Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-04-05
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.

- Columbia special OF April 10 the
News and Courier: Governor Blease Is
going to be subpoenaed before the dis
pensary investigating committee and
asked to tell what he knows regarding
matters concerning the late state dis
pensary, and especially what evidence
he has to substantiate the insinuations
and charges made In his famous Mes
sage No. 4. He has refused invitations
extended by the committee and they
are now going to compel him to ap-
pear, IL II Is within their power to do
80, and a subpoena for him has already
been prepared. This statement was
made here this afternoon by member
of the committee, who also said, In
the same connection, that Thomas B.
Fielder, the Atlanta lawyer, was going
to be subpoenaed. In other words. the
committee is going to exercise its pow
er, II 1t has such, and compel the gov
ernor to appear and testify, and they
will also exhaust every endeavor to
have T.. B. Fielder come over and tell
what he knows. These matters were
made known following the adjourn
ment Of the committee late In the af-
ternoon, to convene again In the morn
ing, at o'clock. when the probe will
be resumed.
| = Columbia special Of April g.. to
News and Courier: Contrary to the
testimony given recently by Senator
w. ]. Johnson, Of Fairfield county,
H. D. Rantin, formerly editor Of the
Fairfield News, on the stand before
the committee investigating the charg-'
es made by the governor as to certain
connections with the late state dis
pensary. today said that a certain ed
itorial published in the Fairfield News
during his editorship had been based
on statement made by Senator john
son that James Farnum had paid $780,
600 for his immunity In the case
against him In connection with the
dispensary, only $4,000 Of which ever
reached the state treasury. He also
said that seven indictments against
him had been wiped out On the
stand before the investigating COM
mittee several weeks ago Senator
Johnson had stated that he knew
nothing Of the editorial In question
and that he knew nothing - Of the
charges that Farnum had paid large
sums for his immunity. When this
Testimony was given by Rantin, the
committee adjourned, proposing to
look up the testimony given by Sem
ator johnson and see how IL conforms
with that given by Rantin. This
statement as to Farnum's immunity
Is one the source Of which the COM
mittee has been striving for q long
time to ascertain. Now that its source
has been found, and that the alleged
originator of 1t had denied knowledge
Of II, II Is PROBABLE that interesting
developments will follow. The COM
mittee will be desirous Of learning the
truth as to the statement alleged to
have been made by Senator Johnson.
Other than Mr.. Rantin, Wade Stack
house, chairman Of the late Ansel
winding up commission, was witness
Of the contract the commission had
with B. L. Abney. a Columbia attor-
ney, in the settlement Of the case
against the Richland Distilling COM
pany and also Of the employment Of
w. A. Holman as counsel for the COM
mission. He told Of Attorney GEN.
eral Lyons objection to the commits
sion's employment Of Holman or any
one else as counsel without first con-
sulting him and obtaining his ap-
proval Of such counsel. He said the
manner of Attorney General Lyon to-
wards him had been for the past year
rather strained. and this he could not
explain. Mr.. Lyon charged that some
Of Mr.. Stackhouse's statements were
misleading. He said he did not think
Mr.. Lyon was in sympathy with the
Blease commission. Mr.. Stackhouse
who had heard that, also had heard
that Farnum had paid more than his
fine for immunity in the case against
him.