The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1906-04-18
HITS BACK.
Mr. ], F. Lyon Replies to Sena'
tor B. R. Til!man's
LATEST INTERVIEW,

Purchases Not Quoted Correct.
ly. As to Mil Greek and
Rebates.
To the Editor OF The State.
The offer OF your columns to me to
reply to Senator Tillman's inter-
vie1 is accepted. I shall try not to
se burGsnsome to either yourself or a
long suffering pubic.
I do not thing the public interested
in the senator's opinion, either Of my
cousse In the dispensary investigation,
or as to whether 1t vas sreaking and
cowardiy tc. address my reply to an
attorney, IN response to an inquiry,
giving my reasons for delay, and al
lowing that letter to be published,
However, I do not WISH to take the
senator at disadvantage, anc II hs
thinks 1t more in keeping with his
ideas Of fairness, be may treat my
letter as If it were addressed to him
personally, with each statement there
In reiterated.
Senator TlllmAn says, II have not
attacked the investigating committee.
I only warned 1t in friendly spirit. !"
His reference to the committee in his
address stands for itself, and scarce
y think be can expect that this latter
statement can be understood as being
consistent with bis former. In my
opinion 1T will be very indulgent
person who does think so.
The Senator has made the wonder
full discovery that the 800, 900 worth
of Claims against the State board are
valid and binding, or they are not.
Perhaps the entire committee will
gree to this statement when they
know the senator has said it. But
when he says: "They are not, be
cause the whiskey was boughs CO. :
trary to law, and the State is not leg
lily bound for payment" I hesitate,
for I have no facts to base such con-
c.usion on the opinion Of person him
self uader investigation, and know OF
no law limiting the amount OF stock,
save the version as cited by this same
person. I am not familiar with q
Iaw that ezprsssiVely limits the
amount Of goods that may be on hand
to s4O0. 900. have need An act re-
lating to dispensary profits, acts 1902:
page 1102, in which it is provided
that the directors OF the dispensary
shall pay to the State treasurer by
January l, 1904, all OF the school fund
reported by them In excess Of s400, 600
and making provision for ascertaining
quarterly thereafter the net profits
accru:ng to the State. No doubt the
Senator will cite accurately the law
be refers to.
It Is somewhat surprise to know
that the senator has spoken In such
strenuous language, because the pub
lie has been notified, at his request,
that we are Investigating the piano
matter. Re characteIizss this IS a
dirty and coWardly insinuation. l
agree with him that it is rather
dirty looking thing all the way
through, and may lave acted cow
srcly, but the senator cannot tatter
himself that it was an insinuatioD. O4
the other hand, it wss a pain a.e-
ment that the piano matter was under
Investigation. because it came TO US
that it was possibly a "rake-cf'-a
sufficient reason for investigating It,
We have investigated at le.st one
other transaction somewhat similar to
the piano matter. This letter was IN
vestigzted largely Tor the resson that
the senator publicly expressed bis sus-
pIcion about it. It Is cnly suspicious
chat we have to commence on, and 1t
is not my purpose to tell about sus-
oicions transactions that are being
probed url:ss thoss under inyess'gs
tion ak fo1 information at a time
Hbea it may safely be given: would
suggest; however il information Is
aou really desired it may be well not
60 be too iDquisitive, for someone else
might be offended.
The interview has represented the
senator as saying that my prete15 tor
delay is that I may look into the
records Of the Mill Creek Dis5:llery
company to see whether there are any
credits. Is il not a little strange that
the Senator should thus refer to Mil
Creek when no mention Of 1t Is made
in my letter? The statement In this
respect is the product Of his own fer
tile imagination. Is it not singular
that he should associate In bis mind
Mill Creek distillerY and rebates? This
of itself would warrant the committee
in looking for "a nigger in the wood
pile" in the back YARD OF the Mill
Creek distillery.
But nov comes the stsrtli: 6 denial
that be ever said anything about re-.
uurning rebates. 1t may be interest
ing to read his interview along with
rs sworn statement before the com.
mittee.
INTERVIEW.
I 'Mr. Lyon heard my testimony il
Columbia and he knows [ satd moth
lcg about returning any money Tor
never received any,"
SWORN STATEMENT.
''But for the fact that Hnbbell cred
tied me I could not have stsrted the
dispensary at sill. When we looked
through it be said: This purchase is
SUBJECT to a rebate, because CT the
fact that the Mill Greek company is q
mencc- Ct the liquor trust 4 \
Well, I ss:6: I dca'o want any deal.
irgs with rebates; ycu keep that as a
oolus for the accommodation you
aave given me- in selling me liquor al
y tai1 price, and assisting me Ia my
forts to start the dispensary. ."
I take it that the senator does not