The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-19
Money Collec ted and
Turned Over to Chief
Constable.
STORY OF GRAFT
IN CHARLESTON
Confessed Operator, Following
Threat OF Imprisonment, Testi-
fes Before Legislative Inves-
tigating Commitree-Nich-
oils Denies Evidence of
Detective Against Him.

/ Columbia. S. G. july ls-The SEN
sa,lon OF the hearing to-day before
the special Investigating committee
OF the South Carolina Legislature was
tho testimony Of r j. 3 o'Ne.l, q
confessed bl!nd-tlger operator, who
testified tnat he had collected pro
lection money ~ Charleston. : c..
and paid 1t to Chiet Constable 2 IL.
Stothast. C'Nells testimony was made
before the special session OF tho COM
mitteo Investigating the alleged dis
Densary sr4ft and charges OF corrup-
tlou against state omcials
The hearing here to-day was Pr
marily called TO take the testimony
or samuel J Nichols. the Spartanbure
attornev Nichols made sweeping
denial that he mad any Intention OF
onering srlbo TO Cole / Blease. Gov
ernor Of south Caroline. for par
don for notorious yesgman
The Spartanblrg attorney testified
that he was IN an Intoxicated cond.-
ton whon N. Interview. recorded by
telephone device between Detective
$ Reed and himself took place.
he also charged that the records Of
thu conversations made at Spsrtanburg
ana Washington had been distorted
h3 the stenographer
Reed introduced the records Of the
conversations At the Augusta hear
ing Of the committee last week The
records contained startling charges OF
Official corruption in South Carolina.
Graft In Charleston.
After taking the testfmony Of Mr..
Nichols. tine committee began an in
ves'igation Of the alleged bNnd-,iger
graft in Charleston. charges concern
Ing which were made at the Augusta
hearing Oxen proved to be an un-
willing witness. and after evadine
Questions Of the committeeman for
more than AN hour he was induced
20 testify hy a threat OF impr,son-
nent The witness testined that for
about seventeen months he had been
collecting protection money amount
ing "a abou, $50 per month from blind
tigers in Charleston and turning the
money over to Chief Constable sto,-
hart.
Eighteen months ago. he testified,
Siothar; was appointed chief constable
by Governor Blcase. and few DAYS
later came to O'Neirs place OF busi-
ness "Stothart told me that the BOYS
would be coming around to sac me-"
testified O'Neil
The witness then testified that he
collected the protection" money from
the retail whiskey dealers and about
a month later placed y undcr SLOT
hart's door In an envelope The en-
ve!ope ne testified. contained the
names Of the dealers who had con
tributed o'Neil testified that the
protection desired" was given.
One other witness was called BY tina
committee before adjournment was
taken for several DAYS
Under Influence of WLiskey.
In his testimony before the commit
tee. Attorney Nichols admitted that
ne was in an intoxicated condition
and knew little or the alleged inter-
Wow between himself and + 5 Reed
tho detective. alias s. \ Porter the
Chicago attorney He stated that some
Of the statements by him as Recorded
by the telephone device were ridicu-
lous and denied any intention OF Of
ferins hribe 20 Governor Blease for
tho pardon of Gus Deford He denied
also that he had done q big pardon
business with the Governor.
Mr. Nichols also denied that lie was
delegate to Baltimore. as has been
alleged. but stated that he may have
made me statements while under the
/ influence or whlskey He denied that
he had wired Reed to come to Spar
tanbure to close the pardon deal. and
that any telegram to that effect was
faxed