Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-05-05
The BECKROGE TRUNK.
MIR. Garris Tells What He Knows About
the Matter.

the Matter.
Mr.. C. w. Garris, of the legislative
dispensary investigating committee,
says that any man who insinuates that
he knows anything about the Beck
roge shoes, peaches or cigars is liar
and a scoundrel. He did get the
trunk, he says, and according to his
story here is the way he got it:
II will cheerfully state my connec-
ton with the matter, and it is as
follows: 1 found at the close of the
last session of the legislature, on &C
count of some purchases had made,
that / needed larger trunk. l re-
membered that while was member
of the legislative examining committee
we had taken stock of kind of
"plupder room" that contained some
old trunks and valises, among other
things that were said to have been
captured full of "blind tiger" liquors.
I learned that these articles were dis
posed of by sale. When l found out |
needed trunk it occurred to me that
could purchase second-handed one
at the dispensary, that would serve
my purpose, and at the same time
would save me part of extra expense
of a new one. l went to the COM
missioner Colonel Gaston) and asked
about the matter. He showed me two
small ones, very badly damaged. /
was about to buy one of these, when
Mr.. Scruggs, or possibly some member
of the board told me that there were
others upstairs. 1 went up with
Colonel CASTOR and found the trunk
in question. 1t had been handled very
roughly in breaking it open and need
ed repairs of new lock, etc. Colonel
CASTOR and myself looked at the
trunk, and he remarked that he would
like to buy the trunk himself, where
upon I declined to take it and started
away. Colonel CASTOR reflected mo-
ment, called me back, and said, that
if the trunk suited me | could take
it along. He delivered it to me and l
had it brought to the board room door.
| called on members present, and l
forget now what ones were present,
Q could find out, if necessary to fix
the price. The members seemed,
however, to be discussing some matter
very hurriedly. | think some of them
were going away on the next train,
and it was about train time. Some
member remarked that they would Tx
the price later, and that they would
make it reasonable. l sent the trunk
off then for repairs. The day before
I left Columbia I called to settle the
matter. Mr.. Scruggs stated that the
price had not yet been fixed, but said
he would send me the bill as soon as it
was.
"Recently l was talking to men,
Der of the board, and he mentioned
the matter to me, and again l asked
for the price, and he promised he
would attend to the matter at the next
board meeting, and send me the bill.
"This is all | know of the trunk. l
wish to state that l know nothing,
and care nothing, about where the
trunk came from. l did not know or
care whether it had been at the dis
pensary a day or year. | was a
simple purchaser, with no desire to
give less than full value, and, of course,
with none to give more. would have
bought the trunk under similar cir
cumstances if every reporter in the
land had been there to witness the
sale. not only did not care for, but
did not think of the public prints in
connection with the matter. On the
contrary, 1 do say that had dreamed
that the trunk was or would after
wards become u matter of legal OF
other contention l would not have
taken it under any circumstances, just
because of my aversion for difficulties
of that kind"