The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-05-09

precisely.
Person, desiring to contributes wreaths
for the soldiers enclosure mt Elmwood
Cemetery, nre requested to send them
either to Chancellor Carrolls or Colonel
McMastcr's, before 3 o'clock on Monday
Those sending wreaths for the graves out
side OF the enclosure, will please send
them to Mrs. Hugh Thompson's before )
u. N. on Monday.
COURT Of GENERAL SEssIoNs-The
Court met, yesterday, ut 10 4. N. The
continuation and conclusion of the case
of the State against Ellison NJ. Weston
and William VI. Hayne-a noNe prosequi
having been entered MS to Uriah Portee,
yesterday occupied the Court until 2. 80
T. NJ. The persons in attendance upon
the Court, other than those engaged in
the case against Weston ct nl., we're dis
charged until Monday next, mt 10 A. NJ.
This case, as made out by the testimony,
was substantially rs follows: While j.
II. bryant was Chairman OF the Board of
County Commissioners, from 1870 to
1872, he paid to one William M. Taylor
5000 for repairs done to the County Jail,
Taylor receipting therefor as having re-
dually, per order of the Chairman of the
Board-Bryant himself being that chair
man. After several interviews with Brv-
ant. one Spencer paid Bryant $500 for
the 5000 claim, and assigned it to one
Sheridan. The names of j. II. Bryant,
j. j. Goodwin and Uriah Portee, the
board from 1870 till 1872, were signed to
this paper, which was nm unitemized and
unsworn account, beneath o statement
that this claim had been allowed and was
receivable in payment of all dues Of the
County, except for payment OF money
due on land sold by the County 4 new
board was elected, consisting OF the de-
fendants and Uriah Portee, before this
claim. then in the hands of Sheridan,
had been paid. 1t was presented to th,
new board for the purpose OF hnvin. il
audited aul paid.
Mr.. Portrc, who testified for the State,
said his name had been placed upon the
paper without his knowledge or consent,
that he had never heard Of the account
while on the old board, and had his name
crilicI. bryant testified that Portee had
authorized him to sign Eis name for
HIM, which Portee denied. Bryant and
Goodwin cnntradicted Portee's tcsti-
,nony relative to his having never heard
of the claim while on the old board
When this account WAS presented to the
new board, it passed Al resolution that
when it WAS properly itemized and veri-
fled it would be considered. At subse-
quent meeting this was reconsidered and
testimony M to the justice of tho claim
taken. At n subsequent meeting to this
the claim was ordered to be paid AIr.
d. Il. Miller and Mr.. Portee considered
that it had been audited and the entry
was made upon the minutes that was
usually made when itemized verified ac-
counts were audited. Messrs. Hayne
and Weston said that they did not audit
the claim but ordered 1t paid. Mr.. D.
B. Miller testified that the records showed
that more than ST, 900 had been pnid to
different persons during 1870 and 1872
for repairs to the jail, in addition to the
5000 paid to Taylor by Bryant. No at-
tempt was made by the defence to prove
that at n meeting Of the former board,
Taylors account for 5000 was presented,
itemized and verified, but that both it
and the minutes Of that meeting were
lost. Mr.. Miller, the Clerk, and Mr..
Pcrtee, one of that board, knew nothing
of any such meeting. The Court ruled
that the Board of Commissioners is a
body of,record, and nothing, not. of -re-
cord, could be proved. Mf. ID. B. Miller
always opposed the payment of this
claim, and when the vote ordering it to
be paid was taken, Portee did not vote.
| The account which iWm. NJ. Taylor
swore he presented to the old board,
contained, among other items, entrees
ofmoney loaned Bryant, and he reoeipted
for the money as for repairs done to the
County Jail The Attorney General said
the whole transaction was D gigantic
fraud, knowing perpetrated by Ellison
NJ. Weston md VIM. M. Hayne.1 The
charge OF the Court to the jnfy.whs able
and exhaustive. Messrs. Bachman i