The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-09-23

"'"o S%b Np, III. |AoAOy
would be given the opportunity to re-
| ply, with that Colonel Mixson was
called.
MIXsON's STORY.
Mr.. Abney: When were you ap-
pointed Commissioner?
Col. Mixson: I don't recollect the
date, but was elected in January, 1895.
but my commission dates from Feb
ruary.
Abney: There has been some gues.
ton about the letter Of introduction
from you to Hubbell of R. N. Mixson.
What was the date2
Col. Mixson: I don't know except
from his published letters and they
make it December, '94. At that time
I had nothing to do with purchasing
whiskey. Mr.. Traxler was the Com
missioner and I the Superin tendent.
don't know of any influence that I
could have exercised over him to in
duce him to buy from any one and
didn't try to. was a candidate for
Commissioner at the time. At first
Mr.. Dukes OF Orangeburg was my op-
ponent and later Mr.. Traxler decided
to run. Ny election was not a settled
matter. Up to that time had no CON-
troll over purchases. The letter of in
PRODUCTION to Hubbeli was given to my
nephew, R. NJ. Mixson.
Abney: From favors extended to
your nephew by introducing him
| what could you make in return2
Mixson: Nothing. I was simply
superintendent and could not aid my
nephew.
Abney: Evans refers to conver-
sation with you previous to your elec.
ton as Commissioner. Tell what took
place.
Colonel Misxon: Iasked Evans to
take my boy in partnership in the in
surance business, and nothing was
said about the purchase of whiskey.
Abney: Will you state positively
and absolutely whether his Statement
IS true according to your views2
Colonel Mixson: It is not true. He
was in business in EdgeGeld at the
time and moved here after that.
don't know whetherhe applied for the
Dispensary insurance or not, but I
gave it to him. did not sacrifice the
interest of the Dispensary for him. He
insured as cheap as anybody else.
That was done in a fair and proper way.
Abney: When you first came in
office what firms were being bought
from2
Col. Mixson: The bulk was pur-
chased from the Mill Creek Company.
I made purchase from them. need,
ed some Bourbon. had seen Hub.
bell but ne refused to give me 5 per
cent. off. I wired him to send twenty
five cars of one and two < Bourbon
each with off. The next day he tel
egraphed that he would ship imnedi-
ately. On Wednesday I received a
letter saying that the goods had besn
sent because they thought was in q
hurry, but they couldn't take of. I
Immediately ordered them to recall
shipment, But they replied it had gone
too far; for me to take it and the 5
would be taken off. I never bought
any more from them because they
would not give me enough per Gent.
loH. | have never seen Hubbell's re-
duced figures the Governor refers to.
Gov. Evans: I pulled them out of
my drawer and we talked over them.
Abney: So far as purchases are
concerned, were the prices paid greater
or lesser than those of your predeces-
sor2
Col. Mixson: The original price
was less except On Xxx, which was
the same. In addition on Januaay /
the Internal Revenue tax was increas
ed 20 cents a gallon, and I got per
cent off which my predecessor did not.
He paid for K Rye $3.50 and the tax
was 80 cents. I bought better whis-
key for S1.45 and got 5 per cent. of.
Ehat saved in eleven months about
$4,000.
Abney asked whether Live Oak
Whiskey was in demand?
There is more call for it than any
other, was the reply. The board now
purchases it, but don'tknow whether
they pay the same price.
Mr.. Abney-Who is this man White2
Col. Mixson-He IS member of the
firm OF White & Cramer. a supply
house of Cincinnati. He claims to
have startsd the dispensary off. He
came to represent the Live Oak Co.
and maybe PEBBLES.
Did ne offer you any inducements
l ordered TWO bills of goods from
him. About March or April he came
in two or three days ahead of Yost and
PEBBLES. Then he told me he was get
ting commissions on what he sold and
he would give ne half to purchase
from him. I told Yost, which I can
prove by Scruggs, that he needn't send
White here any moro. would not
buy from him. Mr.. Scruggs said the
statement was true.
Mr.. Abney: Something was said
about a letter from PEBBLES inviting
you and friend Tompkins" to come
to Cincinna.; What's in that?
Col. Mixson retired and returned
with a letter which he read. In it
PEBBLES extolled three brands of his
liquor and asked Commissioner Mixson
to buy several car loads and he would
be pleased with the stuff. It wound
up by expressing the hope that Cover.
nor Evans. Colonel Tompkins and
Colonel Mixson would all visit Gin
cinnati.
Colonel Mixson continuing in reply
to a question said that he had never
seen any letter in which it was said
that Whites commissions must stop.
He never received such a letter.
Mr.. Abney: Did you have any in
dividual or partnership connection
whateYer which would influence or
encourage you to purchase from him2
Col. Mixson: No. Nobody.
Mr.. Abnev asked did he know that
Mr.. Scruggs was really the personal
representative Of the Governor, and
was always on the alert, although ap-
pointed bookkeper by him2
Col. Mixson: did not. Ientrusted
him with everything. Nothing was
li,1o L. Ia