The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-04-15

OfeCLu1tS 4u1 StLI40A0AV3 "1A~
would be a. substantial gain for the
State.
Col. T. B. Felder, Of the firm Of
Anderson, Fielder, Wilson and Round
tree, of Atlanta, who has represented
the State in the litigation incident
to the winding up Of the affairs OF
the old State dispensary, is in Co.
lumbia for the purpose Of meeting
the commission at its session to be
held Wednesday. When asked con-
eerning he negotiations for settle
ments by the Riehland Distilling
company be would neither deny or
affirm the above statement. He did
admit that the State would get a
large sum Of money from the Rich
land Distilling company.
The commission, at its meeting to
be held Wednesday, will go deeper
into the affairs Of the old State dis
pensary, and the overcharges before
the commissions took the affairs of the
institution in hand, will be consid-
cred.
It is likely that suits will be in
stituted against several of the firms
unless the amount found due in the
books is paid. The amount claimed
by the State is over $5OO,0OO. The
company has been notified Of the IN
tended action of tht commission, reg
istered letters having been addressed
to the heads of the different houses.
The houses have been ordered to pro-
duce their books. Representatives Of
several of the firms have arrived in
the city and have fled a denial of
the overcharges with the commission.
None Of these firms have claims
against the State as the business with
them had been settled before the
commission took charge, so it Will
be seen that the investigation will be
different from those in the past. One
of the main questions to be decided
Will be how to collect the claim
against firm which is located outside
the State. Attorney General Lyon
would not discuss the phase Of the
question. .......-
Col. Felder's Statement.
1.-THE Richland Distiling COM
pany,' said Col. Fielder, "was Or
ganized with the ostensible object Of
distilling corn whiskies, the real OBJ
ject was to deal with the South
Carolina dispensary, and this is evi-
denced by the fact that the books
will show that the firm did approx
mately 100000 worth of business
with the dispensary during its ex-
istence. The Richland Distilling COM
pany sold all kinds Of whiskies.
"There is no way Of knowing the
real stockholders Of the concern. But
we do know that during the life Of
the concern the stock was furnished
by the Bernheim company Of Louis
ville;> Block company, of Macon;
Lanahan company, of Baltimore, and
James Farnum, of charleston. The
commission in going through the
books of the Richland Distilling COM
pany found that the State Of South
Carolina had been overcharged for
goods sold to the extent Of over $780,,
900. The claims of the company had
already been paid. The commission,
to recover this sum, has several
courses. The lands and buildings Of
the company in Riehland county have
been held up. When this property
has been sold if there ID not enoug
money to remunerate the State, thea
there are several other courses. Suit
may be brought against the owners
Of the company for defrauding the
State Of South Carolina in their re-
speftive States where they reside.
The case could be carried to the
United States supreme court under
the clause which gives a State the
right to sue another State or the
right for a State to sue an Individual.
"Beyond all question or doubt,' he
continued, "the State Of South Caro-
lima will recover a large sum from
the Richland Distilling company. I
will say that the sum which will be
recovered either by litigation or nego-
tiation will be considerable part of
the $4,000. As I have said before,
I can make no definite announcement
as to the payment Of the claim
against the Richland Distilling COM
pany, by the State, but [ will say
that negotiations are pending and
there will be some unusual announce
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