The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, October 14, 1896, Image 1
m ti n an
THE SUMTES WATCHMAN, Established April, IS50.
"Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." .
THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Established Jene, 1266
Consolidated Aug. 2,1881.
SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1896.
New Series-Vol. XVI. So. ll
1 %\)t Wi?kfam I? JWjnm
Published Erery Tffednosday,
-BY
JN\ Gk O&teen,
SUMTER, S. a
TERMS :
?1.50 per annum-in advance.
ADVERTISEMENT:
y -
One Square first insertion..-..Si 00
Bvery subs?quent insertionM. 50
Contracts for three - months, or longer will
be made at reduced rates.
All communications which subserve private
'interests will be charged foras advertisements.
Obituaries and tributes of respect will be
charged for. s. _
At the End of Its Row.
The State Board of Control
Abandons the Job..
?__^
The' State board of control is still
pegging away at its regalar monthly
routine business Yesterday morning,
however, it found tiujae "to receive the
_ report of Messrs. Williams and Wes?
ton, who were seat on during the recess
to Cincinnati to look into matters bear?
ing on the rebate business This re?
port was received and received some
discussion. The board practically de?
cided at the morning session what it
weald do so far as any farther investi?
gation is onoeroed, bat took no officiai
action, preferring, it is uoderstood, to
await the arrival of,Mr. Allen. Dur?
ing the morning, however, the board
decided to make public the report pre?
sented by these gentlemen, and it was
tamed over to the representatives of
the press.
Io the afternoon the board brought,
ap the matter of the investigation
again, and took ! final action in regard
?hereto in the shape of the following
resolution, which was adopted and at
OB oe made public :
''This board of control, on account
of the many rumors affecting the integ?
rity of the management of the business
of the State dispensary before the pres?
ent board took charge of its affaairs,
deemed it proper to enter apon an in?
vestigation of the troth of soon rumors
so far as they affect employees of the
institution. This investigaren has
been made as thorough and as search?
ing as possible io view of the limited
extent of the power and authority of
this board.
"During the investigation tba board
.has received s ia; ern eu ts, under oath, of
all persons and all officiais who appear?
ed before it. A joint committee, com?
posed of one member of the board and
one member of the legislative examin?
ing committee, was sent to che oily of
Atlanta and city of Cincinnati to inves?
tigate the basiccss transactions between
firms who bave sold liquors to the State
and the officials of the State dispensary
ander the former-act of the legislature.
The report of this joint committee has
been made. The hearing before this
board was held with open doors, and
the testimony bas been published in the
daily newspapers for the information
of the public. It is the sense of this
board that at the proper time the gen?
eral assembly shall be folly apprised of
the disadvantages under which ibis in?
vestigation was made, that they may
take such steps as may be deemed ad?
visable.
*'Tbe evidence that bas beeo taken
is, in the opinion of this board, insuffi?
cient to show that any officer or em?
ployee of-the State dispensary has re?
ceived rebates or commissions on sales
to the dispensary, or to trace any
money so received to the personal pos?
session of any snob effioer or employee,
or to prove that any such officer or
employee has participated in sooh re?
bates or commissions "
TUE C-MMITTEE'S REPORT.
Here is the report of the official com?
mittee sent to Cincinnati:
COLUMBIA, S. C , Oct. 7, 1896.
To the State Board of Control :
Wc, yoar committee appointed at
your last meeting to go to Atlanta and
Cincinnati to collect evidence against
dispensary officials, if any there is,
tending to show that rebates were im?
properly reoeived, report :
That we weut to Atlant, Ga., and
there foaud fhat it was impossible to
recover a damagiug telegram said to
have been sent from lhere to Commis?
sioner Mixsco by bis son in July, '95,
as under the rale? ot the company,
which is that all matter over six months
old bas been destroyed, if ever in exist?
an ce. _
That we theo proceeded to Ciocin
nati, and as a result present herewith
a statement from the Peebles and Live
Oak companies, who have been charged
with paying rebates, which deserves but
Ht:le comment at cur hands. The offi?
cers and employees of those companies
refused to discuss any of these matters
with ns except through tbeimey ; they
refused tc allow a stenographic report ?
of our interview with them, and re?
fused to be bound by any verbal state?
ment they might make.
Their written statement amounts to
little else than an advertisement for
themselves, and without charging any?
body with wroog-doing, we respectfully
suggest that the legislature is the OG
power iu this State with sufficient a
thority to grapple with this matter ai
expose damaging facts it any exist.
While in Cincinnati we approach
other parties who had had dealings wi
the dispensary, bat with uneatt*facto
resalta.
(Signed) L. J. Williams,
Of the Board of Control.
(Signed) Francis H. Weston,
Of the Legislative Committee.
TUE WHISKEY MEN* S LETTER.
The following letter is the princip
one of those referred tc in the report
(Diet.)
CINCINNATI, Sept. 25, 1896
Mes8as. Williams and Westoo, Cos
tnittee of investigation, Columbi
S. C :
Gentlemeo-As we have made yt
assurance that we would investiga
all the matters you have made a trip
Cincinnati to look inte, we now pn
pose to put in writting the result of ot
investigations, concerning the affairs i
the two undersigned companies with tl
State of South Carolina We are promp
ed to do this with a full appreciation i
the importance of your visit, and wit
full knowlege that the people of Sout
Carolina, through their properly cc?
stituted officials, are now investigatin
the conduct of some of the State ofi
cials with a view of getting at cxai
justice, and right and truth.
We write this statement with th
hope that you will fully understand tb
position of our two oompanies for fa
dealing and honesty. The Joseph E
Peebles Sons Co. (undersigned), ha
been in business for 56 years. It ha
grown to be a targe private corporator
with a capital stock as i arge as most 0
tho large banks, and irs affairs ar
managed by a board of directors.
The Live Oak Distillery Co., is
similar private'eopor' tioo, operated un
der the management of a board direc
Hors, all of whom are gentlemeo of in
tegrity and high business reputation i
this community. Both of. these con
ceros have au aggregate capital' of fou
hundred thousand dollars (400,000
paid io, and have io their employ ove
125 people. Of this number moro thai
one half are sales people. Our busi
ness relations with the State dispensar;
of South Carolina bas passed tbrougl
the hands of a number of these people
Now, gentleman, we propose to sa;
to you, and through you to the peopl
of South Carolina, that if anything tba
is even slightly dishonest or taintei
witb corruption bas been indulged ii
by anyvconnivance of aoy employee ao<
any efficial of the State cf South Caro
l??a, we only wish to know who it is,, a
we caa cot tolerate aoy such conduct ot
the.part of any one connected with ou
business, whether io your State or ani
other State
We are.aware of the.fact that th<
southern States have been industrious
ly drummed by a line of commeroia
travellere, some of whom are irrespoosi
ble. We are fully convinced of tbi?
fact; that no responsible ? establish meo
eau do a large business through travel
Hog salesmen without having imitators
and without haviog their reputation as
sailed at some {?me or other.
The undersigned '.wo companies bav(
beth been successful and have sold tc
the Stace,of South Carolina large quan?
tities of high grade goods; uniformly al
the lowest prices consistent with quality
We claim, without exception, f hat we
have sold the State of South Carolina
at the very lowest margin at which we
could afford to sell. If, in connection
with this business and the desire to re
tain it, any one of the salesmen or em?
ployees or commissioo agents or brokers
of the undersigned companies have
made any mistakes we . wish
i you gentlemen to consider that we have
j to be a little charitable with our em?
ployees, who are pushing the sale ol
our goods, with as high a degree o?
responsibility provided they act honor?
ably in all their dealings with our cus?
tomers, and do not misrepresent the
quality of our goods.
A committee of our board bas now
advised that one of the members of the
company, who is also a lawyer, give a
thorough investigation to a great many
of the matters we have from time to
time learned from the South Caioiina
newspapers.
We have ascertained the fact that
Mr. Yost, who is one of ibo southern
managers of the Live Oak Distillery
company, did have persona! icterviews
OD one or two occasions with James W,
Misson, at Cincinnati, Ohio You
bave asked us personally to procure
any letters Mr. Yost is abie to furnish.
We DOW furnish, attached hereto, the
two letters that Mr. Yost bas been abie
to fiod. ooe dated April 29lb, 1895,
from James W. Misson tc our Mr.
Yost, and the other dated May 10th,
1S95, to Mr. Yost aud signed b* J.
W. Misson. Mr. Yost has also fur?
nished us a 'etter from W. T. Misson,
dated Dec 10th, 1895. Bath of our
two compauies wish to have it distinct?
ly understood that these letters were
not known of by the other agents of
the business, and that Mr. Yost dis?
tinctly states that it never occurred to
him that any friendly relations that
might be established with J. W. Mix
son and W. T. Mixson might possibly
be coostrued unfavorably by anybody ,
io the State of South Carolina.
You two gentlemen, as a committee,
have requested us personally to ask
Mr Yost about any interviews he ever
bad with either of the sfn^of F M
Misson. We have the statement from
Mr. Yost, and DOW give it to you-that
he saw one of the;e gentlemen on two
or three occasions at Cincinnati, Ohio,
and the other one possibly as many
times at Ciocinoati, Ohio. That with?
out any thought as to any possible con?
struction that might be placed upon it,
?and in entire ionoccnce as to any im
J proper suggestions be did consent to
gi7e a small brokerage commission to
said two. gentlemen. That each of
j said gentlemen approached him. We
have the assurance of Mr. Yost that in
neither of the interviews with either of
the sons of F. M. Mixsou did they
promise or asBuro him that they would
solicit business from their father.
Mr Yost also states that he was led
to believe from conversations with others
whose Lames he cannot recall that the
business as conducted io the State of
South Carolioa enabled the different dis?
pensers to call for the particular brands
of goods they wanted or that there was
a demaod for; that these demaods of the
various county dispensaries controlled
the orders given by the main dispensary.
Therefore, as the Live Oak Distillery
Co. and the Joseph R. Peebles Sons'
Co. bad already established the scale of
prices at which they were to sell the
goods, and as the suggestion made by
W. T. Mixson bad nothing to do with
a change of these prices Mr?. Yost
thought tbat by having brokers in the
field to assist iii creating a demand for
the liquors er popularizing certain
brands there would be no injustice to
the State of South Carolina, even if
said brokers were related to the com?
missioner.
Upon the above theory th* under?
signed company feel very well assured
that we are right in exonerating Mr.
Yost, one of our representatives from
any wrong intention or disposition to?
ward the State of South Carolina or
from any attempted corruption or
bribery
We now state to you gentlemen the
fact and assure yon of its accuracy that
I the prices at which our goods were
sold to the Stale of South Carolioa were
I from ? to 20 per cent, less for the same
! grades as sold by us to other large
buyers throughout the United States.
Your committee bas asked these com?
panies the questions in categorical form
as to whether either of the undersign?
ed companies have directly made to any
officer of the South Carolina dispensary,
any rebates, premiums", commissios,
drawacks, or other valuable considera?
tions, since theise companies have dealt
with the State of South Carolina up to
the present timss.
Now, with tte exception of pocket
knives and other little advertising de?
vice, which we send freely to any cus?
tomer anywhere in the country--we an?
swer NO.
We regret the absence from Ciooin
nati oo account of illness of our Mr.
Jos. F. Peebles. We cannot disturb
Mr. Peebles during his illness. But
if there are any other points which
you desire to have covered in corres?
pondence if you will address the letter
to either of the undersigned companies
at Cincinnati you will receive frank,
full and complete answers.
Before closing this letter we wish to
say to you, and through you to the gen
tlemen in South Carolina whom you
represent, that we appreciate the
force of the request that you made
viz.: that you will be furnished with a
stenographer and be allowed to ques?
tion and take down in shorthand the
conversation,questions and answers made
on your present visit and investigation
at Ciucinoati, Ohio. Varions m.-mbers
of the undersigned companies,and io fact
all the gentlemen you have personal!?
met. were quire wiiliog to do this. Bur.
we have an attorney who is associated
with the business of both companies
?nd it is upon his advice that wc pre?
fer to answer these questions io the
form we have. As the reputation of
both companies is high and we desire
to keep it so, we do net desire to have
our two companies made responsible
forany mistakesio iauguageoraccidental
blunders of the stenographers on mat
ters that are of the greatest importance
to us Besides an investigation that
would be inquisitorial in i's o"'\irr- n.?-d
touching upon points entirely different
I from the matter under discussion would
j ruu oo to great length ar;d would be
? tedious and involve the time of our
most valuable people
In truth we f.-el a great sympathy
for the people of South Carolina if they
have really been injured by any dis?
honest officers an i w.e feel willing and
free to help ferret it out to the bottom
Now we sincerely hope that justice
I will be done to all. We cannot help
any irregular investigation or one car?
ried on in Cincinnati, that is really
without strict authority of law.
We hope that cur lotter, written
jointly by both ?ompaoios, will be re?
ceived in the fair spirit in which it is
offered
Respectfully suboiitted,
Thc Live Oak Distillery Co ,
Tbo8. L. Lisnoden, Sec.
The Jos. R Peebles Sons' Co.,
H. L. Peebles, Sec. aud Treas.
Mixsoii. Has Resigned.
To-morrow ; Evening ne
Ceases to be Commissioner.
After al! there have been two very
surprising things to develop from the
recent dispensary investigation, and
the action of the State board of con?
trol as published yesterday morning.
In the first place State Commissioner
Mixsor h?.s resigned his position and
his duties will cease to-morrow.
This is a complete surprise to. even
Col. Mixson's friends. The other
matter is the determination of the
State board of control to leave the
Mill Creek and Peebles concerns out
ofitwhenit comes to purchasing
liquors for the dispensary
"lt was noised around yesterday
morning that Commissioner Mixson
had determined to hand in his resig?
nation, inasmuch as the board's reso?
lution had cleared him of all wrong?
doing. No "amount of questioning
could bring any light to bsar on the
matter. Several members of the
board, when questioned, denied flat?
ly that the board had requested the
resignation, and Col Mixson himself,
when asked if this were true, denied
it almost as emphatically. He declin?
ed to say whether he would resign or
not Things rocked along through
the day, newspaper men being con?
stantly on the lookout for some de?
velopment, but no resignation was
forthcoming. During the morning
Col Mixson was summoned before
the board of coutrol and found Gov?
ernor Evans already present. From
what can be ascertained this was due
to the consideration by the board of
the matter of getting Governor Evans
to stop the seizures of imported
liquors by the constabulary, Mixson
it seems, was called in to make a
statement as to the extent of. such
seizures by the constables. What
the upshot of the matter was is of
course unknown.
It was about 6:30 o'clock yester?
day afternoon when Col Mixson sent
to the board hie resignation in the
shape of the following letter, which
gives his reasons for his action:
Colombia, 5. C., Oct. 8, 1896
To the State Board of Control:
It has been my desire for some
months to resign my position as
State commissioner, but on account
of the many rumors and slanderous
reports iu circulation I could not af?
ford to do so, preferring to wait an
investigation by your honorable
board You have conducted this in?
vestigation and have exonerated me
fully from any wrong-doing, and I
now tender you this my resignation,
to take effect as soon as you gentle?
men can name my successor, or in
any other manner relieve me of the
duties. I would be glad to have you
aot at as early a time as you possibly
can, but I do not wish to embarrass
you nor the business in causing you
to act hastily.
Yery respectfully,
(Signed) F. M MIXSON.
Shortly afterwards the State board
of control took a recess until this
morning After the doors were
opened it was ascertained that the
board had accepted the resignation
of Commissioner Mixson, to take
effect at 6 o'clock tomorrow even?
ing One of the members of the
members of the board, when asked
what the l/oard would do about elect
ing Col- Mixson'8 successor, stated
that the b^ard had not acted in re?
gard to th .atter as yet, but that it
would makv proper provision for !he
conduct o? the business of the dis
pensary until the place could be
Siled.
liuw the board wiU overcome the
features of the law affecting the con
duct of the business in case of the
commissioner's resignation, which
were pointed out in Thy Stale a few
days ago, remain to be seen. Those
features of the law were called to the
attention of The Stott? by an attor?
ney of some note. It is understood
that- the attorney general's ofSce
holds different views, however, and
is of the opinion that the provisions
of the lav/ quoted do net apply to the
matter ;n il.o -\'v.y p< in?ed oui The
board, ii is said, considers itself tree
to go ahead and select a succesor to
Col. Mixson
The board was busy yesterday
willi its monthly purchases of whis?
key. Most of the purchases were
made, but no information in regard
thereto was given for the public, ex?
cept that no orders were given to the
Peebles and Live Oak companies.
The board has determined not to
make public henceforth the names of
the parties from whom liquors were
purchased and the amounts that were
purchased. This information will be
withheld in the future.
Mr. Allen, the member of the
board whose church intimated that it
wanted his resignation as a memer
of the board, was present yesterday.
Ile will very h'Kely have something
to say about the matter ta-day.
Mr. White of Cincinnati is still
here. Ile had refused to make a
statement in regard to the rebate
question in Cincinnati, he was here
now and had come here for the pur?
pose of becoming a witness Ile
has not yet gone before the board,
however. Ile will probably give a
statement to i he press to day in re?
gard to the scandal, inasmuch as his
name was 60 frequently brought in
by the several witnesses -The State,
October 9.
-^^-???>-- -
J. T. Gaston Elected.
He has Been Appointed Chief
Bar-Keeper of the State
Pro. Tem.
Frc-'B The] State; October 10.
When the State dispensary opens
up for business on Monday morning
next Commissioner Mixson will be a
private citizen, supposedly in search
of a job like many others, and Super?
intendent John T. Gaston will be
acting in the capacity of commis?
sioner pro tem in accordance with
the final action taken by the State
board of control last evening after
an all day session. What was said
and done at thi" session is of course
supposed to be known only to the
members of the board On the out?
side, it is understood that a pretty
lively morning session was held
From what can be ascertained there
was much doubt as to what was the
best thing to do. The merabere of
the board, it is said, were divided in
their opinions as to what was best.
When the board finally adjourned
last evening, announcing that it
would hold another brief session this
morning, the following resolutions
were given to the press :
Resolved, That as F. M. Mixson,
State commissioner, has tendered bis
resignation and it has been accepted
and further time is required to make
a judicious selection, it is the sense
of this board that no appointment of
his successor be made at this time,
but that some person be desig
de8ignated to act as State commis?
sioner and to discharge the duties of
the ofBce^mlil such appointment is
made.
Resolved, further, That John T
Gaston is hereby selected and desig?
nated to act as State commission and
discbarge the duties of the of?ce at
a compensation to be flexed by the
board until the appointment of the
mccessor of F. M Mixson be made
This of course settled the matter,
but does not end the speculation as
to who will be made State commis?
sioner to succeed Colonel Mixson
There is some talk of Mr. / daffy, of
Orangeburg county, being given the
position If there are any applica?
tions on file the board has not yet
made public anything about them.
But then the board keeps most
things to itself. The attorney gen
eral's office yesterday gave the board
an opinion as to its powers in the
matter of Colonel Mixson's resigna?
tion. This opinion, a member of the
board, said left the body free to act
aa it saw fit.
There has been some speculation as
to what Colonel Mixson proposes to
do in the future. He was asked
about it yesterday. He said he had
no $5,000 jobs nor general agencies
of emigration societies offered him
as Governor Evans had, but he was
sure of one thing and that was that
he would make a living ; that was all
Colonel Mixson could be induced to
say on the subject.
MR. ALLEN RESIGNS. !
Last evening Mr Allen of the j
board of control sent his resignation
as a member of that body to Govern?
or Evans and it was promptly accept?
ed. Nothing is yet known as to who
Governor Evans will select to succeed
Mr. Allen He will probably take
his time in making the appointment
Mr. Allen gives the action ot his
cnurch, which bas been given The
State, as the reason for his resigna?
tion.
Mr. Allen's letter of resignation
reads as follows :
COLUMBIA, S. C , Oct. S, 1896.
To His Excellency, John Gary Evans,
Governor of Soutb Carolina.
Sir : I hereby tender you iv.y res- ?
ignation as i member of the State !
board of control and respectfully ask !
its immediate acceptance.
Very respectfully.
T. M. Alien !
Croup Quickly Cured.
Mountain Glen, Ark.-Our children were
suftV'rinnr with croup when we received :i bottie
of Chamberlain's Cough Remedy, li afforded
almost instant relief.- F. A. Thornton.
This celebrated remedy ?3 for sale t>y Dr. A
J. Cbina.
Highest cf ail in Leavening Pow
Du laurier Dead.
_ LONDON, Oct 8 -George Du Mau
rier, the artist and author, who has
been suffering for sometime with
heart and lung troubles, died at 2:30
o'clock this morning. His death
was peaceful.
The physicians who attended Du
Manner announce that his heart has
been weak"forTyears and that a 4fort
night ago this affection became ag^
gravated by a chill, the effects of
which settled upon his lungs.
The voluminous obituary notices
published in the London papers make
no allusion to bis alleged remarks to
a friend that populrity had killed him,
and there is every reason to believe
that be never so expressed himself.
George Liwis Palmella Du Mau
rier, artist and author, was born in
Paris, March 6 1834, and was educa?
ted in that city, but was a British
subject. His grandparents on his
father's side were emigrants from
France during the Reign Of Terror.
He went to Eogland at the age of 17
and studied chemistry under Dr.
Williamson at University college,
London. Afterward he studied
painting in Paris under the famous
M. Gleyere, aiso in Antwerp and
Dusseldorf. He first began to draw
on wood in England for Once a
Week; afterward for Punch and The
Cornhill Magazine, and subsequently
he joined The Punch staff. Since
that time his work in drawings made
him one of the best known and most
admired of contemporary artists and
satirists.
Mr. Du Maurier illustrated Esmond,
"The Story of a Feather/' "Thack?
eray's Ballards'* and many other
books He was an Associate of the
Royal Society of painters in water?
colors. A special exhibition of his
works was held at the rooms of the
Fine Art Society in 1895.
In 1891 Mr Du Maurier published
a novel, "Peter Ibbetscn,"" in Har?
pers Magazine, and 1894 his novel,
"Trilby," appeared.
The opening pages of h;s latest
work, "The Martian," appeared in
the October number of Harper's Mag?
azine.
Mr. Du Maurier has lectured occa
sionly on subjects connected with
his work as an artist
A Visit to the State Farm.
Last Friday afternoon we had the
pleasure of driving out to the State
farm. This is a tract of 138 acres
bought by the State for the use of
Winthrop College. An immense
barn is in course of erection out
lhere. . It is 130 feet long, 40 feet
wide and 2 1-2 stories high, propba
bly the largest of its kind in tbe up
country. The lower floor will be
used for keeping stock, while the
upper floors are for storage The
whole is well ventilated. The paint?
ers are at work on it now. The
damage which it received from thc
recent storm- has all been repaired.
Driving along we noticed quanti?
ties of beets, turnips, carriots, as?
paragus and such vegetable being
raised for the table at Winthrop.
There is a large field of strawberry
plants growing nicely.
At the dairy 18 cows are being
milked daily. We saw an effectual
way of managing fractions animals.
One man holds the head, another
holds the right foot tied with a
strong rope, while a third does the
milking. A rather primitive method,
but it answers the purpose. Convict
labor is employed to a great extent
on the farm.
There is also a large orchard of
about 800 yooung apple, peach and
pear trees growing nicely
The swill from the college is.used
to fatten a lot of healthy porkers.
This is not a farn *"on paper," but
is being run practically and economi?
cally, though on an extensive scale.
Rock Hill Herald.
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Mrs. Annie Steele, 2025 C >r.ug? Grove Ave.
Chicago, was ?ill run dGwn, c uld not cat nor
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Electric Bitters restored her health ar.d renewed
her strength, Prices 50 cent^and $1.(0. Get.
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