Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-04-23
THE COUNTY TREASURERS.

The Columbia correspondent OF the Charles.
ton News and Courier furnishes the following
in regard to Governor Moses and the County
Treasurers:
"Some time last year, before the passage Of
the appropriation bill, the Governor sent for
Humbert, the defaulting county treasurer Of
Orangeburg county, 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 it 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. An
other account of the transaction is that the
$4,000 were the consideration which secured
Humbert's appointment to the Office 1t
should be stated here that Humbert is light
colored mulatto, scarcely over twenty.one
years of age; in appearance mere boy.
Whatever the inducements were he consented,
paid the $4,000, took the order on the Gov
ernor's contingent fund, and when the time
came for him to settle with the State treasurer,
turned it in as cash. In the meantime, how
ever, his Excelency 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. twill 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
Governor, and that there is probably over
100000 of his orders now held by various
county treasurers I do not desire to be un-
derstood as shielding the defaulting county
officers. Ninetenths of them probably are
not one whit better than "our native young
Governor" Most of them have been indus
trously engaged in following the example set
them by their superiors, and have been spec
ulating 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 coOpera-
ting. The comptroler.g overhauls the
accounts of the county treasurers, and, finding
them not straight, gives the information to
the State treasurer, who arrests the defaulters
The prosecution will be conducted by the at
torney-general, and in the end the Governor,
should he still be in Office, will pardon them,
as he has already done in two instances 1t is
stated that the information which have just
given above, will be brought out on the trial,
but there is considerable doubt upon the sub
iect. The defaulting treasurers will probably
be influenced by the Governor to deny the
whole transaction, will submit to be convicted,
and will be at once pardoned and reinstated
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, (and |
believe they are in serious earnest,) 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 frightened, and many
of them have come up voluntarily and settled
with the State treasurer. In the meantime,
and this is the most incomprehensible part of
the transaction, Governor Moses is in state
of utter impecaniosity. Notwithstanding his
harvest out of the county treasurers, which is
variously estimated at from one hundred thou
sand to three hundred thousand dollars, he
has not satisfied his creditors, and there is,
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-Governor Scott the county treasu-
rership of Richland county if he would en-
dorse note for him for fifteen thousand dol
lars to pay the Baltimore furniture man. But
rumor has it that Scott declined the profered
honor; whereupon 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 endorsed, and there the transac-
ton ended. Both those gentlemen now enter
tain great regard for "our native young
Governor" and never allude to him but in the
most emphatic and striking language.
FALLEN MAN AND WoMAN.-Man, sunk
below his natural level, hates and affects to
despise the height where he has walked. Wo.
man, fallen from her fair estate, looks ever