The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1912-07-19
NEITHER WILL RISK HIS PER
soNAL SAFETY BY APPEARING
TO TESTIFY In HIS STATE.
ATTORNEY NICHOLS ExPLA|k5
Lawyer Whose Alleged Deal in Par
dons Was Given by Dictasraph Says
He Was Drinking and Not Respon-
sible.

Columbia, S. c., July 1S.-That he
was in an intoxicated condition and
knew little of the interview between
himself and E. S. Reed, the detective.
alias H. N. Porter, the Chicago at
torney; that some of the statements
b. him as recorded by the dictagraph
are ridiculous; strong denials of GER
tain testimony as recorded by the
c.Gagraph; denial of any intention
of Offering a bribe to Governor Blease
fo' the pardon of Gus DeFord, denial
that the witness had done a big par
0tr business with the governor, were
some of the features of the testimony
of Sam Nichols, the Spartanburg at
tolney, before the disrensary inves-
tls ating committee which met here
tCCay. Mr.. Nichols also deniel that
h; was a delegate to Baltimore, as
has been alleged, but stated that he
may have made the statement while
under the influence Of whisky.
He charged that the dictagraph. rec
ords of conversations taken in Spar
tanbGrg, Baltimore and Washington
| hotels had been contorted by HIS
tTcu scribing stenographer. He denied
thai he had wired Reed to come t.
s. rtanburg to close the pardon deal,
! that any telegram to that effect
was faxed.
Nichols "Was Not Sane"
s j. Nichols of Spartanburg. was
tie first witness to take the stand.
1t was read into the record that Mr..
Nichols had requested that Detective
Re ed be present at the hearing. but
tina: the latter would not come into
South Carolina. Mr.. Nichols corro-
bt ated certain testimony that had
been taken by the dictagraph in the
81 artanburg hotel He denied that
he had said the governor had received
anything for the signing of the inter-
urban bill, but had represented to his
eXcellency that if he did not sign it,
it would hurt the Piedmont section
of the state. He said that when he
,
two quarts of Scotch whisky on the
dresser and that he became intoxi.
Gated and now cannot say what took
place. He declared the whisky had
peculiar" effect on him, and that the
dictagraph testimony did not repre-
sent his "sane moments" or facts
in the case. He denied that ne ever
had been offered any bribe for any
thing or by anyone. He denied he
had represented Green in securing
his pardon. The telegram he sent to
Reed read:
Things do not look good; come to
Srartanburg at once"
The original was placed in evil
dence. Considerable amusement was
created when Nichols was asked
what a dictagraph was He laughed
and remarked a.
Says Notes Were Changed. -
Il don't know, but I have hearn'
tell of them" His fawyer ELECTED the
fact. that stenographers can change
their notes in transcribing, creating
the impression that later this will be
specifically charged. The stenogra-
pliers notes were never sworn to.
That part of the dictagraph record
where Nichols referred to the gov
ernor sharing in the profits" for the
DeFord pardon, he said was errone-
Gus, that Sims, of Spartanburg, and
not the governor was the one re-
ferred to. 1t was charged the steno-
grapher had inserted the word gov
ernor" to make the record "miscar
ry."
George w. Wickersham' magazine
article wherein it was stated that
Burns had used improper methods in
investigating certain cases, was read
by Mr. Nichols. Mr.. Nichols fatty
stated upon question by his attorney
that he had never made any agree
ment to receive any money for Gov
ernor BIease, and that he did not
think the governor would receive
bribe if offered.
Nichols Charges 1t to Whisky.
Mr.. Nichols said that if he had
made the statement that he would ac-
cept money to be used in connection
with Governor Blease's campaign,
that he was under the influence Of
whisky at the time. He denied that
he had done much pardon business"