Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-10-01
JOHN BLACK ON TRIAL.
Charged With Receiving 6ribss As
State Official.

JOHN BLACK ON TRIAL.
Charged With Receiving 6ribes As
State Official.
Columbia, Sept. 29.-John Black,
former member Of the old state dis
pensary board was placed on trial In
the Richland county court today on
the charge of accepting q bribe In the
sum Of $2,500. The trial Is rather
significant as 1t Ia the first one where
a former member Of the board Is to
be tried.
The only sensational feature Of the
evidence was the introduction OF two
$2,500, Black had made and got the
cash on upon liquor drummer, John 7.
Early by whom he Is accused Of being
bribed. This was collected through
the bank Of Colleton. 1t was made
to the order of Henry w. Black, Jr,
and endorsed by him.
The other paper was $4,000 check
dated at Savannah, and evidently
cashed there, made to the order OF
John Black and endorsed by him and
signed by M. A. Goodman, the liquor
drummer.
]. B. Wylie, who has turned states
He again went over the evidence he
gave In the Farnum case about the
agreement entered into to divide up
the business among certain houses In
accordance with a fixed schedule OF
rebates.
At the opening of the bribery and
rebate case against Major Black, Mr..
Nelson for the defense, made the same
technical objections to the indictment
as were made in the Farnum case,
but these were not argued. Judge
Menmlnger said he overruled them on
the seTe grounds as he had overruled
the others.
Henry w. Black, Jr., brother Of the
defendant was called by the state but
he failed to respond, and a bench war
rant was issued for him. There is a
striking difference In point Of atten-
dance between this case and the Far
mum trial.
]. B. Wylie was the first witness
sworn. The witness exhibited a MEM
orandum Of what was done at the
much discussed meeting, this carried
the figures Of the famous graft sched.
ule." This meeting was on the night
of the 21st of March, Major Black was
present the letter "W" on the list re-
ferred to the houses on the list ne
was to look after and "B" the list
Black was to look after and collect
the commissions on. Witness then
read the schedule of rebates agreed
upon. This was published In detail In
the record during the Farnum trial.
"Was Mr.. Black there, and a party
to this schedule and agreement?"
"Yes, sir, discussed 1t with him"
Mr.. Nelson interposed a number OF
objections, the same as he put In the
m
how the March quarterly purchases
were divided up between the members
of the board Witness said he got re-
bates from Farley through Jno. Black,
the first commissions he got being In
September. He went to Farley first
and then went to Black who said Ear
ley had paid him $4,000 in round fg-
ures. Black turned over to Wylie his
third of this.
Mr.. Lyon said to the Judge: I'VE
propose to show that this defendant
received $4,000 rebates from Goodman
We propose to show a series Of such
crimes, to cite this $4,000 TRANSACTION
as shown in his corrupt mind. That
| It was one Of the series to which the
$3.50 transaction belongs"
I'VE know all about the $4,000 mat
ter" said Mr.. Nelson, land we are
prepared to meet It, In my judgment
we have a complete defense for this.
But It Is not right to bring this sepa-
rate transaction here without notifying
us in the indictment to meet 1t. The
afternoon session was taken up with
the cross examination Of Wylie.
The charge against John Black Ior-
merly member Of the state dispensary
board of directors, Is just the reverse
of that under which Farnum was tried
and acquitted. The state official Is the
one who is now facing the jury, and Is
charged with receiving favors to In
fiuence his vote as member OF tne
board. John T. Farley, who represent
ed the Fleischmann concern In this
state in the days Of the old state dis
pensary, Is named in the indictment
as the man who paid the $4,000 alleged
to have been received by Mr. Black
In the transaction, because OF whicn
he Is to be tried as set out IN the III
dictment.
It will be recalled by those who kept
I'D with the dispensary commission
proceedings, that one Of the nrms
through its officers, admitted In am
davits which were read at the last ses-
sion of the commission that certain
amounts were paid in this state to Sc
cure business. These affidavits, now
ever, did not give the names OF those
to whom the alleged rebates were
given. It was upon this Fleischmann
claim, the largest that was outstana-
ing against the state, that the am
davit was called into play. Some mat,
ters that came up at the recent trial
were also touched upon during the dls-
pensary commissions investigations.
Neither side will gain anything so
far as the Legal side Of the matter Is
concerned from the first trial last
week. The testimony Of all witnesses
was only as to the transactions involV-
ed in the case on trial, and was not
allowed to extend to any other persons:
Although Mr.. Black was a member OF
the board at the same time that Mr..
Wylie was, nothing was said In the
trial Of Mr. Farnum as to Mr.. Black 8
actions. The specific charge named In
the Indictment was cluns to through
out the trial.
Yesterdays Proceedings.
Columbia, September 80: Todays
sessions Of the trial of John Black.
former dispensary director charged
with having accepted a bribe from
John T. Farley, were productive or tes-
timony to the effect that Black, the
defendant, received money from Ear
lev six or seven times, and that the
defendant drew on his brother, H. w;
Black. Jr., of Walterboro, S. C., ana
that the latter paid the drafts on VI
mann & Co., and M. A. Goodman H.
uuor drummer. 1t was also brought
out that John Black had deposited
S16.50O in the national bank or Savan-
nah between April 2l, 1906, ana June
20. Of the same year. With the close
of the afternoon session the State rest