The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-10-25
HASELDEN HURLS
HOT SHOT AT HIM.
A Member of the Board Re-
plies to Mr.. QUITS.

Dll0S ~ mls OoAaS
Below is given the reply Mr. J.
Dudiy Haselden, former chairman
and present member of the State
board of control, aud chairman Of the
subcommittee Of investigation. to
the charges recently published by
deposed Bookkeeper D A & QUITS
It speaks for Itself:
To the People of South Carolina;
have delayed reply to the series
of abusive TRADES published in the
daily newspapers of the State over
the signature of D A G QUITS until
their conclusion. | have been salts
fed that the peple of the State, who
may not know this man Ouzts, at least
are sufficiently we'll acquainted with
most of the men whom he has been
maligning to defer a conclusion as
to his statements until further and
contradictory assertion should
be made. It has given me,
personally, and the others whose fate
it had been to incur his malice, plea
sure to know that this confidence has
not beee unfounded
1t has been my policy since / have
been member of the board of cor
troll, and it has been that of my two
colleagues, whom the X clerk of the
X commissioners designates as the
majority faction of that body, to give
to the details of dispensary manage
ment the widest publicity The dis
pensary is the peoples institution.
it's management is their business,
aud they of right are entitled to such
information as will convince them.
and keep them convinced, that it
is honestly and competently conduct
ed. We do not attempt to deny
that it offers temptation to the die
honest who may secure place and
position in it and have long realized
that it's best safeguard and surest
protection against the thief and the
rebate take: is an open board meeting
aud the full glare of the public eye
into it's innermost workings.
A realization of this fact and of the
further fact that the best way aud
the only way to purify it, rests in this
publicity. prompted the majority of
the board to give the facts elected
by the investigating committee 20
the public in all their details. instead
of attempting to cover up and to
cure the defects laid bare therein
within secret board meeting
Whether the facts developed war
ranted the suspension ofMr. Douthi',
the public eau determine. | believe
that the ahidavts published are a
sufficient reply to any suggestion
tha: the removal of the commissioners
was due TO sny factIonai feeling in
the board Until these affidavl,s
brought to hight condition of affairs
which surprised Us, Ir Donthit was
in hearty accord and 1ad the uLreser
we'd support of a majority of the
board of con;roi, and would have it
today but for these facts. | believe
that he has been given considera,
ton tia. he does not deserve, in view
Of them, and ! an astounded that
two of ny colleagues on the board
Of control cao strive to keep him IL
the position Of commissioner
Shipping Cle:k Black, in calling
some OF the acts eEicted TO our at
tep;ion (specihc instances Of misman
agemont affecting the eficent dis
charge of the position he held) was
protected by the board in thus cour
ageousiy doing his duty, and would
nave been protected, it matters not
upon whom bis charges reflected
But. unlike Black. SO long as
QUITS held his job he had nothing to
report to the board, although he
knew that three out of the five had
recently voted to retain nim IN his
place while the other two acqulesed
because it couldn't be helped, and
hence would protect him although.
like Josephus Woodruff, he kept his
little note book. eavesdroppipg the
conversation and taking notes Of the
supposed errors and supposed dis
honesty of Commissioner Vance. to
whom he held the position of conf
Dental clerk The facility with
which dates and incidents are quoted
is astonishing. and the fact that they