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VHS SUMTEH WATCHMAN, Eetabll n ?< Muted Aug. 2.188 C be Wlattbman anb jSoutbroa ? Published We*lne*day and Saturday ?BT? 08TEEN PUBLISHING COMPANY 8UMTBR. S. a t \ * Tertua: ? Lit oar annum?tn advance. Advertisements: One Square first Insertion.$1.00 Brer? subosquent insertion.SO Contracts for three months, or senior will be made at reduced rates. All communications which sub sot 11 private it .terests will be charged for no ad vertu entente. Obftoarte? and tributes of Sjttl be charged for. OIL COMPANIES FINED. Calhorn i of Texas Place* Two hi Recelver'a Hands for liaw A net in. Tex. Oct. 17.?Judge Cni of the district court here today an 01-dar sssssstng that 8e Oll Oeeipnny with penalties of fa* a day fro si July if, l.ei. to No ? .ItllT, when an Injunction snipping alleged violation Of Use nwtl-traet lawn. The fine ag $7s, >?#. The charter was nan Use company perpetuat? io- enjoined from doing bnalneas In the Ifttt W ?! The Navam? Refining Company waa IM 4alsp from October It, . to November ?. 1?07. amounting ?l!*f. The charter waa also can oelled and th# company ousted. Out Collett of Austin waa appoint 04 roeelver for both oompanlee with t> advertise the proper for sale on December 7. A judg for MOOOO against the Standard Company of Indiana will be en In gf rnishment proceedings the Oulf. Colorado A Santa n of |7l(tM against the Tank Line Company will be If tie roeelver oan dispose propei V in. hand to pay the Woman hi America to Fly in College Pari:. Md., Oct 27?With Isar sains tt?d tightly about her gssklees to keep them from fluttering Ml the breese Mrs. Van Deman. wife ef Capt. Ralph H. Van Deman. 21st Infantry, U. A., occupied the pas? senger's see/ bealde Wilbur Wright when be ascended In the govern? ment's aeroplane here today. For four minutes she experienced the sensation of soaring In the air. sometimes as hfsjh aa iO feot above the ground. ThU van the flrst time a woman made an aaeension in a heavier than air ma? chine in the Jolted States, the Wright brothers having restated a multitude ef femlnen Importunities for aerial ex corelone. "Oh." exclaimed Mrs. Van Deman when she returned to the ground. I knov what makes the birds UfluU. U im and Humphreys had so far progressed with their mastery ef the government's aeroplane today that Just before the closing of the af? ternoon's work Wilbur Wright step? ped to the rear and allowed the two officer* to oversee all details prepara? tory to tho aaeension. The officers have progressed so far that Mr. Wright toda; announced his Intention Of abandoning them for several days, allowing them to use the airship at their discretion. The flights will con? tinue here ai -usual. The Pt<otit In Advertising. (Roanoke, Va.. Evening World.; Do business people generally appre? ciate the value of advertising? If a merchant has anything to sell, is it ?ot his first duty to let the public know just what he offers? If goods ee articles of value are lost, will not the advertl* ng of the fact, with de? scription of the lost article, aid in Its recovery? The value of such adver? tising has boon UM often demonstrat? ed to admit <>f doubt now. Printer's tak wisely u*ed Is the safest and sur? est ally of 'he merchant, the manu? facturer, tho man who has any ar? ticle of vali e of which he wishes lo dispose. The mar In buslnnss wie? toftnof afford to advertise will soon be put "?' business. The dally newspaper Is th ? rheapest and most effective solic itor for the pernon who uses its column*. No man wh > hus anything ofruhsOtO sell or who wants to buy anything not easily found can afford to Ignore It. About 90,000 tons of du ' ind re fuae Is taken away iu barges from London every year. Ished April, 1850. 'Be Just an 1. BUM DISPENSARY COMMISSION. -? i COLUMBIA BANKER QUESTIONED AT LENGTH YESTERDAY. Attorney Felder Puts J. P. Matthews Through a Gruelling' Exnnilnatlon In Regard to Dispensary Transac? tion* and Otherwise-?\Vit lies* Of? fers Five Thousand Dollars for Proof That He Accepted Commis? sions. Columbia. Oct. 27.?From the line of testimony that was entered into to? day by the disepnsary winding-up commission It becomes apparent that the affairs of the dispensary will be Investigated further back than the last board's regime. There has been .1 general crltclsm floating around the State that the commission has under? taken not to go into the details of transactions sarlier than the year 1 906 and upon matters touching the board of directors, of which Wylle, Rawlin son and Black were members. But today's happenings tend to discredit the rumor, and it begins to look fis if the commission's Investigations, as led by Col. Felder, will probe Into many Interesting sidelights of the old dis? pensary regime. How far this Inves? tigation will proceed cannot be stated at this time, but It certainly looked today as If the foundation was being laid for deep digging. . The names of H. H. Evans, the one? time chairman of the board; L J. Williams,'John Black, James Fan.urn, Jno. T. Barley, the Fleischmann Com? pany, H. H. Aull, formerly president of the SUte Press Association; Editor Koester, of the Evening Record, and many others were brought Into the discussion this morning in the course of the examination of Mr. J. P. Mat? thews, a Columbia banker, who was put oa the stand today. There wu? some mutters either brought out or hinted at that have beea touched on In connection with the dispensary investigation before and since the recent trials. The Intro? duction of John T. Barley Into this Stats was practically laid at the feet of the bank cashier. Letters were shewn la which Mr. Matthews Bad written to the Fleischmann Company, telling this concern that he had met with Mr. Earley and "understood that he had made certain arrangements here in reference to doing business with the State of South Carolina In selling whiskey to the dispensary." What these "arrangements" were Mr. Matthews avowed he knew no hing of, and did not recall that Earley- had told him what they were. Other Interesting sidelights wer? the questioning along the line that recall? ed the now famous "haul" of Briggs Wilson, when one of the men who was luteretted in the situation is said to have gone Into Georgia to bring back this person, who was charged with ' having made the quarterly collections of rebates and went away with them. The "midnight fiasco," when $200. 00t or more was paid out in a jiffy, $5,000 being the consideration alleged to have been given the members of the board; the endorsement of notes for members of the board and for others interested in the whiskey deals; the support of candidates for election on the board; these and oth? er matters of the old State dispen? sary system were touched upon today in the examination of Mr. Matthews. To most of the questions Mr. Mat? thews replied that he did not recall the circumstances. "I don't remem? ber" was the expression oft repeated by him today. The letters were his own, he admitted, and even after reading them, he could not recall the information contained in the major? ity of them. The point that was mostly stressed by Col. Felder was a meeting that was said to have been contemplated b* Sam Lanahan, of the firm of Wil? liam T*unahan & Sons, Baltimore; L. J. Williams, <?f the dispensary board and J. p. Matthews. The letters in reference to the meeting were in evi? dence, ami telegrams sent by Mr. Mat? thews on thf? subject were on hand, but Mr. Matthews could not tell what was tlx* object of tiiis meeting, and con? cluded also that It was never held. There may be further light upon th' matter later. In the course of the examination Mr. Matthews, who Is one of the best known bankers in the State, and who Is held by all who know him to be above reproach) constantly tasked Col< ?wider Uli question If he charged that lie had received commissions for butl? I (Ol ii whiskey houses referred to in th.- questions' asked by the attor? ney, At one stage Col. Felder said: "If Mr. Matthews desires It 1 will tSll what my information is on that point. I have not Ohafgsd him with receiving rebates. I am acting now in the ca? pacity of an attorney and I do not be d Fear not?^Let all the ends Thou Alna TER. S. 0., SATTJRD Heve in an attorney taking the part of a witness and testifying while act? ing in his professional capacity. But if it is so wished, although I am not desirous of telling what I am in? formed, I will do so." The point was not pressed, and it was not told at the session today what sort of information it was that Col. Felder had. The statement was re? peated several times and at the con? clusion of the examination Mr. Mat? thews said that he would pay the ex? penses of the men who would come here and testify that he had received rebates or commissions on account of the State dispensary matter. But Col. Felder again stated that he had not so charged, and tne matter was drop? ped. At another time, Mr. Matthews said: "I will give you $5,000 if you can prove that I received commis? sions." Some portion of this side? light of the examination was conduct? ed under rather tense circumstances indicating just a tinge of excitement on the part of the witness. Mr. Mat? thews said he would give a great deal to be able to clear up some of the matters that had been brought to his attention during the examlnaion, and that he was going to do so. Mr. Matthews, who is cashier of the Palmetto National Bank of this city, the bank formerly being known as the Palmetto Bank and Trust Company, was placed on the stand Just after the commission had held a brief execu? tive session, during the course of which it was discussed as to whether examination of Mr. Matthews should be in open or secret session. During the days of the State dispensary, as has already been brought to the at- [ tentlon of the public In the recent trials, the Palmetto conducted con? siderable business with the whiskey men in this State. It was concerning some of these transactions that Mr. Matthews was questioned today. In 1903 letters and telegrams were written by Mr. Matthews to Baltimore with a view, it appeared, of arrang? ing an appointment at which should be present Mr. Matthews, Mr. Sam Lanahan and Mr. I* J. Williams, In Baltimore. It Is strt^d that this meet- | ing never was consummated, and that something prevented tHe gathering of these three men. Why this meeting was to be held Mr. Matthews says he does not recall, but "it was not for the purpose of making any deal to sell whiskey in South Carolina." Witness at flret did not recall anything about the letters shown him, and did not know why the meeting was mentioned in the letters and telegram. Other matters drifted Into during the course of the questioning, and about w...ch Mr. Matthews testified were endorsements of notes of E. R. Aull and O. R. Koester, the latter be? ing referred to by Col. Felder as the editor of "the official organ of the plunderbund." Witness did not re? call the specific matters, but did know j that there were transactions in which Mr. Farnum and those mentioned above were interested. That Farnum bought stock in Koester's paper. Numerous letters were put in evi? dence. One written December 18, | 1904, contained the sentence: "The writer knows as much as anyone about the dispensary." This letter was from J. P. Matthews to the Stan- j dard Distilling Company, and witness explained that he did know about the payments, etc., for which he looked out in behalf of his customers at the bank. The note of J. M. Walker, a former member of the legislature, was brought up. This note was endrosed by Black, and in the bunch of letters was a notice to Major Black to "call tomorrow and arrange to pay a part of this note." Offers of cases of whis? key were mentioned, but were not stressed, as this was merely incidental to the main issue. In the election of John Bell Tow ill witness said he did take part to the extent of speaking to his friends, and that he "perhaps wrote some letters. I don't recall just now." A letter was produced showing that he had writ? ten: "I have spoken to quite a num? ber of people. I am doing all I can." A letter to Hub Evans said: "I am do? ing everything I can for your elec? tion," etc., etc, A letter to Paul CJarrett, the mak? er Of wines at Norfolk, the man who sued the Statt- of South Carolina in connection with the claim against it and upon WhOSS bond witness went, said: "There will be quite a shake up," and words to the effect that "you are solid, "and the "writer will be able to do you mure good than in the past." Witness explained that he could not say that the "do you more good than In the past" meant more than to ren? der such service as the prompt col? lection of drafts, etc., such as came in the course of the bank's business. is't at be thy Country' *, Thy God's am AY. OCTOBER 30, It There was an item of $1,200 to $1, 300 that was shown as having been overpaid to Block, Briggs Wilson hav? ing collected the money, Block claim? ing it. Upon this transaction witness did not recall making the statement credited to him that "this committee is in behind you and this committee would have been delighted to get hold of some things I know on this transac? tion," or words to that effect, the com- ' mittee evidently referring to the in vestigation that was then going on by the legislative committee. That $30,000 paid over by the Bern helms was asked about. Witness said he read about it and had heard that only $15,000 of the money reached this State. This is explained by the contract with attorneys, no doubt, if Mr. Matthews' information as to $15, 000 reaching this State is correct. The examination of Mr. Matthews assumed a wide range and Col. Feld** er jumped from one matter to anoth? er without apparently concluding one subject. Of course there must have been "method in this madness," but it naturally makes the grasp of the in? dividual matters referred to very hard. January 13, 1904, a letter to J. W. Bernhaim from witness stated that there waa quite a stir in dispensary politics, and that "we would not like for you or your Arm not to be taken care of in the way we think best." Witness said he would do anything he could to get the business represented by this and other Arms. Touching the "appointment" at Baltimore, the following extract was read: "There is quite a stir up here at present in reference to the State board of control, but I see no reason why we cannot All the appointment and look out for our Interests at both ends of the line." To this reading witness said: "I never made any appoinment." But Mr. Matthews explained that possibly Williams had suggested the meeting, and that in consequence of this he wrote to Baltimore suggesting, aa the letter showed, the meeting.? Witness had no idea what "both ends^ f and "shake up" in the _teUer_ meant. Nor could he tell why he was to have gone to Baltimore. Later a letter read: "Williams is sick and we cannot come. The board will hold a meeting Thursday. We may have to wait until later." Commissioner Patton asked witness the direct question If he had ever re? ceived any commissions. The witness made the monosyllabic reply: "No.'* Witness admitted that he supported the "ticket" that was elected In 1906, and that It was his friends that went into the office of me board of dispen? sary directors. Witness had no knowledge of im? proper relations between Earley and Black, that he "brought none of them together." There was a little transaction about which witness said he knew nothing, but which Is an Interesting sidelight of the dispensary doings. Towill is said to have sent money back to W. D. Roy, the whiskey man, when the commission got in behind him. Be? ing told of this matter witness said: "I swear no man ever told me he re? ceived rebates." He did not recall having seen Roy and Towill together. Coming down to a specific question Col. Felder asked Mr. Matthews if he recalled a transaction something like this: Don't know the exact amount involved, but W. D. Roy sold liquors to the State board, and he gave cer? tain commissions to John Bell Tow? ill for goods bought and not received but shipped back. "Was the substance of this transaction stated to you?" asked Col. Felder of witness, who re? plied that may have but he did not recall it, in spite of the fact that Col. Felder put the question in the man? ner that he makes so effecive: "Sup? pose both should swear that that hap? pened," The . amount was either $2,000 or $2,700. and witness did not know what Towill told him he wanted With the money when he came to the bank to get it out. The inference from the statement of Col. Felder was that the $2,000 or $2,700 was returned to Roy by Towill. It is "a well known fact that Mr. Roy has told some things In connection with the dealings during the dispensary regime. February 6, 1904, witness wrote to Fleisc h mann: "I have met your sales? man, Mr. Earley. I understand that he has made certain arrangements here in reference to selling the State board of control liquors for the dis? pensary." It was upon these words that much of the examination of Mr. Matthews was baaed. The question was: What was meant by "arrange? ments." Of course, In the light of what has been brought out concern? ing the State dispensary it is now known that these arrangements* re IP o* 1 Truth's." THE THUJ .4 09 ser ferred to the payment of rebates, etc. But Col. ,-Felder's object today was to find out Mr. Matthew's knowl? edge, if he had any at the time, of the meaning of "arrangements" in that letter. Witness persistently and repeatedly declared that he did not know now what he meant then, unless it should mean the arrangements for the getting of business. In fact, the matter was not explained. Upon the law as to the sale to the dispensary j Mr. Matthews stated that "he ought to have been informed," and added: "No man made statements to me as to payment of graft." In this same letter it was added: "And that we shall have the pleasure of arranging bond for your company, etc." Q. Did not Earley come to South Carolina, and was he not Introduced by you to your friends, and in con? sideration of this the firm was to gtve you their account? W itness stated that he had not in? troduced Earley that he recalled, and that he did get the business of making collections, etc. Earley was sent down here just af? ter the electicn of the board, of which H. H. Evans was chairman, and John Bell Towill and L. W. Boykln were! the members. "What were those arrangements?' Col. Felder asked again. He added that this was written be? fore the board actually met, and be? fore there were any bids. "I don't know," was the only reply of witness. Q. You swear Earley didn't tell you? A. No, I couldn't swear. "I would give considerable to know what those words meant" said Mr. Matthews. Q. Did Earley tell you that he had gone to your men and agreed to pay commissions? # A. No, he never told me about commissions. In a letter to Paul Garrett witness had written: "Everything looks nice for our friends. The election comes Thursday. Then the agony will be over. We will be glad then to discuss your affairs." Witness did not ex? plain this letter, either. He said Gar? rett never told him he paid cornmls sions. That he did give the Carolina Glass Company, the local concern, the ben? efit of his "influence," witness admit? ted. He did, he said, try to get mem? bers of the board to buy from this concern, in which he felt an interest That he would speak to his friends on the board about the purchase of glass, and did not think there was anything wrong in this. October 17, 1905, witness wrote to Paul Garrett: "1 have a small interest in the Carolina Glass Company. I will write you fully later and make it to your interest to do business with this company." In reference to this, Mr. Matthews said he had been considering purchas? ing $1,000 worth of stock in tlu- glass company, but later had decided not to, that his "interest" consisted in his friends' interests in the business. Mr. Siebels was vice president of the bank. The exact wording of the latter part of the letter was: "Will make some deal some time to make it to your in? terest to do business with the Caro? lina Glass Company. Will run up and see you some time." Witness did not explain exactly the "deal," but slid he meant he supposed that he would use his influence locally for the firm, and that they should buy glass of the local glass company. Just at this point Mr. Matthews in? dicated i:hat he was later going to make a written statement in reply to the questions that had been asked him. That Hub Evans had endorsed a note of G. H. Charles for $975 and that about half of this was unpaid was an astonishing little matter brought out. Witness said he "couldn't, get anything" from the erst? while member of the State board of control. "Yes, they say he is worth something, but we never could collect on this note. It was charged to profit and loss. Xo, we never sued him." This last remark in reply tu a ques? tion. And Clody Charles had written: *'I would have been In a position to meet my obligations If certain people had carried out their promises with? in the past ninety days." Mr. Matthews did not know, lie said, of the famous Black transactions via the Bank of Walterbsro through the local bank. All Of this matter was referred to and threahe i out thoroughly at the recent Black trial. "We want now to get down to rock bottom," said <".!. Felder, and again! he asked about the Plelschmann let? ter, but met With the same result. A letter of September 16. If ST, said; "I will do everything 1 can In your matter If you desire to go further with Mr. Evans, and I will do my best to advise you what to do. In reference E SOUTHRON, Established June, IfeM lev- V.a XXX. %Uu 19. . . . ?. to the funds of a certain < ^inml:*slon your understanding is eomct. Ye* will get a liberal ppyinent.' A telegram had heen reeeiv? d a* the bank from Clark Brothers it ieCept a draft from C. W. Dudley, who has figured in the whiskey matters- con? siderably. Tnie draft was plssjs*f en credit, but Mr. Matthews km w noth? ing of the matter. John McSmyrl, of Camden, was present today. Pointing him out, Col. Felder asked witness if he bud made a $25,000 loan to Mr. McSmyrl, who was of the McSmyrl Distilling Com? pany, and has a claim against the State now. "Good gracious, no," said the witness. Then Col. Felder related that Mr. McSmyrf had sworn that he had sold the State whiskey that tost more than $1.47 tor leas, than the to? tal cost. Then a letter was read from William Hull, a whiskey drummer, who has testified before the commis? sion. Hull wrote that it seems as If Boyd Evany of Columbia, had control of this McSmyrl plant, that there was not money enough to pay the tax so the whiskey could be sold to the dis? pensary. That he had written the Arm and had made a preposition which was that A. Lehman A Co., he himself and witness, ehoodeV endorse the payment of the money necessary to pay tax on the S3 5 barrels of whis? key, on a basis of $1.35 per gallon, this being sold at $1.60, a net profit of $3 per case, and that one-third In? terest in the business should be sign? ed over to "us individually," thai fa to say witness, Lehman and Hull pro? vided all accounts!of McBssyrt shoaid j be turned over to "you." "I neither owned nor do I own any I thing in this company," said Mr. Mat? thews, when this letter was read. He added that it could not be proved nor was it so that this deal was ever con? summated, although he admitted re? ceiving the letter and that his bank did have $3,500 interest In the elaim for money owed it. Col. Felder: Have yen not done everything in your power to protect and shield these men? Mr. Matthews: I merely was pro-? tecting our account with them. . He adrnined going 0n Major -8lack's bond when the latter was pat under' peace bond for threatening Mr. Lyon's life. "Charles came In and asked me to do this," said witness. Mr. Wittkowsky, of Camden, Mr*. McSmyrls attorney, asked one ques? tion, bringing out that loans to Mcj Smyrl were made after the State dis? pensary went out of business and not before. A MILLIONAIRE TRAMP. President of Great Northern Has An? other Trying Experience*. Libbey, Mont., Oct. 27.?Louis W. , Hill, president of the Great Northern railroad, has undergone a second try? ing experience, being compelled to' live four days solely upon elk meat. While automobiling from Helena to Great Falls he was mistaken for a tramp, when his machine broke down, and he was compelled to sleep in a haystack, a farmer refusing him lodg? ing. Hill, who was visiting the proposed Glacier National Park with a photo? grapher and others, got separated) from the party. He met a hunter and engaged his service to eecort him out. Neither had any food, but found an abandoned camp and secured some bread. The hunter killed an elk and for four days this was their sole ra? tion. Finally they reached Briton, where Hill was picked up and brought to this place. COTTON GOES HIGHER. Active Months Go Ileyoml Fourteen* And Half Cent*?. New York, Oct. 27.?There was continued excitement in the cottonr market today with prices again mak? ing new high records, and most of the active months selling above 14 1-i cents on sensational bullish estimatt * of the crop and reports that planters \v< re hedging for higher prices. Both Southern and Western bulls were credited with being aggressive buyers at times during the day. December eotton sold as high upas 14.47 and May at 14.63 during the af? ternoon. Realising caused slight re? action later, but the market closed very steady at from 3 to 20 points net higher? Two prominent Southern authori? ties Issued estimate' of the crop, one placing it at 16 3<?0.000. and the other' 10,520,000, comparing with la^t rear's commercial crop ef about l.ooo.ooo. "Poverty is not a luxury," says Tom Law son. No, it's almost a necessity since the Payne law went into opera" tlon*?St. Paul Dispatch.