Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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rine %sortment Of the World's most f . 'famous ?jorham Silverware is to be found at my store. A Wedding Present of Gorham Silver is ever-lasting and will surely be appreciated. Chantilly, ^Regent and other patterns always on hand. William Solomon RELIABLE JEWELER Laurens, S. C. WHY Don't you insure with the Southeastern? It offers the best to be had in Life Insurance viz: Protection Paid Up Values Large Loan Values Long'kRxtended Business A Home Company solic iting your Insurance. M. R. WILKES, Agent Laurens, S. C. Southeastern Life Insurance Co. Greenville, S. C. SIMPLY SUICIDAL To allow yourself to suffer from Dyspop. aia when ona 25-cent bottlo of the GROVER GRAHAM DYSPEPSIA REMEDY Will removo all distress, If you're suf fering, (coat on,,,. to tho noarost drug storo, r-fjrehnao n bottlo, driiw tho cork, tuko a mouthful and roturn homo I*?rf\5ofcly Free From All 1>Im< t'fiMf*. Noniattor how chronlo or sevoro your Cflse may bo tho Orovor Oniham Dyapop aia Remedy will cure it. "We moan what wo say. Tent us 1 Throe Sizes, 25o., 60o. and (1.00. 8.0R0VE.R OR AH AM CO./INC.) NEWBUROH, N.V. LAUBENS BBUO CO. Laurcns. S. C. WILLIAMS* KIDNEY PILLS Mar* yon erHwarkx) your narvoue ?y? tett im oeuood trouble with your kM A?r< Madderf Havo you pains In lotM, tide, book and bledder? Have you a SMthey astftearaaoe of tho faoo, and un der Um eyest a frequent deetre to pom arts*? If bo, WIIIUmo' Kidney Pills will ewe you? Druottet. Prlee Ose. Williams fctra. co.. rw?... cu?.u?j. oua LAUBS** DftUO CO. Iurm, ft. C ^"SMJ bo.w, (?M wttS Btu? ? KnmJs&f ty l ne^- nvrHHtOT.KlX c SAM J. NICHOLS PLEADS DRUNKENNESS WHEN ANSWERING DICTOGRAPH TESTIMONY Says that He Was so Drunk that He did not Know What he Was Talking About. Might have said all that the Dictograph Quoted Him as Saying, but does not Re member it Columbia. July IS.?That be was In an Intoxicated condition, such that he knew little of the Interview, be tween himself and E. S. Reed, the detective, alius H. N. Porter, the Chi cago attorney, that some of the state ments made by him. as recorded by the dictagraph, were ridiculous; strong denials of certain testimony, as recorded by the dlstagraph; denial of any intentions of offering a bribe to Governor Blease for the pardon of Gus DeFord; a denial that the wit ness had done a big "pardon busi ness" with the governor; a denial that he was a delegate to the Balti more convention and Instructed for Harmon, but a statement that if he said this, it was while under the in fluence of Scotch whiskey; charges that the dictagraph testimony taken from Mr. Nichols In Spartanburg, Baltimore and Washington hotels had been contorted by Its transcrib ing stenographer: a denial that he had wired Reed to come to Spartan burg to close out the pardon deal and the Introduction of a telegram received by Sam J, Nichols, purport ing to be from Reed, that he had sent a New York draft to Nichols for $20.000 for closing out this deal, and the charge that this message was false were features of the testimony produced by Sam J. Nichols, of Spar tanburg, before the dispensary Inves tigation committee here this morn ing. Chairman Carlisle said he had re quested Reed, the detective, to ap pear here today, but Reed was not present. The committee was In ses sion for three hours and a large crowd heard the testimony. Called to Order. Senator Carlisle, the chairman of the Investigating committee, did not arrive here from Spartanburg until noon and the proceedings began at that hour. Samuel J. Nichols, the Spartan burg attorney, went on the stand then and told of his side of the al leged deal, which Detective Reed claimed to have made with him to buy the pardon of James Johnson, the notorious yeggman. Nichols, with an array of prominent attorneys, was here to go on the stand. Several people from different parts of the state are present. Many Spectators. The library at the state house was well iilled with spectators when the dispensary investigating committee assembled today at noon to hear the testimony of Sam J. Nichols, who was charged in Detective Reed's tes timony with having been employed by him in the alleweil scheme to buy a pardon for James Johnson, alias ('.us DeFord, the notorious safe crack er. , The Attorneys. Mr. Nichols was present with his attorneys, his lather, Judge George W. Nichols and Ralph K. Carson, ('. I?. Sanders. W. M. Jones. ('. P. Sims, Robert T. c.antt, of Spartanburg; J. G. Hughes, of Union; W. S. Nelson, of Columbia and C. C. Wyche. of Spartanburg. All of the Investigating committee were present except \V. L. Daniels, of Saluda. I'rior to opening the public session, the Investigating committee held a short executive session. They filed in the library at 12:30 and took their seats. Carlisle called the meeting to order at 12:26 and announced that It was called chiefly to hear the testimony of S. J. Nichols. Mr. Nichols gave the names of C. P. Sanders and W. M. Jones as counsel, who would ap pear for him today. Reed Won't Come. Chairman Carlisle read into the record the statement that he had at the request of Mr. Nichols requested Folder to have E. S. Heed, the de tective, present at the hearing today. He also read into the record Felder's reply that Reed had left Atlanta for Chicago, but that it' he were there he would not come into South Carolina to testily. W. M. Jones, of counsel for Nich i ols, asked questions of Nichols to show that Heed, the detective. had come to Spartanburg posing as a Chi cago lawyer, win) wanted to repre sent the man Deford in tin? South Carolina penitentiary. Reed, Nichols said, hail been sent to him by a Spartanburg hackman. "Mr. Porter" was referred to C. I'. Sims, of Spartanburg. Nichols went Into the details of certain arrange ments as made between "Porter," Sims and himself, as to representing DeFord, and accounts of which have already been published. Iiifei iii-baii Oeui. Nichols related certain things about the conversation with "Porter," In the Hotel Finch. Nichols cor robated certain testimony that had been taken by the dictagraph. He explained that, he went into the "In terurban" case and said he had told Reed it had been reported that he had been paid $30,000 for the sign ing of the Incorporating act. He said he had told Reed this was a "damn lie." He said he had told the gov ernor his refusal to sign the bill would hurt the Piedmont section, but he had paid the governor nothing, and he had not even received a fee from the Southern Power company, which he represented, for his work in con nection with the intemurban fran chise. ?U Is a Lie." Nichols corroborated the testimony taken by the dictagraph that he said it was a He that Blease had received "graft." Nichols: said he had borne much of the governor's campaign expenses I' in 1910, and he proposed to do this > again. There was applause from the large crowd gathered. Nichols said when he went into Reed's room at the Hotel Finch there were two quarts of Scotch whiskey ou the dresser, that he got drunk and that now he can't say what took place; that whiskey ha9 a peculiar effect over him, and that the dictagraph testimony does not represent his "sane moments" or the facts in the case. Ho said he didn't kno wwhat con dition he was In when he left for Baltimore, but thought the dictagraph told the truth when It said he was drunk. He said this whiskey affected him as none had ever done before and was, after he sobered, unusually bad. Drunk on Train. He was asked if he thought the whiskey was drugged. He said he couldn't say. Nichols said he did not know he was on his way to Balti more until he woke up on the Pull man in company with flrends, T. B. Pearce, L. J. Jennings and Charles P. Calvert. Nichols said he never was offered any bribe by anybody for any thing. Nichols said If he told the dicta graph he was a delegate to Balti more, instructed for Harmon. he must certainly have been drunk, for he was no delegate at all. There was laughter on the part of all pres ent when this statement was made. Net er Represented Green. Nichols denied that he had ever represented one Green In securing a pardon. Nichols told of joining the campaign party In Barnwell and said he went there with the intention of asking the governor if he would con sider any pardons before the election. He said, however, that when he found the governor so busy, he did not men tion the matter. The witness said when he saw the newspaper story that Felder had said Nichols had wired Heed to come to Spartanburg and get the pardon, he went to the Blackville ofllce and wired Reed: "Things do not look good. Come to Spartanburg at once," and he said he was then "cold sober. He introduced the original mes sage In evidence, and said he had not wired Reed anything else. Two Telegrams. Mr. Nichols said he spent last Sun day here with Governor Blease, and the first he knew of any reported "crookedness" he read It in the Sunday morning papers. He said when be got to Spartanburg he found Porter's answer from Chicago to the Blackville message. "Though, in truth," he Bald, "Por ter was in Augusta. This wire was introduced and is as follows: "Chicago July 13, 1912. "Sain .1. Nichols, Spartanburg, S. C. "Your wire received today, Take it for granted papers ready. Am mailing New York drafl twenty thousand, as agreed. Wire Immediate ly if paper is issued today. "HENBY N. POBTER." Notes iioctored. The witness said he had been told the stenographer who took the rec ords of the dictagraph was Tom Felder's stenographer. "Can not a stenographer easily change the notes so as to mlsreport statements?" asked Attorney Jones. Mr. Nichols replied he thought he could. Chairman Carlisle stated, for Mr. Jones, that the stenographer had never sworn to his notes as submitted to the committee. The witness said the name of a man who is alleged to have had a fight with Mr. Hear on, editor of the Spartanburg Herald, as mentioned in the testimony, was wrongly reported, as were other names of Spartanburg people men I ttoned In the dictagraph records. At one place in tue dictagraph record Nichols had referred to the governor as necessarily sharing in the "profits" of the pardon, but the witness said he ev'dently was referring to Sims and not to the governor. Mr. Jones said the stenographer had here and in other places put In the word "gov ernor" to make the record miscarry. \n Attack on Hums. Mr. Nichols read from a magazine, the American Federatlonlst, a state ment from George W. Wicker sham, attorney general of the United States, to show that W. J. Burns "stacked the cards," using Burns' own words, and had used improper methods in the investigation of certain cases in the Country. The attorney general, this article said. had reported on Burns' work, characterizing certain of Burns' reports In a government in vestigation as "evasive." Mr. Jones said he had a letter tend ing to show that the dictagraph, as used in the Lorimer case, was unre liable, and he said this will be Intro duced if the writer of the letter, an official in Washington and a friend of Nichols would give consent for Its use. This will be Introduced later, If at all. As to the Bribes. On a question of C. P. Sanders, of his counsel, Mr. Nichols said he never made any agreement to recolve any money for Governor Blease and he did not think the governor would have received any such bribe, If it should be offered. In all this testl monye Mr. Nichols was questioned by W. M. Jones, of Spartanburg, one of his attorneys. The Campaign Fund. Nichols said he had made no statement to his knowledge, and "if he did it was when he was under the Influence of whiskey," that he?would accept any n--?ne.v / >r use In connec tion with Gov^Vjetol'ease's campaign. I (Co ?** ^'-^ven.) McBEE The Best Opportunity in South Carolina for Farmer or Investor. If you have been keeping up with the industrial development of|South Carolina, you already know something of the wonderful development that is taking place at McBee, the town not only with a future but a present. Three railroads, elevation over 500 feet, free from malaria, with an at mosphere charged with life-giving ozone from the same pine belt that has made Southern Pines and Camden famous as health resorts. Good Schools, Good Churches, Good People, Good Soil. Fine Farms of Any Size Desired, One to Four Miles from Town, are Now Being Offered for Sale on Easy Terms. Government authorities have recently decided that no finer soil is to be found in the South than that around McBee. The small farmer who desires to get ahead in the world, who really wants to conserve his energies and turn them into a bright future for himself and loved ones, now has the opportunity that comes only about once in a life time. These lands are now cheap, but the time will soon come when they will not be for sale at double the price now asked. Write us for book of full information concerning McBee and the proposi tion we have to offer to home-seekers or investors. Our representative leaves Laurens every Monday. Join us on some of these trips. Southern Land Development Co., Laurens, South Carolina Call on N. B. DIAL, President, E. P. MINTER or B. A. SULLIVAN "TheBestPolicyonEarth" A Letter from a Fortunate Holder of an "Elective Policy" J Containing the Disability Clause: , Greenwood, S. C., October 24ih, 1911. Southeastern Life Insurance Company, Greenville, S. C. Gentlemen:?I wish to thank you for the prompt manner in which you placed into effect the Disability Clause in policy No. 2026 held by my b/other, Mr. Chas. a. Cobb, of Abbeville, S. C. Some time ago he was paralized, and although not confined to his bed, is totally, and I fear, permanently disabled, and in no condi tion now financially, to keep up his insurance, one premium being due in the next few days. Under this Disability Clause you have agreed to pay his premiums while the disability lasts, and his family is protected for the full amount of the Policy, $5,000.00, without further payment of premi ums on his part. I cannot speak too highly of your Company, and of this splendid feature of your Elective Policies. I congratulate you on the great progress you are making, and do not wonder that you are gaining the confidence and patronage of such a host of our people. Again thanking you> and with best wishes, I am, Very truly yours, (Signed) F. B. COBB. ASK TO SEE THAT POLICY The Southeastern Life Insurance Co. CARLOS R. MOSELEY, General Agent Phone No. 7 and 222. Laurens, South Caroli