The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-03-20
BLEASE HOLDS LETTERS,
BODY REFUSED
RIGHT OF INSPECTION.
Chief Executive Tells Committee That
Order From Circuit Judge Will be
Necessary to Make Him Surrender
Fielder Letters.


! Columbia, March 16.--"The gov
ernor said that he would not turn
| over the letters to the committee ex-
cept on the order of a circuit Judge"
This statement was made before the
, legislative dispensary investigating
committee yesterday by Senator Cliff
ton a member Of the committee who
called on the chief executive with
Representative j. ]. Evans, to make
request for the inspection of certain
letters alleged to have been written
to II. H. Evans by T. B. Fielder, the
Atlanta attorney.
Il think that we can get that order
from the circuit judge" said a men,
Der of the committee. 1t is expected
that the matter will be carried into
the courts.
III. II. Evans Of Newberry, appear
ing before the committee Thursday
and yesterday, told Of receiving GER
tain letters from T. B. Fielder, the At
lanta attorney, offering to form
"whiskey corporation" to secure the
business of the old State dispensary
in South Carolia. These letters he
said, were in the hands Of the gov
ernor. Fl. II. Evans said that he
would try to secure the letters. He
failed and the committee yesterday
appointed Senator Clifton and Rep
resentative Evans to call on the chief
executive and ask for the letters. The
committee met with a refusal. H. Fl.
Evans. in his testimony, charged
wrong intentions on the part of Fell
der, and said that the letters would
substantiate his statements. He said
that he was anxious for the letters to
be presented in evidence The COM
mittee desired the letters for inspec-
tion.
II. H. Evans and l.. w. Boykin,
former members Of the board Of d.
rectors OF the penitentiary were the
only witnesses to appear before the
committee yesterday. They told the
committee In a general way Of the
work Of the board Of directors. Many
questions were asked as to the meth
DDS Of purchase.
John Bell Towill stated Thursday
that the board would meet and place
small orders and that during the time
between the quarterly meetings, largo
quantities Of whiskey were received.
Both witnesses denied that they were
responsible for the shipments Of whis-
key and charged the practice to G. II.
Charles. clerk Of the old State board,
now deceased. Both witnesses charg-
ed that T. B. Fielder, the Atlanta at
torney had tried to frame up a
whiskey corporation" Few material
points were brought out at the hear
ing.
Both witnesses denied the insinua-
tlons that Attorney General Lyon had
been paid sums Of money to stop
prosecutions or for immunity. They
paid high compliments to the work
of the Ansel commission and thought
that the members were honest men.
The governor, in his special message
number four, said that some money
was paid to the attorney general. He
also dismissed the Ansel board for
incompetency. Evans and Boykin
were asked directly concerning the
charges Of the governor.
The committee took a recess yes
terday afternoon at 2.3O o'clock. until
next Thursday morning at 10 o'clock.
The first witness called at the ses-
sions yesterday morning was L. w.
Boykin, former member Of the dis
pensary board Of control. He was
questioned by the committee as to the
purchase Of whiskey by the hoard
He was asked by the committee con-
corning the statement Of Towill that
small orders were made at the regu-
lar meetings and that large quantities
came In between the regular quarterly
meetings. He said that he complain
ed to W. O. Tatum concerning the
large shipments of whskey which
were made without order from the
board.
large quantities?"
81 do not"
Did you protest against the illegal
shipments?"
II did"
did the other members protest"
YES"