The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1874-07-15
I The 'piilliondire forser.!
WHAT Tiix cAtiroRNiA Y.EaisIArunl
... ... has coNDoNED. .,:..L a

1 -t : .C'-,''0 : o.. ~
From the Virginia City Enterprise.
| Tho recent action of the Californi,
Legislature in condoning the otfenoo,
Of the millionaire forger and robher
Harry Mciggs, has lod to on overhaul
lug Of the files of old Journals in Dr.
der to ascertain the exact 2natGre Io'
his crimes. Tho Saoramento Daily
State Journal of October IL, l854--s
paper long SINCE .oxtinot--contsine cd
the following; .........
"The frauds committed by. tfarr,
Meiggs arc supposed to hmbunt TO we
and one.ha,f million dollars. War.
ranta on tho Treasury of San Fran ois,
co have boon forged to the amount Of
one million. Stock Of. tho california
lumber Company, OF which lie Vas
President, to tho aniouht Of fifty
| thousand, was also forged,. and the
signatures of different, business houses
to notes for over fifty thousand hsye
been forged" - '' "''
"He failed for eight hundred thou,
sand, and owed o number Of bills,
which made up in the aggregate two
million five hundred thousand, dol.
lars. In his operations he was very
shrewd. lie took all classes in lis
ravenous NAV. From the highest to
! the lowest, the rich aud the poor, the
washerwoman, tho banker and tho
millionaire : he paid his respects to
all. None were too small for his &C..
oommodating genius, none too great
for his practice. From the bankers
he borrowed money by giving forged
Comptroller's Warrants On tho city
as collateral secufcty to double thu
amount, and even offered to pledge
them at twenty-five cents on the
dollar. From others he raised mon
ey on forged notes on business firms,
and from clerks md mechanics he
borrowed on his word or own hote."
ellis exodus was US remarkable hs
his soperations.' lie purchased his
vessel, got her cleared by his faith ful
captain for ports in tho Pacific,'
ballasted her with the spoils of
city. equal in their extont to those
of many nations in former days.,
gathered HID family and friends
sround him, and went down to the
sea' unmolestcd,. laughing at his
dupea. lie left his family mansion
as it was, with its carpets, and paiht:
ihgs, and pcncillings and curtains
with its ottomans and tctc tetes, and
golden bshes and birds Of the
brightest plumnge; with it's servants
unpaid, perhaps, aid its wines md
its oils aud its spices; on II family
excursion to San Mateo; us he SAL
to far off lands, as his creditors suy.
Hc went prepared Tor two years
siege. lie went prepared for peace
or war with ammuhitiohs of war in
ample store. lie went prepared to
conquer or purchase a dukedom:
And all this ut the expense Of San
Francisco busiMers men, The Toss
of these men is not regretted rs much
rs the manner of losing il. But
still he ts poor whnderer on the
fare of the earth, With the brand OF
Cain upon his brow: Ho can have
nd peace his cvil deeds will haunt
bibi ~iioretet bo may 60. lie will
be Stunned by sooiety. With allchis
il:.gdtten &Halth he will end the way
of the trahsg, essor hard"
And simply hccause this man has
heen SUCCESSFUL in investing his two
millions and half dollars, which he
fo6bed from others, the Calit6rnia
Legislature, by one sweeping aot,
obliteratcs all the indictments peud.
log against him: Sdoh Legislation
Is we'll calculated to bring tho law
into contempt, for 20 one will con.
tend that hhQ Meiggs been dnsuc.
cessful in South America, there
would have been any ono in the
Legislature Of that State to have
drafted an act sim liar to tho bho
just passed: ......... ...a-.aur.
The following speech on the 4th Of
July was fhado by w. G. Pincknoy,
the sable Cicero Of Santee., Aftor
g6ttihg rid of tho USUAL atnotlt'o of
buhcothbo; tho Santee orator, sab he
delights to be called, gavo bis color
cd hearers sottie sound advice. lie
rsmiHdad them Tint without 8 the
white people Of tho State the colorod
people could hardly live. For, in.
stanoo; in The city Of Charleston hehr-
~ ell the real estate Was owned by
tbe whites, and if they chose, With.
out giving any reason whhte4er; they
could, bylteh days notice; compel
every black niau; woman Ard child
who lived in their, houses and
Kitchens to 3aeate. No power In the
world could prevent them from rs:l
fusitg TO let colorea pooplc' liae id
their property. Hei deprooated the
manner in which political affairs had
been managed; and said that much Of
the evil in this county arose ffofh th6
fact that tf,any of the people Ia the
eodnty allowed themselves to DO In
fueIood by ttien who furnished = them
with rotten, bacon and dead mules. ~.