The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-17

Ford pardon. and the manner IN
WHICH IL was to be secured Porter
SAID that Nichols came to his room
IN washington with a man bv the
name of Paisley from Spartanburg
Nichois' he said, asked Paisley to leave
the room as he had some important
business to talk over with Porter.
1t was stated by Porter that Mich
OILS promised to close up the pardon
deal within two weeks.
According to the witness. Nichols
left Washington and went 70 RaIti-
more. He was followed by Porter
ana they both went to the Altamont
note, where the South Carolina dele
cation TO the national convention was
registered. AS this point in the tes-
'imony the members of the commit
tee questioned Porter as to the cor
rectness of the testimony taken hv
'he olctagraph. technical eXplana-
ton of the working of the instrI-
ment was given and the witness de-
clared that from experience it has
been shown that it was Impossible to
lake testimony from the dicta-
graph. He said that the stenograph
er's notes would show whether il WAS
genuine or not.
Porter said that the record of the
dictagraph was full of local history
nat would show the absolute correct
ness of the testimony. Smiling conf
IDENTITY, Porter told of his conversa
ions with Nochols in Baltimore The
dlctagraph gave details of the conver-
Isation National politics was among
the subjects discussed by the two.
At this point Porter left the stand.
and T. Il. Fielder resumed his testi
mony. He read certain sections of
the dictagraph testimony. He brand
ed as lie statements made by mem
pers OF the State dispensary board
OF control that he had been guilty
OF grating. He gave some interest
Ing testimony concerning his relations
with l.. w. Boykin. John Bell Towill
and others. In answer to the pre-
Nous testimony given the commit
tee to the effect that he had Ieen
guilty of. grating. he said: Il was
connected with the dispensary inves-
tigation IN South Carolina for three
or four years before these charges
were preferred against me. If they
had anything on me they would have
brought it out. The would have
lSnatched at the chance so quick. that
it would not have made your head
swim but would have made it 60
around like whirl pool"
Did you ever try to bribe II. FL.
Evans with $50O?" asked the commit
tee.
III l had tried l would have slc-
ceeded," snapped back Fielder.
Fielder said that the necessity of
adding rebates in South Carolina was
lwell known. He illustrated the state
ment by referring to an Augusta man
VINO was unable TO do business with
the South Carolina dispensary until
ne had paid the necessary rebate.
Fielder said that John Bell Towill
had followed him around to make a
confession lie said that he would
nave secured a confession from many
of the "grafters" if the present GOV
ernor had not been elected.
with the election of Cole l..
Blease the views Of the grafters
chaged as to confessions" said Eel
der.
Did you ever make a proposition
to Boykin. Towil and Evans to form
a whiskey corporation in South Caro-
lima asked the committee.
Never" he replied. "Anybody
that says that | received graft in con-
nection with South Carolina dispe -
sary tells an absolute. unmitigated
and Infamous lie
Excerpts from the dictasraph tes-
tlnony with reference to the sign
ne of the Piedmont Northern char
ter by Blease was read by Fielder and
the document was placed in evidence
ana sworn to by Porter. 1t was
Drought out that detectives had kept
IN touch with Nichols and that he
mad left Spa,tApburr rburcd,, f
ternoon for Columbia. He went from
Columbia to Barnwel. 1t was stated
mat Nichols held a conference with
"oN. blease at Blackville last night
or that they were together.
III was expected by Fielder and the
Burns detectives that the Dcrord