The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-07-14

CHARLESTON, S, c., July lS.-The
greatest confusion reigns in this city,
and II is all on account OF that remark
able piece Of legislation, the Evans dis
peasary law. II all the froth capped
beverages brewed in the land OF tho
Teuton, all the bourbon OF the Ken
tpcsy Blue Grass region and all the
various yintages Of the more plebeian
but equally as effective sDirituS frumalH
which dubbed from the stills OF North
Carollna "moonshiners'' had been im'
portol into tho state and tho entire
male population had been given carte
Blanche to drink and drink freely, the
result could not have been worse than
the Generalization produced by tue
Evans law itself,
The state and county dispensers, the
state and county boards OF control, the
various grades OF liquor interest," from
experienced cocktail artists to white.
aptoued green grocers; tho state su-
preme court, the circuit courts and the
United States court, the "blind tiger
proprietors and the citizens at large are
wound up in such an inextricable tan.
glo Of conflicting interests, opinions
and legal procedure, past, present aud
10 come, that one becomes dazed In an
effort to formulate even n cursory CON
coptlun Of whore anybody or anything
sis at"
The rapidity with which the events
in connection with the Dispensary law
follow one another is appalling, and as
developments do not keep pace with
one another in the various sections OF
tue state a journey Of fifty miles will
carry u man through half q dozen
phases Of the liquor law. In Charles
ion hO will find no dispensariea any
where, but plenty OF liquor to be OBJ.
tanned for the asking; in Berkeley
county there is dispensary in every
village which claims to be town, and
the high priced bad liquor OF the
State may DO obtained according to the
provisions Of the Evans bill, and a few
miles further, across the Darlington
line, he will find not only no dis.
pensaries but their establishment pro-
hibited as unconstitutional and illegal.
Affairs have reached a pass at which
a%tOurist has to be armed with a local
map and u file OF solne state paper to
tell exactly what law is forced at the
way stations OF his Journey through
South Carolina. Writs, test cases, de-
ClsiOns, injunctions and other legal
literature are flying through the air.
The play before the curtain is a species
OIL iarciCal comic tragedy and the whole
state, its executive, administrative and
legislative branches included, is Caper.
Ing before the footlights in one grand
harlequuinade. The plot is problematic
and the final tableaux may present any.
thing from u tragedy 10 a free fight
pool selling at present has made the
latter an easy iayorite.
The beginning OF the end OF all this
confusion has commenced. The illegal
lale oil liquor has grown to such proper
tons within the last ten days, and the
dealers in the business have become so
bold and above board in their opera.
tons, that it was known that the state
authorities could not long refuse to take
cognizance OF them. Governor Tillman
a week ago distributed his secret agents
throughout the state. When spoken to
on the subject OF the vast amount of il.
legal liquor being sold in tho state he
contented himself with saying that he
was drawing the ropes around the Of.
lenders and would spring his trap when
everything was in readiness. 1t has
been an open secret for the last fcw days
that the spoilers we're making out
their cases rapidly and claimed to have
enough evidence to convict a number OF
prominent ex-barkeepers. The denoue-
nent is scheduledfor tomorrow, though
The suspected parties are yet in igno-
rance OF the fact.
man who is in q position to know all
the Inside workings OF the affair, both
on account OF his official position and
because OF his well known intimacy
Win Tillman and tho administration,
said to-day that tho arrests would begin
tomorrow, The action has been pre-.
concerted and will extend throughout
me state. In Charleston proper he
thought half a dozen men, some OF
tlem prominent In liquor circles, would
Oe arrested. The cases were made out
beyond q shadow Of q doubt. The men
are to be arrested and thrown into jail
ana then prosecuted to the full vlgor Of
the law.
Sensational developments are ex-
pecIed in consequence OF q provision Of
me law regarding the witnesses. The
SpoIIera' will summon a large mum.
YET OF witnosses-men whom they
know to have purchased the illegal
naaor' No man is certain that he will
mol llsuro among tho list Of witnesses
summoned. As the arrests are certain
hot to DO deferred moro than forty.
elE9t hours at the outside, tho suspense
VIII not DO long continued.
inc liquor men arc still defiant.
SHany OF them pretend 10 believe that
uovernot Tillmau is afraid TO bring the
matter 10 an open rupture. They have
~, along assumed a fighting attitude
.SWaru the measure, and some believe
ulat resistance will DO offered when the
arrests arc made, aud with excitement
u 'Gyer heat, as 1t now is, there may
~ trouble Tho majority OF the men,
however, will quietly allow themselves
oo arrested, for thcy do not believe
!uty can DO impanelOd In the state
llul Will oop.lnA d.