The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-07
sLUIcE GATES ARE OPENED.
a FLOOD OF POLITICAL CORRUP-
TIoN POURs FORTH.

Has known Since the Dark Days
80 ReDubIfcan NIisruIe-omcers
Fattening on of stenlings From
the state.
columbia, S. c., Sept. 6.-one Of the
+,iqgest state scandals that has occurred
since the days of negro rule in South Car
alma. was sprung last night by Gov.
Evans.
IF what he says is true, the dispensary
svstenn seems to have been, as many have
s,spected and charged, gold mine to the
politicians placed in charge of 1t. Gov.
Evans 1t seems, has been in possession
~ the information he has given for
ling time. 1t was entirely unexpected,
and It appears that the governors ex-
nosure was due to the fact that he had
boon roaded for not denying a charge
made on the stump in his campaign for
the Senate, that he had said that Tillman
had lined his pockets with liquor rebates.
This thing has acted so strongly upon
the former friends Of Evans and Tillman
that defeat is staring the former in the
face in his race for the United States Sem
ate.
The election comes off Tuesday. Evans
held back till l o'clock this morning,
when. at the eleventh hour, he came out
with the denial of the statement. He ex-
plains that he held back the denial upon
bad advice, and then proceeds to make
his revelations.
Commissioner Mixson and the commits
sioner's son, an official court stenograph-
er, are the objects Of his fire.
He tells Of presents sent Mixson by
whisky houses. and said that Mixson
sons had accepted diamond pins, gold
headed canes, etc. He had called Mlxson
up, he says, when it was first discovered,
and warned him that the dispensary
would be killed If any scandal was ever
connected with it's management. Then ne
saws. "Shortlv afterward, Mr.. Scruggs,
the booklxeeper, reported to me that from
letters he had received and opened In
Mixson's absence in the course OF busl-
ness and other suspicious circumstances,
he was satisfied that MiXson was dealing
with certain whisky houses exclusively,
and was obtaining rebates in considera-
tion thereof.
l replied to him that he was a state Of
fcer. as well as Mxson and Tompkins,
and that if he saw anything going wrons
that it was his duty to inform me ana
to secure the evidence to convict them.
Mr.. scruggs reported to me that he was
satisfied he could secure the evidence to
convict these men if would allow him
TO leave the state. 1 replied to him that
he could go whenever and wherever he
pleased on such a mission"
After telling of his discovery that Mix
son was paying higher prices to one
house than other houses offered the goods
f0y hs 20 41lI 1f -f-sA Is
sons son to Cincinnati, where he was en-
tertained by whisky people.
Then he proceeds thus. But to return
to the efforts of Mr.. Scruggs to catch the
guilty parties. Mr.. Scruggs proceeded to
Cincinnati, and returned with evidence, as
he assured me, to convict Mixson of hav-
ing received rebates from the Live Oak
Distilling Company. Upon his return he
saw Mixson and Secretary Tompkins be-
fore he did me, and they Immediately
came up to the mansion and stated to me
that Scruggs had been to Cincinnati and
had returned with evidence that Mixson's
son had received thousands of dollars
from PEBBLES & Co.. and the Live Oak Dis
ulllng Company and asked me what to
do. told them If Scruggs had told them
that he had evidence, to substantiate 1t,
the best thing to be done was to see Mix
sons son and get him to tell the truth.
They left with this determination, and
the next morning Mr.. Tompkins came to
my office and wrote on slip of paper that
the boy had confessed everything and had
gotten the money. Mixson soon called
upon me and stated that the boy had con-
lessed, but that he (Mixson) was as inno-
cent as lamb He produced a letter
from the boy, in which he confessed and
deplored the fact that he had brought dis
grace upon his father and family, and had
left home never to return. was moved
nv
10 see the boy and not let him run away.
Ihat II Mixson was innocent, the boy had
oeen overreached by whisky drummers.
was called to New York
on business for the state and
stopped in Washington, and told
everything to Senator Tillman. Till
man suggested that Mixson should resign.
returned and told Mr.. Tompkins what
senator Tillman had said and we agreed
upon that policy, but thought 1t best to
wait until further developments. Mixson
came to me afterwards and stated that
ne ne was innocent and his friends had told
liiin not TO resign. ! replied to him that
tne board Of control could only remove
MN FOR cause, and that If he could show
nus nus innocence that we could not remove
nm. saw Tompkins and he agreed with
M iIe IN thls and stated to me that Mixson's
4lIehus mad advised him not to resign. /
u .oiu Mr. Norton that / feared that some
euiIis was going wrong at the dspensary,
ana wanted him to stand by me in my
setion If the issue came He replied that
ne would do so. Mr.. Scruggs has never
handed me the written evidence but the
BOY confession made It unnecessary to
!equire 1t. The meeting OF the legisla-
ture came and / determined In the alb
sehce OF proof direct against Mixson, TO
uuIop the matter, but to take away from
n nIln any chance of temptation, and rec
oIhmended that the entire control be taxi
en- cii from his hands and from the hands
vi state house officers, and place 1t in the
thohus or board consisting of five mem
'ers elected by the general assembly"
NoV' Evans says further: II may have
nIaue mistake I'm not giving this expose
sooner but have been deceived by these
pSopie and badly advised by my friends.
mo mno assured me that the public took no
sseoek In thir statements. | may be crit
iio'seu Tor not replying sooner. but have
''yIIeu no one save myself.
,h,u Is with great reluctance that I do
,,e ,is now, because / know how Il will be
s seu py the enemies OF the dispensary law
'u ~ the reform movement. But In Justice
IN NY friends who requested IT, and the
TSole VINO are attempted to be deceived.
make this gtafeunan4 The .a-tte. 49,.