Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1909-09-30
FARNUM BRIBED
Drawing the. Net Tighter and Tighter
t About the Defendant.
EVIDENCE VERY STRONG

PHSary SoScS hau AS6A
Field Day-The Links in the
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. 8.
Farnums' guilt or his right to liber-
ty, Joe b. Wylie swore unreservedly
that he had accepted bribes from
Farnum.
While Farnum Is being tried for
particular offense, that OF Giving
bribe for s1.125 to Joe b. Wylie.
yet the testimony took wide latitude
!. and 4 wyliq testined thai this trans
zxn % But M Incident Of reg
6{&te b1sIness 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 ho.d 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 very poor light so far as his
past conduct was concerned. yet
his credib.lity was not impeached.
The prosecution has pieced togeth-
er what is considered a very strong
take to tear II 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-
peachable.
Wylie swore than Farnum gave
him a draft for $1,125 payable to
Henry Samuels and Samuels later
testified that the draft was turned
over to him and that he cashed II 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 was put In evidence.
as were books, minute books. rec
ords of purchases and of awards and
invoice books. The minutes of
March. 1906. showed that the board
Of which Wylie was a member had
set ou& tn sorder ont" whislxey only
VIXEN two members OF hoard signed
a warrant apthoriztag fhe commis-
sioner 90 do 80. But ~ Septem ber
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
1t was not making awards on bids
chat counted. but In ordering out
the stun already nominally pur-
chased. =, There tdre 1t was worth
while for a whiskey house to have
as a friend In court a member OF
tt
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.
SamueIs Takes the Stand
Mr. Henry Samuels was then call
ed. He is now mayor of Chester
Answering Mr.. Abney he was As
years or age and engaged In the mer
camille business. He usually signed
his name "H. Samuels."
He had known JOS. b. Whey TO
Is or 20 years, In March. Jun,
and September. 1906, he was In Co
lumbia representing whiskey houses
Mr.. SanuelsS named a number o
these firms. He was sgent under w
d. Roy for some of these concerns
On one occasion he went up on TIL
Chester train with Wylie and h
was given draft for $1,125 by thi
dispensary director. The bank CAV
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 Fsrnur
and drawn on either a bank or
frm. he could not remember which
1t was given TO him before Wyli
went to his home In Richburg. Al
terwards he called up Wylie owe
the phone and told him the drai
had been cashed. Keep II unit
Monday" said wylie. This was n,
the first time drafts had been gil
en- him In his name to be cashe
for Wylie