The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-21
THE SKELETON IN THE CLOSET
III IS PUT AWAY FOR USE AT THE NEXT
IOLITyCAL FEAST.
At Least that Is what tho Supporters OF tho
DisFensary System would Like to do
with tho Rottrnncss In tho Dlspcn-
sary Management, but 1t Is Worse
than Skeleton, It Smells to
High Heaven and 1t Cannot
bo Concealed.
Special News and Courior. !


but there has been such Il pronounced
81 told you so" sequel to the dispon-
sary scandals that it cannot woll be
passed by. When tho news of the
rottenness first began to be publish
ed it was repeatedly stated that just
as soon as certain elections were
over, and the fire got too hot, thoro
would bo general and spontaneous
quieting of batteries. Things have
now gotten to such q calm that about
the only gun that is boing fired is
that OF Mr.. Larry CAN'T, and that
seems to be loaded with shells that
have already beon fred. The trouble
about the Headlight guns is that too
much was expected of Mr.. CAN'T,
when he came out in flaming cards
that he was rendy to expose tho
whole business, and that he know a
great deal. At least the impression
was that he had his cannon loaded
to the mouth with damaging evi
dence, and, no doubt, he has, but in
his last weeks editorial thoro arc no
specific charges, and therein is the
disappointment to those who had OK
pected good deal of him. Evory-
body at tho Columbia end of the
line, who knows anything, has sud
denly and effectively forgotten all
that was ever known in tho way of a
dispensary scandal. Whether it was
for the good of tho movement, for
the good of tho dispensary, in con
sideration of personal feelings, or
what, the verbal leaks arc few these
days, and thoy arc not liable to be
considerable until another Office is
to be contested for. That is the
reason Governor Ellerbe will have
such herculean task in doing any
thing towards getting at bottom
facts, and "letting no guilty man es-
cape," no matter how honest or bont
he may be upon getting at the bot
tom facts. There is good deal
that may be whispered about, but it
is not evidence, and it will be many
a day before it gets into tangible
| shape
A great many people think that
MIR. Seth w. Scruggs knows great
deal more than he is saying just at
this time. He Is under indictment,
and what he may say Nould natu-
rally bo taken with this fact against
it, and SO his lawyers have insisted
that he keep his tongue until the
proper time. That may be nevor.
The chances are that the wrinkles
will all be esmoothed out in time, or
before he happens to tell anything
no may know or is thought to know.
1t is very reasonable presumption
that he knows something, because
he swore that he was moroly follow
ing custom whom he appropriated
the peaches and cigars. The only
thing to be done is to wait and soc
what MIR. Scruggs will do.
Frequently the suggestion is made
that someone ought to be able to got
at the bottom facts of tho dispcn
sary. 1t is very pretty thing to
talk about. 1t is maddening mys-
terry how one can got at these scan
dals if they really exist. Suppose,
for in'tance, an effort wore made to
get at the truth of reported rebate
transaction. Say that the Make
Money Distilling Company, of Gin
cinnati, was charged with giving Mr..
Doodle, of the State board OF con-
troll, rebate Of commission for all
of the business that won't to their
dist'llery from tho dispensary. Mr..
Booole, say, succeeded by means OF
hocus pocus keys, knowledge of the
offers and his influence in getting
half tho orders from tho disponsary.
The Make Money Company would
reward him with $500 for that
months business. Now if there
were check or draft to pass the
transaction might worry we'll be
traced, but the Make Money people
and Mr.. Doodle, are hardly supposed