The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-07-16
Charleston Situation.

Charleston Situation.
Augusta, Ca, July 12.-That the
Charleston "blind tigers" contributed
to the campaign fund of Blease before
the second primary two years ago,
that it was an arrangement between
Blease and Stothart whereby the illicit
whiskey dealers were assessed $40
per month 'protection" money. that
Governor Blease got the graft and
Stothart a commission for collecting
it, were outstanding features of the
dictagraph testimony of man who
posed as a gambler by the name of
Wilson, but who in reality was Bailey,
one of Burns men, who spent four
months in Charleston this year.
These statements were contained in
the dictagraph testimony of 'Wilson"
as presented by Thos. B. Fielder to the
investigating committee this after
noon, Wilson" furnished Fielder with
the names of the alleged contributors
in the election fund of the governor
and also gave startling statements fe-
lative to the graft" which has STIR
red Charleston during the past few
weeks.
The letter from "Wilson" to Fielder
relative to the campaign fund follows:
"Col. T. B. Fielder, Atlanta, Ca
Dear Sir: Your favor of the 21st to
hand and contents noted. l am here
with enclosing list of blind tigers
that contributed to Blease's cam
paign fund. This is not the original
list but copy. l am sending the
original for the reason that it contains
few names that are not blind tigers
and I thought best to send the names
of the blind tigers only. The retail
business league is better known in
Charleston as the blind tiger associa-
ton These names on the enclosed
list are correct and the amount -oppo-
site each is a correct amount that each
one gave towards buying votes in
Charleston for Blease. Retail Busi-
ness League, s277; Santo Sottile,
5000; Jim Farnum, $500; Clarence
Halsey, $50; E. F. Ostendorff, s25; v.
Chicco, S25; ]. ]. Landers, s25; Geo.
Murphy, S25; J. w. Hunt, S25; P. j.
Conway, S25; o. H. Wieters, S25;
James Sottile, $50; Gus Stuhr, s25;
H. L. Roster, s25; F. w. Mappus, s25."
Dictagraph testimony of Wilson"
concerning Henry Hasselmeyer as
given by Fielder follows:
How Protection Was Secured.
Henry Hasselmeyer, whose place
of business is near the market in the
city of Charleston, upon being asked
how the blind tigers in the city of
Charleston were getting on, his reply
was:
GIVE elected. Cole. Blease COVER
nor and we now have full protec-
tion." Asked as to the method by
which protection was obtained, he
stated that shortly after the COVER
nor's Inauguration the chief of con-
stabulary force was called to Column
bia for conference with the governor.
In this conference with the governor
it was agreed as to the amount that
each blind tiger in the city of Charles
ton should pay monthly for protec-
ton.
"On the return of the chief consta-
! bic to Charleston he called upon the
president of the local brewery and
told him that he wished to see him in
conference, that he had a proposition
to make to him which was authorized
| by the governor, asking MIN When 1t
would be satisfactory to see him. The
president of the brewery told him that
he could see him at any time and any
place that suited The chief of the
constabulary force said that he would
come to his home at once. The presi-
dent of the brewery suggested that
this would be an unwise move from
the fact that some one might see him.
To this the reply was made: 1--WE
don't care who sees u.s."
"He then proceeded to the home of
the president of the brewery, where he
delivered the message from the COVER