Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-11-11

From the New York Sun. Noy.7.I
As early as last Tuesday startling
rumor reached the ears of certain citi-
zens Of South Carolina temporarily re-
siding here II was that important dis
closures were about to be made concern
ing the financial condition OF their State.
There are about two hundred of these
gentlemen in New York, refugees from
yellow fever, Grants martial law and
the plundering carpet-baggersi and when
the report reached the ears of one it was
quickly communicated to another, SO
that in a few hours every South Caro-
linian here knew the dreadful news.
They had learned that an examination
of the books Of II. III. Kimpton, the
financial agent of South Carolina, by
committee by the Legislature for that.
purpose, had discovered that fraudu-
lent issue Of bonds of the State had
been made, amounting to the enormous
sum of $l6,00O,0O0. III I
WHAT WAS ALMOST INCREDIBLE.
That Kimpton had borrowed money
right and left and distributed bonds of
the State as collateral at a very low fig
ure, every one knew; but that he and his
clique OF corrupt scoundrels in the
State government could have embezzled
SIG, 100000 without having the fact soon
er brought to light, was little too
tough a story to believe. And SO Sun
reporter told the gentleman who waited
upon him with the astounding inf0rma-
ton. While it is almost incredible that
so large sum could be stolen, there is
yet abundant reason to suspect that the
finances Of the State are in a hopelessly
muddled condition.
GREAT INFLUX OF vULTUREs.
No other evidence of this is need ed
than the fact that the whole flock OF
plundering vultures of the State are in
the city seeking to hide the skelet on
whose bones they have so long been pick
ing. The following named State officers
are in New York: Governor Scott,
Comptroller j. l.. Neagle, State Treas
urer Parker, Attorney General Cham
berlain, Adjutant General and Speaker
of the Lower House +. j. Moses, jr. !;
the Hon. Hardy Solomon, SCOTS finan-
cial stool-pigeon; the Hon. John j. Pat
terson, Vice President of the Greenville
road and factotum in chief to the Gov
ernor. In addition to thesewe have so1
journing in our midst those upright gem
tlemen, the Hon. John B. Dennis, the
jimmy Ingersol of the Legislature, who
came near swindlng the State out of
$4,000 by fraudulent furniture con-
tract, and which iniquitous transaction
the Sun exposed last spring; the Hon.
lC. G. Bowen, the convicted bigamist,
tand intimate friend Of President Grant;
the Hon. Timothy Hurley, the most
honest rogue of the lot, in that he does
not deny his guilt, and only laughs when
told of it; a fellow named Gardner one
of the most corrupt of the corrupt in
that earpet-bag Legislature; and dozens
Of others, whose absence from South
Carolina, even for brief period, must
be a relief to the people Of that State.
But they are all here, and rumor has it
that some of them will not return at all.
A YALE STUDENT IN LUCK.
Mr.. H. II. Kimpton, the financial
agent against whom this terrible charge
of embezzlement is brought by promi-
nent South Carolinians is banker, or
rather claims to be, at 0 Nassau street.
He is a young man, and until his CON
nection with South Carolina finances
was utterly unknown in the banking
: world-in fact was not in Wall street at
all. The history of his connection with
that State is amusing, at the same time
instructive 1t seems that at the time of
the election of Chamberlain as Attorney
General in 1868, Kimpton was briefless
lawyer, struggling for livelihood. He
and Chamberlain had been classmates
, | IL ha nf pld
chum's good luck in South Carolina, he
at once started, carpet-bag in hand, in
quest of spoils. Kimpton brought up in
Columbia, and of course was clasped in
Chamberlain arms. They talked OF
their Alma Mater, their lazing days and
finally Kimpton limited at business. He
STAYED there two or three weeks, and be-
came intimate with Governor Scott, and
Parker, and Neagle, ct id omne genus,
and finally started for New York with
81 900 600 South Carolina bonds in his
carpet-bag, and the appointment of
STATE FINANCIAL AGENT,
in his breast-pocket. All this without
having given one dollar security The
State had no bond that the new agent
would perform his duty honestly, and
millions have passed through his hands
without even the shadow Of surety.
Kimpton opened magnificent Office
and at once thrust his bonds upon the
market, and remitted such OF the pro-
ceeds as he saw fit to Treasurer Parker
in Columbia. IL is needless to follow
the agent down through all his negotia-
tons Suffice it to say that in three
wears he made over 81 900, 900 out of his
position. Last winter Governor Scott
aud his Agent of Finance had row.
Scott wanted to put him out. kimptoT
twirled his thumb and fingers at the end
of his nose and dared him TO do il. The
Governor did not put him out.
Then the Legislature, being at logger
hsads with Scott, thought they saw in
this evidence that Scott did not dare
eject the agent. A committee was
promptly appointed TO inspect kimp-
toms accounts.
A HIGH OLD COMMITTEE.
The character Of this committee can
be judged from the fact that Dennis. the
furniture swinder, was appointed its
chairman, and Hurley, Gardner and
others members. The committee came
here on the 10th of September and
have been in the city every day since,
drawing six dollars a day each and ex-
{ penses, which are not light. The mem
bers liye spmptuously in Twenty
Fourth street, in furnished house pro-
vided by kimptop, the nan whose ac-
counts they are to examine The con-
mittee is attended in an official capacity
by Mr.. Green, the SergeaLt-at-Armso Of
D the South Carolina Senate, a very re-
= spectacle eolored gentleman, who looks
ashamed Of his cenEspy. Their delibe-
rations are carried on in tne banking
: house Of Mr.. Kimpton.
} When be learned of these reported
I discoveries, the Sun reporter, knowing
1 so well the character of the reported dis
aovaries, knew right well there vas a
o negro In the fence somewhere; that
e Dennis, the furniture man, and men Of
e that ilk, would never unearth so stu
1 pendoas 9 fraud while Kimpton pos
r sessed a dollar in the world to secure