The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-01-22

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the state dispensary and nv investi-
CATION Of the fact was delayed for
some time, on account of the fact that
the Legislative investigating commit
/ tee had taken into its possession and
removed nearly all Of the books and
records relating to the purchase or
shipment Of said liquors and, at that
time, two members Of the said COM
mittee were absent from the state.
That committee, however, very cour-
teously, during its meeting held SUBJ
sequently, granted me free access to
all OF the books and records that we're
IN its possession, and I made a care
ful search and examination thereof,
IN order to ascertain every fact that
might be disclosed by such examina-
ton. [ also attended number of
meetings Of the said committee, for
the purpose of hearing the testimony
taken before it relative to the trans
action of sundry and various liquor
houses with the former board of the
state dispensary. It is to be regret
ted that the records are SO meagre
and that so little can be ascertained
therefrom, but from the examination
and investigation I have made and
Information given me, I find the
following facts:
The Findings. :.
l. That during the latter part of
the year 1905, and in the early part
of the year 1906, the shipments of
liquor made to the state dispensary
at Columbia appear to have been al
most unprecedented in the history OF
that institution. The statements Of
Hon. w. o. Tatum, the commissioner
Of the state dispensary, show that the
shipments were so unusually large
that he rejected several carloads, and
ordered that the same be rcshipped to
the consignors.
2. That there does not appear to
be, among the records of the state
dispensary. any minutes of the meet
ings Of the former board of directors
subsequent to the meeting in Fcbru-
ary, 1905. Although I made diligent
search and inquiry for the same, and
although it was stated by Mr.. Char
les, the clerk of the former board,
that he left certain minutes in a desk
III his office at the time he severed
his connection with the institution, it
has not been possible to find any such
book. was Informed by members of
the Legislative investigating commit
tee that they also had made diligent
search and inquiry for such minutes,
but were never able to find the same,
and that no such minutes had ever
| been in possession of that committee,
for that reason.
3. That there does not appear to
have been kept by the former board
of directors, as is required by law, a
book in which is recorded all of the
bids made for the sale of liquor to
the state dispensary. I did discover,
however, book in which has been
pasted various bids for the sale of
liquor submitted by sundry firms and
corporations, some Of these apparent
! ~ bcin" the original bids that had
been filed with the state treasurer.
while others were clearly carbon copi
cs of said bids. Tn some instances,
there appears to he an original and
two copies; in other instaccs. an or
l"lnal and one copy Of such bids. In
this book also found that on Dccem
ber 4, 1905, the firms of II. Roscnthal
IL Sons, as appears by their letter in
said book, forwarded their bid to the
state treasurer, and, at the same time
forwarded copy thereof to the state
board Of directors, in clear violation
Of the dispcnsary law.
4. That T have not been able to
ascertain from any records or other
data in the state dispcnsary, any evil
dencc whatever of awards made to
the various liquor houses submitting
bids during the latter part Of the year
1903. Nor have any Of the parties or
firms, upon my request, submitted
any evidence Of valid contracts of
sale, or that awards had been made
to them upon their bids, except in a
few instances, telcgraphic orders
from Mr.. Charles, clerk Of the for
mcr board of directors.
$. That from admissions made by
the parties, or their representatives,
as we'll as statements made by Mr..
Charles, fromer clerk Of the board. it