The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-07-17

The card of H.H. Evans was sent up
knew his reputation as a g'in-play
artist. He came into the rCrm as
mild as a zephyr.
"'You don't want to sent me TO the
penitentiary,' said Evans to ME, and
the tears were trickling down his
cheeks. 1 did not ask him how many
ch:I'l,:n he had"
Fielder said that Evans wanted to
make a clean breast of connection
with the dispensary affairs, but that
he did not want to testify before a
court.
First Document
ben Stothart, chief constable, ap-
pointed by Blease, stated at the time
of his appointment to the position, 1t
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 $3,5OO 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 dismissal, but that he
felt perfectly secure in his job, for
the governor was man OF lndepend-
ence and had the power to do as he
pleased with it.
Also that the governor had is
sued pardon to Rudolph Rabons,
a blind tiger man Of the city OF Char
Ileston U believe this Is the name),
receiving therefor The sum Of S2.OOU
in cash. The said Stothart stated that
he had conducted the negotiations
which resulted, in the pardon OF this
man.
This conversation occurred in the
Argyle hotel in the city OF Charleston
after the said Stothart and party
had had several drinks together IN
the blind tigers of the city OF Char
lesion"
"Mr. w. Carlton Wright was inter-
viewed at length in the city OF Co.
lumbia, and discussed conditions OBJ
tanning there during his incumbency
as private secretary of the general
counsel of the Southern railroad. He
discussed at length the dishonesty OF
Senator Cole l.. Blease. The most
pertinent statement made by him,
which is quoted literally, Is as fol-
lows:
"Why, of course, know he is a
crook. When I was working for AD-
ney, handed him a check in the
ante-rorom of the senate chamber on
one occasion for $500 as compensation
for his services in defeating a pending
bill affecting the interests of the rail-
road"
Third Document
Henry Hasselmeyer, whose place
of business Is near the market in
the city of Charleston, upon being
asked how the blind tigers in the city
of Charleston were getting on, he re-
piled: 1--WE elected Cole L. Blease gov
ernor and we now have full protec-
tion."
asked as to the method by which
protection was obtained, he stated
that shortly after the governors in
auguration the chief of the constabu-
larry force was called to Columbia for
conference with the governor. In
this conference with the governor It
was agreed as to the amount that
each blind tiger in the city of Char
lesion should pay monthly for pro-
lection"
"In said conversation the said Has
selmeyer stated that he personally
visited the governor at Columbia and
entered his protest against this ar
rangement, stating to the governor
that this graft should not be collect
: ed; but the governor waved him aside
with the statement that he was run
ming that end of the matter"
"In this connection I deisre tc
state that when Cole L. Blease was
, senator from Newberry and a bill
was introduced to appropriate $4,000
to be used by the attorney general o1
the State in conducting the prosecu
tions against the grafters, that the
liquors dealers employed the saio
Blease, then a senator, to oppose the
passage OF said measure1 and as
! matter of fact the said Blease die
Z oppose by speech, vote and influence
the passage of said resolution, ano
that he received for his services the
sum of $3.50 in cash, which was palc
d to him at Wright's hotel in the city
of Columbia, State of South Carolina
y "W. B. Roy Of the city Of Louisville
. Morton A. Goodman of the city o1
Cincinnati and aJmes S. Farnum OF
the city of Charleston are said to
:. have knowledge Of this transaction.
A New Avenue
e After calling the election for the
|. new county of Hayward, and after
y the bill passed, Fred Dominick, the
Y law partner of the governor, was en-
ployed and paid a substantial fee tc
- influence executive action thereon. II
called upon before this committee
! Fred Dominick, if he will corroborate
o his verbal statements in connection
= with this transaction, he will state
Q that he was employed because of his
/ influence with the governor; that the
compensation received for his service
o was substantial; that he obtained the
y desired results at the hands of the
o executive, and that he divided his fees
with the governor of the State o.
( South Carolina"
VI Fielder offered in evidence the fol-
.l-I A.nA- IL.