The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-04-11

Columbia, April Tine nrsL Olllcla
protest against the address of Senate
Tillman has been made by Mr.. Fraser
Lyon, of the investigating committee
The letter is addressed to an attorney
Of Columbia, who is interested in the
case, and through whom o copy secur.
ed only with the understanding thai
his name was not divulged. Ii Is
rather lively letter and reads
"Abteville, S. c., April 8, 1905.
"Your two letters of recent GATE were
received by me upon my return home
Yesterday after an absence Of about
two weeks. You will, therefore, un'
derstand why you have not had al
earlier reply. .,.
awhile it is true that I do not think
there Is any good reason for withhold
ing payment of the claim of the Cook
and Bernheimer company, of New
York, still, as / have said heretofore, i
will not give my consent to the pay
ment of this or any other dispeDsary
claim now held up until the matter OIL
such payment is discussed at a pubic
session Of our committee.
IL feel sure that you will appreciate
nv position In this matter especially
since the publication OF Senator Till
mans address to the people Of South
Carolina, in which he says, Is there
not plenty of opportunity for more
graft and secret transactions In regard
to the settlement of these accounts !
Will not the legislative committee be
suspected of corruption II 1t does not
get in the middle of the road and stay
there, that is, stand by the law, obey
it itself and require others TO do 80 !
Why 30 much delay" -
You see this additional. reason fol
NV position. 1t is unfortunate Tor your
clients to have had dealings with an
institution which no n can even In
yestigate without having it suggested
or Infatuated that he may be q CRATER,
or at least has a good opportunity to
steal. While I regard this reference to
our committee as only q shreWd at
tempt to shake public confidence In us
and intended to obstruct and interfere
with our work, which is evidently be-
coming distasteful to many Of those
VINO are irrevocably welded to the dis
pensary, still when I see this prone
ness to criticise US, I wish to be espe.
cially careful not to put myself IN q po-
sition that could, with ever q color OF
justice, be criticised.
"In your letter of March %, you
practically asked the question, why
so much delay?' I know no fact that
{ have learned in the dispensary inves-
tigation that I shall intentionally with
hold from the public. Sometimes l do
not think it best for success Of the In
vestigation to reveal facts and suspi'
cions as soon as they come to me, or to
disclose our plans for the future, 30 in
this case I will answer your question
only 80 far as I think the present
status of the investigation justifes.
1--WE are trying to get the facts in re-
gard to several suspicious matters
which we think should be investi-
gated. Among them is the statement,
as I recall it, of Senator Tillman that
he returned certain rebates to a distil-
lery. We wish to find the credits on
the books of the distillery showing the
amount of rebates which Senator Till.
man said he returned as a gift for the
gratitude he felt to the liquor concern
crediting the State of South Carolina.
Besides this there has come to my ears
a rumor, the source of which / do not
now recall, but which I think should
be looked into, that Senator Tillman,
when governor was presented with y
piano by q liquor concern. 1t may be
that receipts may he shown for the re.
bates which may have been returned
and for payment of this piano which
may have been received, as it was ru-
mored, to be the satisfaction in the
case of the Towill horse matter,
Still We do not know the facts In re-
gard to these things and think the leg
islature intended for rs to investigate
such transactions - these, as we'll as
other vague and uncertain matters to
which common rumor gives currency.
We must do our duty in looking into
these things and you may judge by the
above samples that we must have
much time in doing it. Furthermore,
it is not expedient and I would not
approve of the committee holding a
public session every time. Senator
Christensen and I have done all we
can in examining each claim. I rec
ognize the fact that W. may be chasing
q will-o'-the-wisp in this matter and
that your clients may suffer in the
meantime, but whether u efforts be
such q chase it seems certain that In
all events our committee must walk
through the mire,
"The opinion is so prevalent that
the ~dispensary has been a breeder of
so much corruption that no one can
touch il without the suspicion of some
one being aroused. Unfortunately in
the 8 OF our committee, the insin.
uation of this suspicion Is cast upon US
in the public prints by one who above
all others may know of the inpermost
inception. I trust, however, that we
will finally emerge from U distaste.
full task. meriting the confidence and
approval of honest citizens.
believing that this will satisfactor-
lily explain our delay, I am,
"Yours very truly,
(Sionedl T Fraaar T,uon ~