The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-07-17
Startling Testimony Disclosed at Au
gusta Hearing Wholesale Graft
Charges Laid at Door of Chief
Executive-AlIeged Frameup
to Secure Pardon-Further
Hearing at Columbia
Tomorrow.

The ong-looked-for testimony OF Thom-
as B. Fielder was delivered in Augusta Fri
day and Saturday before the committee
appointed by the last Legislature to inves-
tigate the dispensary.
Mr.. Fielder himself testified that in the
bridal chamber at the Kimball house In
Atlanta he was present at the payment OF
$4,000 to Hub" Evans and his attorney,
Cole L. Blease, then senator from New
berry county. Fielder claims that the
money was paid by an Atlanta firm OF
liquor dealers and that it consisted OF bills
OF the denomination Of 81 900 each.
Other charges made by Fielder in his
testimony were to the effect that Blease,
while State Senator, had, in connection
with "Hub" Evans, attempted to form a
syndicate for the sale of whiskey to the
State dispensary in order to make the
payment Of the rebates surer.
Felber promised the commission that he
would endeavor to have other witnesses to
corroborate his testimony at a subsequent
hearing.
Improper use Of his office as Senator in
blocking or in forwarding railroad legisla-
tion was another charge made by Fielder.
W. Burns, the detective who unearth-
ed the Mcnamara dynamite conspiracy
and who secured the evidence which con-
victed Abe Ruef, the San Francisco graf
ter, was prominent witness at the inves-
tigation. Burns detailed two OF his detec-
tives to operate in South Carolina. One OF
these, under the name Of "Mr. Wilson,
made his headquarters in Charleston
Claiming that his intention was to open a
large gambling house and blind tiger in
Charleston, he ingratiated himself into
the good graces Of 1.-The boys" and sub
mitted testimony bearing on the liquor
situation in Charleston, among which was
list of alleged contributors to the cam
paign fund Of The governor two years ago
The statement was made that 81 900 was
paid for the pardon Of Rudolph Rabens
the Charleston man who acted as fence
for the gang of safecrackers that infested
South Carolina some years ago. AS far as
the writer has seen, nothing was intro
Quoted to substantiate this charge. "Wil
son" himself did not appear before the
committee, but his chief d. tective Burns
promised that he would appear later on.
The other detective, who passed under
the name OF Mr.. Porter" aud represent!
ed himself as Chicago attorney interest
ed in securing pardon for Gus DeFord
q noted ye ggman now in the penitentiary
appeared and submitted transcripts OF
conversations alleged to have taken place
between himself and Sam Nichols, a yoang
attorney OF Spartanburg. These conver
sations were supposed to have taken place
in hotels in Spartanburg and i'll Washing
ton, u. c., and records of them were mad,
by means of the dictagraph In substance
the conversations amounted to this: Tha
for the sum of $4,000 Nichols agreed II
secure the pardon for DeFord. OF thi
amount Nichols was to receive $4,000
Sims, Spartanburg lawyer ASSOCIATED
with him, was to get $1,000 and the re
naming third was to go to the campaign
fund of the governor. Nichols has re
ceived, according to the statements Of tn
detective, $1,000 of the amount promise'
and the petition for the pardon has beel
circulated in Spartanburg and receive,
numerous signatures.
Nothing was brought out to show tina
the governor had any knowledge Of thi
affair." and he has denounced the Who'll
thing as a fabrication. His statemen