The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-06-06
BOARDS STIFF REPLY TO LYON
Hostility Charged Against Attorney
General by DiSpenSary Winding
Up Commission.

John V. Wallace, of Charleston,
was on Thursday elected chairman
pro tempore of the dispensary COM
mission. Mr.. James Stackhouse still
remains the chairman nominally and
officially, but he will not be in Colum-
pia eor some Of the meetings; on sucn
occasions Mr.. Wallace will preside.
1Ir. Stackhouse stated that he has
matters at home that claim his atten-
ton. and he will come here whenever
2e can.
Tuesday the commission meets and
will summon before it the members OF
the old dispensary commission. This
follows the decision by the supreme
court last evening.
Among other things in a letter to
the attorney general Thursday after
noon the commission says:
Lyon Scored.
eve are satisfied that your rela-
tons with one Thomas B. Fielder are
such as to make you partisan With
him and that you could not be relied
upon to prosecute man with whom
you have been so intimately associat-
ed and whose conduct you will not in
7estigate if you are required to do So
The letter of the commission IN re-
ply to Attorney General Lyons letter
objecting to the employment Of coun-
sci is as follows:
Commissions Letter.
Columbia, S. c., June 1, 1911.
The Hon. J. Fraser Lyon, Attorney
General, Columbia, S. C.-Dear Sir:
In reply to your letter of yesterday
we beg to say that we have employed
the services of Mr.. W. A. Holman, Of
Charleston, to aid this commission in
the investigation of the affairs of the
State dispensary and to facilitate our
labors in accordance with the acts OF
the general assembly of this State in
such case made and provided.
Your attitude towards this commits
sion has been so unfriendly and anita
gonistic that it appears to us we can
not rely upon your Judgment or upon
your legaL> services in the further
progress Of our labor, and it is ab-
solutely necessary and essential for
the best interests of the State that
we should have the services of coun-
sci, and his We propose to have for
the benefit of the State.
Charges Hostility.
Your attitude in the Murray matter
was unfriendly and antagonistic and
hostile to the position of this commits
sion, and your position in the Rich
7and distillery case is unsatisfactory
and hostile You are the attorney
general of this State and should be in
possession of all the facts and circum-
stances, surrounding this case, or any
other matter pertaining to the public
welfare or in connection with the
State dispensary; but in your unwar-
ranted> zeal and unfriendliness you
saw fit to say to this commission that
you would prosecute the case if they
would furnish you with proper evi-
dence. This is not the proper busi-
ness Of the commission to furnish you
with facts, but it is your duty to fur
nish the commission with facts in this
behalf and in all other public matters
connected with their business.
Called "PartiSan" of Fielder.
We are satisfied that your relations
with one Thomas B. Fielder are such
as to make you partisan with him
and that you could not be relied upon
to prosecute a man with whom you
nave so intimately associated and
whose conduct you will not Investigate
if you are required to do so. We base
5his opinion and this conclusion upon
your attitude towards this commission
and on information Of your relations
towards Thomas B. Fielder. He was
your employee, or rather you APPROX
ed his employment, and he received
large sums of money from the State
We understand something over $780,
G00-and now when we want to en-
ploy an attorney at a moderate and
modest sum to aid us in the further
Investigation Of the dispensary you
interpose. or attempt to interpose,
your official position and to cut off
this commission from the aid and ad-
Zlce OF counsel.
As to Employing Counsel
We are satisfied that in employing