The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-06-17
The Notorious Leslie.
Treasurer,

1t has been recently alleged that Charles P.
Leslie, of Barnwell, was fugitive from justice
at this time, and was avoiding arrest by re-
naming outside the State. His fraudulent
management of the Land Commission is part
of the blackened history of reconstructed South
Carolina, and it is time that the misdeeds of
that nefarious machine were being exposed to
judicial scrutiny. Leslie has been bold and
defiant from the beginning, however, and on
more than one occasion has taunted those
around him with unequivocal declarations that
the stealings and pickings of the Land Com
mission were governed by the ordinary rule of
addition, division and silence" He has never
denied that the main portion of the money
raised by the Land Commission was stolen
from the State, nor has he attempted to con-
ceal the existence of combination between
himself and his partners to enrich themselves
at the expense of the destitute freedmen, for
whose benefit this benevolent ~ scheme was
ostensibly organized
In reply to the charges that he had abscon-
ded and was avoiding arrest, Leslie has lately
forwarded a letter TO the Columbia Phenir,
replete with characteristic impudence and au-
dacity His admissions are enough to induce
an early investigation into the Land Commis-
sion and it's swindes, which are commended
to the vigilant attention Of the proper author
tiles, when time anil circumstances will per-
nit. Here is the letter of the irrepressible:
FAIR HAVEN, N. j., June 3, 1875.
EDITOR PH(ENIX: Just about the time l
fairly got set down here in Jersey, trying to
say my prayers and thanking God that things
were no worse, here came an Associated Press
despatch, saying had absconded to avoid ar
rest. &c, &C., and that defrauded the State
out of Lord only knows how much. Bail just
$40 900 (why didn'th he make it even-say one
half million?) Only think Of it. l never
knew 1 was so bad. expected to see further
along in the despatch where o majority of the
Advisory Board were already in custody, for
you know without they ordered the purchase it
was no go they we're boss-and yet, defraud
the State Now that's the man | have been
looking for all these five years [ have been
out of office. Who is the man that should first
throttle the great land commission swindle, and
Leslie the great swindler? say, who is the
man? There is q trihing rascal down in Barn
we'll; he don't pay for the whiskey he drinks I;
rather of theatrical gentleman rather light
wasted perfectly disgusted with me, and out of
patience with all Radicals except himself Can
it be he? Can it be? I think it can !; for it
reads just like he wrote it. l am sorry for the
State because it is bad enoug to beat and rob
the dear old State out of about the last cent,
and perhaps never recover it back, without be-
ing made fool of. Everything fails he touch
es if he advises you to 60 this way, then the
history of the last ten years of his life is, you
should have gone the other way, certain; if he
tells YOU he is sure to do certain thing, de-
pend on it, he will fail. think this be he that
intends to throttle me. Well, here you will
find he is wrong, at the very moment when he
thinks he is right.
They have got the bail so high that am
afraid there is not enough men in the whole
State to qualify. Who fixed that bail? ex-
pect, too, he is an earnest and jealous Repub-
fican. would like to help elect few more of
the same sort-that is, I would like to go all
lengths to do so, providing he is respectable.
I suppose he was satisfied from the look of the
papers that about $40, 900 was the right thing.
Now, Mr.. Editor, can't think took that
much, for all we had was $500, 900 in bonds, and
then we had to buy a little land to keep for
appearance sake. That took some money
and you know it would be just little unfair to
say got all that was left. Perhaps 1 might
have come close on it, ifit hadn't been for the
advisory gentlemen and then | am caught
now, for they swear every one of them they got
not one cent. I expect, after all, got it. O,
what a bad man 1 am. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
out-run away.
My dear Editor, I will face the music like a
man, and will clean out that concern-lock,
stock, and barrel. They must not lower the
bail. Keep it up to high water mark. Every
BODY that ever was Republican must be ar
rested. That's the watchword now; particu-
larly if they are in the way Of some one else.
This learns US another lesson-stick a pin in
there.
When I am there, they are not happy,
When I am gone, they say l have absconded.
I am, respectfully, yours, at present.
G. P. LESLIE.