The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-09-23
of the Disnensary fund. as the records


of this office will show. In subse-
ouent convention with Governor
Evans, told him there was nothing
in the first letter, as the second letter
had brought forth the freight abate-
ment and it had been turned into the
treasury. .,
The present board have dealt with
the same firm and have also received
freight rebates from them, as the re-
cords show. My purpose in withhold
ing the name Of this firm is because
they have requested it, stating, as they
claim, that if the matter was maze
public it would destroy their chances
for future rebates.
Now as to the history of this investl'
cation, as my memory serves me,
shortly after l took charge as book
keeper for the Dispensary Governor
Evans told me that he had reason to
believe that Commissioner Mixson
was using his Office for profit aside
from his salary, or words to that ef-
feet, and asked me had I noticed any.
thing in his conduct to arouse my sus-
picion. frankly told him did not,
for it was in the nature OF surprise
to me, as l had never believed that
any corruption had ever existed in
connection with the Dispensary. Al
though think it was before the Gov
ernor had made this remark to me
Barney Evans had made similar ono
and told me that w. T. Mixson had
gone to Baltimore, and as he believed,
10 get rebates srom Ross & Co. From
that time on Governor Evans and my
self discussed the matter on divers
occasions. Meanwhile I was on the
lookout for anything that would lead
to confirmation of these rumors. AS
time rolled by, the talk about rebates
grew, and finally Governor Evans
said to me that it did seem to him that
if Mixson was getting rebates l, as
bookeeper was in position to discover
it. explained to the Governor that
all the rebates which l know Of were
the S per cent. allowed and denoted
on the invoices and that the books
showed that they had all been duly
credited upt the State, and which
amounted to $21, 900 in eleven months.
1 also explained that if Mixson was
getting an additional rebate for his
own private gain that it would not
show on the invoices and that, there
fore, there could possibly be no re-
cord of it in this office, that if the
Commissioner was ecsiving rebates
he would not be foolish enough to let
it appear in the invoices.
Some time in the fall of last year,
Mr.. White of Cincinnati came here
and remained for several days. Dur.
ing his stay became satisfied from
the trend of his remarks that he knew
something more than he would state,
and that he knew or believed that w.
T. Mixson was receiving brokages
charges on the sales of whiskey to the
Dispensary by the Live Oa6 Distilling
Company. During this visit think he
called on Governor Evans, but 1 am
not positive about that. Now, for the
first time, T believed that had tangi-
BILE evidence of wrongdoing and in con.
versation with Governor Evans he told
me that must do my best to detect the
guilty parties that was his personal
representative and he look to me to
keep everything straight, and for me
to consider that I had his authority to
20 anywhere at any time in the
prosecution of this investigation. 1t
was my intention to proceed to Gin.
cinnati at once. butth vast amount OF
work which I had done that year in
Strengthening out the terrible condi-
ton in which the books of the State
and county dispensaries had gotten
proved so great strain on me that. l
was laid up with severe case OF sick
ness and was threatened with nervous
prostration. On account of my i'll
health and the rapidly increasing de.
uaands on my time in consequence OF
the large volume of fall and winter
business, I was forced to defer my trip
until the following February. Reach
ing Cincinnati I asked the manager
of the Live Oak Distilling Company
why his firm had discharged Mr..
White. He replied that Mr.. White
had not been listed as a salaried EN-
ployee (or employer, I disremember
which, of his firm. That he (White)
had represented to them that he
had great influence with the Dispense
ry authorities in South Carolina and
could control the trade in the interest
of any house he chose and he had rec
commended the Live Oak Distilling
Company as house that sold the best
grade of whiskies for the money of
any house in the West. Upon that
representation they agreed to pay him
commission on brokerage of all whis-
kies that he would sell and stated to
me that they had done so to the amount
of between 81 800 and $1,000. They
further stated, as reason for subse.
quently declaring their trade ''of''
with Mr.. White, that they could not
afford to pay a brokerage to both
White and Mixson; further stating
that it was a strictly business agree
ment which they had with Mr.. White
to pay him a brokerage on all the
trade which his efforts or influence
brought to the firm; that subsequently,
he was informed that Mr.. Whites
| in influence had come to an end and
that he entered into the same agree
ment with w. T. Mixson-W. T..
Mixson making the same representa-
tions which Mr.. White had formerly
made as to his ability to control the
trade.
told the manager That either be
was being imposed upon or else the
purchasing power of the Dispensary
was prostituting his authority and
suggested that he discontinue his
nraciica He renlied that the Dispen.