The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1905-08-30
COMMITTEE Met
in COLUMBIA.
The Dispensary Investiga-
tiOn is Continued.
SOME RACY TESTIMONY
Col. MixsOn Told of Efforts to Bribe
Him---Statemen Showing Condition
of the Institution.


lumbia, and like the Spartanburg meet
ing there were many interesting state
ments made and some sensational
"facts" brought out.
in the absence of Chairman Hay, mir.
Fraser presided over the sessions of
the meeting Commissioner Tatum and
Mr.. Carter of the State Treasurer's Of
flee were the only witnesses examined
on the first day. Mr.. Tatum has been
Liquor Commissioner since March 1904.
After stating his official duties as Com
missioner to the Committee he went in
to = lengthy explanation as to the
amount of stock on hand when he took
charge of things and the amount today.
When he became Commissioner there
was $500, 900 stock of whiskey; now the
total amount was something like $780,
600. He does not buy any of the whis-
key; the Board of Control does all the
buying. He thinks it would be we'll to
decrease the purchasing of case goods
and then it will not be necessary to
carry such enormous stocks. He made
it plain that his idea was to cut down
the handling of case goods, but he has
no authority in the matter. He ex-
planned why no profits have been paid
into the school fund this year. Said the
money had been needed to pay the dis
pensary's obligations, but it would be
Forthcoming upon the demand of the
State Superintendent of Education.
hn
who stated among other things that
while he was Liquor Commissioner ten
years ago Lanaham e Sons, wholesale
whiskey dealers of Baltimore had Of
fered him bribe of $50, 600 if he would
buy $400, 900 worth of liquor from them.
He says he refused the princely offer
Lanahan denies making the offer. Mixson
told of other offers by whiskey houses,
but he promptly declined them ALL
Further on in his evidence he suggested
that he had in his possession letters
from whiskey dealers telling him how
he might push the sale of certain brands
OF whiskey. The Committee asked for
the possession of the letters and held
MiNson as being in contempt until he
agreed to give them up. Extracts
printed from them indicate that the
Committee was no doubt entitled to
them as part of the record. 1t may be
stated that MiXson has been repre-
senting liquor concerns since his retire
ment as Commissioner and the letters
in question relate to his work as whis-
key salesman in this State.
MiXson was followed by Capt FAINT,
Division Chief Constable, with head
quarters in Spartanburg Most of his
evidence was of a hearsay character.
He said it was reported that Mr.. Will
liam MCGOWAN of Spartanburg con-
Quoted regular constabulary mill, that
he secured positions for applicants on
the constabulary for so much job,
and Capt, Fant went on to say that At
torney General Gunter, Col. McGowan's s
law partner, had been connected with
these transactions. Prompt denials
of such conduct came from Messrs. Nc
Gowan and Gunter. Capt. FAINT also
told of contributing $50 to fund to re-
imburse Mr.. Dillingham; for alleged
campaign expenses. Dillingham; was
Hayward supporter in Capt. Hayward 8
first campaign and after the election he
claimed that he had spent over 81 900
and told FAINT the boys must help him
out little. /Fant gave $50, he says.
Mr.. Dillingham; admits this, but he
states that Gov. Hayward had nothing
to do with it,
Comptroller General Jones testified
that no dispensary profits had been
turned over to the State since January
10th. Another item of interest was the
fact that the State Board had recently
bought $50, ,000 worth of labels at one
time, enough to last over year.
Among some of the other witnesses
who testified at the Columbia meeting
was G.. II. Charles, Chief Clerk to
the State Board. He explained in de-
tail many of the workings nd transac-
tions of the State Dispensary. He told
why the big concern was hard up and
why the capital had been going to meet
sNe profit accounts. 1t was during the
taking Of his testimony that Messrs.
Blease and Lyon of the investigating
committee came near having personal
encounter on account of misunstand-
ing. Friends interposed and all was
soon over.
The Committee will meet again Sept.
9th, either in Sumter or Charleston.
THE CASH ACCOUNTS.
Here is the financial statement of
the South Carolina dispensary up to
March 81, 1905:
ASSETS.
Cash bal Mar. 81, 1905, S 1886. SO
Teams, 64.00
Supplies, 20, 173. .05
Machinery, office, fxt., 6,328. .56
Real estate, 52,86O. Sc
Mdse stock at disp'sy 1868, ,068. 81
Suspended account (pro-
cess settlemenG 5,694. 72
Mdse. in hands disp'prs, 338, 800. So
Remittances, treasurer,
collected II. II. claims,
etc. 65,772 70
Personal accounts due
state for barrels, etc. 1O,S1IST
Total assets, $1,0OS, Oi5. .6S
LIABILITIES.
School fund.- SAP, III. 40
Personal accounts due
by state for supplies,
such ae bnar Uhiakey