The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-12-29

sOWS UOuBut from " deQrne,t Two
sows I bought from o 'Hearne, one SOW
presented me by DR.. Taylor. two
Chester White pigs, bought from Mr..
Boyer, of Chester County, Pennsyl-
vania. These were all my own pri-
vate property.
About the time that these hogs were
killed, l sent some hams and shoul-
ders to the Penitentiary, II do not
remember now the exact number,) to
be smoked-this meat was returned
to my house.
In reference to certain wheel-bar-
rows, shovels and picks shipped from
the Penitentiary:
There were six wheel-barrows,s six
shovels and six picks worn out, which
had been thrown aside. They were
unfit fer rso, .ud were ordered to be
sold. The store-keeper had them re-
paired, 80 that they would answer q
short service, and delivered them to
the parties to whom they were sold.
He omitted to charge them on his
books; as soon as such omission was
ascertained, it was corrected, and the
parties are now charged with the full
value of these articles.
In reference to the issue of stores
to private parties:
10 my knowledge, no stores have
been issued to private parties, with
out their being properly charged on
the books for them; written and
verbal orders have both been given
to each nnd every officer having
charge of public property, to keep
an exact account of all issues to pri-
vate parties, in order that they might
be paid for. L have labored hard to
have these instructions Carried out,
and believe l have generally succeed
ed; yet have reasons for believing
that my orders have been violated at
times. and parties have acted impro-
perly. have more than once changed
the officers having charge Of stores,
and even instituted legal proceedings
against another, for acting improper
ly. Neither verbal or written orders
have ever been given by me, or any
one else, who is authorized to use my
name, to any officer having charge
of public property, to issue to the
wagon-driver whatever he called for;
y
is false, and those officers who have
done SO have acted improperly, and
on their own responsibility.
In reference to work done for pri-
vate parties:
Work has been and is now being
done for private parties. The time
employed and material used, l be-
lieve, and have no reason to think
otherwise, is properly kept account
of by the different forcmen, and re-
turned to the clerk, so that the pro-
per charges may be made. L believe
the clerk has faithfully attended to
his duties. and the State has and will
receive her just dues. Much more
private work might be done here, to
the pecuniary advantage of the State,
were funds provided to purchase the
material to work on.
From the temporary nature of the
wall, or fence, around the yard, it is
absolutely necessary to keep large
guard force. Some of this force are
employed solely as guard, while II
portit II of it, sucL rs foremen and
workmen, are as 6. reserve guard in
case of an emergency requiring their
presence. Every employee is hired
with the express understanding that
he is to cooperate with the regular
guard whenever called upon. In
stances of the value of this reserve
guard are on record. See testimony
of Metz. where Cooper, carpenter,
re-captured escaping convict. The
presence of these workmen is of
more value to the State than the
wages paid them, as the work they do
Is of equal value to what the State
pays for their services, and their pre-
sence obviates the necessity and ex-
pense of hiring a man especially for
guard. 1t being thus necessary to
have this extra guard, and it being
advantageous to employ mechanics,
it is highly important to always have
private or custom work on hand, so
that the time of these mechanics can
always be kept employed, when not
on the State work.
In reference to the bills receivable
furnished me at various times to
carry on this work: These bills were
not current funds, and 1 was COM
PEELED to sell them in the market for
hot fI,axy uyo,,1I l>,;,.o