The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-05-12

SS-N~N-
with any corruption, and what l wrote was
with view to discovering corruption that
might expose it through the Headlight, and
not to wink at rascality. The mistake
made was in not publishing at the time the
rumors heard, but you know your strong
personal appeal to me not to do so IS what
deferred me. Unnecessary l will call on you
to publish the letter l wrote to you some
time in February.
But to show you that l was not bush
whacking any man, upon learning that the
Atlanta firm stated that the offer they made
said official had been rejected, l came to Co.
lumbia, saw the accused party and stated to
him the report had heard, told him just
what had done, and that he seemed eX-
onerated.
The Howell letter | sent by Mr.. l. o j.
Wood, but that gentlemen, instead OF dellV-
ering it as addressed, turned the letter over
TO said liquor firm, when one OF its members
broke the seal and read the contents. lie
stated to Mr.. Wood that it was not necessary
to deliver the letter, as he could give him
no information about the reported corrup-
ton. Mr.. Wood left the letter in the hands
of said firm. How it came to be turned
over to parties in Columbia do not know.
If YOU will see that letter you will lind
that l was simply working to unearth re-
ported corruption in the Dispensary manage
ment and to assist Mr.. Wood in securing q
position. | am not mixed up in any rebate
or other business connected with the Dlspen-
sary, for my hands are clean and l DEFY
anyone to prove otherwise.
remember in that letter telling MIR.
Howell that Col. Willie Jones and Hon d. M.
Miles were personal friends and would stand
by me. My reason for writing this was
that intended that Mr.. Howell could use II
to get the desired information from that At
lanta liquor house, for could convince
them that their business would not suffer by
telling all they knew they would more like
ly give the desired information.
| also told two members ofthe State Board
the report that had reached my ears. Come
up Saturday and see me. Truly your friend,
T. L. CAN'T.
Mr.. Scruggs said that he did 60 to
see Mr.. CAN'T and pleaded with him
not to publish the reports he had
heard about, Shipping CLERK Ouz's, for
the board had investigated them and
had exonerated Mr.. QUITS. Mr..
Scrupgs said he did this because the
Dispensary had already just passed
through one period of great trevail
(the rebate scsndaD and he didn't
want it to have to pass through anoth'
er. He said he simply wanted to
keep down trouble, for the board had
already settled the matter and the
Dispensary could not stand these con-
slant scandals in the newspapers,
even though they were proven to be
without foundation. He said he
didn't want to hide corruption, but
simply urged CAN'T not to stir up this
thing in the interest of peace.
Shipping Clerk Orzts was asked
what he had to say cor corning the
charges made in the Dear Clark"
letter. He referred the reporter to
the Board of Control for further in for
nation. 1t was learned that Mr..
QUITS reported the occurrence to the
board and that both he and Mr.. Bick-
art of Atlanta made statements The
board exonerated Mr.. QUITS, for they
afterwards re elected him. Mr.. CAN'T
seems, too, to have come to the con-
clusion that nothing was wrong here,
as he states in his letter, after having
made an investigation.
Mr.. ]. o. J. Wood, who carried the
"Dear Clark" letter to Atlanta, made
the following statement:
On the Sunday before went to Atlanta,
S. W. Scruggs and T. Larry CAN'T drove up in
front of Trimmier's bookstore in Spartanburg
and asked for me. Invent out and went up at
their invitation to the Piedmont Headlight Of
fee, and while in the office they wrote two let
tiers. one addressed to Clark Howell, Allan
ta, which they gave to me sealed. l did not
know what were the contents. One other
letter written with pencil by Scruggs, which
vas copied by CAN'T on the typewriter.
don't know who this one was addressed to-.
They knew l was going to Atlanta on the
following Tuesday. l had also in my pos
session an envelope which was written on
the back with pencil by S. W. Scruggs,
certain questions for me to ask Blu
menthal and Bickart of Atlanta. They de-
sired Blumenthal and Bickart to acknowl.
edge that Outzs had made a proposition to
them to the effect that he would ship out
their liquors provided that they, Blumen-
thai and Bickart would pay him so much
per case. Mr.. Bickart said that 81 am too
honest man to do such thing, and cam
do it." Mr.. QUITS never made me any such
proposition. am the man who made
the proposition"
l am in no way responsible for the "Dear
Clark" confidential letter reaching South
Carolina, nor for it being in the hands of the
press.
make this statement in justice to Mr..
QUITS since have been used in an attempt
to iDjure him. l. y. ). WOOD.