The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-11-10

Interested OMciaIs and CItIzens-The
State Apparently at the Mercy OF Irrs-
sponsible and CnscrupuIous L Agents.
| From the New York World, Of tuesday,
Very early yesterday morning, before the
usual hour for journalists to be at their desk,
this Office was visited by General John B. Dem
mis-, O gentleman of urbane and decidedly
Northern appearance, but at present resi-
dent of South Carolina, member OF the
Legislature thereof, and chairman Of the joint
special investigating committee, appointed at t
It's last session to inquire into and report
upon the financial condition OF the State, and
also fraudulent transactions that had been
charged against some of the State officers and
the State financial agent resident III this city.
The general was especially fortunate IN MS
visit, however, for he met the very person he
desired most to see, when the following con:
versation took place.:
General Dennis. have called in reference
to some articles that appeared in your paper
on Sunday and this (Monday) morning, IN re-
lation to the finances Of South Carolina.
Reporter. Well, sir, you have fortunately
met the very person from whom you could get
whatever Of Information 1t would De proper 10
| give you.
General Dennis. assume that the state
ment contained in the articles are from some
authoritative source, and want to know VINO
| your informants are.
Reporter (who to this time had permitted
his nterrogator to remain inS0s Can lba
know the name OF the gentleman nave lne
| pleasure to address.
| General Dennis. I am General Dennis,
chairman Of the joint special investigating
committee, &c.
Reporter. Well, General. that is information
i I decline to give you; suffice to say that they
4 were known to be strictly reliable ana consci-
/ To
| to deny?
General Dennis. deny the truth OF every
statement contained in the articles.
Reporter. Then, of course, you have the
means of coutroverting them, and as this pa
per has no object In publishing untruths will
give you the opportunity now, II you desire,
OF correcting the errors In detail. II no irregu-
| larities existed, what called into existence the
Taxpayers Convention, composed OF the
| wealth of the State of South Carolina, which
was in session on the 10th Of May last In Co.
| lumbia, 8. c.?
General Dennis. don't know; there were
| alleged irregularities. Such rumors were cir
culated during the session Of the Legislature
| then proceeding. and at which ume-being
| then a member-I introduced resolution to
provide for thorough investigation OF affairs
| in the State treasurer's department, IN which
| the irregularities charged had occurred. we
subsequently made the investigation and
found all correct.
Reporter. How was 1t, then, that the treas
urer should have refused to permit the sub
committee, appointed at the Taxpayers Con-
yentlon to Investigate those very matters, the
access to his books and papers, so essential TO
the object they had In view, especially when
during the session of that body ne had 80 ialtn-
fully promised he would interpose no 0os'a'
Gle? MT,
ror and (;oyernor we're In Columbia during
.ae session you sllude to, and did promise &C
cess to the treasurer's accounts, and the sub
committee appointed for the purpose made an
investigation thereof, but not full one and
presented it to the convention. subsequently
the convention sent another committee to co.
operate with the legislative committee, OF
which I was chairman, and which had then
been some time engaged in making Its EXAM
nation; In fact 1t had gone over more than
half the accounts Of the treasurer. This being
the fact we deemed 1t improper to admit the
SSHtditfR SSotdina That It as they mad not Commenced at
the beginning with US, whatever they might
report could not be considered as reliable as
it would have been II they had co-operated
with US from the start. After this, and when
our committee had concluded Its labors and
detected no irregularity, the subcommittee OF
the Taxpayers Convention again applied to
the State treasurer for an examination OF his
accounts. They were this time refused, as
the treasurer held there no longer existed q
necessity for any such action. His accounts
had been fully examined by the only body
having legal claim to make such an exami,
nation, and had been touno ano pronounceo
correct.
Reporter. You declare there has been no
fraud perpetrated by any one! Then to what
do YOU attribute the retlcence OF the State or
icisls, and why should they withhold their
books from the public. particularly at time
when the credit OF the State was threatened BY
rumors that could have been stifed at once II
there had been no foundation for them'
General Dennis. I recommended Governor
Scott aud Mr.. Kimpton long ago to make some
public statement with view TO save the credit
of the State, but 1t was believed BY their
friends that it would only Intensity the alarm
to take any notice of the rumors and reports
that had gained circulation; whils to the con- n
it would all blow over. But now that such
prominence has been given them By this paper,
ir Is. my Intention as chairman OF the joint
special investigating committee to prepare and
cause to be published at once full and accu.
rate statement of the facts as have found
them. 1t had been my intention not to pub
lish such report until It had been received by
the Legislature OF the State of South Carolina
However, l now consider 1t my Imperative
duty 10 waive this official courtesy for the in-
formation of the public and In the interest OF
the State credit; not that have any interest
in it personally, for do not own one dollar OF
Its bonds. being too poor to buy them.
Reporter. What gave rise originally to the
rumors OF fraud
General Dennis. Isuspect 1t was simply the
ruse of clique of spectators who wished to
bear the bonds in the MARKET and adopted
this plan. 1t all springs from typographical
error that occurred In one OF the financial re-
ports received during the last session OF the
Legislature. BY the transportation OF single
type the aggregate OF one OF the debt state
ments was erroneously increased: 1t was dis.
covered by Dutchman, one OF the members,
who Immediately arose and raised great CRY
of fraud. Thereupon offered the resolution
tor an investigation.
Reporter. Is 1t not suspicious circum-
stance that every member OF the State gov.
ernment should be In this city at this time
How is that to be accounted for?
General Dennis. No. don't see anything
strange about that; they are up North great
deal; some Of them are here pretty much all
the time; they travel backwards and forwards.
Reporter. As chairman Of the Joint tnVesti-
eating committee, why are you here If no evil
dence of fraud was discovered from the books
of the State treasurer?
General Dennis. It was determined to
change the State agency here. Mr.. Kimpton
wanted to resign, and 1t was the intention to
transfer the agency to the Union Trust Com
pany. wanted to know that his accounts
were all correct before this was done, aud
this was partly the purpose of the Governor
In cominr here