Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-06-27
DIsPENSARY SCANDALS.
Looks Like Committee May unearth
Something.

LOOKS Like SOTTlUliktSS "aJ S"Se' ~
Something.
The dispensary investigating COM
mittee, says the Columbia correspond
ent of the News and Courier, Is appar-
entity quietly plodding along. Some
months ago the general committee was
sub b-divided into special committees
From what can be seen and heard the
sub committee, Of which Messrs. Fra
sier Lyons and Neils Christensen. Jr,
are members, have been up and doing
and this special sub committee will
most likely have things to report. The
other members of the committee are
Messrs. ]. T. Hay. Cole L. Blease, Ar
thur L. CASTOR, Thos. B. Frasier and
Col. D. A. Spivey. They may be doing
something, but the general public has
not heard near so much about their ac-
tiyity. They may be engaged in other
lines of inQuiry-the state board, the
purchases, the handling Of the liquor
in bulk, the early history Of the sys-
tenn or the like. which would not bring
about such publicity as dealing with
the sub-dispensaries.
or course II Is not now, nor has 1t
ever been expected, that information
would be handed to any Of the com
mittees on a silver pallet, but II the
is any to be derived--it has to be dug
for. This seems to be the plan Of the
SUBJ committee, consisting of Messrs.
Christensen and Lyons, which Is
charged with the examination Of the
ups and downs Of the sub -dispensaries
Of the state.
It Is understood that this committee
has visited various parts Of the state
and that 1t has derived considerable
interesting information. The commit
tee, for instance, spent considerable
time in Charleston, Spartanburg and
Beaufort.
It Is rumored that there were two
sessions In Spartanburg and that there
was some real lively testimony heard
In that CITY,
The talk around Columbia Is. but II
may be mere rumor, that II was found
that one Of the dispensary officials has
acted as special agent to collect a fund
with which to fight the anti-dispen-
sary movement in that county. 1t is
rumored here that the sub committee
has the list Of contributors to the fund,
and that on the list are the names or
dispensary officials, liquor houses ana
others. But the strange part OF the
whole story, II rumor be true, ts how
the money was expended, and on this
phase the subcommittee, 1t Is also
alleged, has testimony.
Then 1t is suggested that the sub
committee has testimony to show that
one Of the dispensaries, where Is an
other matter, has been persistent IN
refusing to sell single x liquor. He
does not think 1t good for his GUS
toners, but he has been selling two
and three x goods. This he did by
the simple process Of substituting two
and three X labels on one K goods
The liquors were sold to him as one
x and he resold them a. two and
three X goods.
The sub committee Is said also to
have had lively times In Charleston
When the committee first approached
Mr.. ]. S. Farnum. of Charleston, to
examine his letters, books and records
he being a beer dispenser, Mr.. Farnum
1t Is said. refused to allow the com.
mittee to see his papers on the ground
that he had his private letters and
papers mixed with his official business
He said he was willing to let the COM
mittee see his beer dispensary records
The committee did not see the pa
pers. Then they went to Chief Justice
Pope and obtained an order. requiring
Mr.. Farnum to show the books and
papers connected with the beer dispen-
sary business or to show cause. On
the last visit of the committee to
Charleston. Friday, Mr.. Farnum, 1t Is
said, told the committee the books and
papers were at the service Of the COM
mittee, he having in the meanwhile
taken from his files such papers as he
regarded as purely personal, and or no
interest to the investigating commit
tee.
1t Is not known II the committee
will go over the books and papers that
have been offered by Mr.. Farnum. VINO
said he did not question the order or
the chief justice or the right OF the
committee to look into the beer dispen-
sary business, but not his own affairs.
It is also suggested that the sub-com-
mittee is on the track Of little book,
which will give some light on how
much II cost to do a "tigering' bus
mess in Charleston in former days.
This little book, 1t Is said. will have
tendency to open up some previous
history in that community. The sub
committee Is naturally averse to let
ting anything get out In connection
with it's work. as the desire Is to re-
serve all information for the general
assembly: therefore all that leaks now
is more or less incomplete.
Has There Been Big Stealing?
What people are now looking for Is
what Investigation is to be made as to
the "big things" about the business.
and not the transactions Of the dollars
and cents but Of the thousands, OF to
have the prevailing rumors set at rest
bv positive statements once and for
all time. or to get down to business and
see what Is in these rumors. This Is
what the state board. the system, the
committee and every one
else ought to insist upon. and no petty
inquiry ought to satisfy.