The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-03-22
COMMISSION MAY
BUY The LIQUOR
BUT MIR. STEVENSON DOES NOT
q RECOMMEND IT.
Seems to Think the Commission
Should Not Hesitate to Make In
vestigation of Question
able Deals. e.. ~.
Tie State, 10th.

The attorney general, Mr.. j. Fraser
3 Lyon, and Senator Francis, H. Wes-
ton, who represents Clarke Bros. g.
Co, Of Peoria, ILL.,, the liquor concern
which sold the famous 100000 order
!, to the State dispensary, went over to
Cheraw last week to consult Hon. w.
! f. Stevenson, attorney for the dispen-
H,sary commission, as to the right Of
the commission to accept all Of the
Clarke goods.
These "'goods' were received at
the state dispensary before the local
option law went into effect but the
Legislative investigating committee,
Of which Senaor Niels' Christensen
was chairman, reported that these
purchases we're illegally made and
ordered that no more money be paid
!@ss.to either Clarke Bros. e. Co, or to
ghman & Co.-which, it might be
q Ated,. are practically one and the
same @firm, according to the testi-
mony.
When the commission appointed un-
"A "SI viz SPCC1ul 1CU w pIOFlu0 IOT
winding up the affaim of the state
8 dispensary took charge it was decid-
Red to, accept and pay for none Of the
Clarke and Lehman goods except
what had actually been accepted and
|, used. The Clarke concern has black
lisetd itsel If by sending a sample
case of whislkcy to a member of a
county board.
Mr.. VIM. e. Hull, president of
Clarke Bros. & Co., appeader before
the commission and offered them the
goods at e price considerably less
than the original invoice price. At
torney General Lyon was requested
by the commission to go to Cheraw
and consult with Mr.. Stevenson in
regard to the proposition. He went
over Thursday evening of last week
in company with Senator Weston, at
>torney for the liquor concern inter
\ ested. The matter was placed be-
fore Mr. Stevenson and he was re-
quested to furnish the commission
with his opinion as early as possible
Mr.. Stevenson takes the view that
the commission has the authority to
accept any or all Of the Clarke and
Lehman purchases, but he does not
advise the commission what to do. He
says that it is a matter of discretion
with the commission.
The evident purpose Of the com
} mission to probe to the bottom all
8 irregularities connected with the
. @SStransactions of the officials Of the
late dispensary and to assist the at
torney general in securing evidence
against persons who have been guilty
:, Of violating the law is revealed in
'asssjSthe following sentence of Mr.. Stew.
engon's letter:
! CIT shall be necessary and desir.
able for. the legal department of the
{ state to prosecute such officers as
7, have offended against the law in the
J. purchase of liquors and this .discre.
ton to return or not the goods to the
persons who have sold illegally to
the state was probably intended to
give an additional leverage~to to the
| commission to procure evidence OF
" the facts relating to such sale from
BIS the persons selling.
~ "The commission can and should
q require a full exposition of the COM
q missions paid to the person securing
& the order under investigation, the
81 method Of payment, the person tc
Il whom paid, and whether any of the
same ever came to, the hands of the
81nember of the board making the pu,'-
schase and whether his expenses on
s SSIis trip to Peoria, ILL.,, were paid di-
or indicertly by the seller OF
seller2s agent"
|IWhile Mr.. Stevenson holds thai
ae commission has the right to &C.
ept8all of the Clarke purchase if il
fit,, the above extracts from his
decision indicate pointedly that he
ss%WilIsSnot recommend the acceptance
Ssp these goods until the matter of the
liianner Of their purchase has beer
into fully, and not until the
hniission is convinced that there
rebates paid to any official
sdispensary in connection
s;ia purchase.
5te jon's opinion is here
Id full: r.. :.:.''. +
D. Murray, Chairman, and
Fl. Weston and J. Fra,