Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-02-16

where he got it and where the money
came from"
Senator Tillman then went into a
minute description of the brands Of
whisky that had been bought under his
administration, his trip to different
parts of the whisky sections Of the
country, the manner of manufacturing
the different brands, the prices paid
for same and the manner in which
purchased.
Opposed Bad Whisky.
Mr.. Lyon: Did you ever request
Gov. McSweeney to make any pur-
chase from the Mill Creek Distillery
Co., at a higher price than the Ross
Co. offered, and If so what was paid
on 1t?
Senator Tillman: I do not recol-
lect that I ever did. probably ! did.
I thought the man who stood by the
dispensary in its infancy ought not to
be thrown overheard, because some
rectifier from Baltimore or elsewhere
would come down here and offer rot
gut to us at lower prices.
Mr.. Lyon: So far as I am informed
the committe has no other question
to ask, unless some individual mem
ber has, or the board Of directors. who
stand under accusation as ! under
stand 1t. They may possibly de-
sire to be heard through their repre-
sentatives.
Questioned by Defense.
General Bellinger. who represents
the directors Roykin and Towill, pro-
ceeded to question Senator Tillman.
Your intention In offering yourself
to the committee was to testify as a
witness?"
II did not offer myself to the COM
mittee except under this condition:
The newspapers were sneering and
using every imaginable argument
against the dispensary and suggested
that Senator Tillman ought to come
before the committee and tell what
speeches and feeling then as now I
was willing to give any light I could.
7 did not have as much information
then as now, and I was ready to ap-
pear before the committee whenever
they wanted me-"
@. Your idea In coming before the
committee was to make a speech
before the committee, was 1t not, or
to testify to facts which you yourself
were acquainted with?
A. I did not feel like making a
speech. I have plenty Of opportu-
mites to make speeches.
@. You will please answer my ques-
ton, senator. Your intention IN COM
ing before the committee was for what
purpose?
A. To make a suggestion, that
they might get a truth.
@. Did you not on several occa-
sions at various places in this state,
and perhaps in Washinton once or
twice, state that there was collusion
and fraud and that you could prove it?
A. What ! stated was In the pa
pers.
@. That you could prove 1T?
A. That I could prove 1t from cir
cumstantial evidence, which ] have
adduced.
O. You wanted to come here to
"A. I have nothing to vindicate.
Nobody has charged me with any
thing What do you mean by vindi-
eating my position?
@. When you charged the dispen-
sary board, the present managers of
| the board. with fraud, and stated
that the dispensary system was good,
and the only thing to do was to turn
out the present thieves, Is that the
position you desired to come down
here and sustain yourself one
A. did not desire to come here
at all, II somebody had not asked
that 1 come and you are the very
man, I believe. who did. But for
that I would be In Washington now.
Stands on His Record.
@. Don't you think representing
as / did some of the members Of the
board when I asked this committee
to bring you here, that you should
.rv to prove what you said you could
| prove? :
A. So far as am concerned, I
did not think anything about 1t. l
stand on my record, stand on my
character, stand on what I am, and
| what I have done. i
@. You have said that you were
charged by many people in this stat"
with lining your pockets with re-
bates and commissions when you
were managing this dispensary
q. And a great many people in
the state believed that.
A. Yes, believe they did. Do
Won want to know my reason?
O. No use to give that now.
A. All, you do not want my opin-
ion now? (The crowd laughed)
O. You can give 1t, said Mr.. Bel
linger.
A. look at 1t from this stand
point. There Is no doubt If I had
been corrupt, and wanted to make
money out Of my position as governor
in buying whisky, I could have done
It, There Is no use to dispute that
proposition. 1t Is too self-evident.
Those men who were my enemies
saw that I could do 1t II / so willed
and they reasoned II he could he had.
and the1 the inevitable conclusion fol-
| lowed that I had stolen; because II
they had been In my place they would
have stolen. (Applause)
@. Senator, you will please give
us now, the evidence upon which you
based your conclusion. that those
whom you charged with stealing had
stolen? I want to test your circum-
stantial evidence. Have You given
us the facts upon which you based
your conclusion that this manage
ment was dishonest. the present man
agement which you have placed be-
fore this committee? You say this
's not request for connective bids
(Mr. Rellinger exhibits the. circular
which the senator had previously
read.)
A. I do. would go to the gov
errment bonded warehouses and II
would buy 1t out Of the warehouse.
Didn't Have the Money.
Q. If you did not DO that When
you had charge Of the dispensary, why
do you say that these men should do
so now?
A. because they have had the OPP
portunity with cash to do 1t and 1
did not I had to buy on credit
@. When you managed the cis-
pensary. the law did not require any
competitive bid?
A. No, 1t did not require any bid
ding at all.
@. You had the entire management
of 1t?
A. Yes, sir, with the comptroller
general and the attorney general.
The examination continued along
this line for some time. Finally Sem
ator Tillman told the committee, as
they could not interfere with his re-
turning, he would not come back un-
less his presence was particularly de-
sired. He was excused and the meet
ing adjourned.