Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-10-30
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.

-Greenville special Of October 29
to Charlotte Observer: r. Y. Hellams
Of this city, and ]. E. Payne, a we'll
known liquor dealer of Salisbury, n.
c., were ruled before Judge w. H.
Rrawley in the United States court
today to show cause why they should
not be attached and punished for con-
tempt of court. The incident which
led to the issuance Of the rule result
ed from a suit Miller & Co., Of New
York, against Hellams and Payne for
money alleged to be due on transac-
tions made when Hellams and Payne
conducted a cotton exchange In this
city Ex-Judge w. c. Benet was at
torney for the plaintiffs and F. B.
Alexander a witness. AS they were
coming from the court room Hellams
and Payne met them and abused them
telling Alexander that he had sworn
a lie and using insulting language to-
wards Judge Benet. Judge Brawley
dismissed the case against Payne and
took that against Hellams under ad-
visement All Of the parties are well
known and the case has attracted
great deal Of attention. A personal
difficulty between o. K. Mauldin, at
torney for Miller & Co., and Hellems
and Payne was narrowly averted this
afternoon after the return Of the rule.
According to Columbia dispatch,
neither the state insurance commits
sioner's action in revoking the compa-
ny's license to do business In this state
nor Judge Cages order requiring the
president to wind up the affairs Of the
company appears to have had any ap-
perciable effect in stopping H. NJ. Alex
ander of Spartanburg, from continuing
to do business with his mutual fire In
surance company, according to COM
plants which are coming In to the
commissioners office. Commissioner
McMaster's next move may be In the
form of an application to the Federal
government for a fraud order against
Mr.. Alexander, forbidding him the use
Of the mails for his company. Attorney
General Lyon has just received a let
ter from Mr.. McMaster asking him II
there Is no way to stop Mr.. Alexander
by the laws of this state, that If the
state law can not reach him he wants
to apply for the fraud order. The lat
est complaint against Mr.. Alexander
and his methods was presented In per-
son by Mr.. H. L. Gunter Of Batesburg,
and If his case Is typical 1t evidences
curious state of affairs existing
throughout the state with regard to
Mr. Alexanders company. Mr.. Gunter
suffered loss by fire on September "a,
missioner and the courts had taken ac-
ton against the company, an adjuster
was sent to Mr.. Gunter, he told the
commissioner, and his claim for $500
was admitted as a valid claim against
the company. On top Of this he was
sent an assessment for some ten dol
lars, claimed to be due for fire occur
ring previously to his. When Mr.. Gun
ter wrote the company asking them to
take this off the claim he held against
the company the request was not only
refused but he was threatened with
having his claim voided for non-pay-
ment. 1t was repre- sented to him that
his own claim would be paid when fu-
ture assessments were made. 1t seems
difficult for the true state Of affairs re-
garding Mr.. Alexanders company to
percolate into the remote country dis
tricts, where most Of the company's
business is done. In his letter to Mr..
Lyon after detailing the circumstances
Of Mr.. Gunter's case, Commissioner
McMaster says: II am simply mention
ing this fact to show you that Mr.. H.
NJ. Alexander is still holding out to
the people of the state the claim that
his company is still in good standing and
doing business, regardless Of the fact
that on July 13, the license Of the COM
pany was revoked by Judge Gage to
wind I'D the affairs Of the company"