The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-03-12


the contract with the commission.
One of the questions asked by Gov
ernor Blease in that message of his
which caused the investigation to be
ordered by the general assembly, was:
what became Of the report Of the de-
tectives to the committee of certain
members of the house and senate and
why was this report not made public"
referring to the 1905 investigating
committee. To this Mr.. Lyon replied
that the reports of the detectives had
! been forwarded to Senator Hay, chair
man of the committee, and that most
of them were subsequently sent to
Senator Christensen. Mr.. Lyon said
he had a. few Of them and he would
turn them over to the committee if
so desired. Explaining the reason
why they hadn't been made public, the
attorney general said the reports con-
sisted of various conversations and
/ other matters, and that it hadn't been
deemed wise to make them public,
partly because some of them consisted
Of only suspicion against some people
and the publishing of the reports
would damage them, and those people
had not been and would not be prose-
cuted for the reason that there was
rot enough evidence to convict them.
Replying to the question as to wha.
CT :rl:nal prosecutions had been
brought, who had been convicted and
what it had cost the State, and which
ones had been given immunity, the at
torney general referred to letter he
wrote the governor one year ago, CIV
ing the list Of those granted immunity,
and the other information asked for.
A copy Of this letter will be filed with
the committee.
The AnSeI COmmlSSl0no
Mr. Lyon said the Ansel committee
had done their work with an eye sin
gle to the best interests OF the State,
and spoke of the splendid work which
they had performed. He stated the
same concerning the work Of several
employed to assist in the work, among
them being Messrs. Abney and Steven
son. The attorney general stated that
he had not deemed it advisable to
make public all statements which had
come into his possession concerning
all persons connected with the dis
pensary before it's "decease." He men
toned some aff1davits, and correspond
ence, which he had and which he was
ready to turn over to the commission,
He said, for instance, that Joe B. Wy
lie, had told him of one person being
connected with the frauds, and he had
not indicted this person because he
did not think it would be possible to
convict him on the unsupported testi-
mony Of Wylie. He had information,
not in his opinion sufficient to secure
conviction, Of other State officials, who
were mixed up in these alleged
gratis"
That he has information against
some persons whom he expects to be
able to convict and some information
against others whom he does not, all
of which is at the disposal of the com
mittee, was a statement by the attor-
ney general.
Mr.. Lyon was prompt in answering
all questions, and ready to assist the
committee in its Investigations of him
self in every way possible. He said
he fears nothing and is not afraid of
the light,
The committee took recess until
p. M, for dinner, Attorney General
Lyon still being on the stand. How
ever, when y ey met at o'clock Mr.,
Lyon stepped aside to allow Mr.. Avery
Fatton to be examined as he vas anv-
ious to get away on an afternoon train. |.
Mr. F. NJ Cary arrived for the after !
noon session, making the full member-
ship o. the committee present.
Asked as to amount Of alcohol or !
hand when the AnseI commission tooh
charge, Mr. Patton said a quantity was !
on hand, and the records show it