The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-04-18
Whiskey Cases in Bamberg.

Last Saturday morning Chief of
Police Hand, Magistrates Constable
". NJ. McCue, and others, armed
| with warrants, began a systematic
raid on places in town where it was
suspected Whiskey was being sold,
the warrants being sworn out by two
detectives sent to Bamberg by Gov
ernor Blease. These detectives, E.
F. Carter and F. G. Garner, had been
here for two weeks or more, it is
stated, working in the cotton mill,
and all the cases we're worked up by
them. There were seven arrests
under warrants charging the illegal
sale of liquor, as follows, all parties
being white: Flournoy Smoak, w.
D. Blume, J. H. Lott, Joe Robinson,
T. D. Carter, H. w. Beard, and Fred
Gaskins. All gave bond and were
| released.
Considerable whiskey and beer was
seized, but We have not been able to
obtain the amount and kind seized
at the various places. At Mr..
Boards we understand the stuff that
was seized was compound which he
claims is not intoxicating and does
not contain alcohol. He says that
he is obeying the law and feels that
an injustice has been done him, as
it is not his desire or intention to
violate the law, and he had been ad-
vised by the town authorities that he
was not doing so in selling the bev-
erage seized at his place. Mr.. Smoak
claims that his residence is out Of
town, where the liquor and beer
were seized, and therefore the town
authorities have no jurisdiction.
However, warrants against him were
issued by both the town and county
authorities, and if it is shown that
he lives outside the corporate limits
the case will be tried in the county
court.
Some excitement was created by
these arrests, and Saturday after
noon the two detectives left town
walking on their way to Denmark to
take the train for Columbia. 1t was
reported around town later that they
had been overtaken a few miles
above town by crowd in an auto
mobile and roughly handled. 1t
seems that the two detectives went
on to Columbia and reported the
matter to Governor Blease. On
Tuesday he wrote long letter to
Mayor Smoak in regard to the mat
ter, and he also wrote Capt. w. R.
Wright, of the Bamberg Guards,
sending him a copy of the letter to
the mayor and ordering him to con-
fer with the sheriff and if necessary
to put himself and his entire COM
pany under the direction and COM
mand of the sheriff. The governor
was emphatic in his letters, and is
evidently worked up about the mat
ter. Warrants were at once sworn
out for w. L. McPhail, w. D. Blume,
J.. H. Lott, Joe Robinson, Ernest
Dodd, and Frank Brabham, charg-
ing them with riot, etc. Solicitor
Gunter will be present at the pre-
liminary to represent the State, and
it is the intention of the governor to
probe the matter to the bottom. The
military company has not been called
on so far and the arrests were quietly
made by Deputy Sheriff B. F. Pear
son and Chief of Police S. A. Hand.
Up to the time of going to press the
following have been arrested and
lodged in jail: j. H. Lott, Joe Rob-
inson, Frank Brabham.
T. D. Carter, one of the men ar
rested last Saturday on the charge
of selling liquor, pleaded guilty at
his trial the same day, stating that
it was his first offense: The mayor
fined him S1OO or thirty days. The
fine has been paid. The other cases
were to have been heard Monday
morning, but they were continued on
account of the absence of the detec-
tives. Some of them may be tried