The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-03-27
THEFELDERLE1IERS
GOVERNOR BLEASE REFUSES TO
LET THEM Be seen.
HUB EAYANS TESTIFIES


The Legislative Committee Again at
Work Investigating Charges Made
by Governor Against Winding Up
Commission, None Of Which Have
Been Sustained by Witnesses.
The governor said that he would
not turn over the letters to the COM
nittee except on the order Of cir
cult judge"
Tbs statement was made before
the legislative dispensary investigat-
ing committee Friday by Senator
Clifton, member Of the committee
who called on the chief executive
with Representative J. J. Evans, to
! make request for the inspection OF
certain letters alleged to have been
| u.
der. the Atlanta attorney.
Il thi~k that We can get that or
der from the circuit judge" said :!
member OF the committee. 1t is ex-
pected that the matter will be car
ried into the courts. H. H. Evans OF
Newberry, appearing before the COM
9ittee Thursday and Friday, told OF
receiving certain letters from T. B.
selder, the Atlanta attorney, offering
10 for a "whiskey corporation" to
secure the business OF the old State
iispensary in South Carolina. These
letters, he said, were in the hands
Of the governor.
H. H. Evans said that he would
try TO secure the letters. He failed
and the committee Friday appointed
Senator Clifton and Representative
Evans to call on the chief executive
and ask for the letters. The COM
n,istee met with a refusal. H. H.
Evans, in his testimony, charged
wrong intentions on the part OF Eel
der, and said that the letters would
substantiate his statements. He said
that he was anxious for the letters
70 be presented in evidence. The
committee desired the letters for in
spection.
/ The first witness called at the ses-
s!oas Friday morning was L. ". Boy
kin, former member OF the dispen-
sary board Of control. He was Ques-
toned by the committee as to the
! purchase OF wh;skey by the board.
He was asked BY the committee con-
corning the statement of Towin that
l small orders were made at the regu-
!ar meetings and that large Quantl-
ties came in between the regular
quarterly meetings. He said that he
complained to W. o. Tatum concern
ing the large shipments of whishey
which were made without order from
the board.
He said that the orders were plac-
ed by G. H. Charles, the clerk, M.
Charles is dead. ". o. Tatum, men
toned by the witness, was the COM
missioner Of the dispensary. Mr.. Boy
Kin declared that Mr.. Tatun was
very much worried over the action
Iof Charles in ordering the large
amounts OF whiskey. The entire
blame for the large orders were
placed on Mr. Charles.
The witness said that he had met
| T. B. Fielder on one occasion while
in Columbia and that ne had receiv-
ed several letters and telegrams
from Fielder. He said that Fielder
was always worrying him" for Or
ders. He did not know the business
Of Fielder.
The witness told Of a conference
in 1905 at the Jerome Hotel in Co.
|lumbia between Fielder, Towill, Ev-
ans, and himself He thought that
Evans had introduced him to Fielder.
lie said that Fielder questioned him
IS to who was going to run for the
positions on the dispensary board.
Fielder outlined plan, stating
that he controlled several Of the
largest whiskey distilleries in Amer
iea and he wanted to get some busi-
ness in South Carolina" said Boy
kin.
Mr.. Boykin said that he LETT the
room, refusing to discuss the plan
offered by Folder. Il afterwards
told Towill that Fielder had lot OF
gall to come here and make = propo-
sition like that" said the witness.
The witness denied that he knew
of any State official receiving graft
in connection with the dispensary.
He had heard OF some gifts by the
xhiskey companies.
Boykin said that he had been call
ed before the Blease commission. He
did not give testimony, but made an
affidavit, which was furnished to the
legislative committee. On question
by the committee he gave list. so
sar as he remembered, Of the rep
utable liquor houses Revertins to
he Fielder letters and telesrams he
said that they merely asked for
conference He said that he had
never heard of row between Fielder
and H. H. Evans.
The witness did not remember how
Hub" Evans received the alleged
proposition by Fielder to get business
IN South Carolina.
Does it come within your knowl
adce that money was ever paid to
Attorney General Lyon or any other
State of;cial?"
NO, sir
The witness denied that he had
ever received any money outside OF
his salary
u would not doubt but that they