The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-09-30
LIQUOR MEN RETURN CASH
BERNHfaIM DISTILLING COMPANY
RETURNS $4,000 TO STATE.
Admit Overcharges Of this Amount
and Offer to Return Money.
Farnum Represented Them.

The Bernheim Distilling company
has announced it's intention to pay
to the State Of South Carolina $780,
900, the same being restitution for
overcharges.
The firm was represented in South
Carolina by ]. S. Farnum, who Satur-
day was declared by Richland
county to be innocent under the
charge of bribery.
The action of the Bernheim Dis
tilling company is all the more re-
markable because it is an act Of res
titution and is not a settlement Of
an open account. The ledgers OF the
late State dispensary showed that
every cent had been paid these peo-
pie. And yet the firm acknowledges
its Indebtedness to the State of
South Carolina In the sum Of $780,
900 for "overcharges.
This restitution was brought about
through the efforts of the Atlanta
firm of lawyers, Messrs. Anderson,
Fielder, Rountree & Wilson, who
have rendered the attorney general
assistance of great value in ferreting
Out IUc SEdlI oAO COIIuPLiOA uAoCA
the old dispensary regime.
The settlement was effected by the
commission in charge Of the estate
of the late dispensary, Messrs. w. j.:
Murray, Avery Patton, John Nc
Swain, J. Steele Brice and A. N.
Wood. They approved the matter
several days ago, but Attorney Cen
eral Lyon would not agree to the
settlement until it was understood
that it would not include transac-
tions with certain dummy" houses
in which the Bernheim Distilling
company was reputed to be interest
ed.
The Bernheim Distilling company
along with Jim Farnum, N. M.
Block and the Lanahans, were al
legged to have owned and operated
the Richland Distilling company Of
this city. Certain firms which were
favored with heavy orders found it
conve4ient to be financially inter-
ested in other concerns 80 that they
would not appear to be getting az
much business as they really were.
Attorney General Lyon declined
ldSI ul6uI " mdhO oAy otoSSASAS
about the matter other than to say
that the Bernheim Distilling COM
pany had decided to make restitution
to the State of South Carolina
through the commission to wind up
the affairs Of the State dispensary,
and that this had been accomplished
through the agency of the Atlanta
firm of lawyers.
He declined to state whether any
other firms or corporations are like
ly to follow the example of the Bern
helm Distilling company, but men,
Der of the commission stated few
days ago that the State might re-
cover 100000 in this manner.
From a sordid, financial stand
point, it appears that the expensive
investigation and litigation incident
to prosecuting the so-called graft
ers" has been more than paid by the
money saved from whiskey house &C
counts, and now comes this restitu-
ton of 100000 from concern
which had no open account with the
State dispensary, had got it's money
when the impending crash was seen
and the death knell Of the old State
dispensary was sounded in the elec-
ton of 1906.
Some of the brands sold by the
Bernheim Distilling company were
"Shaw's Malt" and II. w. Harper"
And J. s. Farnum was the agent
in this State.-Columbia State,
T,,oodoy Confonhor %