The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-04
Tls Nerala aud Welrs
THAT MYSTERIOUS TRUNK.
Mr. Earris Tells What lie Knows About Il
MIR. Townsend Possesses Many Pages OF
Evidence In tho Case


great interest over in Columbia.
Gov. Ellerbe is having attidavits tax,
en- by Assistant Attorney General
Townsend, and wants the matter
pushed to tinalty and at once,
Today Mr., Garris was heard from.
and, in a letter 10 the Columbia cor.
respondent Of the News and Courier,
has this to say:
Editor the News and Courier: 1
notice in the Columbia correspon.
dence of your issue of April Doth,
under the caption of a New Dis
pensary Scandal" that my name ap-
pears in connection with the Beck
roge trunk affair" "Truth Seeker"
after propounding the same ques.
tions to certain dispensary officials,
turns to me and says: 1--WE would
be glad to have Mr.. c. W. Garris,
member of the Legislative committee,
to say what he knows about the
trunk"
| will chccrfully state my connec-
tion with tue matter, and it is as fol
lows: | found, at the close o. the
last session of the Legislature on ac-
count Of some purchases had made,
that needed larger trunk. re-
membered that while I was a mcm-
ber of the Legislative examining com
mittee, we had taken stock Of kind
OF "plunder 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 arti-
cles were disposed Of by sale. When
l found that [ needed n trunk it oc-
Cured to me that l could purchase a
second handed trunk, at the dispen
sary, that would serve my purpose,
and at the same time save mo part
of extra expense Of new one. |
went TO tho commissioner, Col. Gas
ton, and asked about the matter. He
showed me two small ones, very bad
ly damaged. | was about to buy
one of these when Mr.. Scruggs, or
possibly somc member Of tho board
told mo that there were others up
stairs. l went up with Col. CASTOR
and found the trunk in question. 1t
had been handled very roughly in
breaking it opened, and needed re-
pairs of a new lock, etc. Col. Gas
ton and myself looked at the trunk,
and he remarked that he would like
to buy the trunk himself, whercupon
l declined TO take it, and started
away. Col. CASTOR reflected mo-
ment, called mo back, and said that
if the trunk suited me | could take
1T along FLO delivered it to me, and
1 had it brought to tho board-room
door. | called on the members pres
ent, and | forget now what ones were
present-couldi find out if necessary
to fix the price. The mombers, seom.
cd, however, to be discussing somo
matter very hurredly. I think somo
OF them were going away on tho noxt
train and it was about train timo.
Some member remarked that they
would fix the price later, and that
they would mako it reasonable. |
sent tho trunk then for repairs. The
day before | loft Columbia, | called
to settle the matter. Mr.. Scruggs
stated that tho price had not yet been
fixed, but said ho would send mo tho
bill as soon rs it was.
Recently was talking to mem-
ber of the board and he mentioned
the matter to me, and again l asked
for the price, and ho promised he
would attend to the matter at tho
next board meeting and send mo tho
bill. This is all know of the trunk.
l wish to state that [ know nothing
and care nothing about where the
trunk came from. | do not know or
care whether it had been at the dis
pensary a day or year. l was
simple purchaser with no dosiro to
give less than full valuo, and, of
course, with mono TO give more. l
would have bought the trunk under
similar circumstances if every report
or in the land had been there to wit
ness tho sale. not only did not
care for h,att ~ did not thipk of the pub
lie prints in connection With the mat