The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-06-06
DISPENSARY INVESTIGATION.
SOME DEVELOPMENTS IN CoLUM,
BIA WEDNESDAY.
! A Number of Witnesses Present as to
the Coueton Inquiry, and Their Tcs-
timony Given at the Afternoon Ses-
sion of the Investigating Committee
is Racy Reading.

sion Of the Investigating Committee
is Racy Reading.
Columbia, May 30.-Said Chairman
a. II. Evans, chairman of the State
board of control, to Mr.. J. Monroe
Walker, member OF the house, OF
Representatives, from Colleton county,
.eRe like to give you good gun if you
will take it, Said Legislator ]. Mon
roe Walker to Chairman Evans, can
didate for reelection, Thanks, I'd
like to have it,
Two weeks later Chairman II. II.
Evans wrote to Legislator Walker that
he knew nothing about guns, but to
draw on him for SIS and buy the gun
for this money. Legislator Walker
drew for the SIS, clearly indicating his
willingness to accept the money, but
the draft which Chairman Evans wrote
him to draw was returned with the
note that Evans was out Of town.
Now, it is to be remembered that
Mr.. Evans was then chairman Of the
board and candidate for reelection,
and that Mr.. Evans subsequently re-
ceived the vote of Mr.. Walker.
Neither Mr.. Walker lor Mr.. Evans
might have meant any harm, but this
is simply a gratuity that has come to
light.
Mr.. Walker does not even now ap-.
pear to appreciate any wrong in his.
willingness to have accepted the SIS
from an officer in whose reelection or
defeat he was actively to participate.
He .old a frank story, ard whether
it was pure, downright innocence on
his part, or a disregard Of what was
improper, does not matter. Mr.. Walk
says that the Fair week promise Of the
gur and the subsequent offer Of the
$75 in lieu Of the gun were not made
good and that he has never gotten
either.
Then there was a suit Of clothes.
Cashier w. w. Smoak, who handled
the draft of Legislator Walker on
Chairman Evans, said that Walker
told him that Major, John Black, now
member of the State board, had
given him $40 suit Of clothes.
Mr.. Walker says that Cashier Smoak
lies when he says he told him that Ma
jor Black had given him a $40 suit,
and Mr.. Smoak says that Walker lies
if he denies telling him that Major
Black gave him the $40 suit.
There is about the same confliction
between Mr.. Smoak and Mr.. Walker
in their testimony about the gun. Mr..
Smoak is under the impression that
Legislator Walker told him that the
gun was being given him by Doth
Chairman Evans and Major Black,
both candidates for the board at the
time.
Mr.. Smoak insisted that he caution
ed Legislator Walker not to make the
draft as it would be misunderstood
and would be certain to leak out, but
Legislator Walker denies this and
says when the draft was returned un-
paid he expressed his JOY to Cashier
Smoak and promptly returned the
SIS advanced on the draft on Chair
man Evans Mr. Walker said that the
whole thing was a matter Of friend
ship, no other consideration. Legisla-
tor Walker says that Cashier Smoak is
mad with him about some forgery
case he won against the Farmers and
Merchants Bank, and because Mr..
Smoak was defeated for captain Of a
military company by Mr.. Black, (not
Major Black) and that he is sore.
1t was on this line of inquiry that
Mr.. Fraser Lyon made his now famous
pilgrimage to WATERFORD, about
which Major Black tackled him on the
report that he was going into his per-
sonaI affairs too far. The evidesce has
been presented that Mr.. Evans offered
a. gun and later the SIS substitute 10
LEGISLATOR Walker, and that Mr.. Walk
er accepted it, expected it, and drew a
draft for it, but the draft was return
ed. Walker says he got nothing out Of
this offer.
Mr.. W. w. smoak was an unwilling
witness, but he gave the impression
that when, he felt that he had TO speak
he spoke exactly what ne believed to