Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1906-08-09
Secretary Cotton Association
Under Fire
SAYS HE TRADED FOR A FRIEND
Before Cotton Association Committee
Of Investigation, Charges That Sec
rotary Cheatham and Press Agent
Fxirchild Have Been Speculating
in Futures Are Preferred and Only
Partially Denied.

committee of investigation named by
President Harvie Jordan to hear evil
dence that certain officers of the as
sociation owned an interest in a we'll
known brokerage concern, and also
have been specializing in cotton fu-
lures, Representative J. X. Anderson,
of Cheatham county. repeated the
charges made by him on the floor
of the House last week. He charged
that Richard Che ham. secretary Of
the association, speculated in cotton
futures, carrying the accounts in the
names of Mike O'Grady and p. A.
Lee. Mr.. Andersen also charged that
Arthur A. Fairchild. who appears ~
the manager Of the bureau Of pub
licity Of the association. owned one
eighth of the stock OF the Piedmont
Brokerage Company, \ esneern which
nakes y speciality Of cotton futures,
To support these charges, Mr.. An
derson submitted a number Of affi-
davits and declared that an order
from Mr.. Cheatham on certain brok-
ers would bring forth further evil
dence in proof OF the charges.
Mr.. Cheatham produced in his de-
tense a statement in which he de-
clared: 81 do not at the present time,
nor have i directly or indirectly in
any manner, owned any part of or
interest in bucket shop or wire
gambling house
have never speculated in cotton
futures for my own personal gain. :"
Mr.. O'Grady of Chattanooga. was
on hand to substatntiatc the charge Of
Mr.. Cheatham that the go Grady AZ.
count" was handled for him bv Mr..
Cheatham merely as personal act OF
friendship. Mr. Cheatham refused TO
reveal the identity Of p. A. Lee. in
whose name the other account was
carried.
The charge that Fairchild owned an
interest in the Piedmont Brokear-
age Company was not denied. al
though it was declared that the in
terest was disposed of some time ago
Brokerage People Testify.
Mr.. Pagan, manager Of local ex.
change. was the first witness at the
afternoon session. He testified as to
Mr.. Cheatham having opened an ac.
count under the name OF Mike
O'Grady. Mr.. Pagan admitted hav-
Ing given Mr.. Anderson the informa-
tion on which he based charges.
The next witness was B. c. Cothran,
local manager of a brokers' Office
He told about Frazier telling DR..
Crawford that Mr. Cheatham was Il
stakeholder i'll the Piedmont ex-
change.
Holland Curran, who was book
keeper for brokerage firm with Of
fees III this city, was the star witness
of the day. He declined to testify
without Mr.. Cheatham consent.
whereupon Mr.. Cheatham jumped to
his feet and exclaimed:
Cheatham Flames Up.
"You are just here for trick This
thing has been tried on me before,
and | am tired of it. You are trying
TO play at the wrong game"
Mr.. Curran flushed up angrily and
proceeded to tell what he claimed he
knew, and it was that Mr.. Cheatham
had bought cotton futures three times
at his office ''He came to the Office, -
said the witness, "and wanted to open
an account. He did so and when we
asked him what name to put the nc-
count he said: 'Oh, Mike will do
Mike who's he was asked, and said
Jones was good name and so the
account now stands ond our books as
Mike JONES'
DR.. j. M. Crawford took the stand
and said he was ssockholder in the
Piedmont Exchanges, He said he was
always positive Mr.! Chcatham owned
stock. although he never said so di-
rectly.
A. A. Fairchild, manager of the
| publishing bureau Of the ussoeiation
was the last witness of tie day and
submitted a written statement.