The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-05-05
"GIVEN TO GARRIS."
Mr., GASTON'S OFFICIAL REPORT AS
ToTHAT TRUNK.

Important Orders Have Been Issued by
Gov. Ellerbe-Whst He Says Ouesti ons
for Mr.. CASTOR to Answer.
The following communication was
published in the News and Courier
Wednesday:
To the Editor of the News and Courier:
Since the jury who sat on the case of Will
lam Beckroge vs.. The State of South Caro-
lima in the Uunited States Court has given o
verdict of $500 damages to the plaintiff, it is
reasonable to suppose that q return of the
captured trunk and contents goes with the
verdict. During the trial of the case the
attorney for the plaintiff propounded the
questions to the Assistant Attorney General:
"Where is the trunk" "Where are the ci-
gars?' To both of which, if 1 nm correctly
informed, he replied, "In Columbia, sup
pose."
Now, 1 wish to ask, Did he suppose they
were in Columbia? Had he not the infor-
nation to the contrary?
Now propose the following question, and
call on the named gentlemen to give US all
the knowledge they have in reference there
to, and I ask each of them directly and seper-
ately for this information:
Where is the trunk? We would like for
Col. Willie Jones, chairman of the State Board
of Control, to say what he knows about this.
Then we would be glad to have Mr.. Seth
Scruggs, the chief clerk of the State Board,
to tell what he knows. Then Col. John T..
CASTOR, ex-Acting Commissioner, to say, and
lastly, we would be glad to have Mr.. c. W..
Garris, member of the legislative examin.
lining committee for the Dispensary, to say
what he knows about the trunk.
Next, where are the cigars? think, per-
haps, all of the members, all five Of them,
can say something on this subject. Then
let Colonel CASTOR, who was in charge of them,
say where they are. Then Mr.. Scruggs can
come up and have his little soy, and finally,
perhaps Mr.. Charlie Lynch, who is an en-
ployee in the Office, can enlighten the pub
lie.
Next, where are the wedding shoes? They
must have been fine shoes to be in keeping
with the balance of the contents ofthe trunk.
Where are they? Colonel CASTOR, tells us,
and let oil of the above named gentlemen
give the people of South Carolina an account
of their stewardship. The people should
know just how things are being worked and
managed at the great moral institution, and,
if honestly and correctly, then they will
only have to soy so and stop suspicion, and
if not, and they fail to satisfy the public,
then they must bear the stigma. Come up,
gentlemen, an anxious public awaits replies
from each and every one of you, and should
there be anything out place let it rest on
the shoulders where it properly belongs.
Truth SEEKER.
The Columbia Register says Colo
mel Jones stated that he had never
seen the trunk or any of its contents,
and certainly had not smoked any OF
the cigars. The trunk had been sold
to Mr.. @. W. Garris. AS to the ci-
gars, &c., he knew nothing, but was
having the matter investigated. The
trunk was sold just as barrels or any
other old thing is sold from the Dis
pensary. The trunk had not Teen
paid for so far as he knew. Mr.. Scruggs
said the whole thing simply amount
ed to making a big thing out of moth
ing.
Governor Ellerbe, in speaking OF
the matter, seemed to be considerably
angered about it. He said Judge
Townsend wanted to see the marks on
the trunk to use as an argument in
the case, but reported that he
could not find it. Governor Ellerbe,
! in investigating, called upon Colo.
mel Castor, who replied by letter and
sent similar one to Chairman Jones.
This no doubt has some information
the public would like to get, but the
Governor did not care to give it out,
pending the investigation he is now
making. He concluded BY saying
that as long as he is Governor he will
not allow such things to 60 on if he
can prevent them.
This, then, is the status of the pres
ent case. 1t must be confessed that it
is but one of the others upon which
complaints have been made, but none
heretofore received such an investiga.
ton. Mr.. j. P. K. Bryan made for
NAL demand for the trunk, and this
brought the matter to a crisis. In
mary of the other cases there have
been only mutterings and nothing has
come of them, but this one seems to
be loaded with genuine sensation.
The report of ex Commissioner John
T. Castor of the State dispensary on
the Beckroge trunk and its contents
| is IS follows:
Columbia, S. c., April IA, 1897.
| Hon. W. A. Barber, Attorney General oi
South Carolina:
| Sir: Complying with your request con.
cerning certain trunk seized in Charleston
by the State constabulary and sent to State
dispensary, l have this to say: A large
drummers trunk was received here by the
authorities, containing Ito the best of my re.
collections) three two-gallon jugs oi
whiskey, nine bottles of wine, 10 boxes ci-
CARS, two cans peaches and think one doz.
en- lemons. The trunk was not to my recol-
lections, marked so that you would know il
contained whiskey. A card marked glass
was on the trunk in several places. Mr.: c.
| w. Garris of Colleton told me that Mr.
Scruggs, the bookkeeper, told him that he
could have the trunk and let him have it,
The whiskey has been dumped, the wines are
here in my possession; the cigars, The
peaches and the lemons are gone. That is
about the status of the trunk business as ]
recollect. Yours respectfully,
John T. Castor,
Acting Commissioner.
Governor Ellerbe is quite willing to
permit the search light of public opin'
| inn tn nenetrate into the remotast cor