passed, Fred Domlnick, the
law partner of the governor, was em
ployed and paid a substantial fee to
Influence executive action thereon. If
called upon before this committee
Fred Domlnick, if he will corroborate
his verbal statements In connection
with this transaction, he will ?t?te
that he. was employed because of his
influence with the governor; that the
compensation received for bis service
was substantial; that he obtained the
desired results at the hands of the
executive, and that he divided his fees
with the governor of the State of
South Carolina."
Felder offered In evidence the fol
lowing letter to substantiate his tes
timony . that Blease tried to raise a
slush fund ot $25,000 to control dis
pensary legislation and failed:
"Atlanta. Ca., March 20, 1912.
"Mr. T. B. Felder,. Atlanta, Oa.
"Dear Sir:
"On Wednesday, the 13th inst., I
visited .the city of Albany, and while
there, met B. ,M.. Wilson and had a
long talk with him In regard to dis
pensary matters, in the State of South
Carolina.
"He stated to me that it came
within his knowledge that Cole L.
Blease, now governor of the State, had
represented, while a State senator,
Lanahan & Co., liquor dealers of the
city of Baltimore, and had made large
sales to the board of directors, con
stituted H. H. Evans, L. W. Boykin
and John Bell Towlll; that In conse
! quence of certain dissatisfaction arls
| lng In the matter of paying rebates
I to the board of directors it was de
cided that instead of continuing to
pay rebates through Blease to the
board that the rebates as agreed to
between Blease and the said board
should be paid through the said B. M.
Wilson, and this was accordingly
done.
"In further conversation with the
'said B. M. Wilson, Wilson stated to
me that when the bill was Introduced
In the South Carolina legislature to
abolish the dispensary and for an in
vestigation of the system, that the
said Cole L. Blease, now governor of
the State of South Carolina, devised a
p)an to defeat all pending legislation
affecting the dispensary, both as to Its
abolition and investigation. The plun
as outlined by Blease was as follows:
"Certain liquor dealers were to
raise the sum of $25,000 and pay the'
same over to Blease. then a member'
of the State senate. This money was
to be used b> him with the members
of the legislature to defeat all legis
lation affecting the dispensary. It was
further understood and agreed, that,
after the defeat of the legislation as
aforesaid was compassed, that a syn
dicate composed of tbe said Please,
Nick Block of Mac.on and others
should. In considerntion of the con
tribution that they made, control the
entlro liquor and beer business with
the State dispensary, dividing equally
the profits thereof.
Block Balked.
"Wilson further stated that the
plan formulated by Blease to compass
a defeat of pending legislation mis
carried for the reason that Nick
Rlook of Macon, who was one of the
syndicate, stated that the amount pro
posed to be raised was out of all rea
son, and that the same results could
be accomplished upon the expedlture
of the sum of $2.500.
"Yours very truly,
' Smith I). PlCkett."
("Original mailed Hon. J. Frazer
Lyon.")
In addition to the Picket! letter
Felder submitted the following evi
dence gathered by "Mr. Wilson",
showing the corruption election fund
in Charleston county used to cari'y
Hlease's election:
"Col. T. B. Bolder. Atlanta. Oa.
"Dear Sir: Your favor of the 21st
to hand and contents noted. I am
herewith inclosing list of blind tigers
that contributed to Hlease's campaign
fund. This Is not the original list, but
a copy. I am not sending the original
for the reasons that It contains a few
names that ore not blind tigers, and
I thought best to send the names of
the blind tigers only. The Retail!
Business league Is better known In
Charleston as the 'Blind Tigers' asso
ciation.' These names on the Inclosed
list are correct and the amount op
posite each is a correct amount that
each one gave towards buying votes
In Charleston for Blease: Retail
Business league,' $277; Santo Sottlle,
$200; Jim Farnum. $500; Clarenco
Halsey. $50; E. P. Ostendorff. $25; V.
Chlcco, $25; J. J. lenders, $23; (leo.
Murphy^ $25; J. \v\ Hunt, $25; P. J.
ICarraway. $23; O. H. Wertcra. $25;
j James Scot tie. $50; Oos Stunter, $50;
H. L. K?ster. $25; F. W. Mappus. $25."
Two Good M-n on Job.
i Reverting to his line of testimony
! with reference to engagement of Wll
,llam J. Burns, Col. Felder said two
of the best trained men In the employ
of the Burns agency had been as
signed . to investigate the dispensary
affairs in South' Carolina. . He said
that one of the men was not present,
as he was engaged in other work, but
that he was available at any time in
the future to appear before the com
mittee. Ho said that the professional
name of the absent detoctlvo was
"Miller," but that his real name was
Bailey.
This detective from whom the prin
cipal testimony of the day was glepv
ed, whs assigned to work in Charles
ton four months ago.
"He went to Charleston four months
ago," said Felder, "and Immediately
set himself up among the citizens of
that town as a professional gambler
and promoter. As a matter of fact,
he became known In the city by the
sea as tho "dashing Mr. Wilson."
"Ho basked in the favor of the
Charleston people with whom he came
in contact. He met Jarnos S. Farnum
and Sottlle and other woll known
Charlestoniana. He played the races
and was a good sport. . He played
cards with them and was a general
all around good fellow. He made' it
appear to the citizens that he was a
high gambler and ( iat he was seeking
a location for a big gambling house.
These Charleston citizens were atten
tive to Wilson."
When Felder referred to the "dash
ing Mr. Wilson, the gambler, schemer
and promoter," Detective Burns
laughed. A ripple ?f laughter Was
sent through the court room.
Informed of Bales.'
"These Charleston citizens with
whom Mr. WllBon became associated
were very anxious to locate Wilson's
big gambling place. Wilson was, of
course, anxious as to securing protec
tion from the law. The dictagraph '
testimony shows that he was given
the rules as to securing protection."
Here Felder gave a list of the al
leged "blind tigers" who had contrib
uted to the campaign fund of Cole L.
Blease.
"This man Wilson." said Felder,
was a good spender. He was spending
my money. He put up my money to
find out how to secure protection. As
a matter of fact, this "dashing Mr.
Wilsori," became so popular that he
was almost elected as a member of
tho Charleston delegation to the State
Democratic convention In Columbia.
He was literally one of tho boys and
he found out all from them as to the
method of securing protection. The
facts obtained by Wilson are contain
ed In the dictagraph testimony pre
sented.
"At this point in the testimony and
Just before the dictagraph testimony
was presented. Detective Burns prom
ised that Bailey or "Wilson" was to
testify whenever needed. Burns said
that Bailey was engaged in another
case at present.
Augusta, Ca.. July 13. Allegations
that Cole L. Blease. the governor of
South Carolina, was to get $f?.000,
Sam J. Nichols, an attorney of Spar
tanburg, Ifi.OOO, and Lawyer Sims, of
Spartanburg, $r>,000; under an ar
rangement he made with Sam Nichols
to ger a pardon for Clus Deford. noto
rious yeggman and the worst criminal
in the South Carolina Penitentiary,
were made by K. F. Beed, one of the
detectives of Win. J. Burns, in his tes
timony, featured by dictagraph, on the
stand here this afternoon before the
South Carolina dispensary investiga
tion committee. ?
Reed said that he represented to
Nichols that he was a Chicago lawyer
named "Henry N. Porter," and he
wished to secure tho pardon of Deford
in order that he might settle an estate
in which the latter was the principal
beneficiary, but it was necessary to
have Deford pardoned before he could
receive the legacy,
it was within recent weeks, testified
Reed, that the scheine was hatched
and only two (lays ago Nichols left
Spartanburg to carry out his part of
the agreement and get the pardon of
the notorious convict.
As soon as the pardon was granted,
Reed stated, Nichols was to wire "Por
ter," at Chicoga, and the money would
be immediately forthcoming. His "0.
K." telegram, which was to have been
sent to Chicago, was, of course, to be
forwarded here to "Porter." whose real
name Is Reed and who, said he "dic
tagraphed" N'chols in South Carolina
and In Washington while he was mak
ing the trade with him.
It was the expectation that the par
don would bo granted today, but the
"O. K." telegram hod not turned up
when the hearing was adjourned.
Charged with Holding l'p Charter.
The charge that the governor of
South Carolina held up the charter of
the Piedmont and Northern Railway
because of being paid to do so by the
Southern Rallwwy, and only approved
the charter after Nichols brought his
influence to bear, was the other sen
sational feature of Reed's testimony,
which onslsted of the records of the
dictagraph of tho alleged conferences
held between "Porter" and Nichols, In
Spartanburg and Washington, while
perfecting the scheme.
Several thousand of the won's of the
dictagraph of such alleged conferences
gathered by Reed during several weeks
Investigation into the South Carolina
situation, bearing on how to obtain
pardons were read by Col Felder and
kept the crowded court house keyed up
to the highest pitch or excitement.
The alleged conferences between
"Porter" and Sam Nichols, Reod testi
fied, were faithfully recorded by the
dictagraph and read to tho public here
today at the Investigation.
"Mr. Porter" told of going to Atlanta
and getting a letter of credit on the
Bank of Commerce, in Spartanburg,
from Col. Felder's bank in Atlanta, and
said that he knew Mr. Hendrlcks, the
assistant cashier of the Bank of Com
merce, in Spartanburg. lie said that
be gave Nichols a check of $500 on the
Bank of Commerce, as expenses, and
it was deposited to Ntcholl's credit
there, being endorsed by Nlcholls. He
said that! he. had sent him another
check for $500 and a telegram received
today advised him that tho check had
been paid.
"Porter" testified that he had a con
ference with Nichols In Room 48 of
the Hotel Finch, in Spartanburg, ou
June 22, in which a dictagraph was In
stalled and the adjoining room occu
pied by a stenographer named S. Teile -
baum, of Atlanta, with tho transmit
ter of the dictagraph to his ear and
the five-hour conversation between him
and Nichols was duly Recorded by the
dictagraph.
I" ' Conversation Dktagraphed.
, He said that In Washington, D. C,
on June 26, at the New Willard Hotel,
In Room 541, he again had a confer
ence with Nichols, which was "dicta
graphed," the adjoining room being oc
cupied by George W. Relk, the stenog
rapher who, with the transmitter of
I tho dlctagrapher to his ear, duly re
corded the whole conversation. Ho
'said that at this meeting Nichols was
'accompanied by tho county recorder
I of Spartanburg, Mr. Pasly, but that the
latter only remained In the room five
i or ton minutes.
''Porter" said that Nichols, who was
en route to the Baltimore Convention,
wanted him to come on over there and
meet Senators Tlllman and Smith,
from South Carolina, and he 'went,
meeting Senator Smith and the South
Carolina delegation.
Several telegrams, alleged to have
passed between "Porter" and Nichols
about this time, were offered In evi
dence and concerned the progress of
the effort which Nichols was alleged
to be making to get a pardon for De
ford. "Porter" testified that he got the
original indictment of Deford from
Sam Nichols in Spartanburg and they
were offered In evidence.
Thomas B. Felder then took the
stand to read the "dictagraphed"
conversations which. It Is alleged, had
occurred between Nichols and "Por
ter" in Spartanburg. Washington and
Baltimore.
Before beginning the reading Folder
was questioned by the committee con
cerning several of the charges which
Governor Please had made against
him and he denounced as "an unmiti
gated lie" the statement of "Huh"
Evans, that he (Felder) had once mot
him in Newberry, or that he had ever
attempted a "frame-up" with "Hub"
Evans, Towill and Moykln. Felder said
that the only time he had seen Towill
was once when the latter came to him.
In Washington, seeking employment as
traveling salesman In South Carolina
for Armour & Co. He denounced all
of the charges which "Hub" Evans ami
the governor of South Carolina have
brought against him as "mi Melons and
infamous lies."
Col. Felder produced the draft of the
$2,00(1 which he had turned over to
Reed, and which the latter had depos
ited in the Hank of Commerce, in Spar
tanburg.
Detect he's Story,
in the course of Heed's testimony the.
following was given as a statement
made by "Henry N. Porter," on Juno
21!. 1012, In the city of Washington. I>.
C. This statement purports to cover
a conversation between Samuel .1. Nich
ols and Henry N. Porter, in Room ill.
at the New Willard Hole!, between the
hours of 12.50 P, M. and 1.35 I*. Mi It
Is stated thai ie conversation taking
place between the hours above men
tioned was recorded by stenographic
notes by George W. Relk, he recording
this conversation by the use of a dic
tagraph In the adjoining room, No. ltd
Following Is the statement:
I "At this time I was in Room 441,
1 when a rap came to the door. I stepped
I to the door and looking out saw Sam
uel J. Nichols, of Spartanburg. S. C.
and a stranger knocking at the door of
Room 440. I called to Mr. Nichols and
asked hlra and his friend to come In.
They entered my room, No. 141. In the
I adjoining room was a stenographer
named Georgo W. Relk. operating a
dictagraph. The transmitter of thla
dictagraph was in Room 441. and tho
wires ran to Room 440.
"Mr. Nichols had previously stated
over the phone that he would arrive
from Baltimore at 12 o'clock. He ar
rived at 12.50. I was still waiting In
my room for his appearance. His being
accompanied by a stranger was a sur
prise to mo. I gave Mr. Nichols a seat
(Continued on Page Ten.)