The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-12-15
A GIGANTIC FRAUD.
SoWEN REPORTS IN oTER-ISSUE OF
S6,0OO,OO0.
The threatened Impeachment of Scott
and Parker-A Fearful Expose-Arri-
val of the Sterling Bonds.
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM To TIE Ssws.l


COLUMBIA, December IA.
In the Senate q bill was introduced to au.
thorize county treasurers to receive pay GER
tlficates of members of the Legislature in pay
mept of taxes. The bill to renew the charter
of the PEOPLES Bank, of South Carolina, and
the bill to renew the charter of Strawberry
Ferry we're passed. The bill to create State
hoard of health and vital statistics was referred
to the medical committee to report as to its
prac!icablity.
In the House, Bowen's special investigating
committee made their report. They show
that the whole bonded debt of the State, In
October. 1868, was S., ,407, ,306 81, exclusive OF
the war debt. To this they add the bonds
issued for the redemption of the bills of the
Bank OF the State, amounting to sl,25S $50,
maNbe the old State debt s6,665,S56. During
1869 and 1870 there was added the bonds for
the REDEMPTION of the bills receivable, $780,
OOO and the bonds to pay interest, $500 900,
making the bonded debt in October, 1870,
81. .ss5. .s56 27. About the same time there
were in the hands of the financial agent the
bonds for the relief of the treasury sl,00U, eco,
the bonds to pay interest s5OO,OO0, and the
land commission bonds 100000, making the
grand total s",665,s56 81. This shows only
$4,000, 900 of new bonds issued up TO October,
! 1870. According tG the sworn statement OF
the treasurer, there are now signed aud out
standing s9,5l4,O0O of new bonds. Deduct
from'tb amount the s3,2OO,OOO above men,
toned, and there remains s6,3l4, 900 Of bonds,
signed and put upon the market, which the
report declares to be an over-issue. The re-
mort further shows that the acts under which
these issues are claimed to have been
made umiteo the time during which the
bonds could be issued to twelve months,
which was afterwards exserded to twenty
four months; but these bonds have been
issued siuce the expiration OF the author
lied period, even as extended. The re-
port concludes as follows: "Your committee
are fully satisfied that the State has been de-
trauded by an over-issue OF s6.34l 900, and
would, therefore, respectfully recommend that
the necessary steps be taken to hold account
able those persons who have violated the law
and ruined the credit Of the State" Signed
by Bowen, Byas, Frost, O'Connell and Jones.
The report will be considered tomorrow after
noon, when, 1t is threatened, Scott and Parker
will be lmpeached.
The House passed the bills to empower pro-
bate judges to issue executions, to establish
wharf at Martins Point, and the concurrent
resolution to adjourn from December 22d to
January 5th. Hurley introduced a bill requir-
ing that all securities Of the State be register
ed within ninety days, after which time no
principal or interest OF unregistered bonds
should be paid.
The resolution relative to the removal OF
Judge Thomas was taken up, when Judge
Thomas appeared at the bar of the House and
announced himself in readiness to defend
himself. After some pettifogglng,. Hurley
sprang motion to indefinitely postpone the
whole matter, which passed, thus efectually
killing the measure.
The sterling funding bonds, which were
telegraphed for, have arrived.
The smallpox quarantine at Charleston,
Georgetown and Beaufort will be raised to-
morrow. PICKET.