The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-06-19
CHARLESTON MAYOR
and GRAFT CHARGES
Grace Says He Will Prove State
mentS.
liar AND COWARD" SAYS BLEAsE
A Warm Session OF DiSpenSar.
Investigation Expected In
Columbia.

Governor Blease was asked today what
he thought of the charges made by Mayor
Grace, Of Charleston, recently and repeated
by him yesterday, that graft" had been
received at the governors office, and OF
Mayor Grace's expressed willingness to ap-
pear before dispensary affairs Investigate
ing committee and prove" these charges,
and the chief executive made reinstatement
that he considered man that would make
such a statement coward, and he applied
to him the "short and ugly word" The
governor further described the recent sit
uation in connection with the Grace
charges as a pre-campaign blow at his can
didacy.
Sensational developments and sensational
testimony are expected when the legisla-
tive committee, investigating the affairs
of the late State dispensary, the governor,
the attorney general and other persons
connected Herewith, convenes in this city
early next week, and Mayor John P.
Grace of Charleston is to be the principal
witness. He has said he will appear be-
fore the committee and tell what he knows
Of the charges made by him recently that
the governors Office had been receiving
graft" from blind tigers in Charleston.
The committee will probably sit Tuesday.
Tom Fielder, the Atlanta attorney of
great fame in South Crrolina, will also
likely be witness before the committee
at an early date and il he does not care to
come to Columbia it is probable that the
committee will sit in some Georgia city
and there hear testimony from him.
GRACE REPEATS CHARGES.
In answering the question whether or
not he would appear before the committee
If summoned, Mayor Grace yesterday in
Charleston made the following statement: ::
II have made the statement regarding
the graft conditions in Charleston, and l
have no desire to avoid responsibility for
anything I have said. am ready to sus-
tain the statement.
IF 1 subpoenaed, will tell the grounds
on which the statement was based, and l
am sure that those who hear me will agree
with me in the conclusions which 1 have
reached. can prove that graft exists in
Charleston, and will say, as have stated
on several previous occasions, that I can
trace the graft to the governors office at
Columbia"
The facts behind this statement by Mayor
Grace are these:
Not many weeks ago Common Sense, a
paper published in Charleston and known
as the organ of Mayor Grace and his po-
litical faction, published an editorial in
which it was stated that graft" had been
coming from the blind tigers in Charleston
In the next issue Of the paper it was stated
that the graft" was coming to the office
of the governor. 1t was also stated that
b. H. Stothart, chief of the constabulary,
was the person who brought the graft,
money to Columbia. The committee
plans to summon Stothart as we'll as
Mayor Grace to tell of these charges.
OTHER EXPECTED WITNESSES.
The investigating committee now plans to
summon Mayor Grace, AttorneyT. B. Eel
der, Chief Constable Stothart, Hut" Evans,
of Newberry and State Senator W. j.
johnson, of Fairfield county. These last
two have testified before the committee al