The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-08-30
Big CANE FLUSHED.
.rroRNEy GENERAL GUNTER
ACCUSED OF GRATING

The Dispensary Investigation Becom-
ing Real mteresting-Some OF
the Secret History Coming
to Light.
R Columbia, S. c., Aug. 25.-The dis
tensary investigating commission ap-
peared to be using a steam shovel
at yesterday mornings session, so rap
IDLY did the sensational revelations
come involving prominent persons and
eMciaIs.
s Ex-commissioner Mixson again
sstood out this morning against giving
/ M his letters from Kelly & Company,
but weakened as the order was passed
turnins him over to the marshal to
be placed in Jail until he purged him
self OF contempt. He turned the let
Aters over to the chairman They are.
to be canvassed by Messrs. Spivey.
and CASTOR before coming out in the
evidence. It is thought they involve
only one member Of the board, refer
ring to conference with him at points
ia other States, >but affording no def
initely incriminating facts.
This business being over Messrs.
LYON and Christensen's sub-commit-
tee held a session, which was full OF
interest from the jump
Ex-chsef Constable j. r. Fant gave
evidence portraying the existence Of
a machine in Spartanburg, run on
the Mark Hanna plan," with Lawyer
William MCGOWAN in charge in Spar
tanburg, and q. x. Gunter, then as
sistant attorney general in charge Of
the Columbia end Of the line. Wit
ness said Lawyer c. P. Sims, of Spar
8 tanburg, told him MCGOWAN tried to
3 get Sims to go in with him on the
deal to get constables appointed who
would be willing to give up $40 Of
their s68 a month salary. Witness
said he could give names of response
bic witnesses to show that at one time
MCGOWAN had twenty-eight such ap-
plicants on the string from whom he
was receiving from $25 to $50 for
promises of positions as privates, and
$3.50 to $500 for jobs as chiefs. He
says that ne wrote Governor Nc
Sweeney advising him of the existence
OF the machine and giving him the
details as to how it worked, and that
while this letter was not answered he
supposed MCGOWAN got g. warning, as
the machine suddenly ceased to oper-
ate. He says that after this purchas-
: ing Of jobs began the number Of div
isions with chiefs was run up to seven
from two. Witness said he knew
z nothing of Mr.. Gunter's connection
with the machine except from what
Rudisl Of Spartanburg said. While
witness was talking to Rudisil, Marion
Goss came up and complained that
MCGOWAN had charged him $25 for
his influence for place as constable,
when Rudfsil remarked that this was
cheap, as Gunter had charged him
s225 for a place on the Spartanburg
board. Witress said he would hand
A.. 1or.~,;ec;op tbo say,ac oP oh
ers who would testify as to telling
him of Gunter's connection with the
matter.
Witness said he came upon the
machine through the effors put forth
by Constable S. T. HOWE to buy Wit
ness's place for 1925, through ". w.
Harris, then chief dispensary clerk IN
Governor McSweeney's Office. Bob
Floyd had told witness tha he had
loaned HOWE SITS toward this pro-
iect. He sent MCGOWAN an offer Of
$500 to hold up in his favor, and this
was done, but the machine was
broken De1Ore IL became necessary 10
pay. He arranged with MCGOWAN
through B. L. Toland. MCGOWAN is
Gunter's Spartanburg law partner.
Witness said he had turned the
matter over to Representative George
E. Prince, Of Anderson, but that
Prince backed out Of having the rot
tenness aired in the legislature. Then
he says he reported July to Senator
Tillman, who answered that the thing
should be probed to the limit and to
that end he had turned his letter
over to his nephew, Lieut.. J. H. Till
man. When he saw Jim T1llman a