The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-07-12
SOLOMONS RELEASED.
PRISONER was Charged with Seeking
to Nntluence Beaufort County
Dispen sary Board Chairman.

Beaufort, July l0.-Magistrate r..
G. White this afternoon refused 70
bind over Mr. H. L. Solomons, of Co.
lumbia, the liquor drummer who was
arrested Monday onthe charge of vio-
lating Section 46 of the Dispensary
Law.
Attorney General Lyon appeared
for the state and Mr.. Talbird, Of
Beaufort, for the defence. The hear
ing was held in the Court House and
lasted five hours. The principal wit
ness was DR.. M. G.. Elliott, chairman
of the Beaufort county dispensary
board. Mr.. Solomons made a state
ment.
In prefacing his summing upgof the
case the Attorney General said: "I
wish here to avow my deliberate in
tentlon Of running every liquor drum
mer out of the State of South Caro-
lima. am here in accordance with
the wishes Of Governor Ansel and
state that it is the policy Of the Ad-
mlnlstration to enforce the anti-graft
section of the county dispensary law
to the letter. Wherever I hear of it's
being violated and feel that I can be
OF assistance in its enforcement I in
tend to go and prosecute the Often
ders.''
Mr.. Lyon spoke of the corruption
OF the state dispcnsary system and the
efforts of the legislature to guard
against some of its evils by forbid
ding any liquor drummer living in this
state doing business with the county
boards and outlawing any communi-
cation whatever between the boards
and liquor men except through tho
formal quarterly bids. In his opin-
ION the testimony Of the defendant
alone was enough to convict before a
petit Jury.
In giving his decision the maois-
trate said that he thought the evi-
delre showed there was no intention
TO brihe, and in Weighing the evidence
he considered the spirit of the law
rather than its letter. He did not
think that the legislature intended TO
put the broad construction on this see
tlon that the Attorney General in
sisted on and that it did not intend TO
make such Ian act rs that Of Mr.. Solo
mons an offence.
After the ease was over Mr.. Lvon
said: Notwithstanding this back
set III the enforcement of The law T
intend Ito use every oifor in having
1T enforced. No enforcement will rest
on othe, shoulders than mine. Whcth-
or Tie breakers Of ihi, praticular law
are punished IL this instance or not I
iHirAd :" make it IS difficult as Dos
SHE 10 carry tn their nu,lawcd busi-
ness.
DR.. NJ. G.. Elliott is a native of
Beaufort and stands high in the COM
mnn:ty. lie has been active in at
temptln" to secure Il strict enforce
ment Of the dispcnsary law in this
county. Ills testimony told Of. two
interviews of Mr. Solomons with him
The first was before the doctor was
commissioned. Tn it Mr.. Solomons
discussed the new law and the liouor
business in general and nothin" was
SAID that the witness Thought was sus-
picious. DIR. Elliott was ut first some
what doubtful as TO wcthcr he had
been commissioned before the second
visit OF 4he accussei. but in his state
mcnt Mr.. Solomon said that he came
up on seeing in the papers an advcr-
tisement for bids from the Beaufort
board, and Mr. Elliott was recalled
and sowrc that the advertisement was
not printed until after the board had
been commissioned.
Comm" to the second meeting DR..
Elliott testified: "About two or three
weeks latter Mr.. Solomons called on
me again and the liquor question was
again brought up and discussed be-
tween us. After a while Mr.. Solo
mons went out and in a little while he
returned with bottle of whiskcv and
suggested that we open it and sam
pie it. I told Mr.. Solomons that I
was no judge Of whiskey, and knew
nothing about it and wrapped up the
bottle, andhanded it back to him with
out the cork being drawn. Mr. Solo
mons presented me with list of H.
quor houses, which he said that he re-