The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-02-02

| June, or July, 151V. - "s'o a. AoIIoA
which Mr. ToWill identified as one Of
the letters desired by him. Now, gen.
tlemen. the contents Of that letter l
do not know, but I turned it over to
him, at his request. He also stated
that there was another letter written
by Mr.. Fielder. I made a search for
! that letter, but I did not find it then.
Mr.. Asbill made a request for the let
ter. made search. Also had re-
quest for the letter from Colonel Mel
son, and made another search. And
Governor Blease also spoke to me
about it, and I stated to him that |
was not able at that time to find that
| letter. Now, if that letter was in
fathers possession, I do not know
| where it was. I was then clerk in
my fathers Office, at the same time
studying law.
@. Did you not make search dur
! ing some time in March, Or April, of
this year, at the request Of Mr.. ToWill?
A. Yes, sir, I did; I have made sew
eral searches, but just at what time l
do not know.
@. Do you recall just about what
! time the alleged Fielder letter to Mr..
Evans was published in the papers
that is, did you make a search along
about that time-about the time Judge
! Castor died? A. Just about that time,
made a search for it, at request of
Mr.. Asbill, and it was a short time af-
ter that that I made a search for the
governor, and I stated to him that l
could not find it. They were not IN
the possession of Mr.. Bellinger.
| @. MI Asbill was the attorney for
Mr.. Towill? A. Yes, sir. That was
/ the only reason that I would have said
anything about it, for I knew he was
Mr.. Towill's attorney.
@. The letters which you found,
were those found in 1910? A. Yes, sir;
just short while after fathers death.
I could not recall them to save my
life. OF course, you gentlemen must
understand that my idea IS as to this,
as it has been some time since / have
referred to those files, and, in regard
to those letters, it was in 1910.
@. The principal thing want to
get at, and the line of my examina-
ton, Mr.. Bellinger, was that some
time in March or April, of this year,
Mr.. Towill, or his attorney, had re-
quested a search for letters, general
letters, which were turned over to
your father; and you made that search,
and no additional letters were found?
A. No, sir; I have not been able to
find them.
@. He requested, as understand it,
a general search for letters, but speci-
fed one in particular? A. When I
found one letter, he said there was
another which was of greater import
ance; and, at the same time, I made
the search, but was unable to find it.
@. And that which was of greater
importance, was along about the time
of Judge Gaston's death? A. No, sir;
it was in May or June, 1910, when Mr..
Towill made a request for these let
ters, and I found one of them, and he
stated that there was another letter
which was of greater Importance than
this; and I have made search from
! time to time for any letters that might
he there. that were turned over by
Mr. Towill to my father.
@. suppose this same request was
renewed this year? A. Yes, sir; from
time to time during the spring Of this
year.
Affidavit of John Bell TOWill.
By resolution of the commission, it
was ordered that a summons issue
against John Bell ToWill, to be and
appear before the commission, and
then and there testify as to the mat
ters and transactions specified In the
summons. The marshal, however,
failed to serve this summons person
ally, and, subsequently,, Mr.. Towill not
appearing, mandatory order was
made that the marshal do serve him
personally. He was so served, and,
instead of appearing, sent, through
his counsel, Mr.. George Bell Thinner
man, the following affidavit, which the
commission, for the time being, ac-
cepted in lieu of his testimony:
State of South Carolina.
Personally appeared before me John
Bell Towill, who says on oath: That
! while he was member of the State
board of control of the State dispen-
sary he received several letters from
one T. B. Fielder, Jr., of Atlanta, Ca
I was called over the telephone by a
party who said he was T. B. Fielder,
Jr., and requested to come to Atlanta
Ga., to Felder's Office. The voice
sounded like said T. B. Fielder, Jr.'s.
Two of the letters received by me are
hereto attached. I gave Gen. G. D.
Bellinger, my attorney, three other
letters from Fielder. have tried to
get these letters from the son of Gen.
eral Bellinger, but have failed to get
them, as he has been unable to find
them. These letters were seeking an
appointment with me.
On one occasion while on the State
board Of control, while in Columbia,
Mr.. H. H. Evans told me that T. B.