The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-03-13

sammy anu WAS unable to attend.
The balance of the commission. DR..
w. j. Murray, chairman; Messrs J.
Steele Brice, of Yorkville; Avery Pat
ton, of Greenville; John McSween of
llmmonsville. have all been search
ingly examined, and the testimony has
shown that the commission. together
with the Attorney General and his as
sociates, took charge of bankrunt
dlspensary and save the State of South
carolina some $500O00 as a result of
the business acumen these gentlemen
possessed. The Ansel commission
was composed of five of the very best
men in South Carolina, men of honor
and integrity and inspired by the
highest motives. They did their work
with an eye single to the best inter
est of the State.
Lyons Efforts Rewarded.
The examination last week proved
again that Attorney General Lyon. in
the race of tremendous odds, made
good his campaign promises to run
down the "grafters and unmoved by
threats and not stopping when faced
by odds which would have daunted n
less brave and patriotic man. he went
along in his course, showing up the
frauds with which the old dispensorv
reeked and doing his part to bring to
Justice those who had taken part in
the defrauding and cheating the State
through overcharges, paying rebates
and the many other lawless courses
now a matter of history and which
have been told on every stump and in
every home in South Carolina. The
examination so far has been a COM
plete and triumphant vindication of all
these gentlemen and impressed upon
the people of the State the work which
! they did.
The committee will resume its in
vestigations next Thursday, at which
time other witnesses will be examined
everyone who in any way was con-
elned, or was supected of having been
'Verned. or who is thought to have
any knowledge of any matters con-
nected with the old dispensary, will be
brought up to testify. The probe will
be thorough and the country will be
ransacked for possible witnesses. The
purpose is to make this Investigation
so complete that no other will be ne
cessary or desired.
Fielder will be Called.
t. b. Fielder, the Atlanta attorney
whose detective work uncovered the
evidence which enabled the commission
to recover the overcharges from the
various liquor houses which had dealt
with the old State dispensary, will be
subpoened to appear and tell what he
KNOWS. In sensational letters to the
press last year he charged the Gov
ernor of the State with having had
dealings with the old dispensary and
he Will be given an opportunity, not
only to tell all this, but to present his
proof and proof is what he will be
asked for.
lhe investigating committee was
created by the Legislature at its ses-
sion In 1911, in response to a mes
sage from Governor Blease making
certain charges against the then wind
ing-up commission and calling on the
legislature to Investigate them. Sub
sequently he vetoed the Act creating
the committee and fired" the Ansel
winding-up commission, appointing
others to take their places. The Act
was passed over the veto at the ses-
sion this year and the committee was
formed and ordered to proceed with
the investigation.
Blease Refuses to Appear.
Governor Blease, when ne fired" the
Ansel commission, charged them with
incompetency, and in the testimony
last week the members of that com
mission denounced the Governors
charges as false and outrageous, anS
condemned him strongly because he
refused to appear and substantlate the
charges he made against them. Mr.. j
steele Brice, a member OF the Ansel
commission, characterized Governor
Blease as the worst Governor since
Franklin ]. Moses; and DR.. w. j. Muir
ray, the chairman of the Ansel com
mission, said that Governor Blease
wasn't fit to brush our shoes,". Like
expressions were used in the bitter de-
nunciation he received at their hands
Governor Blease has refused to have
anything to do with the committee and
said that he didn't want to be bothered
with them.-News and Courier.