The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1913-08-06
Boyce 6 Co. ExpIain---Say Records
Are Open to Inspeetion---Miss.
Product Preferred.


of handling Mississippi state farm
cotton, charges and counter charges
have been brought against me and
my firm. The state officials have
slandered and reviled us without
reference to whether their state
ments and accusations were true or
false. They have made charges
without attempting to verify them.
have repeatedly offered to submit
our books and everything possible
connected with our cotton dealings
to any impartial tribunal. This
offer has never been accepted"
That is what G. K. Boyce said
yesterday in the course of a con-
versation in which a Commercial
Appeal reporter asked him a num-
Der of questions connected with the
Mississippi cotton.
Boyce is small, bIack-eyed fell
low, aged IS, and weighs about 135.
He was born in Marshall county,
Mississippi. Nine years ago he
went into the cotton business under
the firm name of Boyce & Co., and
later e. L. Wilkinson 4 Co. was
the title of another firm. WiIkin-
son is young man from Somer-
vile, Tenn.
How much cotton did you buy
all told, from the State of Mississ-
ippiY'
About 10000 bales," said
Boyce. and the total money in.
volved is little less than million
and half dollars"
How many bales OF cotton have
you handled since you began busi-
ness?"
about 100000 bales"
Several years ago." said Boyce,
Il heard that lot of $4,000 bales
of cotton was to be sold by the
State of Mississippi. / told one of
my buyers to 60 there and look it
over. Other buyers were there,
and they offered the commissioners
little above ID cents for the lot.
| instructed my buyer to make no
bid, because | had an idea that the
others had pooled. The commits
sioners declined to accept the bid
and stated they would take Is cents
for the cotton. The other men re-
fused to take the cotton at this
figure and then my buyer, upon in
structions from me, asked the COM
missioners il they would sell the
cotton for Is cents a pound, the
commissioners said yes and my
buyer said he would take it. Then
an attempt was made to buy the1
cotton above the figures that
bought it for
How is this cotton offered in
Mississippi 1t is charged by some
that you seem to have the inside
track"
Gov. Brewer made the same
CHARGE" said Boyce. 81 asked
him who made the charge and he
said it was made by other buyers.
The state samples the cotton and
any buyer can go there and look at
the samples. ! always bought the
cotton in competition with every
body else. At least anybody else
had the same opportunity to buy
that / had.
Il have in my office the records
and weight and price paid for and
classification of every bale of cotton
bought from the State.
There is now coming over from
my office in England. the masters
weights of the cotton. You under
stand that every bale of cotton is
weighed as it goes out Of the boat.
and the weight is there reported,
Sometimes the cotton gained in
weight; sometimes it lost. think
on the whole, the weights lost.
The cotton, you understand, is
weighed on the farm and we
bought it at the farm weights.
"Our records will also show
what received for this cotton and
the classification under which /
sold it.
Il have been sued and am
ready for the fullest investigation.
No specific charge has ever been
preferred against US, and no speci-
fic act has been alleged. but we are
Expected to prove our innocence.
AS matter of fact we have never
been charged with anything.
i offered to let Judge D. M.
Kimbrough 90 over our books or to
have the books gone over under his
direction. | offered to have our
books gone over and all records by
Mr.. Peacock. cashier Of the bank
at ClarksdaIe, with whom | do no
business. also offered to permit
Maj. WiIdberger to examine our
books. ! also offered to have
committee of nine members from
the Memphis Cotton Exchange. five
to be appointed by Gov. Brewer or
the directors Of the New Orleans
Cotton Exchange examine our
records. ! am willing for any
Impartial board to investigate all
of our books.
why is it that you seem to be
able to pay more for this cotton
than anybody eIse?"
Il sell direct to splnners. ! Ies-
tablished the character of this
Mississippi convict farm cotton
with my customers. The cotton
ran very even 10 class. 1t was uni
form in everything. It was baled
well and arrived in Liverpool in
good state. MY customers finally
began to realize the general excel