The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-06-05


deliberation. thus saying to the world
that John Bell Towill. l.. Whit Boykir
and w. o. Tatum were not guilty OF
conspiracy to defraud the State out OF
$22.500 on purchase of 21,OOO.O 900
labels in 1905. while they were Off
cials Of the late State dspensary. as
charged by the State. The defend
ants, with their attorneys. were pres
ent In Court when the verdict was an
nounced and they were naturall,
elated at their vindication.
The verdict came at the close of tn,
third day of the trial Of this case, 1t
having been preceded by the trial OF
Hub" Evans. on the charge of ac-
cepting rebates. and he. too. was
found not guilty.
Spectators and counsel. defendants
and the Court have had a strenuous
week of 1t throughout the trial Of the
graft" cases.
Il AhhS vase last ScpteuipeT resulted
In a mistrial after the jury deliberat-
cd thirty-five hours. The jury today
was only little over two hours in
reaching verdict of mot guilty"
Dennis Weiskopf. OF Cincinnati
whose house sold the State dispen-
sary the 100000 labels in 1905 for
$35,O00. out OF which grew the charge
of the State that Towill. Boykin, TIA
tum. Goodman and Weiskopf formed
a conspiracy to defraud the State out
OF S22.50O, was spectator in the
Court during the trial Of this case, he
having testified for the State yester-
day. AS a result. he will get mol
pros entered against him, according
to an agreement he made with Attor-
ney General Lyon before agreeing to
Testify. This agreement has been
referred to time and again in the
present trial. ,..t, -. ~.
T. B. Fielder. of Atlanta, who was
the attorney Of the Ansel winding up
/ commi ''u entered ilto tne agree
ment N'tn Wcietopf Whereby the
latter arcea {. test,r COS tbe State
! .r tAe r'rduoc thar ho .rdio ,ments
/ ,r .r. hru ..r .nr .'n.s II per-
jury We're mol pressed. The ATTORNEY
General agreed to this on the condi-
tion that Weiskopf come to South
Carolina and testify whenever he was
needed. and To carry out this agree
ment he gave bond in the sum of
100000. His firm further agreed to
return part of the label purchase
| money to the State whenever all in
dictments against Weiskopf were mol
| pressed, and deposited $500 in &
trust company In Cincinnati. in the
name of T. B. Fielder. j. s. Graydon.
attorney for John T. Eearly. and the
attorney for Weiskopf. To be turned
over To- the state whenever the Grim
| inal indictments against Weiskopf
were dismissed.
NJ. A. Goodman the liquor drum
mer. who Is charged with having been
the "go-between" who engineered the
deal between the dispensary board
and Weiskopf and Early. and who
turned States evidence and is no.
living in California. was bitterly de-
nounced by the lawyers for the de-
lfence i'm their speeches.
l Where is Goodman and why isn't
he here to testify" shouted w. H.
Welch. Goodman is Il dirty littl,
contemptihle scoundrel. who Weis.
kopf, his confederate. swore h,
wouldn't believe on oath" exclaimed
Col. Il. III. Nelson. "He is n self
confessed thief and cowardly littl,
wretch" was another expression used
describing Goodman. He was nayed
and scored by counsel for the defence
who held him up To ridcule and scorr
throughout their speeches.
Attorney General Lyon. Solicitor
W. III. Cobb and Mr.. w. +. steven.
son all scored the label deal i'm their
speeches and said that while the de.
fence would make Goodman out :
lsCoundrcl now. still he was the init.
mate friend and associate of Towill
Boykin and Tatum i'm 1908. during Tin,
label purchase.
| Goodman has won the undvin,
hatrcd "t the graftcrs and made Soy
Icral people uncomfortable since n,
lagrccd To- testify for the state" sal,
IAttorncy General Lyon I'm his speech
To the jury.
| The political feeling underlying tn,