The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-09-09

and the Live Oak Distllling company
and asked me what to do. | told
them that if Soruggs had told them
that be bad evidence, to subs'antiase it
the best thing to be done was TO see
Mixson's son and get him to tell the
truth They left with this determine
ton and the next morning Mr. Tomp-
kins came to my Office and wrote 90
slip Of paper that the boy had confessed
everything and had gotten the money
Mixson soou called upon me and stated
thai the boy had confessed. but. hat he
(Mixson) was as innocent as lamb.
He produced letter from the boy, 10
which he confessed and oepored the
fact that he had brought disgrace upon
his father and family and had left home
never to return was moved with
sympathy for them aad told Mlxsou to
see the boy and not let him run away.
That if Mixson was innocent, the boy
bad been over reached by whiskey
drummer5 was called to New York
ou business for the State and stopped
in Washington. an told everything to
Senator Tillman. Tillman suggested
that Nixon should resign I returned
and told MIR. Tompklns what Senator
Tillman had said. and we agreed upoa
that policy, but thought it best to await
unsi! further Developments Nilsson
came to ue asterwards aod stated that
be was Innocent ard his frieuds had
,o:! him no; 20 resign. I replied to
him that the board of control could
on!v remove him for cause. and that if
he corld show his Innocence that &c
could 90, remove hin. saw Mr..
Tompkins and be agreed with me in
this and stated 20 me that Mizson's
friends had advised h!m oct to resigo.
told Mr.. Norton that feared that
something was going wrong at tie cis-
peasary aod I wanted him to stand by
me 10 my action If the issue came. He
replied that be would 60 so.
Air Scruegs las never handed ne
the written evidence but the boys con-
fessica made it unnecessary 20 require
it
The meeting CT the legislature came
ao6 de,er"ined ic. tie absence cf
proof direcs against Nilsson to drop the
matter, hat to take away from hin any
chance cf temptation and recommended
that the eotire control be taken fcoE,
his hands and from the hands of State
House officers and place it iu the hands
of a board consisting OF FIVE members
elected by the general assembly. This
offended Secretary Tompkios, who stat
ed that 10 view Of the charges made,it
would look like kicking him out by rea
aop thereof. replied that 90 evil
deuce had been produced against him.
but that if be felt that way would
change my recommendation and leave
the old board, but would ask for too
additional members TO be elected by the
legislature. Herepied that this would
be satisfactory.
Mr.. E6rd. senator from Lexington.
had consulted me and he agreed with
me fully aod offered to see Mr.. Tomp
kins ADD eodeavor to get him to with
draw his objection. He did not sue
ceed, but the Legislature took E6rd's
view and changed the board. taking
the purchasing power from NIixsou's
hand Nilsson and others organized
to kill the bill il the legislature and
Mr.. .Joho T. Duncan was TO lead the
fight. Duncan was kicked out before
the bill came up and accuses me to this
day Of uuseating him on account of bis
opposition to this bill. [ stated to Mix-
sen if he did net stop his opposition |
would indicate to the legislature his
probable cause Of opposition aud he
ceased to oppose it. had no
direct evidence against him and could
neither prosecute nor discharge him. but
I am sure every one will see the reason
or DIS cpposltlon 70 ule.
Now, what do we see Duncan
stated that his only cause of enmity
to me was my change in the dispen
sary law. Mixson stated to the news
papers that dark horse would enter
against me in the senatorial race.
Young Mixson. ! understand groomed
him and filed Duncan's pledge with
Tompkins, as chairman of the Demo-
cratic party Mixson and others
have organized the opposition to me
and have circulated this report to
injure me with senator Tillman and
his friends This is not all. They
have told Tillman story upon story to
gain his enmity to me, but Senator
Tillman knew the reason and assured
me that it went into one eai and out