The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-08

The dispensary winding up COM
mission has. through the chairman.
Dr. w. j. Murray, transmitted to Gov
ernor Blease It's reply to his request
for Information concerning all the
actions OF the commission, the gov
ernor being referred 20 the printed re-
ports on file in the office of the gov
ernor. The commission states that
II there Is anything further the gov
ernor desires to know the chairman
Will take pleasure In going over the
whole matter with him. The reply
is as follows:
Hon. Cole l.. Blease. Governor,
Columbia, s. c.
Dear Sir:
The State dispensary commission in
response 10 your letter of February
20. 1911. met Ola the Gath instant and
authorized the following information
to be communicated to you by me:
First. I hand you herewith copy OF
the agreement between the said COM
mission and the firm of Messrs. An
derson. 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 Mr.. Thomas III.
Fielder OF said firm. A copy Of the
agreement Is hereto attached and
marked exhibit "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 the
meetings OF the commission and ad-
vising them In all matters not uti-
gated and pay his own expenses while
In Columbia and to and from Colum-
bia for the sum OF $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 1901 the business not be-
Ing completed. his services were
merely continued to he settled for on
a satisfactory basis. He participated
In all the litigation and conducted
one branch OF II alone, to wit. the
contest OF the United States govern
ment as TO an assessment of $35, 900
claimed by the United States govern
ment for alleged back revenue taxes.
the same being finally tried In Wash
ington before the internal revenue
commissioner. who rejected the claim.
For all of his services he was paid
the sums shown I'm the statements
which are below referred to. showing
all the items of receipts and dis
bursements.
Third. As to the contract with Mr..
B. L. Abney: The commission on jan
uary 24th. 1906. passed the following
resolution: ION motion OF Mr.. Pat
ton. DIR. Murray, chairman. was au-
thorized to employ additional counsel
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 raised
In the Fleischmann case. These cases
were finally successfully terminated In
the United States supreme ourt, af-
ter adverse decisions had been rem
dered I'm the circuit court and In the
circuit court OF appeals OF the United
States. When the services were COM
pleted. there being no definite contract
made. Mr.. ALney rendered a bill on
November 10th. 1909. accom- lpanied by
letter. copies OF which are hereto
attached and marked exhibit "B." The
commission without having a hearing
from Mr.. Abney fixed his fee tenta-
lively at $4,000 instead OF $4,000 as
rendered. subsequently on Decem-
Der 3 Mr.. Abney wrote letter to the
commission. a copy OF which Is hereto
attached and marked exhibit &C"
which letter states his position fully.
on further consideration the commits
sion acceded To his request. recon-
sidered the matter and allowed his
bill for $4,000. which was paid In fun.
In settling with the firms and corpor-
ations who had claims against the
state who had prosecuted and partlc-
ipated in that litigation. the commits
sion with the consent OF the attor-
neys representing said liquor houses
assessed the sum of 1851. costs.