The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-07-26
'HRApeuARrEas szoosD MILITARY D1sraior,
PRovosT MARSHAL GENERALS OrHIoE,

|
| sCoIoNEL:L have the honor to inform you
| that the Major-General Commanding directs me 70
communicate to you the following extract from the
report Of Brevet Major General Il. E. Scott, Assst-
Maior-Genera o. O. Howard, Commissioner OF the
Bureau, dated June q, 1867. i.
CHARLESTON, SuB-DIsTR1Cr OF: -,
Brevet Lieut.-Col. Geo. A. Williams, Major 6tn
| Infantry Sub-Assistant Commissioner, reports:
Several complaints have been made in reference 20
work being neglected, in consequence OF the
hands going off to hear speeches made oy a per-
1t is represented that this Bowen issues what
the freedmen consider orders for them to attena
these meetings; threatening them with hnes II
they do not attend; telling them that no charge
can be made against them for leaving the CROP
that these meetings ore ordered by BreVeg Ma}oa
General Scott, and promising them Dano VI
music.
''This has all tended to produce disorder, and as
this is the time the crop must be saved or lost, no
time can be spared from it,
"I am also directed to transmit to you the en-
closed letter of I'd Lieut. ]. M. Johnston, S9b-As-
sistant Commissioner addressed to Brevet Ieut;
COL Williams, dated June 18th, 1867, and forwarded
to these Headquarters by Brevet Major r-General era,
r. Z. Scott, with his endorsement on the Zoth
instant.
"The Major-General Commanding orders that
you take Mr.. Bowen into custody, and prefer sucn
charges as the evidence in the cases may warrant,
in order that he may be brought to trial before
military tribunal.
'Your obedient servant, ono
(signed o,,, -. W; c.oVss ~
The statement that Mr.. Bowen ISSUED what
the freedmen consider orders for them to attend
meetings; threatened them with tines II tney ao
not attend; telling them that no charge can Dc
made against them for leaving the crop; tnaS snese
1ek.,, hp RrQV
Scott, etc., had previously been communicated 70
this Office from several sources, in substantially
the same form, but investigation developed no
sufficient ground for the complaints; ana nave
these averments which will warrant the pressing
of charges against Mr.. Bowen, or JUSTIFY any
further action by the military authorities.
1t is quite probable that Mr.. Bowon's addresses
citable imagination and imperfect comprehension
of the freedmen; and unfortunately some eYh mas
resulted from his being misunderstood by nus
hearers; but it does not appear that he mas at any
time, used language which would farly admlt OF
such construction as to sustain the charges rlade
and in the absence Of any averment OF the exacI
language used at any particular time and place,
recommend that these general charges De dis-
missed. 49,.
missioner, states in the letter transmitted to me
with your communication, dated June ~, that
aSampson Gadsden, William Manigau!t, ROBERT
Lance and Washington Johnson, are few OF the
ton, to me against G. 6. Bowen (their counseI, that
he holds m his possession the proceeds OF the
sales Of their cotton, and that he will not pay
them." u9
QUARTERS b. u. OF u, CHARLESTON, D. C., Anu VI
June, 1867"
Respectfully returned to Assistant Commits
sioner of South Carolina.
:" AS there is no authority in the Bureau by
n l,1,, 1n 10 rN0u
it is recommended that it be referred to the
military authorities, with the request that Bow
en- be arrested and made Co pay this money. This
matter has been frequ mt brought to bowen's
attention.
(Signed) GEO. A. WILLIAMS,
Major 9Th United States Infantry,
Brevet Lieutenant Colonel q. 8. A., 8. A. @.
sHEApoUARTERs ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER
BUREAU r. +. AND A. L., SOUTH CARoLNA,
CHARLESTON, June 25 1867. y
Respectfully forwarded to Captain J: W. Clous,
A. A. A. G. Second Military District, with request
that such steps may be taken as will compel Mr.
Bowen to pay over to the within named parties
formation in this Office, Mr.. Bowen received the
iictor for the claimants, and has failed to pay it
over. coonn
Breyet Major-General,
Assistant Commissioner"
The records Of tho Provost CQuSt on Edasta and
Wcdmalaw Islands, show that Gadsden, Man1gault,
Lance and Johnson were among tne PiainGns IN
the 31st OF January last, and Judgment rendered
for the plaintiffs. ,...s.
The decree of the court awarded the plaintiffs,
eleven in number, the sum OF one hundred and
eighteen dollars and ninety-hve cents, and, IN oe-
fault Of payment, the cotton Of the defendant was
seized, and six hundred and eighty-seyen (6S7)-
pounds of stone cotton was delivered to Bowen, as
counsel Of the plaintiffs, by the Clerk OF the Pro-
vost Court
to have the cotton prepared for market and sold,
and that he has not accounted to them for pro-
ceeds Of the sale. -,
During the investigation of the foregoing charges
against Bowen, complaints were made to me by
number Of freedmen at Wadmalaw and Edisto
Islands of transactions Of similar character to
that last cited some OF the compialnants aleglng
that they had received nothing from tho proceeds
of the sales of their cotton by Bowen, and others
that he had but partially accounted to them for
such proceeds. 'ir-e
In all of these cases the complainants alleged
that the cotton had been received from the Clerk |
of the Provost Court, in satisfaction OF Judgments
lev, and Julian Bailey, and that Bowen was couu-
sell for plaintiffs.
Court, and have prepared tho accompanying state
ment in tabular form Of all the cases in which
Bowen appeared as counsel for plaintiffs IN that
Court, from which the following facts appear:
Cash paid to Bowen for Plaintiffs for
whom he was counsel, one hundred
aVe Ave cents cents .s1ss75
Cotton received by Bowen tc beaccount-
ed for to clients, ffty.seven hundred
and ninety-one pounds, ut an estimated
value Of fifteen cents per pound eight
hundred and sIty.four dollars and M
'sen 0'''s 1,ts2s
Amounts which the psrte, who have
made complaints say that Bowen has
paid them one hundred and fifteen
dollars and fifteen cents. .llo.oo
947.4O |
Bowen claims that the proceeds Of the
sale Of the cotton was only seven hum
dred and thirty. three dollars and thirty.
three cents. foooo
That the charge for ginning transporta-
ton, insurance, commission, ETC., were
one hundred and eighty-one dollars
and ninety-six cents. .l5l90
And that he paid also, from the proceeds,
fifty dollars Court fees. ............... 5000
S601.S7 ,
And he further asserts that he has accounted to
his clients for the whole Of this sum, and also for
the one hundred and Dinety-eight dollars and
cents received in cash OF the Clerk OF
the Court, with the exception Of about two hum
lred (200) dollars, which he now has in his pos
session. and is and over has been in readiness to