The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-01-21
ROY LETTER SUBJECI
OF STRICT ENQUIRE
SENSATION SPRUNG BY DIS
PENSARY COMMISSION.
Letter From Liquor Man Proposing
Method Of Collecting Claims
Against State Dispensary.
Columbia Record, 16tn.

Columbia Record, 16tn.
Another sensation has broken loos'
in connection with the dispensary
Mr.. W. D. Roy, president Of the Bel
roy Distilling company, of Louisville
which is creditor Of the dispen
sary in the sum Of $4,000 or more
addressed to other creditors, about
the middle Of December, letter II
which lie offered to take charge Oh
the collection Of claims Of this char,
acter, saying, in explanation, that ul-
innate settlement would be hastened
by concentration Of the claim. He
enclosed with his letter blank
agreement. to be signed by the ad-
dressee, making Roy and the Nation
al loan and Exchange Bank. Of tnis
city, attorneys for the claimant. for
the purposes Of collection, and al
lowing Roy and the bank named a
commission Of six per cent, On all
moneys collected by them from the
dispensary. In his letter Mr.. Roy
mentioned Mr.. ". D. Melton, of the
Columbia bar, as being associated
with him, and also intimated that ne
had behind him the prestige and in
fluence Of other prominent Colum-
bians-newspaper men and bank Of
feials.
!: Copies Of this letter came into the
possession Of Mr.. ". T. Stevenson,
attorney for the state dispensary
commission, and ne promptly COM
municatei with the commission,
which thereupo1 decided to investi-
gate. Having by legislative author
ity the powers of a court, the COM
mission summoned all hands before
it and Yesterday afternoon at 4
o'clock commenced an inquisition
which is still in progress.
By Mr.. Roy's own admission and
tae testimony of others, it was shown
at the outset that the proposition Of
Mr.. Roy to the creditors was made
without the knowledge or consent Of
the National Loan and Exchange
Bank. Mr.. Roy explained that there
was nothing wrong in this, as he
named the bank only in order thai
he might use it for a depository in
which to place the funds as he
might be able to collect them from
the dispensary.
Mr.. Roy also exonerated Mr.. Mel
ton, saying there had never been any
thing improper in his association with
the disabling interests, and that in
fact a radical difference on a tech
nical matter with one Of the dispen-
sarv creditors had caused Mr. Mel
ton to withdraw from the case entire
ly some time ago.
It developed that the newspaper
man whose name was involved was
Col. August Kohn, Of the News and
Courier, who is also a director of the
Loan and Exchange Bank. It was
shown that Mr.. Kohn's connection
with the matter consisted only in rec
ommending his friend, Mr.. Melton,
to Mr.. Roy as an able attorney, and
in asking Mr.. Roy to make the Ma
tional Loan and Exchange Bank hi;
depository.
Mr.. .Roy's letter contained an init
nation that there was an alternativ;
method of collection. To the com
mission he explained that this refe-
red to a scheme devised by Mr.. T
Moultrie Mordecai, of the Charles
ton bar, who had soma plan for get
ting the money through Mr.. Steven
son, the commissions attorney.
Mr.. Stevenson brands as a lie ou
of the whole cloth any intimatior
from anybody taat he is associated
with Mr.. Mordecai in any matter
and 50 far Mr.. Roy has not brough
forward any evidence to prove sucl
associations on Mr.. Stevenson's part
The dispensary commissions &C
tivity in the matter is due to an in
ference. that it is said can be draw
from Mr.. Roy's letter. to the effec
that the commission has been undul,
regardful cf the welfare Of certain
banks. at the expense Of the dispen
sarv's creditors, and that it could b.
induced by improper influence to pa,
claims against the institution on tn
part Of liquor houses. It happen
that DR.. ". J. Murray, the Chairman
Of the commission, is a director o