The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-08
CHAIRMAN JONES
ANSWERS WILLIAMS
SAYS LIE DID NOT NULLIFY WILL OF
BOARD OK CONTROL.
Explains Big Order of Observation-Disclosures
That Ills Accuser Was II Candidate
for Chairman When He
Found Fault
Atlanta Constitution.


board of control, who was charged
by l.. j. Williams yesterday with
number of moro or less serious irreg
ularities, makes statement. In this
Colonel Jones says:
"Mr. Williams charges, first, that
l, as chairman, have disregarded the
rules of tho board by ordering goods
charged to the dispensaries IN Co.
lumbia cheaper than elsewhere.
"This has reference to special
order made by Mr.. f. w. Robertson,
chairman of the local board of con-
troll at Columbia, for goods, the
major portion Of which woro not kept
in stock, but were very fine class
of goods, ordered largely from the
house of Park & Tilford, of Now
York, for the special Christmas trade
in this city rs IN experiment merely;
and in order.to make a trial of this
experiment, at tho special request of
tho chairman of tho board, tho goods
were placed to the Columbia dispon-
saries at 20 per c>At profit instead
OF 70 per cent, as usually charged.
This would, under like circumstances,
have been dono in favor of any local
board in tho State.
"Second, that 1, as chairman,
practically nullified the will of the
board Of control in the matter of
whiskey purchases This charge is
based upon tho statement made by
him that no had found in local dis
ponsarics different kinds of whiskies
that tho board had never purchased
In reply to this charge I would state
that at the May meeting in 1896, the
following resolution was passed:
'Ordoroa, That the chairman be au-
thorized to place special orders from
county dispcnsors.'
"lt was in pursuance of this au-
thorlty vested in me by tho board
that purchases were made of whis-
kies other than those ordered by the
board. In no instance have I ever
ordered whiskies from parties other
than those with whom the board made
purchases, except upon some special
order from a county dispenser
"Third, Mr. Williams further
charges me with an unjustlfiable vio-
lation of law in receiving and pay
ing for eleven car loads Of glass more
than ordered by tho board"
Colonel Jones explains this at
length, showing it was not an over
shipment, rs some months previously
nm ordor had been given by Com
missioner Mixson for twenty five cars
Of glass, with tho proviso that he
could cancel samo at any time before
delivery, provided tho State would
take all tho glass made up at the
timo tho order to cancel was deliv-
ored. The order was cancelled, and
subsequently the company sent the
eleven cars, together with another
order, claiming pay for them under
the Mixson contract.
"Fourth, Mr.. Williams further
charges me with dereliction of duty
in not paying the drafts for whiskey
purchases within tho timo limited by
contract, and further charges that
the State has been loser thereby. In
reply to this charge | desire to say
that prior to November, 1896, tho
rule Of tho board was that no draft
should be paid until tho whiskoy
should be received in the building
and checked up by the commissioner,
and that until then every draft was.
promptly paid as soon rs the same
was reported by tho commissioner.
"Thc cause Of tho delay IN the
payment Of the drafts was tho ina
bility of tho commissioner to get tho
goods within the Warehouse and thcn
check off tho bill of lading prior to-
the maturity of the draft. This No
vember order was passed in order to
remedy this evil, and since thon the
commissioner has ever been urged to
promptly check up tho invoices,
whether in store or at the depot, and
as soon as this was done and tho