The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-07-11
WILL GET MONEY.
Claims Against State Dispensary VIII
Now Be Paid-Conmittee's Vote
Recorded.

-EaGCOTO6I.
The payment of the claims due by
ahe State dispensary to certain liquor
houses has been placed in the hands
of the board Of directors and the COM
missioner Of the State dispensary.
Messrs. Hay, Blease and Fraser voted
that way at the last session OF the
committee. Col. Spivey, who passed
through the city the same night re-
corded his vote with the majority and
Mr.. castor has voted with them also.
The subcommittee, consisting OF Mr.
Lyon and Mr.. Christensen, We're alone
IN this matter although they had
been ON the field and had seen the
situation with a closer scrutiny than
other members of the committee and
had felt that if the claims should be
held up longer there might be an op-
portunsty to put finger On the real
maud. The wincing Of certain people
who had been investigated made the
Subcommittee feel that there was
sore spot near at hand.
This particular avenue of acquiring
snfrmation has been shut off unless
the new board of directors, through its
attorney, Mr.. j. E. McDcnald, should
~ able to find some fraud in the pur-
chsses made by former boards. And
while the board is making its examz-
nation there is one provision-a man
datory provisioaa-which has been VIC
sstted fsgrantly in the past, which
probably will receive consideration.
This provision reads: Provided, That
the said directors of the dispensary
shall not purchase any liquor of any
person, firm or corporation who shall
solicit any orders, either by drummer,
agents, samples or otherwise, except
as here5nbe6ore provided. .
Mr.. Gaston's Letter.
Mr.. CASTOR has furnished The State
with a copy of his letter to Chairman
y. T. Hay, IN which he gives his rea-
sons for voting for the payment OF the
claims. Mr.. CASTOR says:
.son the resolution introduced by
Mr.. Hay ON July 2, 1906, a copy of
which I received by today's mail. !!
vote aye IN favor Of the adoption of
the resolution, for these reasons, to
wit: The embargo placed upon these
accounts by this committee, under
5egisiative authority, was for the pur-
pose of compelling testimony in re-
gard to the same The committee has
brough out all available evidence in
regard to these suspended. accounts
and to the methods used in making
sales by liquor dealers to the State Of
South Carolina.
.aThe work of the committee is at
am end: its labors have extended over
a period of 1S months; its work has
been a,rduous and e1acting;; through
its suo-commfttee its members have
endeayored to use every legitimate
means to probe to the fullest into all
the details of the dispensary business;
we have vxha Gsted every effort to get
70 1he bottom of l-ings9 and arrive as
the truth and the facts; We could,
therefore, have no further purpose in
Withholding paym= =at of these ac-
counts.
properly, by law the authority for
paying such accounts is vested IN the
liquor commissioner who issues his
warrant upon the State treasurer The
commissioner and the State board of
directors are the lawful custodians Of
the States interest in the liquor busi-
ness and are the proper parties to
make payment Of the States indebted
ness. It is the proper thing for this
committee to restore to these State Of
fcials the authority which we have
temporarily withheld from them
nav these accounas, or otherwise set
tle them. 1t is eminently proper that
the board of directors be governed by
advice Of counsel in the settlement of
these claims.
They have the record of our work
and the evidence before our commit,
tee. It is for them, as officers commits
stoned py the State, to be governed by
the evidence before our committee
and to make such settlement, or ad-
justment. of these accounts as che in
terest Of the State demands. With
every confidence in Their rec5;tude Of
purpose as sworn olncers Of the State,
am in favor Of placing IL their hands
The business that by law obtains to
their Office and which We have tenn
porari2y suspended.
Il ask that my reasons for voting go