Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1908-02-20
LYON FILINGS LIE
At Editor koester of the Columbia
Evening Record
WHILE HE is IN COURT

As Witness, Where He Had Been
Summoned by tho Attorney -Gener-
al to Give His Reasons for Assert
ing That the Attorney General Hin,
Been Trying to Convict in Dispen.
sary Cases with Bought Testimony.
During the session of the dispen-
sary commission Thursday after
noon, Attorney General Lyon de-
nounced MIR. George r. Koester, edi-
TOR and manager of the Columbia
Record, as "A most infamous and
dirty liar" Mr.. Koester. who was
present, asked for the protection of
the Court, and arose from his chair
Inc situation was tense and Commits
sloner Patton also arose as IL to step
between Lyon and Koester Mr.. LYON
warned Mr.. Rooster not to approach
and dramatically told him he (Lyons)
walked the streets OF Columbia and
was personally responsible for what
he said.
The incident grew out Of an edi-
torial in the Record Wednesday af-
torial in the Record Thursday af-
brought into the room while the COM
mission was in session and the at
tention of MIR. Lyon was called to
the editorial. Mr.. Lyon had Just
come into the room. He at once re-
quested the commission to summon
Mr.. Koester. This was agreed to.
and Mr.. Stevenson, drew up the sum-
mons, which was signed by MIR. Nc
Sween The marshal of the commits
sion was given the paper and within
half hour or so returned with Mr..
Rooster, who had come very willing
ly. He was examined under oath by
Mr.. Stevenson, the regular counsel
for the commission
MIR. KOester Questioned.
The official record is In substance
as follows:
Q. Mr.. Koester, the attention of
the commission has been drawn to
this paragraph In this afternoons
daily paper as follows:
The Record has been asked why ii
assails Attorney General Lyon and
seeks to hamper his attempts to have
'grafters" punished. The insinua-
ton In the question is that the Re
cord is in sympathy with the graf
ters." The insinuation is too con-
temptible to notice
Explanation OF the Records atti-
tude toward Mr.. Lyon is wanted. 1t
Or hac
graft the Record, as much as Mr..
Lyon or anybody else, wants 1t ex-
posed and the guilty punished, but
the methods employed to bring about
that desired result should be clean
and honorable and command respect.
1t is Mr.. Lyons methods to which
the Record objects. Wherever the
Anglo-SaXon civilization has spread
a common maxim of it's Courts has
been that it is better for a thousand
guilty men to escape than that one
innocent man should be punished
Similar in spirit is the Records
belief that it is better that all dis
pensary grafters should escape than
that an attempt should be made to
secure convictions with bought testi-
mony. And that is the game Mr.
Lyon has been playing first as a mem
ber of the investigating committee
| and now as Attorney General. If
there were no political phase to the
matter he could not hope to secure
conviction with bought testimony.
the case that keeps his attempts to
buy testimony from meeting the uni
versal eXecration they d serve"
The commission wishes to know
Who is responsible for the editorial
department of your paper. a. | am.
@ The commission being partly
charged with getting this testimony,
and the work which MIR. Lyon has
done in that line being through the
commission, the commission wants
to know what information you have
about the purchase OF testimony?
A. Nothing but what has been pub
ished.
Q. Does what has been published
justify the charge that they are buy
ing testimony? A. Well, all this is
very sudden. have not got it at
my fingers end. but Mr.. Hermann,
who is the president Of the Augusta
Brewing Company, testified that he
had paid rebates or commissions and
that an order was passed by the old
investigating committee ordering
payment OF his claim, which believe
was the first and the only one paid
up to that time.
Q. Let us get that straight. That
was when Mr.. Lyon and another com
mittee was investigating the dispen-
sary. Those who composed that com
mittee. believe. were Mr.. Lyon. Mr..
Blease. Mr.. Christensen. Mr.. Spivey,
and some others. These gentlemen
you charge. together with Mr. Lyon,
with having purchased testimony
Is that the basis of your charge:
of the purchase of testimony? A.
That is. offered to purchase testi-
mony, yes.
Q. That is the basis of your charge
that the old investigating committee
| did that? A. That they offered an In.
ducement for getting testimony
! Q. / want TO know this; what
evidence nave Won that there has heer