The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-03-13
BLACK ExPl AIMS CLARK DEAL

FORMER DIsPENsARY DIRECTOR
MAKES a STATEMENT.
He Declares an Injustice Was Done
Him by Not Allowing Him to Eix-
plain the Purchase OF Whiskey
4 From the Peoria Firm.
Columbia, March sMajor John
Black, member Of the State dispeni-
sary board of directors recently leg
islated out Of existence, and also re-
moved from Office BY tie governor on
the suggestion of the general assem-
bly,, today made his first public state
snent in regard to the purchase OF
.whiskey from Clarke Bros. & Co, Of
Peoria, I'LL, the. purchase which
brought Ipon him personally and
UPON the board of which he was
member SO much adverse criticism
Major Black returned home from Hot
Sprinks, Ark, a few days before the
general assembly adjourned and since
that tine he has had nothing to say
in print except that he has been quot
ed as saying he could justify his ac-
ton in the matter Of the Clarke pur-
chase. He has now given out a full
statement Of the affair. along with
statements from the firm in question,
to show that he was fully justified by
the state Of afairs at the State dis
.pensary in taxing extraordinary steps
to secure supply of liquor badly
needed.
Tne statement follows:
70 the Public: The best evidence
where record exists is the record
itself; therefore viii not attempt at
this time to say anything only in con
nection with what has been so much
talked about; that is the Peoria pur-
chase. I have never purchased, nor
has the board of directors purchased,
one dollars worth of goods while one
or any of Us were out Of the State.
Unless You consider the way the Pc
oria purchase and arrangements
made with Messrs. Clark Brothers &
Co., at Peoria, was made. We pur-
chased cheap goods from several
firms to run through the Christmas
holidays. They failed to ship, saying
that they were afraid Of the credit of
the institution-that payments had
been held up by the committee last
year, that the profit was too small to
warrant them in taking the risk, and
we failed to get the goods at that
time to supply the trade, only as we
tax paid for goods.
Mr.. C. w. Dudley wired me from
Peoria, H., to come there. I did not
reply. A few days later, when I
found that the goods were not being
shipped, I sent a messenger to Mr..
wylie and stated to him the condition
of affairs. He wrote me to act at
once. Mr.. RawIinson was here. Mr..
Tatum said we either had to have the
goods or shut the plant down-that it
was an emergency case. There had
been 2,1eo barrels Of cheap goods
cancelled; we needed over 100 barrels
to dump and bottle, daily.
Mr.. Dudley said his house, Clark
Brothers & Co., would ship US these
goods if they could see some Of the
members of the board and make sat
is factory arrangements as to the
payments, and suggested that two Of
US go tos see the firm. Mr. Rawlinson
said he could not go, that tr. Wylie
was not here, but thous it very
necessary for me to go I'D SHOW
Clark Brothers & Co. how dispen-
sary stood in financial way. This
did, and they shipped US the goods
and continued to ship until I wired
them, on December 21, to discontinue.
Now, these are the facts-the pur-
chase was made here, the agreement
for payment Of said goods and the
final consummation made at Peoria.
AT the time of this investigation I
was west of the Mississippi River,
very i'll. AS soon as was able to
travel / came here, anxious to be
heard. I found that without a trial
I had been condemned. I tried in
every way through my attorneys to
be heard. The governor allowed less
than "a hours for me to get witnesses
from Illinois and other places. That
committee-the legislature and the
governor did not dare hear me-
could and would have convinced the
committee, the governor or the leg
isIature in ten minutes Of the fact
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