The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-05-12

signed by Mr. CAN'T, the latter ad
mitting his authorship of the Dear
Clark" letter in one of them.
The first of these letters reads as
follows /:
THE PIEDMONT HEADLIGHT
Official Organ of spartanburg, the
Largest, Most Popular and
Wealthiest County in the State
Spartanburg. S. c., Feb. 10. 1897
Dear Scruggs l hear that an
Atlanta liquor man has offered
bribe to certain dispensary official,
and to pay him 25 cents on each boz
of this mans liquor that said official
shipped out. But afterwards the
liquor mau stated that he had made
a mistake aud could give only 10
cents. And because he fell in his
price this official then stated that the
firm had tried to bribe him 1t has
also come to my ears that a certain
liquor man bad member of the
board as his guest at the hotel. that
they slept together in the same room.
and that this liquor man always got
the best of the orders from the board.
There are other rumors of serious
nature. l tell you, Scruggs, as your
true friend, that this condition of at
fairs will disrupt the Reform move
ment. The people are already rest
less and suspicious, and groanipg as
they are under increased taxation,
they are prepared to believe any
scandal they may hear.
| am making further investigations
into those rumors and shall expose
the whole matter Truly, your
friend,
T. L. Can't.
The other letter made public by
Clerk Scruggs reads reads as fol
lows:
spartanburg, S. c., April 8, 1897
Dear Scruggs-Your letter of the
7th, in which you state that you hear
that there is letter in circulation in
Columbia, purporting to have been
written By myself, and in which your
name is connected, etc. You ask
me to let you know the substance OF
this letter You remember that some
time in February | wrote you that |
had heard report in circulation that
certain official in the State dispen.
pensary bad been offered bribe Of
25 cents box for every
box of certain brand Of
whiskey he shipped out, that this
brike was offered by an Atlanta firm.
bet afterwards that the firm stated to
said official tha. they could only pay
10 cents box, aud after he fell in his
price then the official reported the
representative of this firm as trying
to bribe him
also stated in said letter other re-
potts connected with the dispensary
management. aud the purchase o1
liquors that smacked strongly of cor
ruption / stated to you that | in
tended to publish those reports that
the people might know them, and
demand an investigation Of the whole
business.
4 few days after the receipt Of this
letter you came to Spartanburg and
asked me to suppress the publication
You know at that tine warned you
agaius. the suppression of anything
crooked 10 the dispensary that cane to
sour knowledge. and told you that you
could not help TO cover ap rottenoess Of
any one conoected with the dispepsary
because of your friendship for him
You replied that you didn't wish to hide
any corruption, and the official in qoes
ton you believed to be your enemy and
was working in conjunction with others
to secure your defeat. | stated to you
that heard the representative of this
drm would tell much more, but that be
was coerced or bulldozed. and was else
afraid of publicity, fearing that il
nighs destroy his chances for future
business With the dispensary. told
you further that | was not satisfied
aud that believed if they we're assured
tnat by telling the truth and all they
knew it mould not iojure their pros
poets for business, that they would make
a foil statement Of all the facts. With
this view | wrote private letter to ny
frieod Hoo. Clarke Howell,
editor of she Atlanta Constitution
Quot the liquor 6rm), an assuring let.
ter. which vas personal and private
and sealed up
This letter vas written to Mr.. How
ell, who was friend to said 6rm, witt
hose of ssiffeulng the back bone of this
liquor man, and thereby securing al