The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-07-15
The Trial of Niles G. Parker.

The Trial of Niles G. Parker.
The special term Of the Richland Circuit
Court, ordered for the trial of Ex-Treasurer
Niles G. Parker, was opened in Columbia on
Tuesday the 9Th inst. Attorney-General Sam
ael w. Melton, Col. James II. Rion and John
E. Wingate appeared for the prosecution, and
the defendant was represented by Melton &
Clark, Bachman & Youmaus, and S. L. Hoge.
The jury consists of five whites and seven
blacks. The Attorney-General opened the
proceedings with a two hours speech, explain
ing the nature of the frauds committed by
Parker, the different bonds issued by the State
since the war, dwelling with emphasis upon
the conversion bonds and stating that Parker
had appropriated over 100000 in unpaid
coupons.
The testimony of Fl. Fl. Kimpton and others
was taken by commission, and its reading occu-
pied the first day. Ex-Governor Scott Treas
urer Cardozo and J. L. Little were examined
on Wednesday. The most important revela-
tion was made by Mr.. Little, who was book
keeyer in Parker's office, and whose testimony
shows that Parker appropriated to his own use
large amount of coupons which were re-
turned to him by Kimpton as UNPAID" which
Parker ordered to be cancelled and entered on
the books as "paid" Thursday was occupied
with the cross examination of Mr. Little, and
the testimony of Henry L. Tappan, chief clerk
in the State Treasury during Parker's term.
On Friday morning, the testimony of Capt.
James 0. Ladd, who enlivened the proceedings
by relating conservation with Treasurer
Parker, who in 1873 had exhibited to witness
$3.50, 900 worth of coupons, saying that he was
originally the possessor of s45O,OOO, which had
been given him at the final settlement with
Kimpton, and that the division of this large
amount was as follows: Parker and Kimpton,
$15O,O0O; Ex-Governor Scott and Ex-Comp-
troller Neagle, each $4,000; and that $4,000
had been set aside for D. Fl. Chamberlain, but
that he (Parker) did not believe Mr.. Chamber
lain ever heard of the arrangement or received
cent of the money. Parker wanted Ladd to
fund these coupons, but afterwards secured the
services of Y J. P. Owens, the notorious Sen
ator from Laurens, who is clearly implicated
in this fraud upon the State. 1t appears that
Ladd has been the confidential friend and agent
of Parker, and his testimony was given reluc-
tantly It is very damaging, however, and the
coupons exhibited by Parker to this witness
were traced conclusively as the Identical cou-
pons funded by Owens as an agent for other
parties.
A number of other witnesses, including
Comptroller General Dunn, W. B. Gulick and
Walter R. Jones, were examined on Friday
and Saturday, when the evidence for the prose-
cution closed, with the right to introduce more
witnesses, if necessary. After the trial had
been progressing for several days, it was dis
covered that one of the jurors, Gen. Stolbrand,
was a surety on the bond of Treasurer Parker
and to that extent was interested in the trial
The Attorney-General, in his zeal to prevent
loss of time after this discovery, took the novel
plan of announcing that in case of verdict
against the defendant, the State would not
take any proceeding against Stolbrand or any
of the sureties on Parkers bond. This method
of relieving a juror from embarrassment is
strikingly simple, and deserves to be patented
1t has the appearance Of pre-conceived ar
rangement, for assuredly Gen. Stobrand knew
that he was one of the bondsmen, and was di-
rectly concerned in the issue of this trial.
We will make no further comment upon this
trial at the present time. The defence is yet
to be heard from, and we prefer to await devel-
opments.