The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, June 21, 1912, Page PAGE 8, Image 8
vans
that it has
but hit the
BATTERY
it* ** "?
iviusquiio men
Calico, per ya
Ladies' Tape f
Lace Curtains,
Ladies' $1.00 C
Ladies' $1.00
2 Towels for
Come, we can
4-mahVI ^ TT? 1
u uuuie. una
it, is Our Mot
THI
THE DISPENSARY GRAFT
CASE NOW BEING HEARD.
(Continued from page 1)
knowledge that Ben Stothart got "this
money came about in this way: John
Strickland told my partner after he
had been raided by the constabulary
of about $40 worth of stock that he
nad paid for protection which he did
not pet. My partner told me that
Strickland claimed to have paid for
protection and did not pet It. I told
him that Mr. Strickland lied and I
would immediately po and see Mr.
Strickland; I drove up to Mr. Strickland's
place and just before I pot
there I met him on Rutledge avenue
and I said: 'What kind of lies ir this
that you have told in reference to
your paying for protection and not
pettinp it? Have you ever piven me
a cent in any shape or form in your
life? To which he replied, 'No, I
gave it to Hennic Doscher. I did not
say I gave it to you.' I said, 'Well,
when you make an assertion you be
careful and state correctly to whom
you Rave the money or I will make it
unpleasant for you.'
Went to See Stothart.
"I said to my partner, after returning,
'I am going down and see Ben
Stothart about this.' And I went down
and asked Ben: "Say, Ben, do you
know of my collecting a cent from
the Strickland brothers, or did you
tell my partner that I collected from
them and you did not get it?" He
said: 'No, I did not say that you collected
from the Strickland brothers
but he says that I understand that
Doscher did and I never got a cent
for it.' I said, 'Well, Ben now those
Strickland boys are not doing much
business, and they are willing to pay
for protection. Could you not put
them on for $5 a month and I will see
that you get the money.' He said to
me, 'John, I don't want to have anything
to do With the Stricklands or
any other kicker'. He says when they
were keeping up the road I had made
up my mind to carry my men up the
road to raid on the 4th of July, but
I was persuaded not to do so as it
was the only day they had and they
were willing to pay for protection.
Strickland was to give up $10. Instead
?: J: ii * ' - - *
mi laiuuiK mem, i tooK my men at the
cost of about $20 to me on a fish fry
up the river, and I never got the $10
and I understand that when we raided
Strickland the other day that he said
that if Ben Stothart did not have so
much pull that he wofild go to Columbia
and make a complaint of condition,
but he knew it would be useless.
Now, John, if I take a man
on I protect him; for instance, here is
a place they raided without my
knowledge at the corner of Cumming
and Calnoun streets just the other
day and I was forced to make good
the seizures that those fellows got,
amounting to $125 and honestly I
only got $20 in two payments. So you
see, that I have got to be careful, and
if I tell a man I will protect him I
will do so. I the? persuaded Ben
to take Strickland on and he said he
would try him at $5 a month. The
conversation ceased, and seeing things
going from bad to worse, I then being
very friendly disposed to the governor,
Cole L. Blease, and especially
so to Mayor Grace, it prompted me
to go to Columia .some time on or
about the 1st of September (at pres
HE
You to tl
ever been ou
i trail that lea
Read on:
tag, per yard
>rd
fleck Gauze Vests, *
, per pair
ombination Suits
flight Gowns
't tell the halt and
erbuy and Unders
to.
1 PA
ent I am unable to fix the exact time
but will probably do so later) and
lay bare before the governor conditions
general in Charleston which
I thought were working to the detriment
of my friend, Mayor Grace.
In Governor's Office.
"The following conversation took
place in the the governor's office:
"On entering the office his secretary
advised me to make my visit as
uriei as possiDlc, as the governor was
going out of the city at 11 o'clock. In
reply, I said: 'Let him tell me that.'
He says, "Hello, John, come in and
have a seat.' I sat down and waited
until he had finished opening his mail
and he criticized generally every
correspondent in language that would
not be well in print. But in behalf
of the governor I will say they did
not play any favorites; he criticized
them all. When he got through he
turned to me and says: 'Well, John,
what is the news in Charleston?'
'Well,' I says, 'everything is lively,
governor. We are having a hot campaign
and my friend, John P. Grace,
is going to be there. But, governor,
what brought me to Columbia today
was to tell you frankly and truthfully
the conditions that exist in Charleston
that are working to your detriment
and our friend, John P. Grace.
Now, governor, you say to me that
you are John P. Grace's friend. I
know that John is your friend, but
your man Friday (or Ben Stohtart)
is doing everything in his power
against Grace.' The governor said
to me in reply, 'John. Ben tells me
he is doing: absolutely nothing:. He is
hands off.' I said in reply: 'Regardless
of what Stothart tells you, he is
doing everything on earth. Why
governor ,his office on Society street
is a rendezvous for these people.
Why, they are there all the time,
holding daily and nightly conferences
?Huguenin, Hawes and other Consolidated
officials and employees,
along with city and county officials,
hang out there all the time, whose
names I do not ram to monfiAn ? t
says: Furthermore, governor, after
this campaign is over, take my word
for it, regardless of who is elected,
although Grace is going to be, you
will be the target that they will train
their guns on and shoot to pieces because
your constables are collecting
or extorting monev from every blind
tiger in the city of Charleston, to the
tune of from $2,500 to $3,000 a
month, varying in price from $?, $16
or $20 ,according to the amount of
business the various blind tigers do.
The people know that, and it is generally
believed that you are sharing
the spoils.
"A Damn Lie."
"The governor said that is a damn
lie. I says, 'You mean to say thatl
am a liar.' He says. 'No, I do not
mean that you are a liar, but I mean
that I am not receiving on?
?p ? y, ??*v.ivj
Although, John, you are the third
man that has told me these conditions,
viz.. Capt. John Black and
Charlie Webb.' I says, 'Well, the
devil, why don't you take action and
protect yourself?' He says, 'What
will I do John?" I says, 'The best
thing to do is to put a new chief
there.' He says, 'Well, I have some
mighty good boys down there, for instance,
Jim Crocker. He is straight;
also, naming Lightsey, he is straight.
I have known him all my llife. I
BA
lie Bigge
r good fortun
ids to the Ch
5c
. 3V2C
;ach . 5c
. 39c
49c
69c
llv
if you do, and sa
ell, One Price to J!
ITER
saia, -why don't you make Crocker
chief ?. * If you have got to catch
Stothart send him some place aloeJI
says, 'Now I will tell you about how
it is down there. I can not say positively,
but I am almost sure that they
were going to bring Ben Stothart before
the grand jury, but I am not
positive about this, but the rumor ?s
current.' He says, 'Say, John, I
want you'to do me a favor when you
get back to Charleston. Wire me yes
or no, meaning whether he was before
the grand jury or not.' I says
'Furthermore, governor, let me tell
vvu wnai i nave seen ror myself. I
nave seen this man Crocker pass up
unmolested wagon after wagon of
liquors, and I asked him his reason
for doing so, and he told me, 'John,
1 have caught them until I have been
positively instructed to let up aon
them ,so what can I do?"- I said,
"Crocker, I will certainly continue to
catch them. I will do my duty and
land them fore it if I got my discharge
for it and then tell the cause of my
dismissal.' ". The governor then said
to me, 'I will give this some attention.
John, 1 am glad you came up.
Good-bye and good luck to me.'
"I understand then that he ordered
Stothart to Columbia immediately,
and I was at the union station depot
in Charleston Monday night to see
him x-eturn. Ben Stothart and A. W.
Todd got off the train together, both
helplessly drunk. Todd ao much so
that he went the wrong direction to
get out of the depot.
"Ben comes down with Crocker's
removal for the part he had taken in
my mission, and ne also stated on the
train to a personal friend of mine that
he had been promised a pardon if he I
would put Jim Crocker and myself
out of the way; that I knew too much
and would talk. The next day or two
this friend, Capt John Black, came
to me, along with Jim Crocker, and
said, 'Miller (or John), as a friend of
yours I feel it is my duty to advise
you, or at least put you on your
guard. I didn't want to tell you last
night, but I have been thinking over
the thing, and I feel sure you ought
to know it. Ben Stothart said on the
train last night( although drunk)?
that he had been promised a pardon
by the governor if he would put you
and another fellow out of the wnv
Now John, I do not want you to say
anything about this, but I want you to
protect yourself. You can get yourself
a gun, and don't take any chances
because there is no telling what these
fellows will do. I laughed at the
idea and told him that I was not at all
scared of any one. However, I will
Srepare myself, and, in fact, Jim
rocker was, and they loaned me
Capt. John Black's pistol, a .45 magazine.
I went down and consulted with
my friend, Mayor Grace, and told him
what I had heard, ana he told me
that he did not think there was any
danger, but advised me to be careful
and not take any chances to get hurt.
"These are true facts, and if the
investigating committee want further
proof, if they will come to
Charleston the writer will aid them
in every particular.
(Signed) "J. J. Miller.
"Sworn to before me this 17th day
of June, 1912.
(Seal) "W. Turner Logan,
"Notary Public S. C."
?The State.
?st June
e to set before
eapest Store ii
Brown Dress Line
Men's Work Shirl
Boys' Shirts, each
Men's Overalls, p<
Yard-wide Wool 1
FmhrAiHnmr O im?I
umuiviuuj, u ja\
Nice Smooth Indu
y you are sorry,
Lll and Your Mom
tY,uj5
THE HEARING IN CHARLESTON, to
Charleston, June 1?.?Testimony to
tending to show wholesale graft in
connection with the Charleston whis- te
ky situation was given before the th
legislative investigating committee w;
which held two long working sessions
here today and tonight. The commit- q,
tee adjourned tonight to meet next in ha
Augusta on July 8 when the testi- go
mony of T. B. Felder, the Atlanta attorney,
will be taken.
"Do you remember a conversation to
with Capt. John Black, coming back So
from Columbia?" This question was ap
asked James Crocker, former consta- ed
ble, by Senator Carlisle with refer- tif
ence to the promised pardon state- th<
ment. "Yes, sir," said Crocker, wt
"Captain Black said he was going to clt
see Cole Blease and make him put me pa
back to work. I went on to the train mc
to meet him and Chief Stothart came th<
out behind me. Some one said Todd coi
was there. Black was complaining of to
having a very severe headache. lVTil- wj
ler said let's go by a place and get a ab
coca-cola. Miller told me that some- ws
thing was wrong with Black. He said ha
'I'll get away.' Black and I went on ws
up. He said you go prepared. I ask- thi
ed, 'what's the matter?' He said, mc
'true Ben Stothart is drunk, but he mc
told me coming down on the train I
that he had been instructed by the wi
governor that if he would dispose of ch;
you and John Miller he would pardon thi
him.'" coi
"Is his the same Black who was He
convicted for grafting in dispensary
matters and pardoned by the governor
?" asked Representative Evans.
"Yes sir." replied Crocker. ,
Testimony of the same character
was given in the affidavit of J. J. th<
Miller. so<
Man after man of vnrinna notinnoi.
?? ?*? .. VlIWi flft'
ities, appearing before the committee R '
at the different sessions, openly and 158
unblushingly admitted that they were pr<
blind tigers and that they were vio- ]
lating the law.
The System. gu
The system of collecting "protec- ]
tion money" was carefully outlined ga
by the various witnesses. It was ,
shown by the testimony that there is
a system something like the follow- '>
ing in existence in Charleston: The ]
"blind tiger" buys his whisky from th<
the wholesale dealer and pays sums <
ranging from $6 to $10 a month for '
the wholesaler to protect him from *ei
the state whisky constables, who are Ho
working under the direction of Cole
L. Blease, the governor. Testimony
presented today was to the effect that
many of the dealers had paid the
"hlian mAnov " Tn 1 ? I
vnv/ ah ocvciai mniaiites
the alleged graft was traced to well i
names were given. These witnesses M.
said the that wholesalers had told fot
them that the protection fund was in Fo
turn delivered to the whisky consta- Ha
bles. Ha
Various witnesses appearing charg- El<
e dthat they had paid this "protection Lir
fund" to J. Henry Doscher, Santos sor
Sottille and P. J. Oneill, all said to Ri<
be well known whiskey dealers of sor
Charleston. ? ker
Every effort was made by the com- 1
mittee to subpoena these men, but it Wi
was found that they had 16ft the city. E.
This report was made tonight to the tie
commitee by the sheriff of Charles
El
Bargain
i you. Don'i
ti Union Coi
in (all linen) per
s, each
t
;r pair
)ress Goods, pei
rds for
i Linon, per yard
we will pay yoi
iy Back every t
now,
nHHOHBUHBD
*
n county. The committee decided
summon the three men named and
hers to appear in Columbia at an
rly date. Members of the comrnite
tonight expressed the opinion
at the testimony of the three
ould furnish the connecting link
th all of the testimony presented,
le witnesses were put up by Mayor
ace to prove his charge that graft
,d been traced practically up to the
vernor's office.
Graft Paid Stothart.
The testimony was given to prove
of tk/. . ? ' r
?>. h?jc k'oh inuiiey nau ueen paid
B. H. Stothart, chief constable in
uth Carolina. Louis Schomonzes,
pearing before the committe, statvery
frankly that he was a "blind
:er" and that he was engaged in
e whisky business because there
is more money to be made. He deired
emphatically that he had been
ying $10 a month as protection
>ney to a member of the firm of
s Marion Stock Company ,a whisky
rporation. He said that he went
Ben Stothart and told him that $10
is too much and that he was not
Ie to pay it- The amount, he said
is reduced to $7.50 after Stothart
d told him that inability to pay
is one thing and refusal anotner
ing. "Did you pay Stothart any
mey?" asked the committee. "The
>ney was placed in Stothart's hand,
placed it there myself," said the
tness. This was the most direct
arge made before the committee
at irraft had naswed tn tho ekiof
testable of the state.?Spartanburg
>rald.
S. S. Association Meeting.
rhe regular quarterly meeting of
i Union County Sunday School Asnation
will be held next fifth Suny,
June 30th, at Brown's Creek
ptist church. The following is the
jgram for the day:
10:00 a. .m.?Devotional, S. W. Jolly.
10:15 a. m.?"Decision Day in the
nday School", H. H. Pruitt.
11 a. m.?Sermon by Rev. J. D.
iley of Cowpens.
L2 m.?Adjournment for dinner.
L p .m.?Devotional, by A. J. Greer.
1:15 p .m.?"Teaching Doctrine in
s Sunday School", Rev. L. M. Rice.
1:00 p. m.?"The Sunday School
acher Drawing the Net; When?
w?" Rev. J. L. Hodges.
Advertised Letters.
For the week June 21, 1912:
\nnie Anderson, Maggie Bollon, W.
ifradus, Anguss Conner, J. T. Coof d,
Ethel Crosby, E. R. Day, Julia
wler, Esrelle Giles, Geo E.pps Gilm,
Elsa Goforth, C. H. Haat, Abbie
milton, W. C. Honed, Eliza Hughes.
Ion Hughes, Bessie Jackson, Will
idsay, Iola Johnson, John T. Lawi,
Saul Meador, Sally Rapmore, Jim
:nards, R. C. Rice, Georgia Sarati?
James Simpson, Jessie M. WalV
J. E. Wix, Mat Wood, Sam Young,
rhe following packages: W. W.
tlford, Mary Bell, Anna Jackson,
V. Millness, Rev. M. T. Wash, MatSanders.
L. G. Young, Postmaster.
IY]
i Feast
t be misled,
iinty?THE
yard 10c
. 25c
15c
25c
yard 25c
5c
I . 5c
u for time and
ime you want
S- c.
nHBBBHBBBBHHBHESHnBHHH
CUT THIS OUT s
And bring it to our store with 25c y f' ->j
any time between now and July 3rd
and it will entitle you to five one-, 1
pound packages of Eagle Thistle
Soda and five 5c-bars of good laundry
soap and one dipper.
We have only enough to supply
c An *
uuu customers.
THE PEOPLES SUPPLY CO.
IX Fant Gilliam, Treas.
*i rf
Report or the Condition of
THE CITIZENS NATL BANK
At Union, S. C.
In. the State of South Carolina, at the
close of business, June 14th, 1912:
RESOURCES.
Loans and Discounts $205,981.35
Overdrafts, secured and
unsecured 2,015.03
U. S. Bonds to secure circulation
__ 12,500.00
Banking house, Furniture,
ana Fixtures __ 14,648.63
Due from National Banks,
(not reserve agents) 3,027.10
Due from approved Reserve
Agents 9,271.33
Cheeks and other Cash
Items 290.51
Notes of other National
Banks 395.00
Fractional Paper Currency,
Nickels, and Cents 225.44
Lawful Money Reserve in
Bank, viz:
Specie $12,421.85
Legal-tender
Notes 35.00? 12,456.85
Redemption fund with U.
S. Treasurer (5 per cent
of circulation) 625.00
Total .. __ $262,036.24
LIABILITIES.
Capital stock paid in _$ 50,000.00
Surplus fund ? .1- 5,00.00
Undivided Profits, less Expenses
and Taxes paid 9,378.30
National Bank notes outstanding
__ 12,500.00
Due to other National
Banks 1,510.18
Individual deposits subject
to check 124,561.26
Time certificates of deposit 14,142.55
Certified checks 100.00
Cashier's checks outstanding
624.08
M Atno on/I Killo ??'! ?* ? ? 1
wwo UIIV1 UlltO ICUISCUUIll- I
ed 29,219.87
Bills payable, including
certificates of deposit for H
money borrowed 15,000.00 H
Total -$262,036.24 I
State of South Carolina, ?
County of Union. I
I, C. C. Sanders, Cashier of the
above-named bank, do solemnly swear H
that the above statement is true to the
best of my knowledge and belief. H
C. C. Sanders, Cashier.
Subscribed and sworn to before me H
this 19th day of June, 1912. E
J. M. Greer, H
Notary Public.
Correct-Attest: fl
? & Morpran, fl
J. D. Jones,
W. S. McLure. H
. I