The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-07-18
NICHOLS TO TESTIFY.
Spartanburg Attorney Asks That He
Be Heard.

Spartanburg, July 15.-"At my re-
quest Seantor Howard B. Carlisle has
consented to call a meeting of the
dispensary committee, to be held in
Columbia probably some time this
week and at that time will go on the
stand and tell of the dictagraph con-
versation which are alleged to have
taken place between myself and Mr..
Porter, the Burns detective" said
Samuel J. Nichols, the Spartanburg
attorney, so prominently mentioned
in the testimony before the committee
in Augusta. Until that time l have
no statement whatever to give out,
continued Mr. Nichols. What say
l want to say on the witEess stand
and after being sworn, so that it will
become part of the record. If l
talk now, it would merely be state
ment and I must refuse to say any
thing whatever
Only Expected Fee, Says Nichols.
He did state, however, that he was
acting in good faith with the "Chica-
60 attorney and was only expecting
a fee for the services rendered. Mr..
Nichols was in the governors man
sion in Columbia on Sunday morning
when the papers came and the faring
headlines were the first intimations
he had that he had been trailed by
Burns man. 1T was all news to me-"
he said, "and was as much surprised
as anybody when read the testi-
mony" He did not say what COM
ment Gov. Blease and others present
made about the matter.
C. P. Sims, the other Spartanburg
attorney, who drew up the petitions
for the pardon of the Gus DeFord and
circulated them in Spartanburg and
obtained a number of signatures, said
he had nothing to say of the matter
to-day. He expressed the opinion
that at the time he did not believe
Porter was an attorney but rather
sized him up as being another yegg-
man, a pal of the prisoner, and he
said he knew that these fellows Of
ten paid big fees to secure pardon
for one of their number.
Don't Fear Blease's Threats.
Mr.. Nichols is anxious that the
committee meet on Thursday, but
Chairman Carlisle said he did not
know the date of the next meeting
of the committee. 1t will be held in
Columbia, probably this week. Mr..
Carlisle did not know whether or not
any more testimony from the Burns
men would be introduced before the
committee.
"No, we are not very nervous over
the threats of the governor" con-
tinued Senator Carlisle, "and we will
continue to probe into the affairs OF
the recent State dispensary regard
less of the governor. Mr.. Carlisle
stated that he had heard criticism OF
the committee for spending the States
money in order to employ the detetc-
tives. He stated that these expenses
were not being paid by the State, and
also said that he knew Mr.. Fielder
was paying the Burns men.
"The committee has been abused
by Blease," continued the chairman
of the committee, "but we refused
TO take advantage of the situation
and retaliate by allowing testimony
which rendered to throw light on the
private life of the governor. Col.
Fielder wanted to introduce this testi-
mony, but the committee refused to
hear it, as it had no bearing on the
disepnsary situation" Mr.. Carlisle
refused to divulge the nature OF the
testimony, but it was stated from an
other source that it was concerning
the conduct of Gov. Blease While at
the Southern Commercial Congress
in Atlanta in 1911. The act for
which Fielder says he will have Blease
indicted is alleged to have taken
place in Atlanta at this time.
On his trip to Washington ana
Baltimore Mr.. Nichols was accompa-
MED by the News and Courier corre-
spondent and others. The party met
Mr.. Porter in the Altamont Hotel IN
Baltimore. He came there after the
conversation with Mr.. Nichols in the
New Willard in Washington. Mr..
Nichols had already been to Baltl-
more and then went back to Wash
ington to hold the conversation with
Porter, which is alleged to have been
recorded by the dictagraph.
Mr.. Porter, or rather Mr.. Porter
| with the accent on the eer, was a
handsome man and appeared I'M
mensely wealthy. He wore an En-