The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-06-01

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above, Ma jor Black said that he hat
aever heard anything about the allie
,atit n that he said Evans had at
tempted to brlbe representative from
Colleton. He said he was incensed a
Mr.. Lyon because 1t appeared to hin
Mr.. Lyon was attempting to houn(
MIN down and blaoken his persona
character, because be had refused II
allow M. Lyon to run the State dis
pensary to suit himself When h,
went to the disponsary he found tht
institution q half million dollars ir
iebt for whiskey for which 1T had ne
use. He had wiped cut a large
AMOUNT Of this debt by forcing mum
ber Of houses to take back thier un
salable whiskey and had done tbi'
against the protest OF Lyon and Chris
tensen, which they telegraphed from
the West. They wanted the whiskey
kept to suit thier COL veoience. They al.
80 had been unable o force him to buy
1t a loss to the State, from firms they
favored He had blocked their little
game to force the board to buy from
their henchmen and let them uSurr
the powers the Legislature had given
to the State board
When they found it Impossible tC
get anythil 6 against his Liil5isl rec.
,rd, to crafty their spite, they en-,
ieavOred to blacksn his personal char.
.cter. He had copy Of the taking
If testimony In Cincinnati. In which
this attempt was made and In whicn
they attempted to blacken Supreme
Court Justices and Circuit Judges
of this State by asking II they had
received presents OF whiskey or other
things from q house he had once rep
resented In a cl lical way. Maj !
Black said he had always tried to live
a clean life and his III sial record as
sher II, mayor and In other capacities
would show he had never done any.
thing dishonest In his life. His char.
acter was his proudest possession and
the best thing he could hand down to
MS children was a clean name. He had
no intention Of permitting anybody tic
olacken 1T to graf Fl their personal
spite.
Major Black said the letter referred
TO was from his brother, I'll. w. Black
Jr., Of Walterboro, in which he said:
Il am told Frlday morning that Lyon,
Of the iuvestig atinR committee, was
here Saturday last. Ffom what l can
learn he is trying to find out somG-
thing about conversation Walker
nad with his wife ever the long dis
tance phone the night OF your elec-
tion." That conversation was a per
fectly private conversation between a
man and his wife. in when the for
mer said he was glad that Black was
elected, as he was his friend and hao
nelptd him and would help him with
his personal influence In case he ran for
solicitor. Major Black said this was q
purely personal and private oonversa-
tion, In which he had no part and
when he heard that Lyon was In
quiring into such matters it confirm
cd his belief that Lyon was willing to
20 any length to try and find some
mud to put on his personal character
Nj j)r Black says he was perfectly
willing for fullest Investigation Of his
record as a public servant, but would
never submit to an attempt to
besmirch his private character AS 4
men Der tf the State board he had not
cried TO please Lyon, but to do wha,
was right and Chairman Hay and
Governor Hayward could both testify
chat he had consulted them aud was
earnest Ia his endeavOr to know and
40 the right thing. Mr.. Mobley, the
clerk. had been sent to see Chairman
BAY about some Of tine problems OF
the State board, and his advice had
been taken.
Major Black said the board was
willing to do anything for the invest
igating committee as whole, but
Chey were eli cted to run tie STATE
1ispensary and we're not going to turr
,ver the running OF the institution &C
aiLher the whole Investigating CON
mittee or part Of it. Finally Major
b ack said: When my persona
cnar. .cr IL asaailed | am willing II
3ie by IL. | would rather 90 home Il
my family dad than go home alive
out robbed OF my character.''