The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-20
NICHOLS TO REPLY.
SPARTANBCRG LAWYER Will
APPEAR BEFORE COMMIT
TEE.
Meeting To BE He'd in Columbia
Until That Tine Will Make No
Statemcnt-Scnator Carlisle FIX.
plains Course

Spartanburg, July 15.-Senator
Howard +. Carlisle, chairman of the
dispensary investigating committee Of
the legislature said today that the
committee would meet in Columbia
probably Thursday to continue the
, investigation.
, Samuel j. Nichols, the attorney of
ms city, mentioned ia the testimony
Of the Burns detective. +. {. Reed.
at Augusta Satu! day as having agreed
To secure from Coy. Bleoye for 81
600 pardon for James Johnson alias
Gus Del ord, the convicted safcblower
VIII go before the committee Thurs.
day and reply to the testimony. This
was agreed upon by Messrs Nichols
and Carlisle
The committee will also endeavor
thursday to have on hand the Char
lesion men, who were mentioned at
previous meetings as having knowI-
edge Of the collection Of graft from
the Charleston blind tigers by Ben
, Jamia Stothart. chief constable. The
committee. has been unable. up To this
tine, to have all the witnesses wanted
appear. Mr.. Nichols declined to com
ment on the testimony involving him
other than t. say that much Of Il
was false. He said he preferred not
to say anything until Thursday. when
MS statement would be made under
oath and become a part of the rec
ord
{. +. sims the attorney mentioned
having collaborated with Mr.. Nichols
IN the effort To secure a pardon for
Johnson h@d expected to issue a state
ment. hut it was not Forthcoming to-
night
Mr Carlisle would not express an
opinion as to the guilt or innocence
of those accused by the witnesses or
in the documentary evidence taken at
Augusta. He said the committee had
not decided whether to hold another
nearing IN Augusta or whether 10 take
any more testimony from Thomas (.
Fielder and the Burns detectives. When
asked why the committee had admit
ted evidence not bearing directly on
the dispensary situation, for the speci-
hc investigation of which the commit
tee was appointed, Mr.. Carlisle said
that in such case it was permissible
under the law to investigate collaJ-
teral matters which might tend 20
show the character Of the persons un-
der investigation.
This rule was laid down in the i'm
peachment Of Warren Hastings. gov
ernor general Of India more than 100
years ago. Such evidence was admis-
sible Mr.. Carlisle pointed out, be-
cause it was difficult to get either the
giver of a bribe or the recipient there
of to admit it and it was sometimes
necessary to prove guilt to show that
'AiS ''ii'oSPltit tI\tloDlUS Il man WIS
such as to make it probable that he
would accept a bribe.
If the man is accused of the specific
murder IT is not permitted to afro
duce testimony that he committed
another murder, but if he is accused
OF receiving stolen goods it is allowed
under the law to show that on some
previous occasion he received sto."n
goods. ON the same principle, since
Gov. Blease has, been accused of Az
cepting bribeS in connection with The
affairs of the dispensary, evidence
that he accepted brihes for pardons
was admissible.
Mr.. Carlisle further pointed uuu
that Coy. BlcaSe himself had invited
the closest scrutiny Of all his acts.
| Mr.. Carlisle drew attention hoWo,.r.
To the fact that the committee hal
| barred all the evidence which Alr.
| Fielder sought to introduce in re;ynid
| to the governors private life