The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-03-18

much OF hurry to get matters closed
np. that the commission could make
more by holding the goods over for a
year. and the first thing he knew the
goods We're sold. He admitted, howey-
er. that DR.. Murray had written him
about the sale.
Pressed again Cor specifications ir
his criticism of Or. Murray and Mr..
Stevenson, Mr. Arthur. referring to
Mr.. Stevenson, said: HE could have
spoken to me In Columbia ard 1 want
to state thet I have been outrageous
ly treated by the majority of this COM
mission in having this thing passed
through their hands without asking
me something about it. My integrity
mas been questioned and 1 have beer as
sailed and charged with taking $s5
from the state Of South carolina.r
Mr.. Arthur was then asked II he
had discussed the affairs Of the COM
mission in the presence OF outsiders.
for ipstancs Mr.. Matthews and Col.
Willie Jones. and he denied that he
had ever discussed matters with these
gentlemen except In general way.
Q. was 1t not your custom to car
~ your minute book to the Palmetto
Banls?
A.. It has never BEEN out OF DR..
Ssurray's Office at the dispepsary to
my knowledge. Well. that is tho
limit.
9. Did any person ever read your
notes taken at the meeting? IF
A. No. s
@. You have, lever written them
up at the Palmetto Bank? NJ
A. Never.
= @. The typewriter there never pre-
pared the minutes. Of the board?
A. Never. Ny minutes? why,
never, most emphatically no.
Q. We're Col. Willie Jones, lsr.
Matthews or any other person at mat
bank acquainted with the, general
course OF things which ,tran.pired in
tho commission?
4 A. I deny this most emphatically.
! have never shown my minute hook
to q living man.
Mr.. Arthur went on to say that Col.
Jones had d1ked hih only such rcn-
era qussttons as any one might ask
Ia REGARD % the condition of affair,
Anc that ho had shown HIM. Arthur,
q letter from the Loan and Exchange
Bark written to one OF the whislsey
houses in the West about this fund
being paid on the 18th OF October.
Mr.. Arthur dcpied that he had let out
Information about the employment OF
Fielder to investigate claims, and de-
MED that he told McGhee. Of Green.
wood. that he would refuse to coun-
teraign the check II the commission
undertook to pay out the claims be-
fore certain date. In answer to
question Mr.. Arthur said he had voted
for the resolution instructing J>r. Mur-
ray to deposit certain money in the
National Loan apd Exchange Bank
until further arrangements were
made.
In concluding his testimony Mr..
Arthur repeated that he did not think
he had been treated right, and said
that ths Richmond trip was the only
thing which he had Incorrectly charged
to the commission. and that he would
refund that amount.
The other commissioners were sew
orally sworn and examined a. to their
vouchers and, some Of them Inserted
dates that had been omitted. 1t ~as
also brought out that Mr.. Lyon had
submitted a statement for travelling
expenses from Columbia to Augusta,
$3.50. on business for the commission
and failed to specify in his vouchers
what 1t was for; this being corrected.
Each member or the commission
was also asked II be had any criticism
or charge to make against Or. Mur-
ray as chairman. and all said they
had not. but Mr.. Patton stated that
he had found cause to criticize DR..
Murray merely because DR.. Murray
seemed to have an idea Of closing UP
the dispensary afAirs purely as bus
iness matter and was disposed ii lose
sight OF the necessity for investigating
tho past management OF the dispen-
eary as TO criminal acts.
At the conclusion OF the testimony
Mr.. Patton moved that in future the
chairman be instructed to call in any
member Of the bt ard to countersisn
chccks. and that no charge for coun-
tQrSf1nfnU IN ooo-,>I