The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-06-13

to how he could afford to give that
much commission on On order of that
size, Hamburger replied: You don't
know much about the liquor business.
You can make it of chemicals Ham.
berger vent on to say that his Hhiskey
WAS not poisonous but that it was
very easy matter to doctor whiskey.
lie said that the first shipment of his
house was $4,000, and "they trem-
bled in their boots" for fear it would
como back. But it did not come back,
and the next shipment they made was
worse.
The liquor houses were thus sble to
sell ''dootored' whiskey to tho dis
pcnsary, give big rebates and still
make great profit out Of it. 1t seems
that the cheaper and mcancr the liquor
was the better tho liquor houses could
dispose Of their product. The rebates
fattened some ones pocket, but the
bad grade of liquor fired hundreds Of
citizens Of South Carolina into the
commission Of every crime from mur-
der down. Who can estimate the
harm done to the innocent women and
children Of the State by the PERM
oious effects Of this "doctorcd" dispen.
sary liquor? It has caused blood to
flow shamefully in every county of the
State.
Mr.. Parker's testimony presents
some interesting speculations aa to
the opportunity for graft in the dis
pensary system. Supponc the cheap
liquor houses paid from 12 to 20 per
cent, 81 Mr.. Bristow testified, to get
orders. How much would the rebates
amount to? Take the low estimate of
IL per cent. Last year the dispensary
bought $1,750,000 worth Of liquor.
Twelve per cent Of this would be
$210,000. If the board OF directors
did not get this, who did2
! The most sensational testimony was
given Friday when @ reliable man
srom Newbersy said under oath that
he had been told by Chairman H. H.
Evans that the board had an arrange.
ment by which the seversl liquor
houses were to be provided for in the
award of purchases, and that when
Mr. Evans friends were not looked
after properly he fixed up . plan by
which, while standing upon a table,
he saw money passed to the other
members Of the board, Boykin and
Towill. This witness was Mr.. G. G.
Davis, builder aud contractor. He
sWore that on several occasions Chair
man Evans had displayed wads Of
money and said that he had received
it from his friends, meaning the whis.
key houses, presents, including mon
ey. There wero on the outside Of
these wads bills OF the denomination
Of 81 900. Mr.. Davis had tried to see
how many bills Of this denomination
there were, aud he had once seen
as many as three bills Of the
value Of 81 900 each. Mr.. Evans had
said that he hsd taken care Of his
friends and had ct the same time rep.
resented the State of South Carolina
properly. Mr.: Davis also swore that
Mr. Evans had received car load of
furniture ae 0 Christmas present from
Bluthenthal & Bickert, OF Atlanta,
the firm which has figured 80 conspiou.
ous]y all through the investigation as
one which has sold aduiterated liquor
and had bribed the county dispensers
by putting extra packages in the ship.
ments.
When these evidences cs ec..sp.:e=
were brought out By the investigating
committee Governor Hayward notified
the Attorney General to proceed with
criminal prosecutions against dispen.
sary officials suspected Of misconduct
In office. His instructions to Attor-
ney General Youmans are as follows
II see through the public prints that,
as result of the ruling Of the Su-
preme Court, evidence was produced
before the investigating committee
charging former members Of the
board OF directors Of the dispeusary
With maiIeasance and corruption in
the discharge Of their official duty. T
direct this mstter to your attention
to the end that you may promptly
cause sueh prosecution to be institu.
ted as shall be proper and necessary
to vindieate the law" The Governor
has acted with oommendable prompt.
ness and 6rmness for the good name
and reputation Of the State.
Thes subcommittee, consisting Of
Messrs. Lyon and Christensen, 10 to
ba commended for their successful
6ght upon the grafters in the face Of
opposition from members of tie COM
mittee Of which they are a part.
The work Of investigation should
proceed without interruption until
every CRATER, high aud low, is placed
in stripes.
The dispensary system has been a
curse and . disgraoe to the State. 1t
ls the basis Of strong political ma.
chine, almost as corrupt and shame.
less in its operations as the notorious
organization Of political thieves in
Reoonstruction times, The dispen-
sary Is doomed, aud we believe that
the next legislature, representing the