The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-07-17

fresh applause.
early In his testimony Fielder dis
posed of the famous "T. b." letter by
submitting an affidavit that the chief
clerk in his law office, r.. H. Krauss,
was confessed forger; that he went
to Newberry and forged the "T. b.
letter, which was kell known to Blease
when the governor gave the letter to-
the press. substantiating this 5testi-
'mony, Fielder sakmitted the following
affidavit, as testimony:
Georgia, Fulton county:
Personally appeared before the
nndersigneds an otiicer authorized by,
law to- administer oaths,. Daniel w.
Ronntree, who first being duly and
legally sworn, deposeth and saith:
That during the years 1904 and
1905 F. HI, Krauss< was employed by
his law Arms Fielder & Rountree, and,
afterwards Fielder. Rountree & VIII
son. as chief clerk and stenographer.
In this capacity, he kept the books Of
the firm. wrote checks, receipts, de-
posted, moneys. and in short. dis
charged all duties deYolying upon him
IN the capacity OF chief. clerk, stenog-
rapher. bookkeeper and cashier for
said firm. During the year 1905 de-
ponent and his associates discovered
that the said T. H. Krauss was short
In his accounts. with said firm and
with deponent. Upon Investigation OF
the matter. 1t was discovered that
said shortage aggregated several thou
sand dollars. Upon being confronted
herewith, the said f, H. Krauss
made to deponent and his associates
full and complete confession, de-
scribing infinitely and particularly the
method employed by him in conceal
Ing, his populations. 1t developed that
the said +. H. Krauss had forged
checks, drafts, receipts and other doc
uments. signing thoreto deponent's
name and the name of deponent's
firm. The forgery was so well exc
cuted that 1t was hardly possible, even
with the use of magnifyihg glass,
to distinguish the genuine handwrit-
ing OF deponent and hi associates
from the spurious.
"Deponent further says that this
practice of the said Krauss extended
through the period OF about two years,
from his knowledge Of the extent to
which the said f. H. Krauss prac-
ticed this art OF forgery deponent
says that in his judgment, he Is a
master OF the art Of initiating hand
writing.
"Deponent further says that in re-
ferring to Mr.. Fielder or in speaking
of him to depopent, he would usually,
If not always, erfer to him as "T. b."
Daniel w. Rountree."
Sworn to and subscribed before
me, this 11th day of July 1912, Chas.
s. Bowen, Fulton county, Ca"
The bulk OF the documentary evil
dence submitted by Mr.. Fielder up
to the time OF evening adjournment
was that gathered in personal CONVEX
sation and by use of the dictagraph
by "Mr. Wilson of Charleston" who
in reality is Detective Bailey Of the
Burns force. Those documents which
got in through being read by Mr..
Fielder before turning over to the
committee, as sworn evidence, are as
follows:
First Document.
Ben Stothart, chief constable, ap-
pointed by Blease stated at the time
Of his appointment to the position, it
was understood between him and the
governor that protection should be
given to the blind tigers operating in
the city of Charleston. provided they
would pay stipulated sum per month
to him. that this sum amounted in the
aggregate to between $3,5O0 and
$4,000 per month"; that as soon as
the collections were made he deduct
ed his commissions for making the
same and would personally take the
balance to Columbia. S. c., and pay
it over to the governor.
He stated further that protests
had been made to the governor
against these collections by interested
parties; but that the governor would
pay no attention to them; that de-
mand had been made upon the gov
ernor for his disposal, but that he
felt perfectly secure in his job, for
the governor was man of independ-
ence and had the power to do as he
pleased with 1t.