The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-08-18
They COT PAID:
Some Damaging Evidence Against
Certain Dispensary Officials
WAS BROUGHT OUT.

r0TlueT DUCT DlSpenSSt ~ opdi tdhUu'2
Gives Some Rich and Racy Testi.
mony Before the Commission
as to How Money Was
Raised for Graft.
ON the witness stand In the court,
house at Spartanburg on Tuesday 0,
last week John Henry Morris, former
lY beer dispenser, testified that he hao
lost his job as beer dispenser because
he complained of the miserable quail,
ty of beer sold by the Atlanta Brew,
ing company and because he had re-
fused to pay to O. o. Smith, chairman
Of county board, the amount that
Smith demanded. Witness swore fur.
ther that in making final settlement
with Atlanta Brewing company that
concern was represented by Cole l.
Blease, who had said, You boys
could have kept from telling so much. >
witnesses had given Messrs. Christen.
sen and Lyon, Morris also testified
that II. III. Evans had asked him tC
chip in" $500 to the election of leg
islators in Spartanburg county, prom
Using to refund 1T. Witness had never
been reimburse although he had
spent money on advice Of Jess Mahaff-
ey, former member Of legislature, who
had told Morris that Evans was good
for the amount, as during the session
of the legislature Mahaffey had had
920 bills stuffed into his pockets by
Evans during the campaign incident
to Evans reelection. Witness declin.
ed to testify further, as Mabaffey was
not present and he wanted to say 1t tC
Mahaffey's face.
Witness also swore that O. O. Smith,
the former chairman Of the county
board, had told him that he must sell
Atlanta beer or none at all when Nor
ris complained that the beer was stale
and the customers were quitting him.
He testified that he had seen Smith
drunk on several occasions and that
once he saw Smith try to cut man
with o meat knife. Morris was the
only witness examined, as the hearing
!. did not commence until after O'Clock.
I ;sS,fiS s.i.si I,S irAsIl's IS NAME BROUGHT IN. 4.
Senator Hay and Mr.. Fraser having
been delayed, Mr.. Lyon stated that
he and MIR. Christensen, being Nom
bers Of the sub committee, would not
sit as members of the commission but
as prosecuting attorneys. He begun
by reading a letter from Q. H. Henry
and his reply to that letter. Henry
had asked for permission to reply tt
statements In an ailidavit Of which he
had heard. Mr.. Lyon had replied that
Henry would be given free and full
hearing. This was approved by tht
committee and Henry may appear 4
he chooses to do so.
On account of the delay, there were
not many people In the court house
but the testimony OF Morris made
quito a stir. Senator Blease, who wa.
author OF the resolution looking to tht
dispensary investigation, was referred
to very pointedly by the witness bu
did not cross examine him.
There were several present who ar,
interested in the local fight to vot'
out the dlspensary and they seem Il
think that the testimony TO-DAY will
have its weight In that ISSUE, for tn,
witness Is said TO be reliable man
He testified that he Is butcher ant
has an interest in grocery store. III,
was q willing witness and did not hes
itate to declare him elf. He had beer
elected beer dispenser In April. 1904
and was not reeltcoed at the end o
the year. He had spent $50 to get tn,
job, including the attorneys fee. l
had cost him between 800 and $50,
to fix up his place.
OBJECTION RAISED.
Morris swore that the original all
davlt was correct. When Mr.. Lyo
reached that point in the readin
where the name of O. O. Smith wa
mentioned, @. p. Sims, lawyer c
the Spartanburg bar, arose and aske
to be heard. M M)rrs had stated: &C
o. Smith, member Of county boarc
asked me how much expense l ha
been put to Ito secure electior) an
upon my telling him he said that wa
very cheap, that 1T would cost m
more than that to be elected again.
Mr.. Sims here objected that this CON
mission, having been created by
concurrent resolution must stay stric
ly within the meaning and words {
the resolution. He contendcd tina
under the resolution the committC
did not have the right to come
: Spartanburg aid get Mr.. Smith {
Mr.. Henry or any one ,'se up not cor
nected with the State dispulsary.
Mr.. Lyon ard Senator h. mad
short work OF Mr.. Sims objectlo2,
being stated that the commission ha
discussed the matter and with bl
one dissenting vote had decided at
meeting in Sumter In March that /
"State dispcnsary" is meant the dl
pensary AZ run Ia the State of Soui
Carolina and that there is no distin
tion 80 far as the law Is concerned b
tween county and State dlspersarics
Mr.. Lyon tried to fad out from M
Sims how many clients he rcpresent'
IN this matter. Mr.. Sims continued
object to the testimony, hut the chai
man, Senator Hay, declared that ii
Investigation Is not trial and that
tryingd to get light the commit
would give great latitude TO the wi
ness.
THE MOKKIS AFFIDAVIT.
After further arguments Mr.. Lyt
proceeded with the reading OF the Q
adavit Of Morris given last April.
1t read: 81 did not know positive