The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-05-12
THE LIQUOR SCANDAL.
Some Light Gu the States
Great Moral Institution.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
AT WORK.

From The State, May s.
The State has for exactly one
month been aware OF the existence OF
letter purporting TO have been
written by Editor Can't of the Pied
mont Headlight to Clark Howe.l of
the Atlanta Constitution. which
smacked strongly of more rebate
matters and further scandals about
the management of the big gin mill,
and copy of it has been available.
but for several reasons this letter was
being held pending developments
It was brought here by a liquor
man at the last session of the State
board of control He showed it to
several other liquor men and others
at that time. Since then copies Of it
have been heard Of here and there.
There was some doubt expressed as
to its genuineness, but that donbt
now seems to have entirely disap
peared.
Time went on and now, in the
midst of the Beckroge trunk scan
dal the letter has found print in the
Charleston correspondence of another
newspaper
The copy of the letter reads as fol-
lows. this particular copy not having
Mr. Gantt's Signature /:
Spartanbuss, S G., Feb Il, 1897.
Dear Clark: This will be handed
you BY my friend, Mr.. I. O. J
Wood, aud who will explain to you
just what I want / am anxious to
cen.rol the State board of dispeusary
commissioners, so that / can help cut
my friends, and also your friends,
Bluthenthal and Bickart of Atlanta
Ca
Now, Clark, to be plain with you,
in order to accomplish this, We must
down 5 man named Outzs. and keep
our mutual friend, Seth Scrugg, in
control Wee down Outzs if can
get Mr.. Bickart to give me state
ment Of the transactions between
himself and Outzs and can show, as
Il believe is the case. that Ouszs
agreed to push his liquors If he
Bickart) would pay him 25 cents
per case.
waat you to see Mr. Bickart and
get statement from him of his prop
osition to Outzs, and how it was first
received. / do not wish it for publi
cation. but simply to bulldcze him
out of the race against Scruggs
Hon D NJ Miles. elected member
of the board for FIVE years, is my
personal friend and from Spartanbure
county. Col Willie Jones, chairman
Of the board, is one of my warmes,
friends, aud I will visit him nex1
Friday and talk over matters. I want
to get Oatzs' condemnation by tha,
Z time Jones is a strong Scruggs
man / want you to say 10 Bickarl
to embody in his statement that afte,
his first conference with the board he
tiled to get second audience, 80 st
to tell the whole truth, but was
gagged aud not allowed to do SO, al
the instigation Of Outzs
If l can keep Scruggs in, it means
that our friends will be taken care of
but if Outzs succeeds he will no.
order plat from B. & B.. aud he ii
opposed to Mr.. Bickart, because o
that interview with the board
/ also want you and your father, j
Mr.. Bickart gives this statement, tt
certify to bis nigh character.
have other things behind. bu
want this certificate as an opening
shot As stated, it is not for publ
cation, but simply to use to Kill any
support that Outzs nigh! get
Mr. Wood will give you the ful
story Of that matter.
Truly, your friend,
P. S-Why have you cut me OF
from your exchange list ? have
not seen copy of the Constitution