The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-05-12
JOHNS SONS
CHILL AND
FEVER TONIC
Cures Fever
IN One Day.
Catching the RascaIs.
THE DIsPENsARY PER.
MEATED WITH OFF.
CIAL DISHONESTY.

COLUMBIA. S. c.. May 5-The dis
pepsary scandal is the talk of the town.
Each day revelations are made that
demonstrate more forcibly how great iss
the corruption and free aud easy rascal
ity that permeates the entire system.
The fumes Of scandal rise to heaven
aud the officials who administer the
great moral Institution all appear to be
more or less mixed up io them
To-day Gov Ellerbc and Attorney
General Barber decided to, make public
the information they have uoeartbed in
reference to the Beckroge trunk They
have the evidence in the form of aft
davits from C. j. Lynch, bookkeeper;
Moses a. Mobley, bookkeeper; S. w
Scruggs, clerk OF the Soard, John T.
Castor, ex Superintendent; H q
Watts, G Il Charles. Robt E. Blake
ly, S. w Vance, c. a. Kooo, D. A.
6. Outz. all employees of the dispen-
sary. aod c W Garris, the member Of
the Legislature. who bought the trunk,
John n. Jacob, the locksmith who
made key to the contraband room for
S. W Scruggs, and Col. Willie Jones.
The two most important aud compre-
beusive afidavits are give below
The other afidavits giveo additional
aud condrmatory evidence aod ;h 'sis
established beyond question that aston
and Scruggs both made free use of
whatever they found TO their taste 10
the .coutriband room 1t rade DO dif-
ferqoce whether it was shoes. oranges.
cigars. peaches OF liquor. they simply
took wha: they wanted Il is further
establised that Scruggs had a key
made to Es the lock on the door to the
room and kept his visits to the room as
much in the dark IS possible
Additional amdavits are promised
within fe# days. aoa more rascality
will be exposed. Attorney General
Barber has decided to issue warrants
for the arres. Of at least two Of the
guilty persoos, aud it is bioted that other
arrests may follow.
Dispensary circles are 90 the tip toe
Of expectancy and sthe public is pre-
pared for almost any revelation Of cor
ruption:
State of South Carolina, Richland
county:
Personally appears before me S. W
Scruggs. who after being duly sworn,
says:
That to the best of bis recollection
Mr. c. W. Garris told him there was
trunk in the contraband room be
wanted to buy Depooent told him be
did not think the truck could be used
as the lock was broken and there was
no key to the trunk that he knew Of.
Mr. Garris then suggested that he could
have another lock put on and depoo
ens told him if he would 60 up towo
and see Mr. Husemapn. perhaps he
could pct a new lock 90 it, which be
did {; that during the March meeting Of
the board of cootrol Mr.. Garris came
for the truck. and Commissioner
Castor and deponent went in the con-
,rabapd room and les him have it. Mr..
Garris iosisted upon paying for the
trunk at that time, but deponent
told him that be did not know
what price to place on the trunk and
be would have to obtain the price of
trunks from some truck dealer 10 Co.
lumbia before price could be fixed.
Mr.. GarrIs still insisted upon an agree
ment as to price SO that he could pay
for it. Deponent replied that be had
10 intelligent idea Of the worth of the
truck and had no time then TO ascertain
tie wor'h Of the truck. as the board
was 9; thas moment 10 session and se
lad to get back to the meeting to az
tend 20 business; that he told Mr..
! Garris that he would sacd him the bill
far the trunk as sooa as the p:icc was
fixed. or ;ha; he co:sid pay :o7 it on his
acyt visit to Columbis; He replied !:
Il ~iil call in the next tille come 10
Colaa,bla and pay for it; that he re-
ported the sale Of the trunk: 10 ;he
State board OF control! Tia. tic day
upon which Commissioner Castor, Mr.
Garris aud depoaent went to the coz
,raband room to deliver trunk was the
first time he had any knowledge Of the
contents cf the trunk to the best of his
recollection; but one thing be is
positive about-that up to that
time be had never saken any
part of the contents Of the trunk,