The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-02-19


the grand jury, on Thursday last, nthe Court
of General Sessions. 1t was read aloud In the
crowded court by deputy clerk F. J. "inkler'
and the plain language and figures 1t uses
created an evident stir:
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
COUNTY OF CHARLESTON, February 10, lSIz.
To the Honorable the Court of General Sessions
ofthe County Of Charleston: ,,,
The grand jury, duly drawn ana empaneiieo
In and for the County OF Charleston, oo se, res.
they have made rigid examination toucnlng
all matters and things with which they nave
been charged by law, and pursuant TO lne IN
structions of The honorable the presiding
judge. o..,,,;o -
| the Offices OF the county treasurer anu lile
| hoard of county commissioners, as the IMAM
cial condition of this county has been for tine
4 mast two wears reproach 10 the state, and IS
now matter of the grayest concern to all
class, Of our citizens.
They visited the office OF county commits
sioners, but were unable to obtain any facts or
records furnishing any, positive lniormatlon as
to the transactions OF that oh1ce.
All the commissioners were absent. The
clerk of the board informed the grand jury
that important books Of the office, which The
grand Jury desired to examine, were IN Co
lumbia. On inquiry it was ascertalned that
the books In question were taken to Columbia
by committee of the Legislature more than
year ago, which committee made report
upon The same, and said books have been sub
iect to the demand OF the commissioners at
any time during the past ten months.
The grand jury are, therefore, bound to re-
gard the failure Of the county commissioners
10 produce the books oftheir Office tor 1nspec-
tion as proof positive that the commissioners
are intent upon evading legal scrutiny into
their transactions. This evasion, both by
Withholding the records, and their habitual
absence wnen the grand jury visits thelr
Office, becomes matter Of serious consldera.
tion for this honorable court, In view OF
the fact that seven indictments for frau
dulent practices in office are now pend
ing against Michael Mclaughlin and F.
c. Miller, two OF the present commisslcn-
ers. This is the fourth term since those IN
dictments were found, and although the wit
nesses, as this grand jury are Informed and
believe, have been and are ready to testify for
the State, the cases are sill untrled. These
officers control the disbursement of more than
one hundred thousand dollars of county funds
per annum, and yet give no bonds. In view
Of the crimes charged against them, and OF
their relation to the financial administration
of the county, the grand jury feel constrained
by their sense or duty to recommend tnat tue
commissioners now under indictment be put
upon their trials without unne delay, IN
order that If guilty they may be brought to
justice, or II innocent, they msy De so declar-
ed. for they already stand convicted by pub
lie opinion of being chiefly responsible for the
present scandalous condition of the county
finances, resulting In virtual bankruptcy, as
numerous citizens and county officials are In
shutting suits against the county for their Just
dues. Unless the courts act IN this matter,
the people will be without any remedy -tor
uhotithap oIpooet nnivoraallv feel Ia prpat
and crying wrong.
The grand jury visited the office of the
county treasurer, and were shown BY him the
books of his office. The limited time allowed
the grand Jury prevented them from making q
thorough examination into The records Of the
county treasurer. Inc grand Jury were "s re
the persons to whom payments have been
made by the treasurer during the present fs-
cal. wear. This Information they asked for but
did not get, the treasurer referring them TO
the bSoks of the county commissioners, which
of course cannot give the Information re-
atlired, as those books show the checks
drawn, and not the payments made. The
present county treasurer qualified as such on
the 5Lh day of October, 1870, and his official
reports show that since that date he has paid
| out In round numbers one hundred and seven
| ty thousand dollars. Yet, during that whole
| period, he has continuously announced
of The county, that there were no funds IN the
treasury, while ut the same time the pay.
ments were being made clandestinely, and
not TO the original holders oil checks, but
chiefly TO SPECTATORS, who purchased checks
and accounts at rateH OF discount rninous 10
many poor men who had rendered Service 10
the county. large majority Of the jnrors,
both grand and petit. and the balliffs who have
served In this court during the past year, are
still unpaid. In some cases the county COM
mssIoners re fused to draw checks to pay 1u-
l. ors, and in Others, when jurors presented
fchecks they were Informed by the treasurer
that he had no funds, while there were not
wanting persons always on hand to buy jury
checks or vouchers at fifty and sixty per cent,
discount.
The following Is the report furnished 10 the
grand jury by the county treasurer:
RECEIPTS AND prsBURsBa ENTs OF COUNTY FUNDS
Receipts since November 1st, 1871, to
January 18th, 1672...... ..........$67, ,447 "a
Paid out on county vouchers. 47,9l6 80
Balance on hand per report to commis.
sioDers, January 18th, 1872........... 20, ,43l 26
Receipts since that time. 6,S77 10
25, SOS Sc
Paid since that time:
On old vouchers. rs..........."...$ $212 90 =.
On new vouchers. 40 aa-22sa2 es
Balance to credit CT county commits.
siUners. .$-ZsIo 40
From the above and other testimony before
them, the grand jury are satisfied that the
treasurer has disbursed the greater part Of the
taxes collected for the current year to pay
checks issued and chargeable against the tax
levy of 1870, which checks were held by specu-
lators, with whom the treasurer has been and
Is acting in concert, to the most grieVous in
Jury of the bona f1de creditors of The county,
the county officials, jurors, witnesses, bailiffs