Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-07-19
FRIDAY, JULY 1e, 1912.
soIJTH CAROLINA NEWS.

Columbia, July IS: The sensation
of the hearing today before the speclal
investiga ting committee OF the South
Carolina legislature was the testimony
of F. ]. B. O'Neill, confessed blind
tiger operator who testified that he
had collected protection" money in
Charleston, S. c., and paid it to Chief
Constable B. H. Stothart. ONeill
proved to be an unwilling witness and
after evading questions Of the COM
mitteemen for more than an hour he
was induced to testify by a threat Of
Imprisonment. The witness testified,
that for about seventeen months he
had been collecting protection" money
amounting to about $50 per month
from blind tigers in Charleston and
turning the money over to Chief Con-
stable Stothart. Eighteen months ago,
he testified, Stothart was appointed
chief constable by Governor Blease
and a few days later came to O'NeilPs
place of business. "Stothart told me
that the boys would be coming around
to see me-" testified O'Neill. The wit
ness then testified that he collected
the protection" money from the retail
whisky dealers, and about a month
later placed 1t under Stotharts door In
an envelope. The envelope, he testi-
fed, contained the names Of the deal
ers who had contributed" O'Neill
testified that the protection desired"
was given.
Columbia State, Wednesday: G.
Duncan Bellinger. judge Of the
probate court Of Richland county
was shot in the left arm by o. II.
Best in Barnwell about 9 o'clock last
Monday night. Best fired three times
with a pistol. The first shot shattered
the bone in Mr.. Bellinger's left arm
between the elbow and the shoulder.
Mr.. Bellinger was brought to CO.
lumbia from Barnwell Tuesday
morning and taken to the Columbia
hospital. DR.. LeGrand Guerry, one
of the physicians who attended Mr..
Bellinger said yesterday afternoon
that he did not think it would be nee
essary to amputate the wounded arm.
Last night Mr.. Bellinger was reported
to be resting we'll. Several hours be-
fore the shooting took place Monday
night Mr.. Bellinger had acted as
peacemaker between Best and another
man, who were involved In
personal difficulty. Meeting Mr..
Bellinger on the street about o'clock
Best had words with him which
caused blows. Then Best drew his
pistol and fired three times The first
shot broke Mr.. Bellinger's left arm:
Mr.. Bellinger was taken to hotel
in Barnwell and given medical
attention. He was brought to CO.
feared that it might be necessary to
amputate his arm. Mr.. Bellinger Is
the son Of the late G. Duncan
Bellinger, who served the state as
attorney general and was prominent
member of the bar. Last June Mr..
Bellinger was elected judge OF
probate of Richland county to fill
an unexpired term. He went to Barn
well last Thursday on official busi-
ness. Mr.. Bellinger Is a quiet, un-
assuming young man, graduate OF
the law school at the University OF
South Carolina and a county official
who paid close atteftion to the az
fairs Of his office. W{file Mr.. Bellinger
is recuperating from his wound, the
affairs OF the office of judge OF
probate will be managed by John w.
Crews, his assistant.
- Spartanburg, July 16: Mr.. Nichols
asked a reporter to come to his office
and dictated the following statement:
"I had not expected to make any
statement in regard to the matter
of Johnson, alias DeFord's pardon,
preferring, as stated to go before the
committee and testify as to the exact
facts in the case. realize that the
people are anxiously awaiting my
statement. But ! notice in local
paper this afternoon that Mr.. Reed
says he has a telegram which shows
that Gov. Blease accepted the $15,OOO
bribe which they say was onered.
They say further that the telegram
tells Reed, alias Porter, to hurry on
hn
his money and get his pardon. wish
to say that this is one Of the dirtiest
lies that has been published In con-
nection with this outrageous re-
Election on the governor and myself,
and can not allow 1t to go unnoticed
even until the commission meets
again. Mr. Reed has been summoned
by Senator Carlisle at my request TO
appear before the commission when
/ appear, and 1t Is either up TO MIN
to produce such telegram from me
or to admit he has lied In this as well
as in other parts Of the transaction.
l went to the lower part of the state
with the intention Of asking Gov.
Blease If he intended to consider any
pardons before the election, and upon
finding out how busy he was l did not
mention the pardon matter to him at
all. as he has stated. / have In my
possession the only telegram which
Porter received from me after l left
Spartanburg. which telegram will be
introduced by me at the hearing be-
fore the commission and which tele-
gram. sent as above stated, after
had decided not to mention the matter
to the governor, reading as follows:
Things do not look good. Come to
Spartanburg at once AS 1 have
stated, this is all that I care to give
out before the commission, and at
that time 1 can fully justify my
whole connection with this matter
Mr.. Nichols sent the telegram re-
ferred to from Blackville. S. c. and
it was addressed to Henry n. Porter
in Chicago. Mr.. Nichols obtained a
copy of the telegram yesterday from