The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-05-20
THE AGRICULTURAL HALL CASE DECIDED.
THE STATE Is'AGAIN DEFEATED.

Wesley Gets the Building, but the
Blue Ridge Bonds arc Not Vail.
datcd-The State Dispensary viii
Continue its Operations.
Columbia Register.
The State has lost the Agricultural
Hall case and the State dispensary
Will have to move out sooner or later
and seek other quarters. Tho follow
ing dispatch was received last night
The United States Supreme Court
| has affirmed the decision of the Circuit
Court for tho Circuit Of South Caro-.
lima in the Agricultural Hall" " case.
INVOLVING the title to tho Agricultural
| Hall in Columbia, S. G.. Edward B.
Wesley, Of New York; bought the
property of the Commissioners of the
State Sinking Fund, but there were
alleged irregularities in tho purchase
and he brought suit against j. E. Tin
| dal, tho Secretary of the State and j.
II. Boyles, who had been employed by
tho Secretary Of the State to guard
the property, to secure possession.
Tnd;ll and Boyles, in the lower courts,
| cOntended that th"v "CrN ''i":., cas-
dians. OF the p.ururvy ana that the
State could not be sued, but the pos
| session OF the property was given to
| Wesley. This Judgment was affirmed
| by the Supremo Conrt in an opinion
| by Justice Harlan, who held that the
State was not necessarily u party to
the suit"
Governor Ellerbe was informed OF
| the decision as soon as it was received
He said that he would express no
opinion uutil he had seen the decision
of the court.
Attorney General Barber was seen
| in his office and was shown u copy Of
the decision. He said that he expect
| ed 1T and was not surprised at the out
come. He said that the decision did
not validate the Blue Ridge bonds ten.
dcred in payment, but that it simply
meant that Mr.. Wesley having tender
cd money for the first payment and
having fulfilled other portions Of the
contract was entitled to the property.
General Barber would not, however,
discuss the situation, preferrng to
await the full report Of the decision
In case the State should eventually
be forced out of the builling, Mr..
Barber said that he did not know
what would re done or whore the busi-
| ncss would be conducted. He said that
In tho usual course Of legal proceed urc
it would take some days for the de-
cision to be effective. The State has,
however, no other remedy, and thr
probabilities are that MIR. Wesley VII
soon have possession Of the b .iiding.
He can rent it to the State and tht
likelihood is that some contract OF tn,
Kind will be ent ,red upon. With the
fixtures and plaut as now established
1T would be an expense unwarrantet
10 establish another plant OF equal fa
cliitles. The situation is one, there
fore, not only of great Importance, bu
OF vast interest to The taxpayers of the
State.
The news that the United States
Supreme Court had finally awarded
the Agricultural Hall to Mr.. Wesley
was hardly a surprise to the State au.
thorities, for they had expected it to
como sooner or later. But supposing
that the dspensary authorities can,
not agree with Mr.. Wesley on the
terms of rental, thirty days yet re-
mained before the plant will have to be
removed. In that time the dispensar
can be moved out to another building
aud operations will 90 on as usual
Fol the Information Of the public it.
| may rs well be stated now as hereafter,
that even if the dispensary has to get
out Of the Agricultural Hall building
| 1t will run along just as we'll. The de-
| cislon puts the Stat. TO some expense,
If q move has to nc made, but the dis
pensary will 60 along rs IF yore, despite
decisio MS of courts, Beckroge trunks
or anything else.
The publication Of the decision
brought out the fact that the Board
or Control has been considering the
advishbility Of changing the place OF
business, for financial reasons. The
drayage part OF the busipe.s is a big
one in point OF money. TO first han!
the goods from q depot to- tho disprn-
sary and after 10 order has been re-
ceivGd, to again haul them back has
been an expense that the BDurd OF
Control wished to avoid. Propositions
| have been made to them whereby Ger
tain warehouses Immediately on the
line Of railroads could be rented. There
propositions have been under con
sidcration for some time, and were not
acted Gu, but in view Of the fact that u
| change OF base may be necessary they
become quite interesting.
| For Instance, it is said that MIR. j
Caldwell Robertson has offered the
dispensary authorities the use of the
warehouse on Gervais street, below the
Union depot, which is now partially
occupied as a batting factory. 1t is
understood that the proposition made
was that tho State could have the
building at the same price it now pays
for drayage. This proposition romans
open.
Another idea Is to rent the old II as
kell cotton mill. 1t not only is q go ID
building, but is on line of railroads
and drayage would be saved.
But all of the above is speculative.
II the State arranges with Mr.. Wes-
! Icy proper terms of rent can be made,
but what will be dono remains to be
| seen.
| Governor Ellerbe was asked as to
what would b, tho outcome, but he
declined to make any statement. He
| said, however, that there were othe r
PAGES ana tho dlopcnsary would not
shut down.
A very interesting legal question has
arisen as to whether the pcrmAnc
improvements made III the building
In the shape of engines, pulleys, etc,