The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-03-13


Columbia, March THE statement
by Mr.. Avery Patton, Of Greenville, a
| member Of the Ansel winding-up
| commission, that threats had been
made against his life and that of T.
b. Fielder. the Atlanta attorney, while
he was serving on the commission,
was the sensational development at
the hearing before the dispensary in
vestigation committee this afternoon.
Mr.. Patton stated that the letters
| making the threats were anonymous
and bore the Newberry postmark. The
statement by Mr.. Patton that the
authorship Of the letters was credited
to the then Senator Blease, was the
striking part Of the testimony. The
| alleged connection and the basis for
the charge was not given.
Ex-Governor John Gary Evans
and Attorney General Lyon denied
| emphatically and characterized as
| without color Of truth" the charge
| conveyed In the message Of Governor
Blease. sent to the Legislature in
1911. that an agreement had been
reached at conference in Atlanta
between Attorney General Lyon, T.
b. Fielder, John Gary Evans and H.
II. Evans, whereby the latter furnish
ed Information which was used in
the graft" prosecutions growing out
Of the old dispensary regime and in
tie settlement between the liquor
houses and the dispensary winding
up commission under, Governor Ansel.
The question, which was contained in
message sent to the Legislature in
1911 by Governor Blease demanding
| an investigation Of the Ansel dispen-
sarys commission, was What was the
| agreement had with Ex-Governor
John Gary Evans and Ex-State Chair
man H. H. Evans for information
given by them at conference held in
Atlanta between these gentlemen, At
torney General Lyon said no such
conference was ever held and that the
charge was a pure fabrication origi-
| mating In the brain Of Governor
Blease.
The other feature OF the meeting
cf 'he dispensary investigating COM
mittee this morning was the reply Of
Governor Blease 10 the marsha. Of
the committee when he was sent to
ask the Govern or to lay any informa-
ton he had before the commission.
That all the communication he had
for them was contained in his letter
sent them some time ago, that he had
nothing further for them and that he
didn't want to be bothered any more
about the matter" In other words
the Governor notifies the committee
that he will have nothing to do with
1t.
The legislative committee to probe
into all matters connected with the
State dispensary met today promptly
at noon in the State Library and be-
gan work. The members were all
present except Representative Cary.
who arrived in the afternoon. Sem
ator Carlisle. the chairman. presided,
The first matter was the swearing in
OF Capt. r III. Kennedy. the marshal
of the committee. Senator Clifton
| examined the witnesses for the COM
mittee. Present for the morning ses-
| sion were DR.. w. ], Murray. Messrs.
j. steele Rrice, Of YorkviIle. and
Avery Patton, Of Greenville, members
OF the Ansel dispensary committees:
Mr.. w. F. Stevenson. Of Cheraw, who
was attorney for the commission, and
who will represent them at the in
vestigation; Attorney General Lyon
and former Governor John Gary
Gary Evans, Of spartanburg.
Chamberlain's Cough Remedy has