The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-06-13
MORE CORRUPTION IN THE STATE DIS
PENSARY.

ELlNSARJs
Evidence Of dross and shameful
corruption among the head officials Of
the State dispensary was disclosed be-
fore the investigating committee in
Columbia last week. Kumors of
graft and stealing, duplicating tue
Board Of Directors, have been fire.
quent and persistent for years, but
:h;s is the frst time that the testi-
mony Of reputable witnesses has been
produced to show specific acts Of cor
ruption. The rumors have been
popular]y accepted as true, but in
court of law they would, of course,
have no weight.
That the dispensary system offers al
most unlimited opportunity for pri-
vate and illegitimate gain through tho
acceptance of rebates from liquor
houses, no sane man for g moment
doubts. And it is only human weak
ness that officials, some not OF the
best reputation and highest integrity,
should yield to the love of money and
thus become traitors to their State.
Lewis W. Parker, of Greenville,
president Of several cotton mills in
this State and connected with many
banking and other industries, Was
summoned before the committee last
week, and, though naturally unwilling
o,s- h,1 - L.
csssity Of divulging facts given to him
In private conversation, was forced
to testify under an order Of the Su.
preme Ceurt. He made an excellent
witness, and the character and stand
ing OF the man renders his evidence
of the highest value. His statement
was that Samuel j. Lanahan, a
Wholesale liquor dealer in Baltimore,
had complained to him that he could
not get business from the dispensary
without using unusual methods, and
that when they had arrangements
fixed they would not stay fixed.
Lanahan said that he YVES oonvin-
ced that it took more than the merit
of the liquors to do business with the
State dispensary. He said that the
dispensary bought cheap, mean liquor.
He said that it cost money to do busi-
ness with the board in 1904 and 1905,
and he could not afford to pay what
had to be paid.
He told Mr.. Parker enough to make
him say that the conversations i'm
piled that rebates were paid to get
orders.
He told Mr.. Parker that "At the |
last letting Of contracts, which had
juet passed, there was in it for the
members OF the board OF control not
less than $4,000" Later on Mr.. Par.
ker explained that Mr.. Lanahsn said
that the regulation rebate appeared
to be e5 barrel on orders, and he |
was not a competitor with his goods
on that hss;s.
" Mr.. Lanahan is quoted ss having |
offered to sell the dispenesry liquor at |
from Is to 20 cents less per gallon than
it was buying at, If he did not have to
give up anything, and Chairman
Evans told him that If he did not
like the form Of bids OF the board that /
he need not bid at all.
. Mr.. Lsnahan tried repeatedly 70
get Mr.. Parker to suggest some South
Carolina man with o pull TO represent
him, and finally secured someone who
held an official position to represent
him. |
HHsfT. Parker Parker declined to give tho
this representative, and the
committee, By Q vote Of 4 to 8, de.
olined to order him to give the name.
Some suggested he was o member Of
the General Assembly. Mr.. Parker
thought this representative was paid
81, 900, hut had never learned whether
such q representative had ever gotten
orders or not for Lanahan g. Son.
Mr.. Lanahan is quoted as having
told Mr.. Parker that "he had arrang.
ed with Mr. Boykin, one Of the NOM
bers Of the board Of control, for Mr.,
Boykin to be his representative on
the board af control. and to see to it
that he got his share Of the business.
He did not get tho new business, aud
Mr.. Boskin is quoted as having said
that "he had not gotten q more satis-
factory offer from others, but that
others we're providing for other mem.
bers Of the family than himself, aud
blood was thicker than water, and
tha. certain other liquor house en-.
ployed brother-in.lsw Of Mr.. Boy
kin as special representative or somes
thing Of the sort, aud that the other
house was doing equally as we'll by
him as Mr. Lauehan." ~>,s>:1%i,
Mr.. Evans is alleged to have said
that there was an agreement by
which members Woul6 order fr6nn |