The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-07-16

situation; that they did not pay re-
bates and graft and did not want to
compete with the liquor houses which
had been guilty of paying graft and
overcharges.
Fielder told of the commission not
thinking he could do anything, that
every effort to ferret out the graft had
failed.
Finally Fielder said, he was en-
ployed on a contingent basis, his firm
to pay all expenses and to receive 10
per cent. of Give" claims recovered
to the State and so per cent of dead"
claims. He said his firm spent soma
$4,000 in hunting the evidence of
graft He told of the commission
getting impatient and talking of dis
tributing the 100000 due to liquor
dealers from the old dispensary fund.
Presented Evidence to Lyon.
He told of taking Lyon into his con-
fdence, showing him the evidence he
had gathered aD' saying if the COM
mission would only give him time to
collect the evidence he would defeat
every one of the claims of the liquor.
houses. Finally, he said, Lyon pre-
vailed on the commission to give Eel
der the necessary time; he gathered
the evidence and then the graft"
trials we're begun in South Carolina.
Fielder told of the requisition of
Governor Blease for him being refus-
ed by Governor Brown and went into
the matter in detail, charging that
Governor Blease wanted him brought
to South Carolina so II could be put
out of the way" as Fielder expressed
lit, and charged that he would prove
that Blease entered into a conspiracy
to assassinate him.
He told of recovering s5O0,000 to the
State, working with Lyon and the
commission, and when he said "1f you
hadn't elected J. Fraser Lyon attorney
general, your State treasury would
never have seen a cent of that $780,
OOO," the audience broke into cheer.
He denounced the famous 'T. B."
letters as forgeries. He said that dur
ing the investigation of the Lanahan
claim it was shown that Cole. L.
Blease, while State senator, repre-
resented Lanahan and received $100
or 5000 per month, "and 1 have docu-
ments to prove it, said Fielder.
Tribute to Lyon.
Witness said: ''In the five years OF
my life of association with Lyon l was
never able to influence him." paying
tribute to Attorney General Lyons
sterling qualities. Said Lyon wanted
to put the "grafters' in the peniten-
tiary and he (Felder) didn't want to
put anybody in the penitentiary but to
recover the overcharges from the Ii
quor houses.
He seaid that "Hub" Evans came to
his room in the hotel in Columbia one
| time and offered to turn States evil
dence, talking to him with tears in his
eyes.
Charging that Blease wanted to
make good his prediction promises
and pardon the "grafters,' he told of
Blease's message asking for the inves-
tigation Of the Murray commission,
the attorney general and T. B. Fielder.
Fielder told of Hub" Evans once IN
his Office in Atlanta, Lyon being pres
ent, offering to turn States evidence
if he would be granted immunity and
not be required to go on the stand
and testify; that Lyon told Hub" his
course had been that where he grant
ed immunity the person must testify.
This "Hub" would not agree to do.
'"That was the only time a confer
ence was ever had in Atlanta and
when Blease charged in his message
that John Gary Evans, "Hub" Evans,
Lyon and myself held a conference in
Atlanta he embalmed in the records
of your legislature deliberate false
hood" exclaimed Fielder.
He denounced as false the charge
that he once entertained Hub" Evans
in Nashville, Tenn, during a Confed-
crate reunion.
Fielder Resumes.
The committee reassemDled at 4 p.
m. and Col. Fielder took up the thread