The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-07-17
pensary legislation and failed:
Atlanta, Ca, March 20, 1912.
"Mr. T. B. Fielder, Atlanta, Ga.

"Mr. T. B. Fielder, Atlanta, Ga.
Dear Sir:
"On Wednesday, the 18th inst, l
Waited the city Of Albany, and while
there met B. NJ. Wilson and had a
long talk with him in regard to dis
pensary matters in the State OF South
Carolina:
"He stated to me that it came
within his knowledge that Cole l..
Blease, now governor OF the State, had
represented, while State Senator,
Lanahan & Co., liquor dealers Of the
city Of Baltimore and had made large
sales to the board of directors, consti-
tuted H. H. Evans, L. w. Boykin and
John Bell Towill; that in consequence
of certain dissatisfaction arising in
the matter of paying rebates to the
board Of directors it was decided that
instead of continuing to pay rebates
through Blease to the board that the
rebates as agreed to between Blease
and the said board should be paid
through the said B. M. Wilson, and
this was accordingly DONE,
"In further conversation with the
said B. M. Wilson, Wilson stated to
me that when the bill was introduced
in the South Carolina legislature TO
abolish the dispensary and for an IN
yestigation of the system. that the
said Cole L. Blease, now governor. OF
the State of South Carolina, devised a
plan to defeat all pending legislation
affecting the dispensary, both as to its
abolition and investigation. The plan
as outlined by Blease was as follows:
Certain liquor dealers were to
raise the sum of $4,000 and, pay the
same over to Belase, then a member
of the State senate. This money was
to be used by him with the members
of the legislature to defeat all legls-
lation affecting the dispensary. 1t was
further understood and agreed, that
after the defeat of the legislation as
aforesaid was compassed, that syn
dicate composed of the said Blease,
Nick Block of Macon and others
should, in consideration of the con-
tribution that they made, control the
entire liuuor and beer business with
the State dispensary, dividing equally
the profits thereof.
Block Baked
"Wilson further stated that the
plan formulated by Blease to compass
a defeat Of pending legislation mis-
carried for the reason that NICK
Block Of Macon, who was one or the
syndicate, stated that the amount pro-
posed to be raised was out oW all rea-
son, and that the same results could
be accomplished upon the expenditure
of the sum of $4,000.
Yours very truly,
Smith D. Pickett"
"Original mailed Hon. J. Frazer
In addition to the Pickett letter
Fielder submitted the following evil
dence gathered by "Mr. Wilson,
showing the corruption election fund
in Charleston county used to carry
Blease's election.
Col. r.. B. Fielder, Atlanta, Ga.
Dear Sir: Your favor of the 21st
to- hand and contents noted. l am
herewith inclosing list of blind tigers
that contributed to Bleases campaign
fund. This is not the original list, but
a copy. 1 am not sending the original
for the reason that it contains few
names that are not blind tigers, and
I thought best to send the names Of
the blind tigers only. The Retail
Business League is better known In
Charleston as the Blind Tigers asso.
ciation.' These names on the enclosed
list are correct and the amount op.
uosite each is a correct amount that
each one gave towards buying votes
in Charleston for Belase: Retail
Business league, $277; Santo Sottile
5000; Jim Farnum, $500; Clarence
Halsey, $50; E. F. Ostendorff, $25; V
Chieco, $25; J. J. Landers, $25; Geo
Murphy, $25; J. W. Hunt, S25; +. j
Carraway, $25; o. H. Werters, $25;
James Sottile, $50; Gus. Stuster, sou
H. L. Roster, $25; F. w. Mappus, $25.'