Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-07-29
ATTORNEY. GENERAL MELTON,S LABORS.

ATTORNEY. GENERAL MELTON'S LABORS.
The unanimity with which the press of the
State applauds the effort of Attorney General
Melton in his conduct of the prosecution OF
ex-Treasurer Parker is pleasing fact, which
will prove no less gratifying to that official
than to his many friends of both political par.
ties throughout the State, and particularly in
this immediate section, the place of his nativi'
ty. Among the many encomiums of merited
commendation which we have read, is the
following in the Columbia correspondence of
the Greenville Ne,us Speaking of the argu-
ments of counsel OH either side, the correspon-
dent says:
"'rhe speeches in this case have been the
longest ever delivered in the court house. 1t
shows the influence Of the Beecher trial in our
practice These speeches occupied days; here.
tnfore they took as many hours. Hereafter, in
any important case, lawyer will not be regar-
ded as earning his fee unless he fills up his day
in the address to the jury. Attorney. General
Melton occupied two hours in opening the case.
Mr. Rion took over six hours in most mas
terly argument. Mr.. Youmans spoke five
hours, Judge Hoge two hours, Maj. Melton
over six hours. and Attorney General Melton
closed in something over six hours. Of all
the arguments, Attorney General Melton's
was the decisive feature Of the case. 1t was
perhaps the finest effort of his life, and doubt
if ever in the palmiest days of the State, a
court in this State ever listened to a more
magnificent address. 1t was replete with
genius, with wit, eloquence and solid argu-
ment, and kept the ears of the jury attentive
all the time As the Attorney. General warm
ed and grew to his case, he became the fullest
embodiment of the jury lawyer, and the fin
est illustration Of the orator and advocate.
But it would be futile to attempt to give any
proper idea of this splendid effort With the
other lawyers, the Jury occasionally showed
signs of fatigue, but with the Attorney.Gen-
era they never tagged once, and it was evil
dent that Parker was gone when, with his
hands lifted above his head, his whole frame
speaking to the case, and his voice ringing
clear as bell, he closed most powerful ap.
peal with the words, May God save the State
of South Carolina This speech will be
worth reading in full"
THE PARKER TRIAL.
AS we stated last week, the trial of the suit
of the State u.s. ex.treasurer Parker resulted
in verdict in favor of the State of $4,000.
The case was civil action, brought to recov.
er the sum of s225,OOO, being the value of
coupons of the face value Of $3.50, 900 alleged
to have been embezzled and fraudulently ap-
piled and converted to his own use by the de-
fendant. The action being for the recovery
of money, and the verdict being that the State
is entitled to recover $4,000, Parker does
not, in the eye of the law, stand convicted of
a crime; though the very charge which result
ed in verdict against him would, in Grim
inal prosecution, be called felony, the punish
ment for which is fine and imprisonment.
The progress of the trial revealed the facts Of
Parker's numerous fraudulent transactions, in
which the names of other parties were impl
Gated, prominently the State financial agent,
Kimpton, of New York, and Senator Owens,
the latter of whom, it was shown, had funded
S2S6,O00 of the coupons in 1874, as agent.
The testimony of Ladd also clearly pointed to
the fact that the coupons had been distracted
from the treasury by Parker. He stated that
in conversation held at Parker's residence in
1873, Parker told him (Ladd) that at the f.
nal settlement with Kimpton, s450,OOO Of
coupons had been received from Kimpton,
which had been taken and divided between
Parker, himself and several other prominent
State officials; Parkers own share being $780,
900. Parker also showed to him coupons in
his private safe, and stated that they amount
ed to Sl50,000. He also swore that, in May,
1874, Parker had conversed with him about
funding these coupons, and had desired him
to communicate with Mr.. Gulick, whom he
thought might he willing to fund; he further
told him that Owens had funded some for him.
Just prior to Parker's arrest he told him he
had not yet funded all the coupons. Major
Gulick proved that in conversation with
Parker, in June or July, 1874, in reference to
funding some coupons held by Parker, Par
ker told him that he had arranged with Sen
ator Owens to do the funding of these coupons
for him. These were the main points on
which the State relied to support the charge,
and Notwithstanding the boasting of the ac-
cused previous to the trial, not word of evil
dence was introduced by him, either in expla-
nation of his action or in rebuttal of that ad-
duccd by the State.
Although the verdict of the jury is not for
so large an amount as was claimed by the
State yet up to that point, if the prosecution
has been conducted in good faith, as at present
we have no reason to doubt, it may be claim
ed as a substantial victory to the cause Of re-
form in our State government. Commenting
upon the result, the Ne,os and Courier remarks
editorially:
"The effect will be incalculable. For the
first time in eight years has high public Of
fetal in this State been taught that he has no
divine right to enrich himself by the plunder
of helpless people, and that if he does so, he
may one day be called to account before the
tribunals Of his country. 1t shows more,
however, 1t shows that the feeling in the
Republican party in this State is such that it
gives some reasonable ground for hope that
hereafter barefaced fraud and corruption may
not always go unpunished in utter scorn Of
law and justice"
1t cannot be denied, however, that events
subsequent to the trial just concluded tend
considerably to mystify the public as to the
future course ofthe Attorney.General. Other
indictments are pending over Parker, and in