The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1905-08-16
CORRUPTION IN SpARTANBURG.


These disclosures are thus epi:o
mized by Mr.. August Kohn, staff cor
respondent of the Charleston No~a
and Courier:
First. That tho positions connect
ed with the dispensary here were bar
tered and sold for money, borrowe |
money or endorsements.
Second. That even $50 Gle, kships
were bartared, and H. H. Cunningham
was paid $50 cash by the chairman
of the county board to withdraw his
application for a $50 clerkship.
Third That the then chairman
of the county board of control sold
liquor and travelled from t,wu to
town, and that be sold liquor b. tell.
ing dispensers he would have them
removed by friend on tie state
board if they did not putronizs him
Fourth. That during tho session
of the Legislature satchols full of
liquor were taken from the rooms of
candidates for membership of the
beard by Mr.. Mahaf1oy, member
of tho house.
Fifth. That all dispensers here
have received case upon case of COM
plimeptary liquor from houses selling
to the dispcnSnry, and that most
often these complimentary liquors
have been put on the shelf, and the
liquor sold for personal gain, without
accounting to the state or county.
Sixth That the Mallard Com
pany. Richland Distillery and Bluon-
thai & Bickart nude practice until
recently of packing one or two extra
bottles of liquor in each case, aud
these cases were complimentary to
the dispenser; that they were sold az
regular stock goods and no account
made of such sale to the state or the
county, but this was to the gain of
tho dispenser.
Seventh. That, in addition to graf.
uitous liquor, the dispensers received
free umbrellas, smoking sets, foun
tain pens, match boxes, wines, and
even suits of clothes.
Eighth. That at least one dispen.
ser here is charged with the habit of
changing the labels of liqoor and sell
ing as two X goods that which was
sent hin as one X goods, aud that
this same dispenser has accumulated
thousands within his few years of
service
Ninth. 1t was developed that the
Richland Distilling company, and
Bluthenthsl & Bickart have been pay
ing 25 cents for empty cases nhich or
iginally contained their goods. This
is supposed to have been a method of
boosting the sales. One witness testi
fed that Rock Castle cases we're paid
for at Is cents ouch, without the bot
ties, and that they were not returned
It was shown that these empty cases,
other than those sold to the shipping
houses were sold locally to drug
houses for not moro than five cenls
and often for lesa.
Tenth. That dispensers have writ.
ten to liquor houses for gratuitous H.
quor to help them make up shortages.
Eleventh. That empty cases were
run IN the stock account and were
counted as stock on hand, when they
were entirely empty.
Twelfth. That two members Of tho
county board of control signed certif.
Gates that they had actually witnessed
the checking OF the stock in the diepeo.
saries, signed and approved the ex
pense accounts and hreakage accounts
and left them with dispensers to use
. as they saw fit. Several of these cer.
tificates on which the dispensers we're
to make up their accounts were OK.
hibited, signed in blank, with official
approval to stock taking, expenses
and the like, thot were to happen
months ahead.
} Thirteenth. That in Spartanburp
Mr.. Blackwood, in particular, was
used as buffet to bull the market.
He was promised time and again q
position and asked to file an applica
tion, and he now thinks this was done
simply to get the other fellow to raise
his price 10 the county board, two o
the members telling him plainly that
it was matter of dollars and cents
TO get the office, aud after they go'
the office, that they could easily make