Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-07-23
State of South carolina-county Of

from any DllnQ uSerB as contribution
to Mr.. Blease's campaign, and that 1
such a fund was contributed, he ha
never received same and never uset
same nor has he any knowledge of 4
the first intimation he having had o
this charge being the charges as mad,
by Thomas B. Fielder.
AS to the charge Of his having gon,
to Charleston between the first an(
second primaries, after Gov. Bleas,
had already been there and got sui
case full Of money, and when that rar
out, that went there and got another
suit case full, the charge Is absolutely
false. have never received and new
er made any requests for any cam.
paign contributions from any blind
tigers in Charleston.
Fred H. Dominick.
Sworn to before me this 18th July
1912.
G. C. Dismukes, IL. S.
Notary Public for South Carolina.
State Of South Carolina-County OF
Richland.
Eugene 8. Blease, being duly sworn,
says that during the campaign Of 1910
he assisted Fred H. Dominick in con-
ducting the campaign Of Cole l.
Blease for governor Of the state. De-
ponent did not, at any time, and has
never in his life, for any purpose
whatever received any sum Of money
from any blind tiger in the city of
Eugene 8. Blease.
Sworn to before me this 10th July,
1912.
G.. c. Dismukes, IL. So
Notary Public for South Carolina.
Trip to Charleston.
The statement of Fielder that went
to Charleston for the purpose Of get
ting money during the time interven-
ing between the first and second pri-
maries Of the campaign two years ago,
Is but another example Of this mans
quickness to make statements without
even rejecting. During the whole of
the two weeks between the two elec-
tions, with the exception Of one day
and one night spent in the city Of CO.
lumbia, remained at home in New
berry. I was not In Charleston be-
tween the first and second primaries.
"Graes's Insinuations"
AS TO the statements that I have
been and am getting graft from the
blind tigers Of Charleston as immuni-
ty for protection extended them.
This originated with John P. Grace,
the present mayor Of Charleston. on
account Of my not allowing him to
have the control and appointment Of
the constabulary force in Charleston,
and to run the matter Of enforcing the
law and the sale Of whisky
in that city. The investigating COM
mittee has already heard him and his
proof and the people surely
are convinced that there Is no founda-
ton In any one Of "his charges" Each
and every one Of his false accusations
have been denied-even my bitterest
enemy, the Columbia State. admitted
that there was no criminality traced
to the governors Office. ! answered
Grace's insinuations at the campaign
meeting in the city Of Charleston and
stated In his presence that any man
who made that accusation against me
was a malicious character thief and
cowardly liar. -,-s---i.
Interurban Railway.
In regard to my. signing the bill
for the Piedmont-Northern company,
known as the interurban.
This bill, as passed by the legisla-
ture, provided for the building Of an
electric line, around Spartanburg,
Greenwood and other points
in this state. I thought 1t contained
too much power to give to corpora
ton, and after carefully looking over
It, stated that did not think would
sign it. I received requests from a
number of people of that section.
stating that the road would be Of great
benefit to them. Among others calling
upon me in favor of the measure,
now recall Hon. d. H. Magill Of Green
wood; D. E. Smoak. ESQ.,, Of Green
Vile, and Sam ]. Nichols, ESQ.,, of
did not receive one cent Of money
for approving this measure. nor was ]
threatened by any one on account of
this bill, and II any lawyer received q
fee for appearing before me In behalf
edge, and the payment Of any such
fee, il any was paid, exercised no in
fiuence whatever in causing me to take
very members Of the committee who
are attempting to injure me, were very
active In the passage Of this bill.
The criminaIs-"De Ford and Porter"
In regard to the matter of applica-
tion for pardon for one alleged to be
Gus DeFord, which petition has play
ed such a prominent part in the die
tagraph proceedings had between Capt
Sam J. Nichols and one Porter, alias
Reed, alias somebody else-I don't
know what his name isl will state,
in the first place, this great detective,
with a great flourish of trumpets. stat
ed that he had gone into the South
Carolina penitentiary and had picked
out not only the most notorious GRIM
inal In that prison, but the most noto-
rious criminal in the United States of
America, in order to plant scheme to
trap me and my friend, Capt. Nichols.
Gus DeFord Is not in the penitenti-
ary; but, on the other hand, is a fugi-
tive from justice. 1t Is hardly neces-
sary for me to refer to this matter. In
view Of the testimony that was sub
mitted by their own witnesses and
their famous dictagraph, In which 1t
was shown that there was no truth
whatsoever in the alleged statement of
Fielder and his hireling detective that /
was to receive any portion Of the
amounts that were to be paid to the
attorney who had been employed to
represent this alleged Gus DeFord. On
the contrary, this very dictagraph it
self stated that the governor Of South
Carolina could not be bought and that
1t was useless to attempt to get the
pardon from the governor of South
Carolina by the use Of money. In ad-
dition to this, you have the sworn tes-
timony Of Capt. Nichols, young man
we'll known throughout South Carolina
as a man Of the highest honor and In
tegrity, who not only voluntarily came
to Columbia to testify, but insisted
that a meeting Of the committee should
be had at which he could testify and at
which meeting he demanded the pres
ence Of Porter, alias Reed, alias what's
his name, but the "alias" failed to ap-
pear. Capt. Nichols testimony was
published practically In full and con-
clusively established the fact that !
had no knowledge that any applica-
ton for the pardon Of Gus DeFord
would be presented and that was not
even aware that this convict was in
the penitentiary. The matter Of par
don Of this convict was never men
toned to me, and Capt. Nichols so
states under oath. This testimony was
published in the Columbia State, in it's
issue Of July 19.
The Bentley Parole.
It Is stated in the State that two
letters purporting to bear on the par
don record Of Gov. Blease were read
by Fielder before the committee and that
the case referred to in those two letters
was being investigated by the Burns
detective agency.
l. q At,o