The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-06-19
STATEMENT FROM A, O. JONES.
Defends His Charges as to Deposits
Made BY. the Dispensary In Caro-
lima National Bank.
To the Editorof The State:

10 the EditorSof The State: ,&S&
MySattention was called today, tol
the testimony of Mr.. w. A. Clark of
Columbia before. the investigating;
committee. AS published in the New
berry Herald and News and copied,
so the editor tells me, from the Colum-
bia Record, although there was noth-
lug ia his paper to indicate fr.m
whence it came. <sT#
Mr.. Clark, in speaking of the large
deposits that were made t.; Ne, ms.
VIM. Lananan & Sons in lis tho Cur-
DINA National bank, said: "The regu-
lar usual interest was being paid on
the deposit, and there was absolutely
no truth in i'e statement mad3 sew
cral years ago by A. G.. Jones Of New
berry that no interest was being
paid"
This statement of Mr.. Clark's s was
brought out to make it appear that
l had not stated facts about the dis
pensary in my article written in the
summer of 1903. The facts are these.
In speaking of the efforts made by
the whiskey dealers to secure business
from the State dispensary, I said,
among other things, that I had been
Informed that after the reappoint-
ment of one of the members of the
board, who had retired for several
years, because he became disgusted
with the business, that Baltimore
liquor house had deposited $4,000
in his bank with the understanding
that it could remain there without III
terest until called for. I went on to
say that these and other rumors were
talked on the street and that these
gentlemen knew whether they were
ture or not. 1t appears from Mr..
Clark's testimony that the deposit
was much larger than this but at a
very low rate Of interest and while
those who Informed me may have been
mistaken as to the interest part of it,
I am sure they gave me the ipforma-
tion as they received it, and they told
me, as l repeated it in writing the
! letter to show the shrewdness Of the
whiskey men and the methods they
used to get business from the dispen-
sary; and as they did not care to make
| 1, >fp %
would make deposits in his bank and
in this way place him, as member Of
the board and chairman Of the Demo-
cratic party Of the State, under obi
cations to them. If this had not been
their purpose, they could have doubt
less placed their money in other banks
in Columbia at higher rate Of inter-
est, which they have possibly done
since, as Mr.. Clark says the deposit
has been withdrawn from the Caro-
lima National bank.
I would not have noticed what Mr..
Clark had to say had I not believed
that the question was asked him to
discredit me and help the cause of
the dispensary. | haven't Il copy Of
the article I wrote in 1903 showing
up the dispensary, but I haven't any
apologies to make for writing it and
assume the responsibility of every
line of it, and if it has helped to open
| up the eyes of the people and to vote
out the dispensaries that have been
closed in the State, and in the inves-
tigation which has uncovered some Of
the corruption, which has existed in
the management of the State and
county dispensaries for many years,
I feel that ] have performed duty
that every citizen shonld be willing
to perform for his State and party.
Mr.. Clark should not allow the dis
pensary to use him to save them from
sinking, as his association with the
whiskey men and dlspensary advo-
Gates cannot strengthen his influence
with the Christian people of Colum-
bia or help his church which has hon
ored him by electing him an elder.
A. c. Jones,
Newberry, S. c., June II, 1906.