The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1874-06-10
A Premium OH Crime,

"Smith, tho defaulting Treasurer
! of Fairfield county, was, as our read
ers know, recently convicted Of tho
charge of embozzlemont of public
funds, and scntonced to tho Penitcu.
tiary for for one year. This punish
mont was afterwards oommuted to
imprisonment for the Same pcriod in
the county Jail at Winnsboro.
Upon the authority of responsible
citizens Of that town We can state
without fear Of contradiction that
Smiths Imprisonment is the most
perfect FARGO imaginable. Instead Of
close confinement in coll, Us his
great crime justly merits, he is IA
vored with room on the second floor,
handsomely furnished and containing
every comfort. Instead Of being
forced TO make some atonement for
his sin of stealing the peoples money
by living on bread and water, he il
allowed to take bis moals at the
Sheritf's private table, enjoying all
the luxuriss that tho market affords.
Moreover, the reception room on tho
first floor is at his disposal,
where he receives his many friends,
who arc constant y with him, pla yiug
games and drinking champagne
(bought with stolen money! aud in
other ways sharing with him his i'm
prisonment. When the shades of
night have fallen, Smith docs not re-
spect the Jail limits, but appears on
the streets vending his way as his will
incllnes.
These are facts that can be sustain
Cd by testimony of tho most uRques.
tionable character. A mere state.
ment of tho facts is quite sufficient
without any comments from us. The
treatment of Smith in this style is an
ottense, crank and cries to Heaven
for punishmont.' The peple Of
Fairfield county, whose money has
been stolen by him, arc outraged and
wronged in manner, the enormity of
which Language fails to express.
This is tho kind of punishment
that our Radical Government metes
out to criminals. Is there any Gauss
for wonder that robbery and rasoality
of every kind prevails to 30 fearful an
extent among tho officials of our
State ~
Our contemporary, is mistaken
about the offence for which Mr.. Smith
is imprisoned. He was in dicted
merely for violating a statute in not
making monthly returns to tho State
Treasurer. To this he plead guilty,
and for this he is in tho custody of
the Sheriff.
1t was affirmed at last court, that
for the much graver offence of ON.
bezzling thousands of dollars of the
public money, Mr.. Smith would be
tried "aftcr the Idcs Of November "
We presume that this is still tho in.
tention of the Attorney G enoral and
the Solicitor. Otherwise, the whole
thing has been ridiculous farce. Are
the people of Fairfield to be oompen.
satcd tor tho loss Of over twenty
thousand dollars by a sentence of
only one years imprisonment in the
County Jail If the law cannot pro-
tect the people better than This, it
is time to stop paying three millions
year for taxes
We are told that the assertions of
the Chester Reporter are str:ctly
true :; that the sheriff has been allow
ing the greatest Indulgence to the
prisoner. 10 doing this, he has rem
dered himself amenablc to the law
which knows no distinction botw con
II ~. Smith and Jack Starke, or any
other prisoner. The Sheriff had beon
already advised that if he persisted
in showing this discrimination, he
would be presented to tho Grand
Jury at next term of court.
Judge Mackey, on learning tho
facts, i'm mediately sent an order to
the Clerk Of the Court, which we
publish, and which has tho ring of
reform in it.
We learn that Che Clerk has served
Judge Mackey's order on the Sheriff,
and that Mr.. Smith has beon removed
into the Jail proper.
The following is the order received
from Judge Mackoy
STATE OF sourn CAno- IN GENERAL
LIMA, COUNTY OF
FAIRFIELD J SESSIONS.
Whereas, information has been
laid before me thai Henry A. Smith,
late Treasurer Of the County of Fair.
fold. who has been committed to the
Jail of said County to undergo his
sentence for knowingly ncglecting
and refusing to mako his official re-.
turns pcrsuant to law, aud who also
stands commuted and awaiting trial
on the charge of ombezzliug che
public funds, is permitted at will to
visit the reception room on the first
floor of the said Jail and to appear
occasionally as he may desire on tho
public streets; And whereas, tho
granting Of tho said prisoner such