The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-20
IL BLEASE CORRUPT?
HE "i;iicf Against Blca>c. a. Taken
From the Lips of His Own Friends
and Associates

Augusta Chronicle.
In connection with the mass of
/ testimony that has been brought out.
in Augusta during the past few days.
as the result Of the Fielder investiga-
ton, the following may be said
First, the average laynlan is apt to
have become confused; except to have
had the impression made upon him,
in general way, that such state Of
affairs was never before shown to ex-
ist in any state in this Union.
Second, the average lawyer, With
his mind trained to technica!ities and
strict court procedure, is apt to doubt
| If a court house case" has been
made out against Blease.
This is not The Chronicles fight
and it is not our purpose 10 try to
convict Blease; for, frankly, We con-
| slider that already done-at least 50
far as a public verdict is concern
ed. We are, simply, inclined to treat
with the whole matter as any news
paper should that is interested in good
government and clean politics, not
merely at home-right here in Au-
gusta-but far and near
AS matter of fact the Chronicle
feels very much as Mr.. w. j. Burns,
the country's. greatest graft exposer,
expressed it:
We are not SO much concerne
about the punishment Of those invoIv-
ed in such candals-although we r"c.
ognize the necessity for punishment,
in most cases, as a deterrent-as We
are in the fact that the nest has been
broken up" that an end has been
put to the Matching of bad political
eggs. and that more wholesome AT
mosphere has been created where be-
fore all was foul and unwholesome.
Therefore, we are today takn, the
trouble 70 dig out Of all the mass of
evndence furnished by Mr.. Fielder
and Mr.. Burns and his detectives as
10 conditions in South Carolina, a few
salient points which carry their own
meaning.
And for this purpose We use, not
MIR. Felder's opinion of Blease, not
even his own sworn testimony as TO
some Of Blease's former transactions
AS, for instance, when Blease and
Evans are said to have received four
crisp $1,000 bills from Blumen-
thai & Bickert, Atlanta liquor dealers
but only the testimony of Blease's
own friends and former or present
associates, to wit:
Briggs Wilson. former manager Cf
the Richland Distillery, at Columbia
who had numerous transactions with
the old dispensary crowd
Ben H. Stothart, appointed by
Blease as his "chief constable" and
personal representative in Charleston.
Sam j. Nichols, the Spartanburg at
torney, who claims to have been
closer to Blease than any other man
in the state. And here they are:
AS to His Record i'm the State Senate.
Dear Sir: ON Wednesday, the 18th
inst. l visited the city of Albany. and
while there met Mr.. b. NJ Wilson
and had a long talk with him in re-
gard to dispensary matters in the
State of South Carolina.
He stated TO me- that il came with
in his knowledge that Cole l.. Blease,
now governor of the state. had repre-
sented, while state senator, Lana
han Il Co., liquor dealers Of the city
of Baltimore and had made large
sales to the board of directors const-
and John Bell Towill; that in conse-
quencc Of certain dissatisfaction aris-
ing in the matter of paying rebates
t. the board OF directors it was de-
cided that, instead of continuing to
pay rebates through Blease to the
board that the rebates rs agreed to
between Ilease ana the said board
should be paid through the said I}.
NJ. Wilson. and this was accordingly
done.
In further conversation with the
said Il. NJ. Wilson, Wilson stated "a
me that when the bill was introduced
in the South Carolina legislature 80
abolish the dispensary and for an i'll
vestigation Of the system, that inc
the State of South Carolina, devised
plan 10 defeat all pending legis!a-