Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-07-19
MOSTLY WHISKY TALK.
s. J. Nichols Testified Before Commit
tee Yesterday.

Greenville Daily Piedmont.
Columbia, July 1S-Testifying before
the dispensary investigating committee
Sam Nichols, the Spartanburg lawyer,
claimed that he was sober when ne
told the detective that the report he
had paid Blease for signing the inter-
urban bill was a d lie. He corrobor-
ated much of the dictagraph's testi-
mony, which was taken while he was
sober.
He claims that he drank some Of
the detectives whisky and that he
doesn't know what he said after that.
Said the whisky had peculiar effect
upon him. -.
In reply to question from his at
torney, he said 1t would have been pos
sible for the stenographer to have
changed the wording of the interview.
He read an article from a magazine
which reflected upon the work OF
Burns.
His attorney says he has In his
possession a letter from a friend OF
Nichols in Washington, which reflects
upon Burns work in the Lorimer case.
He says he paid much Of Blease's
campaign expenses In Spartanburg
county before and will do so again this
year.
The library at the state house was
we'll filled with spectators when the
dispensary investigating committee as
sembled today at noon to hear the tes-
timony Of Sam ]. Nichols, who was
charged in Detective Reeds testimony
with having been employed by him In
the alleged scheme to buy q pardon
for James Johnson, alias Gus DeFord,
the notorious safe cracker.
Mr. Nichols was present with his at
torneys, his father, Capt. Geo. w.
Nichols and Ralph K. Carson, w. M.
Jones, C. P. Sims, Robert T. Cant, Of
Spartanburg; ]. G. Hughes, Of Union;
w. s. Nelson Of Columbia and c. c.
Wyche Of Spartanburg.
All of the investigating committee
were present except w. l.. Daniel, Of
Saluda. Prior to opening the public
session the investigating committee
held a short executive session. They
filed into the library at 1920 and took
their seats.
Senator Carlisle called the meeting
to order at 1925 and announced that
It was called chiefly to hear testimony
Of s. ]. Nichols. Mr.. Nichols gave the
names Of c. P. Sanders and w. M.
Jones, as counsel who would appear
for him today.
Chairman Carlisle read in the record
a statement that he had, at the request
of Mr.. Nichols, requested Fielder to
have F. S. Reed, the detective, present
at the hearing today He also read
into the record Felder's reply that Reed
had left Atlanta for Chicago, but that
II he were there he would not come
into South Carolina to testify.
Mr.. w. M. Jones, Of counsel for
Nichols, asked questions Of Nichols to
show that Reed, the detective, had
come to Spartanburg, posing as Chi
cago lawyer who wanted to represent
the man DeFord in the South Carolina
penitentiary, Reed, Nichols said, had
been sent to him by a Spartanburg
hackman. "Mr. Porter" was referred
to C. P. Sims, Of Spartanburg.
Nichols went into the details Of GER
tain arrangements as made between
Porter" and Sims and himself as to
DeFord, accounts OF
which have already been published.
Nichols related certain things about
his conversation with Porter In the
Hotel Finch.
Nichols corroborated certain testi-
mony that had been taken by the die
into the "interurban's case and said he
had told Reed 1t had been reported that
he had paid Blease 100000 for the
signing Of the Incorporating act. He
said he had told Reed this was a
damn lie."
He said he had told the governor his
refusal to sign this bill would hurt
the Piedmont section, but had paid
the governor nothing, and he had not
even received fee from the Southern
Power company which he represented,
for his work in connection with the
franchise
Nichols corroborated the testimony
taken by the dictagraph that he said 1t
was a lie that Blease had received
graft" Nichols said ne had borne
much Of the governors campaign ex-
penses in 1910 and he proposed to do
this again.
Nichols said when he went into
Reeds room in the Hotel Finch there |
were two quarts of Scotch whisky on
the dresser, that he got drunk and that |
now he can't say what took place. He
said that whisky had peculiar effect |
over him and that the dictagraph tes-
timony does not represent his sane |
or the facts in the case.
He said he did not Know What con-
dition he was In when he left for BAL
timore but thought the dictagraph told
the truth when it said he was drunk.
He said this whisky affected him as
none had ever done and he felt after
he sobered' unusually bad. He was
asked II he thought the whisky was
1rugged. He said he could not say.
Nichols said he did not know he was
on his way to Baltimore until he woke
up on the Pullman in company with