The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-04-06

ItCtHu 10 testify.
Columbia, Apri! lis Tom Fielder
coming
This IS the question that is being
asked i'm connection with the inyesti-
cation Of the charges made by Gov
ernor Biease against the members of
the Ansel dispensaIy winding-up COM
mission, which investigation being
conducted by committee of six
members Of the General Assembly.
will be resumed tomorrow morning
at 10 o'clock in the State library.
Fielder will be asked to appear be-
fore the committee and tell what he
knows in connection with the affairs
OF the late state dispensary and the
charges Of graft and the like that
have developed from it's affairs. If
Col. FIELDER does appear before the
committee, and he will certainly be
given chance to tell what he knows
ii he desires so to do, he will likelev
give testimony that will be of the
greatest possible interest and will
ear in a strong manner on the graft
charges that have been circulated
against various State officials and in
diNiduals connected with the manage
ment of the State dispensary. Fielder
has said that he has volumes of dam
aging evidence, that if known by a
grand jury in South Carolina would
lead to indictment, and his appearance
at the present investigation would at
tract the keenest interest from all
quarters.
Among the witnesses who it is ex-
pected will appear before the in
vestigators this week are the mem
bers Of the late Blease winding-up
these men have been summoned and
that they will be asked to tell what
they know Of the affairs connected
with the dispensary and it's manage
ment. The board is now d thing of
the past. having been abolished by an
Act Of the General Assembly at it's
recent session, which act went into
effect on the 9th Of March, the af-
fairs of the dispensary in the future
to be handled by the Attorney Gen
eral. The members of the late COM
mission would appear only as private
citizens, but it is believed their testi-
mony would be of great import, either
in throwing light on the Governors
charges or in refuting them. The
members Of this commission were
Messrs. Wade Stackhouse, chairman;
j. V. Wallace. T. +. Brantley, F. H.
Dominick and e. M. Thompson.
The investigating committee did not
hold session last week, in order to
await the filing Of the report of the
Blease commission, the Act abolishing
that commission requiring that the
report be filed within thirty days after
the law took effect. The report has
not yet been made officially to the
Governor, though a copy of it is in his
office. 1t will be filed officially in
short time.
Besides the Blease board there is
one witness who, it is understood, has
been announced and who will doubt
less appear. This is Mr.. Fl. d. Randi
kin, Of Clinton. formerly Of Ridge
way, and former editor of the Fair
field News, published in Ridgeway.
In this paper the statement appeared
that James s. Farnum had paid
$4,000 in addition to his fine of
$1,000 for the final settlement of the
case against him. The former editor
will be asked to give the source of
information which led him 10 make
this statement.
At the last hearing of the investi-
eating committee Mr.. G.. p. Edmunds,
at one time editor Of the Fairfield
News, was a witness and he was ask
ed to tell the source Of the informa-
tion contained in the published state
ment as to Farnum's paying the $45,-
600 in settlement OF his case.
Mir. Edmunds testified that he had
News, but that it was not during his
connection with the paper that the
statement was published. He said
he thought ii was during the editor
snip Of Mr.. Randtkin. and the com
mittec took the name and address of
Mr.. Randtllin and he was later sub