The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, September 13, 1905, Image 1
r?B S17 MT EB WATCHMAN, Established April, I860. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Alias i-ai t>e in> Cocuitry s God s ?nd Truth's. THE TBUS SO?THSOX, Established Jone, IS ^
Cosolidated Aog. 2,1881. SUMTER. S. G.. WEDNESDAY.- SEPT i?M*BJiR 13, 190?. New Series-Yol. XXY. So. 8
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mm TS TSE CORL
DAMAGING CHARGES AGAINST
STATE DIRECTOR BOYKEV.
Accused of Soliciting Orders for Liq?
uor From Local Dispensers--Sum?
ter Dispenser Windham Had
Profitable Rake-off.
From the Daily Item, Sept. 6
The tale of graft among the dis
-flBbpensers, their clerks and other minor
w office holders was somewhat ex?
panded today, but little that was new
was brought to light. The rake off
derived by dispensers from empty
bottles and boxes was told and re?
told, and but for the conditions exist
ing in Cheraw, few facts of interest
were revealed. It is passing strange
why those high in office are not
brought to the stand and made to ex?
plain where, the big stealing is going
on, and leave alone, for a while at
^ least, the small fry who admit, with?
out exception, having received extra
bottles in cases and trivial ' presents
from the houses from whom the
liquor is purchased. It is true that ev?
ery investigation and the examination
of each witness generally throws some
small amount of light upon the dis
^ pensary situation; but, if the big bugs
were carefully and thoroughly inter?
rogated, it would soon appear useless
and a waste of time and money to
travel around the state investigating
local conditions. The conduct of the
system is what the people of the state
?are endeavoring to get at, and in or
vder to ascertain true conditions, those
who have the system in charge should
be required to render an account of
their stewardship. Perhaps the other
committees will perform their duty
as thoroughly as the Christensen-Ly
^ j on sub dispensary committee is dis
^ charging theirs.
Mr. H. R. Skinner, recently ap?
pointed dispenser 'at Darlington, was
called to the stand at 10.05 o'clock,
and examined by Representative ?.
Fraser Lyon. He testified as to the
manner in which the dispensary was
|^ " run by Gordon Wilkes, his predecessor
in office, and whom he served as clerk
for two years. He knew that whis?
key was sold in bottles containing less
than one-half pint, and also that some
of the liquor sold' for quarts contain
?fa ed only one-fifth of a gallon. He
named several brands. He said that
he had been the recipient, of some
presents, but that they had no in?
fluence upon him, and that they never
affected his orders. Wilkes received an
umbrella from Troeger & Co., a suit
> of clothes from Friedman, Kober &
W Co., md extra bottles of whiskey in
many of the cases received at the u:s
!?ensary. A letter was read from the
Richland Distillery Company offering
Wilkes for empty bottles of their spe?
cial brands 80 cents per case for
quarts, 90 cents for pints and $*1.00
for half pint bottles. Letters from
Cook-Bernheim Company and Blu?
menthal & Bickert, stating that gifts
of liquor were being sent were, also
read. He is now making use of the"
application blanks, and is observing
the law in regard thereto. Previously
|? he had omitted to do so, he made no
secret of it, and the State board could
have ascertained the fact upon mer?
inquiry. $
This is where a bit of interesting
testimony pertaining to the empty
bottle profits was presented to the
'90 committee. Skinner told of tlie ar
'. rangement of his dispensary, with a
convenient?v arranged enclosure in
the rear of the building which was
latticed in and had cork-screws at?
tached to chains and a device for pull?
ing off crown corks in handy and close
?jj proximity. On the back door was
tacked in a conspicuous place the fol
lowink sign:
"Notice: Customers opening and
drinking beer at this place must put
empty bottles in this barrel or box."
This, he admitted, proved one of the
chief means of collecting bottles, and
? was very profitable, as the price paid
for the empties is 20 cents per dozen.
This particular phase of the business
grew to such an extent that a tank for
washing bottles was placed in the rear
of the building. Wilkes kept extra bot?
tles found in cases on a table in his
portion of the building; he sold the
and kept the money for his persor
us<". Th* TTichland Distilling Coi
pany. always sent extra bottles, Mi
lard sent occasionally, but Troeg
never did. Letters from vario
houses stating that checks were b
ing sent for empty cases were rea
and the amounts therein stated we
$17.75, $13.35, $25.00, $28.65 a:
$29.38, The average receipts from tl
source amounts to $14.00 month]
Remembered shipping as many as :
or 30 barrels of empty beer bottles
a time for which he received $2J
per barrel. Any number of lette
were received offering to buy emp
cases and bottles.
Mr. J. T. Meehan, of Cheraw, edit?
of the Carolina Citizen, was ne:
called to the stand. Had heard charg<
made against S. S. Ingram, chairma
of board of control, and on his reque:
a meeting was held at Chesterfield c
the first Monday of August. He a?
peared before the county board <
control and in the presence of th
Hon. M. J. Hough and Editor Strich
lin, Mr. S. S. Ingram gave the follow
ing answers to questions directed t
bim:
"Are you chairman of the count
board of control?"
"I am."
"Since you have held this positio:
did you accept a position in the Che
raw dispensary as clerk, and did yoi
as chairman of said board, raise you
salary as clerk?"
"I did."
"Did you as chairman of the boar?
of control, audit and approve you
account as clerk?"
"I did."
"What salary was paid the dis
pensary clerk before you?"
"$33.33."
"You raise? your salary to wha
amount?"
"$40.00."
' "What salary has been paid foi
clerk hire since you gave up the po
sition?"
"The old price, $33.33. Receives
extras."
"While you wer^ chairman of the
board of control" a.nd clerk in the
Cheraw dispensary did you find extra
bottles of whiskey in certain case
goods."
"Yes. in some cases."
"In cases of barrels of beer would
you find about six extra bottles for
the dispenser?"
"Yes."
"Were these extra bottles of whis?
key and beer sold?"
"I can't say. I think they were put
right along with the other goods."
"If these goods were sold where did
the money gp?"
"I don't know."
He stated that Dispenser Manning
owned the building in which the dis?
pensary is located. That previous to
his purcase of it, the store rented for
$5.00 a month, and it paid him an in?
come of $20 a month. The building
was worth less than $500. He next
sold the building, bought another
store for about $600 and receives $290
a year for the dispensary's use of the
first floor and $100 a year as the
rental of the second uoor. He stated
that Dispenser Manning violated near?
ly every feature of the law, including
the non use of application blanks and
the selling of liquor to minors and
habitual drunkards. Ingram has en?
tire charge of the dispensary. He
stated that Ingram was in good health
on last Sunday afternoon, and that
he knew no reason why he should no,
appear. He is said to sell liquor
very frequently on Sunday on doc?
tor's certificates, and in most cases
those who take it are in a much
worse condition after they take it than
before. When questioned as to his
knowledge of the disposition of the
extra bottles of whiskey, he gave Mr.
Bundy, a clerk in the dispensary, as
authority for the statement that In?
gram crank about half of it. Often
it was sold to take the place of broken
bottles.
An affidavit from Mr. Ingram was
read stating that he did not regard
it as a. violation of the law. because of
his having served as a clerk in the
dispensary, while on the county
board. That his salary was raised by
the dispenser, and that he regretted
his inability to be present.
Mr. F. M. Davis, formerly dispens?
er at Florence for seven years, was
then called to the stand. His testi?
mony in regard to empty bottles and
boxes was similar to that of the others
examined. He sold on an average of
forty barrels of empty beer bottles
per month. He kept no special ac?
count of extra bottles. Said that they
went to the county and city profits,
but in explaining the means by which
the county and city thus profited, it
was made clear that his process of
reasoning was illogical, and that he
was the gainer by more than $100.
He received 25 cents per dozen from
Farnum in Charleston for beer bottles
i
and regarded the additional price an {
inducement to try his brands. There
was some peculiar transaction be?
tween the two that could not be got?
ten at, and in a letter to Farnum,
Davis said: "I don't care to sell out at
such a small figure." He said that
about $10,000 was his price. He ac?
cumulated bottles by allowing drink?
ing on the dispensary premises.
Mr. J. H. Morris, of Spartanburg,
,was sworn by request, and in answer
to charges preferred against him in
some papers as to the inaccuracy of
his accounts he produced vouchers
and receipts, which he turned over to
the committee, showing that his set?
tlement was straight and that he was
not behind.
The meeting then adjourned.
From the Daily Item, Sept. 7.
Yesterday afternoon's session of the
investigating committee was opened a
little after 4 o'clock by the calling of
W. D. Howard, former dispenser at
Spartanburg, to the stand. The es?
tablishment was run in his name, but
he was only an employe of Thomas
son & Sims, with whom he had a
written contract as to wages. He was
to receive $30 per month for the first
two months and $50 per month for
subsequent months. He became dis?
satisfied with the business on account
of Thomasson drawing from the cash
taken in amounts varying from $5 to
$20 per day. Saw that the business
could not stand the drain for any
length of time and decide to quit.
Mr. D. M. Miles, chairman of the
State board of control, now county
supervisor, told me that he had
Thomasson appointed in order tnat
he might get $200 out of him that
was owing to him. Mr. Sims paid
$25 United States license just prior
to my final settlement writh Thomas-,
son and Sims. I paid to the county
treasurer $81.34, the state royalty. I
made the payment by check. The
day after I made the payment Miles
came to the dispensary accompanied
by Mr. Dunwoody, the representative
of the Atlanta Brewing Co., and in?
structed me to go to Treasurer Epps
and obtain the check on the plea of
desiring to make a change in it, and
to make it out in favor of Mr. Dun?
woody. Miles said that he would
stand by me. I obtained the check
without trouble, and did as I was in?
structed to. This all happened in
the course of my settlement with
Thomasson and Sims. I left Spartan?
burg and when I returned two years
later I was arrested by Mr. William
Bishop, charged with not having paid
royalty to the State. The indictment
was sworn out by the company that
went on my bond. I sent for Mr.
O'Shields after I had been put in jail
and told him about the contract, ex?
plained that I did not own the dis?
pensary. I was released by the mag?
istrate on my own recognizance; never
had a trial; case was thrown out. Af?
ter I left Spartanburg I was bottie
seller for the state and received from
the dispensary authorities a check
for $72.00 two months after I left
Spartanburg. I then went to Tennessee
to work.
Mr. W. S. Glenn was next called
upon to testify. I am the representa?
tive of the Fidelity and Deposit
Company of Baltimore, Md., and have
my office in Spartanburg. My com?
pany went on W. D. Howard's
bond as beer dispenser. Bond was
written in November, 189S, and short?
age was discovered three months la?
ter. Howard, as I was informed, sold
out and as soon as I got the knowl?
edge I applied to see if his accounts
were correct. I went to Miles for the
information and was told that How?
ard's accounts were correct and sat?
isfactory, and got his written state?
ment to that effect signed by him as
chairman of the Spartanburg board
of control. This paper was filed with
the company after notice of shortage
was given. Company did not want to
pay claim. I have all of the original
correspondence pertaining to thc
bond, which was then read. Was told
that if company did not pay shortage
under bond without suit that my1
company would be boycotted, so the
shortage, amounting to $126.25 was
paid by tho company, as I considered
not as a matter of right, but simply
for policy. I am informed that the
stub of the receipt showing payment
made by Howard is now in the treas?
urer's office in Spartanburg. We re?
frained from prosecuting the case be?
cause we belived that Howard was
only a tool in the hands of other par?
ties.
Mr. Lyon then examined Mr. Wind?
ham, the local dispenser. I have been
dispenser at Sumter for the past five
years and a member of the county
board of control for two years. I have
sold bottles containing less than one
half pint of wb?skey. "Old Fashioned
Cocktail" was some of this kind; I
measured it and shipped it back to
the State authorities. Five's have been
and are still being sold for quarts.
Neglected the law in regard to re
j quest blanks on account of rush of
business. Have not turned over
money to county treasurer weekly as
the^law requires, because he refused
to accept it; make monthly pay?
ments. Drinking on premises not al?
lowed. Did not consider lot in rear
of dispensary as a part of the prem?
ises. Sold beer bottles for 20 cents per
dozen. Did not get more than $150
a year from this source and divided
that amount with my clerks. Letters
were introduced showing remittances
to Windham during a period of eight
months for the following: $49.88,
$58.42, $30.14, $141.50, averaging
about $35 per month. Sold empty box?
es for 25 cents a piece. He did not ob?
ject to committee's looking over his
mail, turned it over to them freely
and voluntarily. He seemed to have
done quite a nice little business "on
the side" with Bluthentha! & Bick?
ert. Used the money received from
boxes and empty bottles for his per?
sonal use. Regarded extra bottles
found in cases to make up for break?
age. Within^ the last three months
the State authorities have substituted
brands in ih sorders. Prior to that
time it was never done unless espec
ally. indicated in order. Persons con?
nected with the dispensary had never
attempted to use political influence
with him. His memory was refreshed
by reading a letter from L. J. Wil?
liams, then chairman of the State
board of control, urging his support
for Colonel Talbert in his race for
governor. Said that drummers never
tried to influence his orders, and that
they showed no interest in his finan?
cial affairs. A letter from W. W. Har?
ris, a whiskey drummer, was then in?
troduced, in which it was stated to
Windham that if he would place a
large order for a particular brand by
a certain date that Mr. Boykin, a
member of the board, would consider
a raise in his salary. He very reluct?
antly told that while a member of
the county board of control he had
been approached on the eve of the
election of county dispenser by friends
of a candidate for that office, and
told that it would be worth something
to him to vote for their friend. When
forced by the committee he said that
the-;e parties were the late Mr. J. E.
Gaillard and Mr. Geo. W. Reardon
and that the candidate for the office
was Mr. J. B. Raffield. He did not
know whether or not other members
of the b oard had been approached
but stated that Raffield was not
elected.
The meeting then adjourned until
9:30 o'clock Thursday morning.
Morning Session.
With more than unusual interest and
with a larger crowd in the court house
than has previously been present, the
investigation proceeded this morning.
Promptly at 10 o'clock "he first wit?
ness, Mr. E. T. Windham, who tes?
tified yesterday afternoon, was recall?
ed to the stand. Letters were read
stating that three cases of wine were
being shipped to him to supply short?
age in previous shipment. A barrel
of wine was also received by the dis?
penser. Said that L. W Boykin rep?
resented whiskey houses after he
was inspector, did not know which
houses. He was offered $50 to vote
for Mr. Raffield, refused it, and Mr. J.
M. Reams was elected. Shortage oc?
curred in Mr. Ream's accounts; no
collection was made to his knowledge
and no steps were taken to prosecute.
Committe from grand jury examined
dispenser's accounts, but nothing
further was heard of it.
Mr. E. F. Miller was .-the next wit?
ness. He is managing a newspaper
in this city. Dispensary had not been
conducted according to the legal pro
visions, and reported same to the
county board. He read letter from
Mr. L. J. Williams to Secretary Walsh
stating that the State board had no
authority to remedy defects in Section
5 of the dispensary law, so he waited
until he could see Mr. John Bell Tow
ill and made complaint to him. Mr.
Towill promised to have the dispenser
removed if Mr. Miller would prose
cut him. A letter was received from
the governor stating that the State
and county board would look illtO
the matter Mr. Miller carried affda?
vits before the State board, but they
were without effect and he was in?
formed that similar violations of the
law were to be found in every county.
He had a conversation with Mr. H. H.
Evans, of the State board, concern?
ing the matter, in which the latter
said that he did not give a damn
about Sumter; that he had never re?
ceived support but from one man
in the town. Advised him to discon?
tinue his efforts to expose the system,
as it would only tend to make him un?
popular, and no other papers seemed
to be very much interested. Mr. Mil
1er stated that he just wanted to see
the law obeyed. In reference to the
attempted bribe of Mr. Windham, he
said that he heard Mr. Gaillard say
on the day after thc election of dis
penser that he never would have JL
fered Windham the money if he had
not expected him to accept it.
Mr. Windham swore that Mr. Gail
lard apologized for having offered him
$50 to support Mr. Hatfield.
Mr. W. M. Sanders, of Stateburg, a
member of the Sumter county board
for six and one-N.alf years, was then
called upon to testify. While a mem?
ber of the board, he introduced a res?
olution to have the law obeyed, but
no action was taken. Mr. ?. G. War?
ren, former dispenser at Mayesville,
told him that he made about $40 a
month out of the bottle business, and
that he had a buyer in Sumter, who
brought bottles over to Mayesville by
the wagon load. He stated that Mr.
Warren offered him half of his bottle
profits for his vote for re-election,
which he declined. Said that he lost
his membership on the board because
he and other members could not agree
to the enforcement of the law.
Senator R. I. Manning, Representa?
tives Altamont Moses, John W. Clifton
and T. B. Fraser were all sworn and
testified to the fact that the reason
given by Mr. Sanders for having lost
his position was entirely Incorrect.
Mr. J. B. Raffield, county dispenser
from 1897 until 1899, presented him?
self for examination. He denied that
he had anything whatever to do with
the offering of a bribe by Messrs.
Gaillard and Reardon to Mr. Wind?
ham. The cause of the unpleasant?
ness between him and Mr. Wind?
ham was from a disagreement
about the bottle graft. Wind?
ham refused to employ a clerk. He
voted for Thomas for railroad com?
missioner. The committee appointed
by the jrand jury to investigate the
local dispensary was treated to drinks
by Dispenser Windham.
The next witness was Mr. E. D.
Smith. Worked at dispensary at
Mayesville in 1899 and 1900 and em?
ployed in the Sumter dispensary dur?
ing the year 1901. Now in the em?
ploy of the Atlantic Coast Line rail?
road. Stated that Mr. L. W. Boykin
while a member of the state board,
urged him to send orders for wine to
Garrett & Co., of Weldon, N. C., and
for Westminster whiskey to the Ul
man-Boykin Co., of Cincinnati. Had
heard that Mr. Boykin in this firm was
a relative of the commissioner. Prom?
ised that if I would push those brands
that he would have my salary in?
creased. Later on Boykin pressed the
purchase of beer from the Acme
Brewing Company, and gave for his
reason that they made good beer and
that furthermore the management
was going to give $5,000 to help elect
L. J. Williams governor of the State.
This conversation took place in the
dispensary. Later he and Windham
conferred privately. Said that H. B.
Best had received a jug of whiskey
from H. H. Crum as a Christmas gift,
and that all the employes in the
Mayesville dispensary got drunk.
Mr. J. D. Blanding, Jr., local beer
dispenser, testified to the fact that he
was once visited by a representative
of the Weiderman Brewing Company,
of Newport, Ky., who quoted him
prices on bottling beer. When asked
for quotations on export beer said that
he could not afford to ship it into
Sumter, as the rake off of the State
board was too much, being about a
dollar per barrel. That he ordered
beer by the carload of from 60 to 70
barrels.
The most amusing testimony ad?
duced at the trial was that of Mr. L.
"C. Farley, who is on th? staff of the
Spartanburg Herald. He visited Co?
lumbia about once a month and fre?
quently attended the meeting of the
state board. He vividly described
how tho whiskey drummers would
hover around like vultures over the
carcass ot* a dead beast, and urge the
sale of their brands. He told of the
process of "sampling" and how the
commissioners drank and drank until
they lost their faculties and go: into
a beast-like condition. The drum?
mers came loaded with quantities of
samples, which they dispensed with
lavish hands. Entertainments were
given by the members of the board in
their rooms at the hotels, liquor being
furnished by the drummers and gen?
eral invitations were extended to the
"opening." The members at that,
time wore Cooper. Miles, Jones
Douthit and Williams, none of whom
were "exempt from thc openings." He
has seen some of these gentlemen suf?
fering from alcoholic poisoning,
would not like to mention names A
man in such a condition loses all men?
tal and physical powers and expe?
riences a sensation of constant jerk?
ing. Had great influence with the
board, and often received money for
recovering seized liquor. Had helped
several liquor houses to get orders,
the Atlanta Berwing Company was
one of them, and in appreciation of
my services sent me a barrel of beer
on two occasions. Also got numerous
shipments <>f liquor. 1 have had posi?
tions to represent various houses of
I fered me time and again, declined alL
? Assisted in securing the appointment
! of Mr. Lawrence, of Darlington, as
I chief clerk in State dispensary. He
held the position only one month;
gave it up because he had learned not
to be led into temptation and because
he was a prohibition man. The entire'
surroundings were foreign to him.
At the conclusion of this evidence'
the meeting adjourned subject to the
call of the chairman.
KILLED OX THE RAEL.
Two Men Killed and Three Seriously
Injured Today.
Pittsburg, September 7.-One man?
was killed, another fatally injured
and three seriously hurt by being run?
down by a train on the Pennsylvania
railroad at Homewood station at 6:21
this morning. The men were stand?
ing on the track waiting for a train?
when the fast passenger train com?
ing from the opposite direction rant
them down. The dead are William
Gardner and a man thought to be
William McKee, who died on the way
to the hospital. The injured were*
William Gundy, whose skull was frac?
tured and the left arm so badly
crushed that it was amputated; Rob?
ert Patton, aged 20, whose back was
injured, taken to the hospital and*
Harry Courtney, aged 23, injured in?
ternally, and also taken to the hos?
pital.
WAR OF EXTERMINATION.
Tartars and Armenians at Baku Try?
ing to Destroy Each Other.
St. Petersburg, September 7.-The
troubles at Baku, according to the
latest reports, continue unabated and
if anything are growing worse. Over
500 oil wells are now reported to have
been destroyed as a result of the pol?
icy which has been adopted by riot?
ing Tartars and Armenians of setting
fire to tanks and wells. The damage
has been tremendous and it will be
a long time before operations can be
resumed. The heat from the burning:
wells is so - intense troops who have
been triying to extinguish the flame?
have been compelled to cease their
efforts. All homes in the vicinity Of
the wells have been abandoned. It is
doubtful if the troops, even with the
reinforcements sent 'them will be able
to Quell the antagonists, who seem to?
be bent on destroying each other.
BEER DISPENSARIES CLOSED^
Charleston Now Without Any Beer
Dispensaries-Do the Bottling
Works Suppiy Blind Tigers?
With the closing of the beer dis?
pensary of Thomas G. Carey, Charles?
ton is left without a place where one
can buy beer at retail. He has gone
into a position at the Charleston navy
yard and his resignation makes three
places vacant in Charleston. The'
Evening Post of that city says that it
is not likely that the vacancies will be
filled soon and continues, saying:
"The dearth of applicants is due to*
the profitless character of the retail
beer establishments. The return to
the dispenser depends upon the
amount of beer that he can sell, and
with the blind tigers in full blast on
all sides and three large bottling plants'
the Germania and the works of J. S.
Farnum and Robert Graham turning
out a large quantity of stuff and keep?
ing the illegal places supplied, not?
withstanding the business of the
agents of several of the large brewer?
ies, it is to be seen that there is not
much room for the retail beer dis?
pensaries."
Another reason ascribed is the
"premises" clause. The Post says
that few beer drinkers will take the
trouble to get a bottle of beer and
walk out to some other place where
it can be drunk.
George Gore, colored, was convict?
ed of manslaughter in Union Friday.
He killed a negro several months ago.
Letter to \V. P. Smith,
Sumter. S. C.
Dear Sir: $1.50 a gallon is dear
for water. There is a good deal of
water in some paint, and shouldn't
be any.
They say oil and water don't mix:
add alkali; that makes soft soap. A
certain amount of oil water and alka?
li make thick paint; it is thick in
the can; it is thick to look at, feels
rhick in the brush. But soap isn't
paint; and you can't cheat Nature;
you can't cheat Weather; you can't
cheat Time.
The alkali don t do the paint any
good; it isn't put-in for that; it is put?
in to hide the water; to sell it and selj
you; $1.50 a gallon for ^ i ka li-water.
Buy Dev e. and go by the name.
Yeur? truly,
F. W. Devoe & Co.
113.
The DuRant Hardware Co. sell our
paint.