The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1873-11-12

70 f1tS Ionof 1. y. 1L"c''y' Pfcsldn.
Judyc.
The committee aTpoiutcd at til,
last term If court to Investigate tn,
accounts of tho County officers, re
spcctfully report:
That Mr.. NJ. l.. Brown was engage,
as an expert at five dollars per d.,
to make the examination, which he
has done in most faithful and eff
cicnt manner aftcr being duly sworn
The books Of the Trcasurcr's Office
have been gone through ever since
the creation Of the Office, com meme
ing with the late John W. Clarke and
coming down to the present timo
accompanying this please fluid Mr..
Browns report.
1t gives us pleasure to report that
the books of the present Treasurer,
Mr.. II. A. Smith, have been found
entirely correct and we'll kept, and
he has afforded US all the assistance
in his power in making the invcstiga
ton. 1t will be seen from Mr..
Browns report that there arc ball
ancos due the County in Mr.. Ciarkc's
and Mr.. Boyles' accounts but We
think it due to these gentlemen to
state that no evidence OF any attempt
to defraud have been foHnd in either.
Mr.. Clarke's death was so sudden that
he had no time to close up his books,
and in the present statement no ac>
count Is made Of his commissions which
have yet 60 be deducted FROM the
amount. MIR. Boylcs too, has doubts Of
what oguht to be his compensation for
the six months that he held tho cilicc ::
aud as no credits appear on the books
III either ease, MIR. Brown CT course
could make no allowance Tor them.
"c have looked into the accounts of
the County Commissioners in those
OF the lirst Board elected unt.er the
new system we have found nothing
TO condemn, and take pleasure ia
stating cn belief that they "c,cd in
an up, ght, houorablr lAanucr, and
consulted the best Interests Of the
County in all their official acts. The
same too, may be said in relation to
the present Board rs far as we could
learn no particular Investigation
has been made into their accounts, it
not being deemed necessary as they
have been SO short time in cfiec,
and as we could hear Of 70 charges
being brought against them.
In the actions of tho late Board
We regret to say We havo found
abundant evidence Of fraud in the
conduct Of the Chairman, NJ. G.. Dam
lap, and if not completely, certainly
criminal neglect of dnty upon the
part of the other members Of the
board. There seems 10 have been no
sys;c@, at all in tho proceedings.
Contracts were lctout at exorhitant
prices without the public notice
required. and in some instances mem
bcr, Of the Boara tool; contracts. in.
spectod the work, and ordered them
selves paid for it. We give below
some examples of the II moio of pro.
ccdurc
a contract was given to James Nc.
Ncckln to remove sDmc rocks from
the road leading from Bcli's bridge
10 Ashford's Ferry. The testimony
of the man who did the work is that
lie worked At it four and q half days
at two dollars and fifty cents per day;
and negro woman worked one day
at savcnty-fivc cents per day aud
used one dollars worth Of powder,
making the work cost in all thirteen
dollars. The work was inspected,
received by Commissioner Martin
and cighty-iivc dollars paid for it.
That much money could well have
been spent in doing the work aud
making good road. But as it is the
road is in almost as bad a condition
as ever.
We find too, that ono bupdrcd and
fourteen aud three -fourths bushels of
corn were charged to account Of Poor
House, the bill amounting 10 ore
hundred and twenty -four dollars and
seventy five cents. being approved by
Commissioner Dunlap, and paid to
himsolf The account was not sworn
to, the matron OF the house stated on
oath that she bad the corn shollcd'fcr
bread, and it measured forly-scvcn
bushels. Large bills Of supplies for
tho Poor House were Bought and paid
for, taken to Guulap's store near by
and doled out in small quantities to
tho inmates. 4 bill Of lunbcr-- 900
fcet-amountiug to sixty dollars
and eighty cents was paid for and de.
livcrcd at Simpsons Turn Out, Of
which, according the lowest estimate
Of rc"pon";blc citizen living bear
by, not more than five hundred fcot
were delivered at the Poor House
One Vaughn, carpenter, was en-
ploycd to make necessary rep plirs, and
for four days work a bill of ninety"
five dollars was presented and ap.
proved By Dunlap and raid to him.
self. Dunlap ran off about that time
and has never returned but the other
| Commissioner must certainly have
known of this conduct.
| NJ n Enl tI,.t Trn1y