The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-03-23

4th day of March, A. D. 1909, pro-
vides That the governor is hereby
authorized and empowered to remove
any member of the said commission
whenever he may deem it for the
public interest so to do and I now
deem it for the public interestso to do
Therefore, by virtue of the power
vested in me by the constitution OF
the State Of South Carolina and the
| laws, 1 do hereby remove VIM. J.
Murray, Avery Patton, Jno. McSween,
]. S. Brice and ]. N. Wood from the
Office or position of member of the
State dispensary commission, or of
the commission for the disposition of
all property connected with the State
dispensary and to wind up it's affairs,
and 1 hereby revoke and declare null
and void the commission
This order was made out Tuesday
and sent each member by registered
mail.
Letter to Attorney General.
Following up this Gov. Blease ad-
dressed a letter to Attorney General
Lyon asking for the names of those
'granted immunity from prosecu-
ton in the dispensary cases. Gov.
Blease also wants to know under
what. provision of the law the COM
mission granted the attorney general
the right of approval or disapproval
in the prosecution of cases.
The following is the letter:
'I notice in the agreement made
between the commission to wind up
the affairs of the State dispensary
and Anderson, Fielder, Rountree &
Wilson, and which is indorsed by
you, that the said parties of the
first part in their negotiations or
prosecution of suits in behalf Of the
parties of the second part or of the
State of South Carolina, are hereby
clothed with full power, subject
alone to the approval of the attorney
general of said State, to offer to any
of the parties involved immunity
from prosecution upon such terms
and conditions as in their judgment
may be deemed to the best interest
of the parties hereto and to the State
of South Carolina
Wants the Names.
"Will you please be kind enough
to inform me of the names of the
persons whom Messrs. Anderson, Fel-
der, Rountree & Wilson, under said
agreement, have offered immunity
from prosecutions for violation of
the laws of this State and which you
have approved or disapproved, and
the terms and conditions contained
in such offers and approval. If such
terms and conditions are in writing,
I should Like to have copies attached
to your answer; if not in writing,
then a statement substantially of
them.
"You will also please advise under
what provision of law the commission
undertook to clothe with full power
subject alone to the approval of the
attorney general of this State.
"You will please advise me what
criminal proceedings have been COM
promised, adjusted or settled and the
terms upon which the same have
been effected, as also what civil &C
tions were settled or compromised
and the terms thereof
II will thank you for the above in
formation at your earliest convent
ence."
History of the Case
In this connection it might be stat
ed that the governor expressed his
views as to why he had refused to
sign the measure providing for an in
vestigation of the commission. He
said that the members of the COM
mission named by the senate were
his enemies and asked If any one
thought that he would appoint such
men to- make an investigation of the
commission and himself
A concurrent resolution was adopt
ed providing for a commission to in
vestigate all acts of the commission,
c. A. Smith, lieutenant governor, ap-
pointed J. H. Clifton, G. W. Sullivan
and Howard B. Carlisle, of Spartan
burg as members from the senate to
conduct the investigation. Speaker
Smith refused to appoint the three
members from the house until Gov.
Blease approved the act. The meas
ure was sent to Gov. Blease for ap-
proval and was held up.
Several days after he sent a letter
to the commission saying that he
would refuse to sign the act until
certain information as to the work
in, ~ :.L