Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-04-10
STRAIGHT FROM THE SHOULDER.
J. Fraser Lyon Answers Some of the
lnsinuations of Senator Tillman.


J. Fraser Lyon Answers Some of the
Insinuations of Senator Tillman.
The subcommittee of the dispensary
investigating committee, consisting or
Me ssrs. ]. Fraser Lyon and N. Chris
tensen, Jr., which has been most active
and effective I'm it's work, does not like
the insinuation made in the Address
of Senator Tillman on the diSpensary
situation. The members OF this COM
mittee have worked as no others have
ever done in connection with this dis
pensary mess. They have been fearless
and painstaking In their efforts, and
even a mild insinuation Is undeserved.
Mr. Lyon, of the subcommittee, has
written letter to one Of the attorneys,
who Is at work on a claim against the
dispensary. I'm which he has some very
sharp things to say, which make some
of the liveliest literature In connection
with the dispensary. The letter reads
as follows:
ABBEvILLE, s. c., April 8, 1905.
Your two letters of recent date were
received by me upon my return home
yesterday, after an absence OF about
two weeks. You will, therefore, under
stand why you have not had an earlier
reply. While II Is true that l do not
thiak there is any good reason for
Withholding payment Of the claim OF
the Cook & Bernheimer Company, OF
New York, still, as / have said hereto
fore, / will not give my consent to the
payment of this or any other dispen-
sary claim now held up until the mat
ter Of such payment Is discussed at
public session of our committee. lfeel
sure that you will appreciate my posi-
tion in this matter especially since the
publication Of Senator Tillmans "Ad-
dress to the People of South Carolina"
in which he says: rs there not plenty
of opportunity for more graft and Sc
cret transaction In regard to the set
tlement of these accounts? VIII not
the legislative committee be suspected
Of corruption IL II does not get In the
middle of the road, and stay there;
that isc stand by the law, obey 1t itself
and require others to DO so? Why so
much delay?" You see this additional
reason for my position. 1t Is unfortu-
nate for your clients to have had deal
ings with an institution which no one
can even investigate without having 1t
suggested or insinuated that he may
be a CRATER, or at least has good
opportunity to steal. While 1 regard
this reference to our committee as only
a shrewd attempt to shake public con-
fidence in us, and intended to obstruct
and interfere with our work, which Is
evidently becoming distasteful to many
Of those who are irrevocably welded
to the dispensary, still when see this
prone ness to criticise us. l wish to be
especially careful not to put myself In
a position that could, with even color
OF justice, be criticised.
In your letter Of March 26, you prac-
tically asked the question and sincerely,
why so much delay?" / know no fact
investigation that l shall Intentionally
withhold from the public. Sometimes
do not think II best for the success
of the investigation to reveal facts and
suspicious as soon as they come to me,
or to disclose our plans for the future;
so In this case will answer your ques-
ton only so far as / thilk the present
status of the investigation justifies.
We are trying to get the facts In re-
gard to several suspicious matters,
which we think should be investigated.
Among them is the statement, as re-
call 1t, of Senator Tillman that he re-
turned certain rebates to distillery.
We wish to find the credits on the
books Of the distillery, showing the
amount of rebates which Senator Till
gratitude he felt to the liquor concern
crediting the state of South Carolina.
Besides this there has come to my ears
a rumor the source Of which do not
now recall, but which / think should
be looked into, that Senator Ttllman,
when governor, was presented with
piano by liquor concern. 1t may De
that receipts may be shown for the re-
bates which may have been returned,
and for payment of this piano which
may have been received, as was ru-
mored to be the satisfactory explana-
tion i'm the case OF the Towill horse
matter.
Still, we do not know the facts In re-
gard to these things and think the leg
islature intended for us to investigate
such transactions as these, as well as
other vague and uncertain matters to
which common rumor gives currency.
We must do our duty in looking into
these things and you may judge by the
above samples that we must have much
|time in doing It. Furthermore 1t Is not
cxpedient, and would not approve or
the committee holding public session
every time Senator Christensen and l
have done all we can In examining
each claim. 1 recognize the fact that
we may be chasing a will-o-the-Wisp
III Ill VI lucSC otlCiob oha 49,
clients may suffer in the meantime,
but whether our efforts be such a
chase or not It seems certain that In
all events our committee must walk
through the mire.
The opinion Is so prevalent that the
dispensary has been q breeder of so
much corruption that no one can touch
1t without the suspicion Of someone be-
ing aroused Unfortunately, In the
case Of our committee, the insinuation
of this suspicion Is cast upon us In the
public prints by one who, above all
others may know Of the innermost af-
fairs Of the dispensary as transacted
by its officers since its inception.
/ trust however, that we will finally
emerge from our distasteful task merit
ing the confidence and approval OF all
honest citizens. Believing that this
will satisfactorily explain our delay,
am yours very truly,
]. FRASER LYON.