Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-03-08
THE COMMISSIONS WORK.
Letter of Chairman Murray Gives In
formation Governor Asked.

request for information the dispen-
s sary winding-up commission has for
warded to the Chief Executive copies
/. Of its two reports; letter explain
ing "why the law has not been COM
piled with in regard to winding-up
Y Of this matter, as provided In the act,
at the earliest date practicable" as
was charged by Governor Blease In
his message to the General Assem-
bly,; certain exhibits, including the
contract made with the Atlanta Arm
X Of attorneys, about which Governor
Blease asked, and other information.
AS matter OF fact, much OF that
which Governor Blease asked for has
been printed in the reports Of the
commission. The contract with the
Atlanta firm was referred to, show
Ing that SO per cent was given in
the collections on overjudgments and
the so-called conscience money"
commissioners Letter.
Columbia, S. c., Feb. 27, 1911.
The Hon. Cole l.. Blease, Cover
nor, Columbia, S. c.: Dear Sir-The
State dlspensary commission, in re-
sponse to your letter Of February 20,
1911, met on the Gath instant and
authorized the following information
to be communicated to you by me:
First. hand you herewith copy of
the agreement between the said COM
mission and the firm OF Anderson,
Fielder, Rountree & Wilson, and will
state that this agreement Is the only
one made with that firm, there being
no agreement with the individual
members thereof, and, therefore,
none with Thomas B. Fielder, Of said
firm. A copy OF the agreement is
herewith attached and marked Ex-
hibit a."
Second. AS to the agreement with
Mr.. Stevenson. The only agreement
made with him was entered into for
the year 1907, under which he was
to be paid for attendance upon meet
them in all matters not litigated and
nay his own expenses while in Colum-
bia and to and from Columbia, for
the sum Of $1,500, and when he
went elsewhere under orders OF the
commission his expenses were to be
paid by the commission. At the end
Of the year 1907, the business not be-
ing completed, his services were
merely continued to be settled for on
d satisfactory basis.
Saved State $4,000.
He participated in all the litiga-
tion and conducted one branch Of it
alone; to wit: The contest Of the
United States government as to an
assessment Of $35, 900 claimed by the
United States government for alleged
back revenue taxes, the same being
finally tried in Washington before
the internal revenue commissioner,
who rejected the claim. For all Of
his services he was paid the sums as
shown in the statements, which are
below referred to, showing all the
items Of receipts and disbursements.
Third. AS to the contract with B.
l.. Abney. The commission on Jan
nary "a, 1908. passed the following
resolution: con motion Of Mr.. Pat
ton. Dr.. Murray. chairman, was au-
thorized to employ additional coun-
sci TO assist in the Fleischmann suit
against the State, after consulting
with the Attorney General" In pur-
suance Of that authority and on ac-
count OF the litigation which had Just
been instituted In the Federal court,
Mr.. Abney was employed to assist in
the case, and subsequently in all OF
the cases involving the issues in the
Fletschmann case. These cases were
finally successfully terminated in the
United s. les Supreme Court, after
adverse decisions had been rendered
In the Circuit Court Of Appeals Of the
United States. When the services
were completed, there being no def
mite contract made, Mr.. Abney rem
dered bill on November 10, 1909.
accompanied by a letter, copies Of
which are hereto attached and mark
ed Exhibit "B."
Abney's Fee $4,000.
The commission without having a