The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-07-12

the attorney for Sottile in reply to a
final question by the committee as to
Sottile's knowledge of the whiskey sit
uation in Charleston. Mr.. Hughes rails
ed the question of the right OF the
committee to investigate the Whiskey
situation in Charleston.
The committee adjourned yesterday
afternoon at 8 o'clock until tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock in Augusta,
when the testimony of T. B. Fielder,
the Atlanta attorney, will be taken.
The meeting in Augusta will be held
in the Richmond county court house,
beginning at 10 o'clock.
Absence of Witnesses.
The absence of material witnesses
was the feature of the session of the
legislative committee here yesterday.
TIE Dominion of Canada claimed at
least one witness. Others were said
to be enjoying the cool air of the
mountains of western North Carolina
and some seemed to have eluded per-
sonal contact with the officers of
Charleston county. The first witness
to take the stand at the morning ses-
sion was Albert Sottile Of Charleston.
The feature of his testimony was 81
don't remember. | don't know"-an-
swers to nearly every question asked.
His attorney, E. w. Hughes of Char
lesion, was present and raised many
objections. Mr.. Hughes made a long
argument before the committee and
contended that it did not have the
legal right to investigate the whis-
key situation in Charleston. He read
an exhaustive paper, containing many
points of law. The result was that
not one material point to the investi-
cation was secured from Sottile.
Several days ago the committee
went down to Charleston and took
some testimony. Several men were
placed on the stand and some inter-
esting testimony was presented. These
men admitted that t2ey were blind
tigers" and openly charged that they
had been paying a protection fund"
to number of wholesale dealers.
Among the witnesses summoned for
the session yesterday were Santos Sot-
tile, W. H. Behrens, J. Henry Doscher,
Albert Sottile, James S. Farnum, J. P.
tB. O'Neill and Wallace K. Harley. A
roll call of the witnesses showed that
only Albert Sottile and W. K. Harley
were present;
Mayor Grace Present
Mayor Grace of Charleston was
present at the hearing. He asked for
permission to make statement which
was granted. He said that previous
testimony had been given before one
of the old dispensary commissions to
the effect that there was system Of
fining illicit whiskey dealers in Char
lesion. He said that the system had
been instituted by Mayor Rhett several
years ago and that each dealer was
fined $500 year or $50 every three
months. He said that he approved the
system as instituted by Mr.. Rhett and
that since he became mayor he had
more strictly enforced the system. He
declared that the money thus derived
was turned into the treasury of the
city of Charleston. He invited an in
vestigation of the affairs and asked
that any graft charges in connection
with his administration be probed.
Denies Protection Fund.
When the committee held a meet
ing in Charleston several weeks ago,
John j. Miller testified that he had
heard that man by the name of Har-
! ley was the agent used in bringing the
whiskey graft money from Charleston
to the governors Office. Wallace K.
Harley was summoned to appear be-
fore the committee yesterday. He ad-
mitted that he was engaged in the
whiskey business, but denied know
ledge of graft. He remembered very
little in connection with his business.
He said that he did not even know the
constabulary of Charleston county,
but that they raided his place some
times. He denied that he had ever
paid a protection fund to Ben H. Stot-
hart, the chief whiskey constable of
Charleston county.
First Witness.
I. CXX IL