Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-03-12
WINDING.UP INVESTIGATION
MeSSrS Murray and BflCe DenOunce
Governor BleaSe.


Members Of the Old Commission Tel
What They Did and How'll Is Ex'
peetsd That Fielder Will Be a Wit
ness Next Thursday.
Spartanbu; Herald.
Columbia, March $50 far as an
concerned the charges of Governor
Blease are false and they are outrage
GUS.
so far as 1 knew the charges OF
Governor Blease against the other
members of the commission are equal
ly So"
These statements were made today
by ]. Steele Brice Of Yorkville, former
state senator and member of the old
state dispensary commission in ap-
pearing before the legislative dispen
sary commission.
Answering one of the questions pro-
posed by the governor with reference
to the commission discussing him In
meeting and expressing fear Of the in
coming administration, Mr.. Brice said
that to his knowledge the governor
had never been discussed at a meet
ing of the body, but that he personally
had expressed his opinion Of the new
chief executive.
Worst Since Moses.
Il did say" said Mr.. Brice. that
Blease was the worst man that we
have had in the governors chair since
Franklin j. Moses. He was not In
sympathy with the work Of the COM
mission, but was in sympathy alto
gether with the liquor houses and the
grafters. Since the governor has seen
fit to bring up the question as to what
was said l will only say that I told the
absolutely immaculate truth"
The session of the legislative COM
mittee was continued this morning In
the library at the state house, when
Mr.. Brlce, DR.. w. ]. Murray, CHAIR
man of the old commission, and Attor-
ney General Lyon gave testimony. The
various questions as asked by the gov
ernor in his message No. to the gen.
eral assembly were answered and dis
sected by the several witnesses who
appeared. 1t was shown by the tes-
timony Of the witnesses that the vari-
Gus charges Of the governor were
groundless and without base Of fact.
The members Of the committee asked
many questions so as to bring out all
details of the work Of the old COM
mission and leave no doubt as to
Whether the duties imposed had been
carried out. All questions were an
swered freely and frankly.
Adjourned to Thursday.
The commission adjourned this af-
ternoon to meet again next Thursday.
While no official statement has been
made by the members, It is generally
believed that T. B. Fielder, the Atlanta
attorney, will be summoned to appear
at the meeting next Thursday. 1t Is
very probable that James S. Farnum
of Charleston, will also be summoned
to appear and give testimony. . The
affairs of the old stae dispensary are
being thoroughly aired and 1t Is the
purpose of the committee to bring out
every detail. Some grave charges were
made in the message of the governor,
and these will be proved true or false.
A report Is to be made by the COM
mittee within the next several weeks
to the secretary of state, as provided
by the resolution of the general as
sembly.
morning was DR.. w. ]. Murray, chair
man Of the Ansel winding-up COM
mission.
The first question asked by the gov
ernor in his special message to be TAX
en- up by the committee today was
that with reference to the disposal OF
some alcohol by the old dispensary
commission.
Disposition of Alcohol.
Il am glad to explain the question
as to the disposition of the alcohol as
it reflects directly upon me-" said DIR.
Murray.
when we took charge Of the af-
fairs Of the dispensary we found over
sixteen barrels Of alcohol. The stuff
had been purchased for s2.45 gallon.
The same price was realized. Some
of the stuff was sold to the Murray
Drug company, some to the Bruce &
Doster company of Greenville, and
some to the Geer Drug company of
Charleston. The same price for the
alcohol was paid by all three Of the
companies"
He was then asked as to the regu-
lar price Of alcohol at the time. DIR.
Murray submitted a telegram from a
Baltimore firm showing the price to
testimony and the report Of the old
dispensary commission that the state
received the exact amount for the al
cohol that was paid for 1t in the mar
ket.
Big Saving to State.
The committee next questioned DIR.
Murray as to the work and methods
of the Ansel winding-up commission.
DR.. Murray submitted the reports OF
the commission and showed that over
100000 had been saved to the state
by the work of the body during the
four years Of its existence. There
was not a clerical error in a transac-
tion of over s1,000,0O0," said DR.. Muir
ray. He said that when the dispensary
matters were tied up in the courts
that he had personally advanced $4,000
to carry on the work of the commits
sion so as to save the business. He
said at that time the county dispensa- =
ries were going out of the state to 9TH
er sources to make their purchases,
He said that he did not receive one
penny in interest on this loan.
The next question taken up by the
commission was the charge by the
governor that the chairman Of the An
sci commission, Dr. Murray, had been
paid for Sunday work. To this ques-
tion DR.. Murray stated that the ac-
countant when making up the expense
account for the commission, had put
him down for one more days work