The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-09-07
Featherstone. Presents His
Facts.
He Answers the Governors
Request That He Specify.
Three Instances of
Free Liquor.

interview which came out in the daily
papers last Saturday. / made the
charge that whiskey was shipped to
certain points in the State dnring the
campaign by houses from which the
dispensary buys liquor. In yester-
days paper Governor Ellerbe calls on
me to specify.
Il must be borne in mind that |
made no charge against any particu-
lar candidate or candidates | was
discussing the dispensary system,
and undertaking to show how it had
been and always would be used as
political machine AS proof of this |
made the above charge
l fret made the charge in my
speech at Aiken, August 22d, in
presence of Governor Ellerbe and the
other candidates. At that time the
charge was not denied nor the proof
demanded. But now the governor
wants me to specify. which | will
proceed to do.
First. A box of whiskey (samples)
was shipped to Laurens. S. g, by
express on August 4, 1893 On the
day of the campaign meeting it was
used and handed out to such parties
as were thirsty end who belonged to
the faithful 1t came from a house in
Philadelphia from which the dispen-
sary buys liquors, and the box weigh
ed IS pounds Another box weigh
ing 60 pounds was also received from
the same source, but was shipped to
different party. 1t is not necessary
at this time that i should give the
names of the parties to whom it was
shipped, for have no desire to iojure
the parties in the least.
Second At Spartanburg, on the
day of the campaign meeting at that
place, discovered thet quantity OF
the stuff was on hand and being
used was reliably Informed that
it had been shipped there few days
before by the representatives of GER
tain whiskey houses, who either had
sold. or hoped to sell. their wares to
the dispensary By whom it was
shipped l know not That 1t was
shipped there and used, as above
| stated, is absolutely certain.
Third. A goodly supply was on
hsud the day of the campaign
meeting at Anderson and Used freely.
Where it came from | am not
prepared to say. but it could hardly
have come from the local dispensary,
! sor it was generally understood that
it was closed
have specified time and place.
a great many of the candidates
know that what l say is true.
How the whiskey could have been
thus shipped in open violation of the
dispensary law. without somebody
being arrested and punished, can be
very readily surmised.
That such open and fragrant viola
tions of the law have been INDUCED
in frequently no sane man eau doubt
1t is the system aud the manner in
which it is enforced (?) that | am
after-not men.
By the way, it has been industri,
ously circulated by some of my per-
sona enemies, and friends of the
dispensary. that L have had whiskey
shipped to me at different times and
have frequently been on sprees
myself. At the meeting at Laurens
denounced such reports as false,
and my enemies dared not try to fur
nish tie proof | did state at that
meeting that on one occasion, some
time last fall, | ordered for medicinal
purposes a bottle of blackberry
brandy and bottle of rye whiskey
These were turned over to my wife.
and some of the contents have been
used as medicine | also stated tha;
on several occasions last year
bought whiskey at the dispensary fol
my wife's grandfather, DR. WIN
Dorsh, who was an aged man