The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-06-20

I have no fear that those VINO know
me will believe that I have done any
thing that has been either illegal or
immoral. Instances in which honor
able men might differ with me in
! Judgment may, and perhaps will, be
discovered, wrong cannot be. for it
does not exist.
While I have keenly felt the injus-
t:ce and the cruelty Of some OF the
suggestions which have been made in
relation to my former connection with
the dispensary, am confident that
when the scrutiny has been made
complete even those who Go not know
me will reach a like conclusion with
those who do.
At future day, and when it can
have no influence upon the action of
your committee, it is my purpose to
send you written statement covering
the matters that I deem Of conse-
quence. which I shall ask you to
regadl as part Of this comnunica-
ton, and which I shall ask you to file
as part of your report
Very respectfully,
(Signed) L. W. Boykln-
The committee has heard nothing
directly from Mr.. Evans and he, too,
evidently does not expect to accept
the invitation of the committee.
The subcommittee did good days
work today in the investigation Of the
dispensary, but the Subcommittee is
evidently getting weary ana worn, and
the end if the fine work appears near
at hand, for the present at least. To-
day was full of matters Of interest.
There was a great deal more testimo-
nv today than has usually been taken
on one day, and it was very interest
ing. It told of how the whiskey
drummers kept open house here, how
they had whiskey and champagne,
and even money in plenty, for the
members of the board Of control, and
how open rooms were kept for the
friends Of the dispensary, which in
cluded members Of the General As
sembly.
A former chief constable, Mr.. Bahr,
told of how he saw rolls Of money left
-.ound for members Of the foard of
control to gather in. His eye-sight
allied him when it came to indentify-
ing exactly which member got the
money, but he seemed positive that
this was the purpose Of the money.
An affidavit was presented from Mr..
Breyard Miller, who was interested in
the Carolina Glass Company, in it's
preliminary stages. He insists that it
was the purpose Of the organizers OF
this company to give as gift 6 block
Of stock to Mr.. II. II. Evans and to
Mr.. L. J. Williams, both at that time
members of the board, and that in
consideration the Carolina Glass
Company was not to cave competi-
ton to amount to anything. Mr.. Mil
Ter says he became disgusted and re-
tired from the company, and if the
purpose Of carrying out the plan Of
giving gratuitous stock to members Of
the board was carried out, it was af-
ter he had left the company and he
has no positive knowledge on this
score.
Mr.. j. B. Douthitt, who was on the
board of control and at one time was
| commissioner, showed from the rec
ords that the dispensary has been
selling some of its goods at less than
actual cost, including the outgoing
freight. It was plain from the evil
dence Of Mr.. Douthitt, that his idea
was that the goods Of Lanahan, the
Richland Distillery and Bluenthal &
Bickert were sold to the county dis
| pensaries by the State dispensary at
less than actual cost, and then by the
county dispensaries at less than com
petitive goods. This, he indicated,
gave such firms the advantage IN he
sale Of their goods, and meanwhile
the State and the school fund was
actually losing money by the sales.
Mr.. Douthitt also indicated that a
liquor drummer told him that a form
er member Of the board had directly
suggested to him that he had better
get representative on the board, and
suggested an appointment at his room
that afternoon, and after that the
firm of Rosskam, Gers1ler & CO. did
get good business.
Mr.. Lyon took few turns out of
the new board of control today, and
to say the least, brought out that the
new board is bit lax. This does ret
mean wronp-6OiY or that ANYTHING