The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-09-04

ardson, route agent OF the express
company, that q report of the seizure
has been sent to you. / am not deal
ing in whiskey. nor interested In any
one who would be disposed to violate
the dispensary law, and II was cer-
tainly would not degrade myselfso Sc far
as to attempt to smuggle whiskey In
my wife's name, and write you In re-
gard to the matter feeling sure that
you would not uphold or allow any con-
stable in the employ of the State to
aggravate, insult and trample upon the
rights of the people--a lady-to graft
~ personal grudge, under pretense of
carrying out the law. This man Crib
bin is low down scoundrel, without
intelligence or judgment, and totally
unfit for so high position. Asaproof
OF this point, refer to the following
circumstances: Some time ago. he got
mad with my father about some mat
on n certain day at Blackville he would
publicly expose the Jews. My brother
met him on the streets and character
lied him publicly, with oaths and cur
ses, and he did not resent it, (which
any respectable man, as you know,
would certainly do.) His animosity
extends to every member of the family,
and 1T was to aggravate me, and in q
spirit OF revenge, that he seized q
package addressed to my wife, which
had not the slightest sign or evidence
of containing whiskey. | encloseyou a
letter received from Mr.. Buckingham
this morning, which please return,
when you have read. While Grbbin,
in the pale of the law, / am sure that
your Excellency would have approved
and excused him in granting Mr.. Buck
inghams request and allowing the
camphor and alcohol to be forwarded
to the sick lady, and his refusal to do
so, under the circumstances, knowing
that it was ordered and needed for u
sick lady, shows that be lacks any feel
ing, judgment or discretion, and Is not
qualified for the position. l under
stand that he is a straggler left here
by Sherman's raiders; when he came
to Blackville, he was compelled to
leave Aiken. An investigation will
satisfy you as to his character, and 1
to myself and the protection OF the
community. l am yours, very respect
fully, MIKE BROWN.
MIR. BUCKINGHAM'S CASE.
The following is the letter enclosed
by Col. Brown, and referred to in his
letter:
BARNwELL, S. c., Aug. 27, 1894.
Col. Mike Brown, BarnweIl, S. c.:
Dear Sir: Complying with your re-
quest of even date, 1 herewith furnish
you with statement of the seizure of
a gallon of alcohol and one pound of
gum camphOr by Constable Gribbin, at
Blackville, some few weeks ago.
My mother was in a dying condition,
and her doctor ordered that she be
freely bathed in alcohol, strongly i'm
pregnated with camphor.
There was no alcohol to be had in
Barnwell, and my father ordered it,
along with some groceries, from his
grocer in Charleston, but instructed
the grocer to ship the alcohol and cam
phor by express, thinking that we
would receive it sooner than if it were
shipped with the groceries by freight.
The package was seized at Blackville
by Mr.. Gribbin. / being unknown to
him, and desiring to get the drugs as
soon as possible, got Mr.. Hammett, tho
railroad agent here, to wire him and
state that the articles were for medic
inal use, and were urgently needed.
Mr.. Hammett is we'll known to him
and desired to have the truthfuness
and good faith of my request for the
one Mr.. Gribbin could rely upon, as he
did not know me.
Mr.. Hammett explained the case,
but he still refused delivery, claiming
it was "rum" and has since posted no.
tice of its seizure as rum, but makes no
mention of the camphor. / recognize
the fact that it was strickly speaking
legal seizure, and have no complaint
to make on that score;I do hold, though,
that any constable who has sufficient
judgment to entitle him to an appoint
ment, should exercise his Judgment in
case of this kind, and release goods
under circumstances which were
vouched for as in this case, and furth-
er believe that his superior officer
would have held him harmless for so
using his judgment.
do not write this in hopes OF get
ting back the seized goods. Commits
sioner Traxler has already declined de-
livery on the ground that the shipper
marked package Groceries," and
thereby attempted an evasion OF the
law. The grocer marked them thus on
his own responsibility and not by any
instructions from us. Very truly yours,
PERRY M. BUCKINGHAM.
GOVERNOR TILLMAN IN REPLY.
The following was penned by Gov
ernor Tillman and mailed to Colonel
Brown:
COLUMBIA, S. c., Aug. 20, 1894.
Mr.. Mike Brown, Barnwell, S. c.:
Dear Sir: Your letter of the 28th has
been received. Had you written soon
er, whether your complaint is just or
not, / would have seen to it that you
had no cause for censure, by removing
Mr. Gribbin to another field, and thus
the lamentable tragedy which has
darkened your own household, and left
widow with four children to struggle
alone with the world, might have been
averted.
AS usual thing constables are al
ways sent from home, and had known
that there was any cause of friction,
Mr.. Gribben would haxe been detailed
for duty outside of Barnwell County.
1t is needless for me to say that re-
greet the sad catastrophe, which could
have 80 easily been averted had you
written your letter sooner.
Very respectfully,
Is. r. TILLMAN, Governor.
p. SIN regard to the alcohol be-
| longing to Mr.. Buckingham, his own
| letter Is sufficient answer. Alcohol
is kept for sale by all the dispensers,
and the package in question was mark.
ed groceries" Mr.. Buckingham
could have gotten the alcohol legiti.
mately, and, when he risked snug
| CLING H. insteo1 NJ huyipn from n 10.