Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-05-13
"Low DOWN TRICKS"
What Leon Williams Says About
the Seizure of His Barrel of
Beer.

Mr.. L. J Williams of the State
board of control was yesterday
asked By a representative of the
State about the seizure of his beel
at Edgefeld last week. In reply
he made the following statement
"I was at Edgefeld on last Mon.
day, and, much to my surprise. |
learned that a barrel of beer, ship
ped to me as member of the State
board O: control, had been seized
by the constables. 1t had been
shipped without my knowledge,
suppose as samples, since / an
charged with buying beer for the
State disp:nsary. 1t had been al
Edgefeld for two weeks
"Governor Evans went over tc
Edgefeld, and learning that the
beer was there, ordered the con.
stables 10 seize it. All this hap,
pened without my knowledge. Al
the same time the beer was al Edge
field a keg OF contraband liquor
was shipped there to another party
and seized by the constables
which was relesed. Why this diff
ferent treatment? | am charged
with purchasing beer to supply
the people and should of course
know what / am doing, and as,
sert thai; tits proper and legitimate
for me 10 receive samples. Even
if it is improper, I am not respon-
sibIe for shipments made to me
without my knowledge,
Snow the governor has frequent
ly ordered seized liquors released
(some of it consigned to his rela.
tives, which was shipped contra
ry to law and clearly contraband
and forfeited to the State. He has
frequently petitioned the board o!
control 20 release seized liquor, and
all these releases deprive the
State Of valuable property; be-
sides it is nearly always consign-
ed to ener0ies of the dispensary
law.
"He has made an arrangement
now whereby he. can nullify Sec
tons 25 81 of the dispensary law
and retain in himself the right to
keep contraband liquor out of the
hands Of the board of control SO
that be can release it for no other
purpose, in my opinion, than to
make votes for himself for the
United States Senate. 1 have a
case in point where he has tanned
some of his bitterest enemies.
"I understand the governor is
the frequent recipient Of gratuitous
liquors himself. Now isn't it ob-
vious with a view to all these
facts) that he is prompted by 9th
er reasons than a desire to strictly
enforce the law? Now what are
those reasons? Evidently to vent
his spleen ON me and to punish me
if possible, for no other reason
than that [ have refused to sur
render my convictions and man
hood ard teady to him. l shall
always refuse to 60 to any man or
set Of men for orders, but shall al
ways exercise my best judgment
and prefer to be honest IN politics
and refuse to perjure myself (ac-
cording to my construction of the
law to get any man out of a hole,
even though he be governor of the
State.
ESPECIALLY did I refuse to do
this, as a part of those unlawfully
appropriated funds for State ex-
hibit at Atlanta were used to have
a stenographic report made OF his
speech as an advertisement of him
self.
"While I regret the necessity
for these statements, I shall al
ways be found defending myself.
I desire to say that l shall resort
to no such low down tricks to pun
ish the governor, but will be found
holding up his hands and assist
ing him so far as it lies in my pow
er in the. enforcement of all he
laws. With these statements !
wash my hands of the whole mat
ter"