The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-04-16
The Secret of the Defalcati0ns of the County
Treasurers.

Treasurers.
1t has been frequently charged that the e1-
ecutive appointments of Gov. Moses were
made without the slightest reference to the
ability OF honesty of the appointees, and that
he has uniformly exerted the power and pat
ronage of his station for private and personal
gains. The Columbia correspondent of the
Charleston Neaps and Courier alleges that the
recent defacation of the County Treasurer Of
Orangeburg is an illustration of the rottenness
and corruption connected with executive pat
ronage, and bases his allegations upon the in
formation received from trustworthy sources
which is contained in the following extract:
Some time last year, before the passage OF
the appropriation bill, the Governor sent for
Humbert and requested him to cash an order
on the Governors contingent fund for $4,000.
Humbert at first refused, but was persuaded
that he could pay il out of the taxes, and in
his return to the State treasurer could turn the
order over to that officer as cash. He was,
moreover given to understand that, unless he
came down with the "ready," his official head
would fall forthwith. Another account of the
transaction is that the sc, 900 were the consid-
Grafton which secured Humberts appointment
to the office. 1t should be stated here that
Humbert is light celored mulatto scarcely
over twenty-one years old; in appearance
mere boy Whatever the inducements were,
he consented, paid the $4,000, took the order
on the Governors contingent fund, and when
the time came for him to settle with the State
treasurer, turned it in as cash. In the mean
time, however, his Excellency had quietly
drawn out his entire fund, and there being no
money under that appropriation in his hands,
the State treasurer refused to receive the order,
and demanded prompt settlement from the
luckless county treasurer. This he could not
make. Hence his arrest. 1t will thus be seen
that the real culprit in this transaction is still
at large. 1t is openly asserted here by many
of the State officials that this black mailing
game has been largely carried on by the Gov
ernor, and that there is probably over S1O0,O00
of his orders now held by various county
treasurers. l do not desire to be understood as
shielding the defaulting county officers. Nine
tenths of them probably are not one whit bet
ter than "our native young Governor" Most
following the example set them by their supe-
riors, and have been speculatng in county and
State paper for their own profit. Treasurer
Cardozo is entitled to The credit of interposing
the first check to the system, and with him
now the comptroller general and the attorney
general are cooperating. The comptroller
general overhauls the accounts of the county
treasurers, and, finding them not straight,
eives the information to the State treasurer,
who arrests the defaulters. The prosecution
will be conducted by the attorney general, and
in the end the Governor, should he still be in
office, will pardon them as he has already done
in two instances.
It is stated that the information which /
have just given above will be brought out on
the trial, but there is considerable doubt on on
the subject. The defaulting treasurers will
probably be influenced by the Governor to deny
the whole transaction, will submit to be con-
victed and will beat once pardoned and rein,
stated by the Governor. This is the usual
course of such trials, and however earnest
the treasurer attorney general and comptroller
general may be in their endeavor to right
things, land believe they are in serious ear
nest.] they will be powerless to contend against
the pardoning power of the Governor. This
war upon the treasurers, however, has had one
good effect. These officials are badly fright
ened, and many of them have come up volun-
tarily and settled with the State treasurer, In
the meantime, and this is the most incompre-
hensible part of the transaction, Gov Moses IS
in state of utter impecuniosity. Notwith-
standing his harvest out of the county treasu-
rers. which is variously estimated at from one
hundred thousand to three hundred thousand
dollars. he has not satisfied his creditors, and
there ia actually, at this moment, an execution
upon the forty thousand dollar Preston mansion
in which he lives. He has at various times
taken in Scott, Neagle, and host of Others
with promises to appoint them, or some OF their
friends. to lucrative Offices. He once offered
ex-Gov Scott the county treasurership of
Richland County if he would endorse a note
for him for fifteen thousand dollars to pay the
Baltimore furniture man. But rumor has 1t
that Scott declined the profered honor; where
upon Moses offered to appoint Mr. Waterman,
Scott's brother-in-law, to the place. This was
acceded to, Waterman was notified to have his
official bond prepared, the ex-governor en-
dorsed. and there the transaction ended. Both
those gentlemen now entertain great. regard
for "our native young Governor" and never
alluded to him but in the most emphatic and
striking language.
All these little executive pranks have served
to fan the flame which now threatens to over,
whelm his Excellency and out of the thousand
politicians who hang around the State Capital,
there is not one to be found to utter word in
defence of the Governor. The war on the
county treasurers will, in the meantime 60 on:
I am informed that there are ten or twelve OF
them who are still in default and unless they
settle at an early day they will be proceeded
AGAINST forthwith. 1t can be said to the honor
of the State Treasurer that he holds on to the
public funds very closely, and keeps the eX, X,
penses within the appropriations: what Will
be developed on the trial OF the deiautlng treas.
urers remains to be seen; but am no prophet
If the Governor does not devise some means to
cover up his tracks.
STEPPING SEED BEFORE PLANTING.-The
agricultural world has long desired, and espe-
cially at the South, a successful steep for seeds
before planting that would act as stimulant
and fertilizer, and, at the same time, not oper.
ate iniuriously to the terminating powers OF
the tender seed. Most all countries have their