The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1906-06-13
Dispensary Investigation.

Dispensary Investigation.
The dispensary investigating COM
mittee has at last caused considerable
interest and adgitation by it's recent
revelations. The testimony before
that body furnishes considerable read
ing matter which would require more
space than we can afford, SO we only
try to give a birdseye view as to the
tide of the work before the commit
tee:
MIR. L. w. Parker, of Greenville, S.
c., president of number of cotton
mills in this State and a very promin-
ent business man, was ruled for con-
tempt before the Supreme Court for
not revealing a private conversation
which he had had with Mr.. S. j.
Lanahan, member Of VIM. Lanahan
& Son, Baltimore, large whiskey
firm of that city.
Mr.. Parker stated that Mr Lanahan
had told him, and had told others,
that he had had Mr.. L. W. Boykin,
member of the dispensary board, en-
ployed as his middle man in this
State, but that Mr.. Boykin had not
stuck up to the arrangement because
Mr.. Boykin's brother-in-law, MIR. J.
M. Cantey, was representing some
other house and he had to stick to Mr..
Cantey.
Mr.. Lanahan then told me that af-
ter his conversation with Mr.. Boykin
and Boykn's continual refusal to
agree to assure him that he would
secure his fair proportion of orders,
that he had gone to Mr.. Evans, the
chairman of the board, and stated to
Mr.. Evans that he, Mr.. Evans, must
look after Mr.. Lanahan's interests, as
Mr.. Boykin declined to do it. That
Mr.. Evans replied, ''You go back and
tell Mr.. Boykin' with an oath, as
recall it, "that he must do it, that ac-
cording to our arrangements he was
to look after you and l can do moth
ing in it until am assured that ne is
not going to look after you, and II ne
dose not then you come back to me-"
In the conversation in Greenville to
which I have referred, Mr.. Lanahan
also told me that at the letting Of con-
tracts which had just past that there
was in it for the members Of the board
of control not less than five thousand
dollars (S5,OOO) at that particular let
ting, inasmuch as it was understood
that they secured at least five dollars
(S5) barrel; that ne found it was ut
terly impossible to compete with these
cheap Western houses, inasmuch as
they were willing to sell quality of
LIQUOR which he was notwilling to sell
and that he could not sell his liquor
and pay the expenses incident to the
sale, Or pay as much as was required
of him to pay in order to secure the
business. I would say that this prac-
ically represents the conversation
have had on the subject.
Contractor @. @. Davis, Of New
berry, was the first witness put up IN
the so-called Newberry situation.
He said H. Fl. Evans frequently
showed him money and presents.
Evans did not say anything about
rebates, but said his friends, liquor
people, had given him presents and
money. Evans had shown him great
wads of greenba cks, all sorts Of de-
nominations. Saw several 1000 bills
on one occasion and saw even as high
this on other occasions.
One time when witness was work
ing on Evans new house at New
berry he mentioned the necessitv of
moving door. Evans pointed to a
beaver hat full of greenbacks and
asked if witness did not think that
would move it.
Mr.. Lyon brought out that there