The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-09-21
Grand Jury Presentment


The Grand Jury of Kershaw County respect
fully present, That since the last Term of the
Court, they have been diligently investigating the
public affairs Of the County, and now lay before
your Honor the results of their labors:
| The first Board of County Commissioners was
organized on November 10, 1868. The expendi-
| lures. consisting of accounts audited and paid
| by orders on the Treasurer, for the year ending
Nov. 10. 1869, were S $500 65
For the year ending Nov. 10, 1870, 9,s7l GO
Up to August 0, 1871, C,342 0S
Making a total of S23,l2l 81
By this statement, made up from oficiul re-
cords, it will be seen that if there were NJ de-
linquent taxpayers, the taxes levied for FIVE
years will not cover the expenditures OF tue
three years past, the assessment for county tax
cs being about six thousand dollaIs per annum,
and consequently, that the county is b. hkrup,; |;
whence it follows that very small amount Of
money will be received for years to come, Oh u:-
count of county taxes, since they are paid al
most exclusively by county orders long since
due and payable. The result Of this will be
fearful to contemplate, because tue poor cahno3
thus be much longer supported, and The Popt
House will, of necessity, be closed. Ths Ju-
ro-s and Witnesses in attendance upoh he
Courts receive no pay, and .hcir time is thus
solutely;thrown away, when it is most valuable,
and when The labor of the ye - may 3e totally
lost by their inability TO aite..d to tLe du.ics U
their farms.
While there is no evidence vi fraud. we g..
that incompetence and ex.ravagarcs 80
abounded i'll the Office of tie Comm So, ir.
AZ a., instance of this, we cal the .c"i y VI
your Honor 10 an item of s.lt7 J3. sprn. -.
carriage hirc by the Commissioner, who 'ook
Sl@ Esahk of riding over the counir and in
yPtCIIng me f61ds, bridges, &C., anu who chur-
gee ,hcir regular per diem aid Lille: .;e il addi-
zion thereto And also one o.her i,e.a of 50: II
paid various parties for "guar'liig the JAIL du-
ring the year 1868. The parties WHO were en-
gagct. in guarding .he Jail were not employed
to do so by ahy authority of which wenre aware,
but if so, We snjmit hat io law exs c,l for sucli
employment, and that it was doLe fOr tie pubic
beue6t, at tine when great excite.neu. pre-
vailed, but for which there was no necessity.
We found several accounts, for which orders o
The Treasury had been given not swo"L 10 ls
required by law, and when enfu.y was
made as to whe,her certain account for work
done on a bridge was not altogether TOO large
the Clerk of lie present BC.rt. Of Cou mission
crs assented, and added in subs ancc, That .he
discount upon County orders betty 80 grcar, The
Comm issiorers allowed sufficient oN er and above
The real value of the work 10 cover said dis
count. These fac's coupled with what has been
said, are submitted rs evidence Of the allc, cd
incompetence, carelcssness anu extravaganza,
The expenses of the county for two and a half
years, for jurors, witnesses aid cousiabIes have
been S3,2 12. The fees of the Sheriff, Clerk
and Trial Justices in State cases have amounted
to 4, ,427 46, those of the Sheriff alone being
S2,942 GO. For stationery, books, printing and
rents for the public Offices there have been spent
S2,477 05, while upon roads and bridges during
the same period barely S., 900 have been ezpen-
ded. We have examined the books and vouch-
ers Of tie late County Treasurer, and find that
he has charged the State with 81, 433 IS rs his
fees upon executions issued against Gefaulting
taxpayers, 81 25 being charged upon e:.ch ex-
ecution as nm sentry fcc." We claim that the
entry fees are at best very extravagnnt, and fire.
ouently charged on nulla bona executions, and
dtainst parties who do not exist. The present
Treasurer charges only SO cents. and that on cx-
ecutons that are recoverable. lie also claims n
balance due him by the county of $1,S72. Ow-
ing, however, to the short time left US We were
unable to examine fully into the details, and
therefore cannot state whether or not his ac-
counts are correct. We find that in turni ng
over his Office to the present incumbent no re-
ceipts were passed, and the latter does not
consider himself responsible for what was thus
turned over.
We have also examined the books and vouch-
ers of the present Treasurer, and find them cor
rect and accurately kept. There are twenty-five
inmates in the Poor House, which is neatly kept
and to their satisfaction. No complaints were
made to the Grand Jury. We find the Jail in a
very bad condition, and sadly in need of being
whitewashed, and its sanitary condition is such
as to cndangcr the health of the occupants, who
complain greatly of filth and the scarcity of
food.
Reports from most sections repprscnt the roads
and bridges in good condition, but we received
complaints Of Pine Tree Creek Bridges on the
Charleston and Bishopvile roads.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
c. J. DUNLAP,
Foreman.