The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-07-29
THE PARKER TRIAL.
The Verdict a Snrprise-Attorney Gen.
eral Melton and the Financial Board
Correspondence of the .1ugusta c0naautionali,s.
COLUMBIA, S. c., July 20.

COLUMBIA, S. c., July 20.
It is uncertain whether the verdict OF
the jury in the Parker case, which I tel
egraphed you at a late hour last night,
together with the main points of Judge
Carpenters charge, was surprise to the
parties who have been understood to
have arranged behind the scenes the
entertainment which they have given
the public in this matter or not. All
along it has been understood to be the
programme that the jury should disagree,
that mistrial should follow, and that
Parker would be remanded to Jail, and
after q convenient time, say ten days or
two weeks, should make his escape. The
verdict showed either that the programme
was misconceived, or that the jury chose
to do its own thinking, the last of which
alternative supposition is unlikely to be
correct. The suit was for S225, 1000, be-
ing fifty cents in the do. lar of the amount
of coupons distracted from the treasury.
The counsel for the prosecution seemed
to take pains to insist that the whole sum
of the loss should be made good by Park
er. 1t transpired, according to Ladd's
testimony, that Parker had confessed to
him that his individual share OF the
coupons was only S150,000 out of the
$3.50, 1000 taken; that other parties we're
in the ring, and had received their re-
spective shares. What Ladd said, as de-
rived from Parker, was evidence against
Parker, but not against the others Of the
ring. But the jury appears to have re-
cognized the responsibility of these 9th
crs for their share, and found verdict
against Parker only for his share as
proved. We may conclude that the jury
was independent, and sought to do SUBJ
stantial justice, or we may see in their
verdict the cropping out of ulterior OBJ
jects in the prosecution. In the light OF
this testimony and verdict, and of
number of other considerations, there is
strong presumption that we are only at
the beginning. The statements of Ladd
and the peculiar character of the verdict
make a stronger case against Parker's
allies than there was at the outset against
Parker himself. There are stronger po-
litical and personal reasons for going
against them than against Parker. He
is no longer q man of power. They are,
some of them at least. Whether the
men who have the matter in charge have
the backbone to 60 on to the logical con-
clusion or not, is yet doubtful. But the
language of the Attorney General in his
argument yesterday has significance. In
referring to missing bonds as we'll as
missing coupons, he asked: "Where are
they?" He then continued: ave are
only showing these S450,O0Q because we
have the proof, but can show you that
in that administration, with Parker and
Kimpton and that Financial Board, mill
lions have been stolen, as / will yet prove,
with the assistance of a jnry." That
looks like the expression of purpose.
It looks as if the work had Just begun.
Chamberlain, the present Governor, was
the brains of the Financial Board, and
must be here meant with others. He is
now and for the last three years has been,
the law partner of the Attorney General.
He was alluded to by him in compliment
tary terms yesterday. The jury were
invoked to do their duly in their
sphere as we'll as Chamberlain did his.
But this intimation of what he intends
to do with the Financial Board OF Scotts
administration is certainly no compli-
ment to his associate.
We shall see what will come out
Chamberlain is absent from the State.
The public are desirous of thinking well
of him, and hope that he is not so bad as
he seemed, and as they thought. He has
done some good service of late, and is
apparently growing in sense of respon-
si6ility and duty. But it is unfortunate
that he keeps away at this time. Besides
this trial, the breaking of Hardy Solo.
mons Bank with s207, 900 of the States
money deposited in it by the Governor,
the Comptroller General and the Treasu-
rer, some of it at a recent date and other
deposits of County Treasurers, County
Commissions, &C., make the situation
such as to require his presence forthwith.
In truth, our reform has an unhappy halt
in it just now.