The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1874-04-08
the money deposited was chiefly coun.


the money deposited was chiefly coun.
y money.
when Mr.. Fillebrown camo for the
package, Judge Robertson showed
him ono notice, and Capt. Clowney
presented the other, and informed him
! that os both parties claimed the
funds they would kold'them until it
was decided to whom they belonged.
The detective was somewhat taken
aback, but quietly rallied, aud said
he would "argue the point" Coz.
Rion, as. attorney for the bank, aud
Messrs. Elliott aud Crawford wcr.
called in, and quite discussion en-
sued. F,llebrown was disposed to be
angny at first, and wished to know
Whether the crowd "wanted a big OF
a little fight" He vas politely in.
formed he COULD get any sort of fight
he wanted. A. Ec didn't caro- for, q
fight, however, and only wanted tho
money, nothing resulted from this
acccptaucc,.' To offered to give his
word -:.of honor that tho money
shouldn't sec the State Treas
urer's Office, that IT,. should be pro
rated in the ,..Comptroller's Of
flee. Bat tho county officers thongEt
bird in the hand was worth a nuck
in the bush, and wouldn't nudge from
their first position. F.llcbrown then
yielded as gracefully as he oouli, and
.tl,e money was counted, and deror.t-
oil. '"
Ii tho mean time, it was discovered
that Judge Mackey was OIL tho down
train from Chester. An affidavit o!
the facts was made by Mr.. Elliott,
and Oh this an order was prepared,
direc.irg the bank to have tho n,onoy
counted by the Chairman &C the
County Commissioners, the School
Commissioner and Trial Justice,
md to hold it until an investigation
could be made as to whom it belopgcd
to. This was granted by Judge
Mackey on his reaching Winnsboro.
+: This remnant Of the taxes is, there
fore, safe for while. Judge
Mackey will do what is proper under
the circumstances.
If this money wcro taken away
from Winnsboro, tho county would be
p"nniess. The county moncy, the
school funds, the poll tax, the local
scGcol, and Ku Klux tax would be
swept away. But by this prompt ac
tion of the officials, gooa portion
may be saved.
Thus matters rest at present. OF
course, it is ,useleas fer .creditors to
present any claims as yet for payment.
The matter vii! und rgo legal inves.
tigatiou first.
~ great deal Of mystery attends
the circumstances. MIR. Smith pro.
cloims his innocence, and his acts
have apparently not been those of
guilty person. lie was absent frow
town about tho last of January, and
at that time his books balanced, Oh
being exaniued Wy \uaitor Copos
and Mcssrs. Rabb and Hagood, who
took charge of the Office. Since his re-
turn the luss has occurred. Mr.. Smith
has lot been in bis Office much Of lato.
About week or SO since, lie Says, he
found this deficit, and went to Co.
lumbla to report. Hoge was not
there and he told Little, IIogc's clerk.
OA Monday. he was arrested, rs be.
fore mentioned. lie claims that one
OF his door keys has been lost some
time.
Public opinion is divided as to his
guilt. Many believe that be has
only been guilty Of criminal ;n,gE.
gebce, from many circumstances,
among Others, that he did not ab-
rcond with the eight thousand dollars
T 'und in the cafe, when he could
have gotten away Mr.. Smith is at
present IMPRISONED.
AS his trial will doubtless soon
come of, we will say nothing to
prejudice public opinion. He has
heretofore been we'll Thought of. Bu.
whether Mr.. Smith was cr was not
guilty Of intentional crime, one thing
is certtio, the county loses heavily at
n timc when money is badly needed,
and many poor creditors will suffer.