The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-10-06
REFUND REBATES
The Bemhein Distilns Company d
Louisville, Ky.,
MAKES RESTITUTION

OnCe I~tcpEcochcSN ~ -"
mum Agrees to Pay to the Wind
ing-Up Commission $4,000, Al.
though the Commission Has no
Claim Of Overcharges.
The Columbia correspondent OF
The News and Courier says follow
ing a conference last week between
the winding-up commission Of the old
State dispensary and the representa-
tiyes of the Bernheim Distilling Com
pany, of Louisville, KY, the company
Monday announced that 1t will re-
fund to tie State overcharges on
liquor amounting to 100000. The
company, which was represented be-
fore the old State board OF control
by James S. Farnum, acquitted Sat
urday Of bribing Jos. B. Wylie, then
a member of the purchasing board. to
give the concerns represented BY
Farnum the preference in purchasing
liquors, admits the overcharges and
says it is willing to make good this
much of the States loss.
: The refund is voluntary on the
part Of the company, as the old State
dispensary board Of control had Of
fected a complete settlement Will
the concern before the winding-ul
commission took charge Of the ANAL
of the dlspensary when the insthu'
ton was legislated out Of ~existance
and the company never has put II
a claim for money due 1t for thu
liquors sold to the dispensary, a!
has been done by many OF the 9th
err houses. which had been awarded
contracts for liquors.
Attorney General Lyons was asket
about the matter. He said that tn
| facts in the case were that the Bern
| helm Distilling Company had Offered
to the dispensary commission $50,
900, and that the money Is on de
| post in the Louisville banks. tn
| fact that this company wished II
| turn over this large sum of none,
| came over the telephone from tn
| Atlanta firm Of Anderson, Fielder
| Rountree & Wilson. 1t Is under
| stood, though not obtained official
| ly, that the Atlanta firm secured tn
| settlement, but 1t also appears tina
| the money comes voluntary. The mat
| ter Is settled now. and the none,
| belongs to the State of South Car
| DINA.
The remarkable part OF the Who'll
| transaction is that the Bernhetr
| firm had no claim against the Stat
| of South Carolina. "
The money that the State owe
| this firm had been previously pal
up and the books were closed. T
offer $4,000 and then to turn tn
money over Is clearly an admission
that there overcharges. :
Although there had been a genera
understanding that some OF the whis
key firms might possibly Cough up
| this transaction is a new n IN 1t
nature. It is known James S. Far
mum represented the Bernheim fri
here during the days OF the Stat
| dispensary. In the recent trial o
| Mr.. Farnum 1t was mentioned /
| the testimony that this was one o
the firms that he represented. Th
payment Of $4,000 to the State !
taken as an admission that the Stat
was overcharged at least this niue
and that rebates were paid. Thi
is the only difference that can b
drawn. Aside from the fact tina
the money has been rendered tn
| State, It was very difficult to Obtain
any official information.
1t was known recently chat thef
was a secret meeting Of the dispen
sary commission and very probabl,
| this matter came up at the time.
There is speculation as to wha
effect that 100000 money" tende
will, have upon the alleged graf
trials. The effect upon the othe
can easily be guessed, though, tina
no immunity Is guaranteed whe'
the commission accepts the $4,000
1t might be added, however. tina
another good guess Is that n o
the Bernheim people would be prose
cuted. The proposition they advance
is fair enough on its face, a return
to the State Of $4,000. when NJ
claim is outstanding, and this II
comparison with a figuring upor
the alleged rebate schedule tina
would look something like $4,000
for alleged overcharges. That look
pretty good for South Carolina.
This case that Is brought toda!
Is but one Of the many matters tina
the State d~ispensary investigation
has brought about. What the mora
effect will be cannot be estimated
but the State Of South C1folina I.
$4,000 to the good. AS brought ou'
before the dispensary winding-ul
commission the Bernheim Compan,
was one " the trio including alec
the Big Four people, and one othel
concern, all of which the commission
was disposed to class as one concern
In the present transaction a confer
ence of attorneys was held, and mau!
other details which probably vii
be brought out later.