The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-09-29
FARNUM BRIBED
Drawing hesNet Tighter and Tighter
About the Defendant.
EVIDENCE VERY STRONG

pensary Cases Had a Regular
Field Day-The Links in tile
Chain of Evidence Carefully Fit
ted Together by the State.
The prosecution of the grafters In
the State Dispensary matter Is be-
coming very interesting. Before a
jury which is to pass upon J. 5
Farnums' guilt or his right to liber'
ty, Joe B. Wylie swore u~nreservedly
that he had accepted brides from
Farnum.
While Farnum Is being tried for
q particular offense, that OF giving
a bride for SLIPS to Joe B. Wylie,
vet the testimony took wide latitude
and Wylie testified that this trans
action was but an incident of a reg
ular business connection with Far
mum. He alleged that Farnum had
assisted in Wylie's campaign for
election; that after being elected
Wylie was approached to use his In
fuence in behalf of whiskey and beer
concerns represented by Farnum;
that in pursuance Of agreement Wylie
exerted that influence and therefore
received the remuneration agreed up
on. That Farnum had paid him in
money at time, and at other times
had given him drafts made payable
to a third party, Henry Samuels,
for there was an investigation COM
mittee trying to get hold Of infor-
nation and Wylie didn't wish his
name to appear in writing.
The defense attacked Wylie with
out vigor, but the general opinion
of those who heard the proceedings
was that while Wylie was presented
in a very poor light so far as his
past conduct was concerned. yet
his c~redibility was not %impeached.
The prosecution has pieced togeth-
or what is considered a very strong
case, and the defense will under
take to tear it down. Beginning
with an unnamed draft presented for
collection traced that instrument
through the banks Of Chester, Co.
lumbia and Charleston to the very
cash drawer of Farnum's place Of
business in Charleston. The defend
ant could not be forced to produce
1t, but the secondary evidence Of
its having existed is almost unim-
p~eachable.
Wylie swore than Farnum gave
him a draft for SLIPS payable to
Henry Samuels and Samuels later
testified that the draft was turned
over to him and that he cashed it and
gave the money to Wylie.
The motive for such transactions
was also presented with skill. The
purchasing clause" of the old dis
pensary law vas put in evidence,
as were books, minute books. rec
ords of purchases and of awards and
invoice books. The minutes OF
March, 1905, showed that the board
Of which Wylie was a member had
set out to "order out" whiskey only
when two members of board signed
a warrant authorizing the commits
sioner to do so. But In September
of the same year a new rule was
passed and the clerk of the board
was authorized to order bulk goods
when the supply on han dshould run
low. The point was stressed that
It was not making awards on bids
that counted, but in bordering out
the stuff already Dominally pur-
chased. =, Therefore it was worth
while for a whlskey house to have
as a friend in court a member OF
the board. Wylie swore that it was
in part settlement for just such serv-
ices that he was given the SLIPS
on September IA, 1906.
When court reassembled Thursday
morning Wylie was on the stand
He identified several books Of record
and then got down to the sensational
testimony published elsewhere.
Samuels Takes the Stand.
Mr.. Henry Samuels was then call
ed. He is now mayor Of Chester,
Answering Mr.. Abney he was as
a or age and engaged in the mer-
camille business. He usually signed
his name H. Samuels."
He had known Jos. B. Wiley fol
IS or 20 years. In March. June
and September, 1906, he was in c.
lumbia representing whiskey houses
Mr.. Samuels named a number o.
these firms. He was agent under "
D. Roy for some of these concerns
On one occasion he went up on thu
Chester train with Wylie and ht
was given a draft for SLIPS by thi'
dispensary director. The bank gave
him about $1,000 of this in bill
of 500 denomination. A few day
later he turned over this money t.
Wylie.
The draft was signed by Farnun
and drawn on either a bank or
firm. he could not remember which
1t was given to him before Wyll
went to his home in Richburg. Al
forwards he called up Wylie owe
the phone and told him the draf
had been cashed. Keep 1t unit
Monday said Wylie. This was no
the first time drafts had been Civ
on him in his name to be cashe