The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-08-05
CHAMBERLAIN'S PERIL.
The Verdict in the Parker Case a Verdict
Against the Governor.
CHARLESTON, S. c., July %.

case, in which the State was Lne plalnGlil,
was "We find for the plaintiff seventy
five thousand dollars" The suit was for
225,0O0 worth of stolen coupons, the
$3.50, 1000 of coupons being valued at fifty
cents on the dollar. The Judge had
charged that if there was larceny, and
the defendant Parker participated IN it,
he was liable for all Of it. The finding
of the jury was therefore considered queer,
and threw a suspicion on thepublic mind
that as the jury found there was larce-
nv. and that Parker was onl. responsible
for SIS, 900 of it, they had accorded with
Capt. Ladd's testimony, and virtually
that other responsible parties than the
defendant should refund the balance.
To do away with this inference the
Chamberlainites, or rather those of the
Conservatives who have lately joined his
forces. have caused the secrets of the jury
room to be exposed. In this exposition
they say the jury stood ten for s225, 600,
against two for $4,000; and that these
ten went over in two hours to the two
as the best they could do.
This is their version, and it is correct
as far as it goes. Ny information is that
upon the promise of the ten to the two,it
was a unanimous agreement that as Park
was only held for one-third of the S225,-
600, the others who had shared it with
him should be held for their quota; and
that while they would find the one
third against him, they would recommend
that the others engaged in the steal
should be prosecuted in the criminal
courts. But when the verdict which
they had found was brought in late at
night, it was discovered that this recon-
mendation was on separate sheet of pa
per. This could easily, legally and prop
erly have been filed as record, But for
some reason it was discarded; and the
verdict above stated, without any com.
ments, was entered upon the journals of
the court. To effect this the jury had to
be remanded, and to write their formal
finding on the complaint in the case.
Notice was given of an appeal upon
the part of Parker. If any one should
have appealed it should have been the
State-that the finding was insufficient.
But the state did not appeal: nor is it
supposed that Parker will prosecute bis
appeal. Not that the Supreme Court
may not lend willing ear to his appeal,
but that Capt. Parker is too luxuriously
rich to abide in hot jail until the deter
mination of the case, and it is better tor
the rest of the banditti inculpated in the
verdict that the matter shall be smoothed
over. Parker can make a schedule of his
assets available to levy by the Sheriff,
and come out. This showing Of course
will be small, and if his sacrifice amounts
to ANYTHING, it will be shared with him
by his confederates. This, 1 hear, is their
calculation. But there is many slip be-
tween the cup and the lip; and your cor
respondent will rather write after than
before further proceedings in this mat
ter.
The verdict in the Parker case took peo-
ple bv surprise, and can only be accoln-
ted for upon the ground that Chamber
lain has no reliable friend in the republi
can party. His appointees, the two jury
commissioners, together with the Repub-
lican chairman of the Board Of County
Commissioners, certainly did their best to
get q favorable jury for the prisoner.
Two radicals offered to bet me ten to one
against conviction, and two to one against
mistrial. They were certain of perfect
acquittal, and they were officials who
ought to be posted in these matters,
though individually they do not like the
Governor and each from different stand
point thinks his Excellcncy should be in
the penitentiary. Notwithstanding the
assurances had had that there would be
a conviction, 1 did not bet. I knew the
power of a Governor in South Carolina
over jury, and I knew that in this case,
which represented himself, that power
would necessarily be evoked. 1t was,
therefore, as much of surprise to nae as
to any one else that the jury should find
such verdict.
The next case on the docket was tho
cause of d. II. Chamberlain ct a., Com
missioners of the Sinking Fund, against
Niles G. Parker, for embezzling 81 900
of the sinking fund. This was the suit
which the Governor commenced by telc-
graph from Boston. 1t was intended less
for Parker than for Whipper, the ex-
chairman of the Sinking Fund, who had
stolen the proceeds and made Parker
primarily liable by accounting to him.
Whippcr is coal-black negro, and was
to be candidate next winter for Judge
Reeds position as Judge of the First
Circuit. To effect this he was to be a
candidate for the lower house of the Leg
islatures, and Chamberlain undertook to
estop his ambition by putting him in Jail
before that election by the people: Since
then Whipper has been elected to the
Legislature, and is now ready to be a
candidate for Judge. No mere accusa-
ton can effect him before his fellow
members of the Legislature. He is
''bomb-proof," as he says-ono OF the
ruling color.
There was no use, therefore, to bother
Parker with a suit which has failed in
the end it was intended to accomplish,
and accordingly the sinking fund case
against Parker was nole prossed. whip
per has boasted often since the COM
mencement of the suit that he dehed
Chamberlain and his friends to their
faces to 60 on-not that Africa was lnno-
cent, but as it stood on the defensive, the
war would be carried on in Africa against
Chamberlain and company, who are
really more guilty than their former tol-
lowers. If he had to go to the penitentla-
nv, then the State Government would have,
to go too, and all of them together would
work in their ringed, streaked, and
striped suits for the benefit of "our be-
loved State"