The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-09-09

EaLIenmS on Tile DlSpeHsaF1'
COLUMBIA, s. c.. Sept 6-One Of the
biggest State scandals that has occurred
since the days of negro rule in South
Carolina was sprung last night by Gov.
Evans. If what he says Is true, the dis
pensary system seems to have been as
MANY have suspected and charged, o gold
mine to the politicians placed in charge
of it, Gov. Evans, it seems, has been IN
possession of the information he has
given fora long time. It was entirely
unex pected and it appears that the Gov
ernor's exposure was due to the factthat
he had been goaded for mol denying
charge made on the stump in his cam
paig1 for the Senate that Tillman had
lined his pockets with liquor rebates.
This thing had 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 Sen
ate. The election comes off Tuesday. Evans
held back till one 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 thon proceeds to make hls
revelations. Commissioner Mlxson and
the commissioner SOD, an official court
stenographer, are the objects OF his ire.
He tells Of presents sent Mixson by
whiskey houses and said that Mixson's
sons had accepted diamond pins, gold
headed canes, etc. He had called Mix
son up, he says, when it was first dis
covered and warned him that the dispen-
sary would be killed if any scandal was
ever connected with its management.
Then he says:
sCRUaGs CATCHES ON.
"Shortly afterwards, Mr.. Scruggs, the
bookkeeper, 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 whiskey houses exclusively
and was receiving rebates in consideration
thereof. I replied to him that he was q
State officer as we'll as Mixson and
Tompkins, and that if he saw anything
going wrong that it was his duty to in
form me and 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.
replied to him that he could go. when
ever and wherever he pleased on such a
mission"
After telling of his discovery that Mix
son was psying higher prices to one house
than other houses offered the goods for,
he proceeds to tell of visit of Mixson's
son to Cincinnati, where he was enter
tanned by whiskey people. Then he pro-
ceeds thus: "Bct to return to the efforts
of MIR. Scruggs to catch the guilty parties.
Mr.. Scruggs proceeded to Cincinnati and
returned with evidence, as he assured me,
to convict Mixson OF having received re-
bates from the Live Oak Distilling Com
pany. Upon his return, he saw Mixson
and Secretary Tompkins before he did
me, and they Immediately came up 10
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 q Co., and the Live Oak
Distilling Company, snd asked me what
to do. I told them if Scruggs had told
them that he had evidence to substantiate
it the best thing to be done was to see
Mixson's 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.
M1xsoN "INNocENT," HIS SON GUILTY.
"NIixson soon called upon me and
stated that the boy had confessed, but
that he (Mixson) was as innocent as
lamb. He produced letter from the
boy, in which he confessed and deplored
the fact that he had brought disgrace up
on his father and family and had left
home never to return. Twas moved with
sympathy for them and told Mixson to
see the boy and not let him run away.
That, if Mixson was innocent, the boy
had been overreached by Whiskey drum
mers. I was called to New York on bus
mess for the State and stopped IN Wash
ipgton, and told everything to Senator
Tillmau. Tillman suggested that Mlxson
should resign. returned and told Mr..
Tompkins what Senator Tillman had
said, and we agreed upon that policy, but
thought it best to wait until further de-
velopments. Mixson came to me alter
wards and stated that he was innocent
and his friends had told him not to resign.
T replied to him that the board of control
could only remove him for cause, and
that if he could show his innocence that
we could not remove him. / saw Mr..
Tompkins and he agreed with me in this
and stated to me that MiXson's friends
had advised him not to resign. l told
Mr.. Norton that I feared something was
going wrong at the dispensary and want
ed him to stand by me In my action ifthe
issue came He replied that he would do
so. Mr.. Scruggs has never handed me
the written evidence, but the boys con
fession made it unnecessary to require it.
The meeting of the Legislature came and
I determined in the absence of proof di-
rect against Mixson to drop the matter,
but to take awav from him any chance Of
tenn ptation and recon mend that the en-
tire control be taken from his hands and
from the hands of State house officers and
placed it in the hands of board consist
ing of five members elected by the Gem
eral mbly.
II may have made mistake in not
giving this expose sooner, but l have
been deceived by these people and badly
advised by my friends, who assured me
that the public took no stock in their
statements. I may be criticized for not
replying sooner, but I have injured no
one save MYSELF.
''It is with great reluctance that do
this now, because know how it will be
used by the enemies of the dispensary
law and the Reform movement. But in
Justice TO my lTleuuS WIN IeGooStoo ~
and the public who are attempted to be
deceived, I make this statement. The
parties connected with this matter are net
interested in this primary, but have an
other tribunal to which they can and must
appeal
MIXSON AND HIS son TALK.
Tonight Commissioner Mixson and his
son make statements. The latter acknowl-
edges that he collected for his brother
S75O.50 in whiskey rebates from the Live
Oak Distilling Company, but that their
father new nothing Of it.
Col Mixson in opening his card drags
the governors brother into it, saying:
"Soon after had entered the race my son,
w. T., told me that Mr. NJ. B. Evans and
himself were talking Of going into deal
and make something off the whiskey in
case I was elected. l told my son that he
could not afford to have anything to do
with such a deal; it would be ruinous,
and would not buy from any house that
they made arrangements with. He in
formed me afterwards that he had given
up the matter, and had so informed Mr..
Evans. 1 had no reason to think other
WISE"
He then shows that he did not buy
Whiskey at higher prices than could be