The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-05-30
COttJMBTA,S.C.
Sunday Horning, HAY Sc ls!5..

Sunday Morning, Hay sc, Is!5..
The Diamond 6reastpin and JET Cross
Not Found. IN
In the report of the rambling testimony
taken by the City Council In their mild
investigation of the loss of the diamond
breastpin and jet CROSS, received into
the kssQing af some .of -their~ subordi-
mates slong ago as the. I'd instant, we
gSt at ode OF two points that seem clear.
u-Ezst. .1somaxo acknowledges that ~ the
sxtisles we're, delivered into -his,hands;
ssoohdfy, That q list Of them. including
SExrpiHe ind cross, wns made at his re-,
.s4dsss by Mr. e. RI Jackson; third, that
hBSing thus listed and counted, he put
:tham back into the valise, each article
being checked off as it was put in. He
J then looked the valise in the presence of
,tMr. jackson and several other witnesses.
he admits that lie afterwards opened the
valise when he turned it over, as he says,
20 SS4sseeasAAsss SS44ssesAAssi Williams and Blizzard.
b The testimony of these two, not denied
BY Lomax, is to tho offcct that upon
going out to duty they left Lomax alone
,inahe office Of the Chief of Police, and
l;that'thd satchel was then open. In his
:, ,asHpopy, Chief Nixon makes no men
ofion of. the diamond pin and GROSS at all
L'Upon coming to the guard house he
s.RBssssihersd, sRBsssih the articles together, made a
list Qf, them, ,(thn Cross and pin not being
included) and put them all into the
satchel,, with the exception of n watch,
which he put on his person, and another,
.Whioh he. allowed Sergeant Blizzard to
wear. It does not appear that he saw or
heard at that time of the inventory made
by Mr.. jackson. This is the only testi-
mony that has any value in our eyes.
What one said of another here or there,
or their admissions to each other, have
very little bearing upon the question,
and are liable to suspicion. But Lomax's
own statement is unsatisfactory as re-
gstds him. He opened the valise after
the Inventory Of the articles it contained
was made at his request. Why did he
open It'll He does not affirm that he told
tho CHIEF that an inventory had been
made. and that amongst the things were
afdiamond pin and cross. Why did he
nots He asked no receipt from Blizzard
And Williams, and none from, the Chief
of Police. This ordinary prudence
.wouldihava, suggested. Why did he not
protect himself by this precaution? The
statements of the Chief of Police scarcely
teHeh the real question. He does not
admit ths reception by him of the miss
ing articles, OF that he heard anything
about them that morning. and there is
no proof that he did receive them. The
invehtdG made BY Mr.. jackson was not
handed TO him. It was not, SO far as
appears, mentioned to him that any in
.vsnsc.S had been made. What needs
explanation from him, however. is the
fact that he had no curiosity to find out
exactly what, how many and what the
value of the articles captured were. He
was not earnest and active in hunting up
Mr.. JACOBSON, to ascertain from him all
that he knew Of the transaction. And it
SfSa Wholly unwarranted proceeding to
taks possession and wear one of thu
watches, and allow subordinate to wear
another; he had the responsibilities OF
oface and the right and power of inves-
tigation. 10 nowhere appears that lie
duHHff4qiated the one. or exercised
thS4a&sb f@tG out the mystery AS
d ShlSa6f pbhee. he cannot be consi-
dered success, This it is safe to con.
clude, without reference to the compli-
cations in which the statements of others
involve him. These we do not under.
taGs to judge OF yet The action of the
City Council is altogether lacking in
vigor and earnestness, and we are not
surprised that it has been attended with
10 little success, How would it look, il
suit was brought against it to recove,
damages for the loss of those articles2 II
the Council hsd realized that it is re.
sponaible TO public iopinion, and perhaps
liable in law for the conduct of its en
ployees and subordinates, it surely would
have taken more efficient nnd decided
steps to bring them TO proper account.
Itis,not Reasonable to: suppose that, il
this iArceny'lay outside of tlfis porticula,
circle. and It had been entrusted as a jot