Orangeburg news and times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1875-1877, 1876-04-01

the committee for the following rca-
sons:
That the evidence taken is fatally
contradictory and wholly insufficient,
nearly all Of it being opinions of the
witnesses, hcarsuy testimony, and,
where the Witnesses spoke of their
own knowledge, they have been
positively contradictcd by those
whose names they would give rs wit
nesses to correboratc their statements.
AS to the charge OF" ackmaling"
in the case Of the state Va. Richard
Murphy, indicted in 1878, charged
with wounding Policeman O'Kcif The
evidence in this case before the com
mittcc was first, that af Harry May,
which has no weight, because Of tic
contradictory manner il which it was
given.
3. Foley testified that lie received
500 from Murphy, the defendant in
this case, for the purpose of inaucnc-
ing the solicitors action in the case.
Murphy, the defendant, testified lie
never gayo B. Foley or any other per-
son any money or property whatso-
ever to influence the solicitor in this
case, and that the case never cost him
one cent, and that Col. r. w. Scy-
mour was his attorney, who defended
him without cost.
Hon. =. w. nj. Nfackcy testified
that III 1873 Solicitor Buttz attempted
through him to Gslackmail County
Treasurer Gurncy and George /.
Cunningham, chairman hoard county
commissioners, bv threatening to
prosecute them if they did not pay
certain claims held by him against
said county.
Mr.. Cunningham, upon being sent
for, testified that solicitor Bnltz had
never attempted to i,lackmail him ut
any time or in any manner, and that
Mackcy was mistaken in what he had
said.
General Gurncy being in the city,
| proposed to the committee that he
he sent for and examined in regard to
he statement Of Mr.. Macliey, and re-
grct to say was overruled. regard
the contradiction of Mr.. Cunningham
sufficient to destroy the testimony Of
Mr.. AIackcy.
Combining with 'fcllcrs' to escape
justice"
The only testimony to sustain this
charge was given by w. A. Hoarl,
who has been convicted three times bv
Solicitor Buttz of various offenscs. !.
and sentenced to the ncnitentiary.
Said Hoard admitted in his tastimo ony
that he had sometime since wilfully
and deliberately shot Solicitor Buttz
in the hreast and hip with pistol.
From the character of this witness
and the nature tf his testimony, in
my opinion it is unworthy of belief.
Al other testimony OH this charge
WAS runor or hcnrsav.
Using his Office for selfish and cor
rupt purposes"
The testimony OF this puilI. Is IS sstp1te-
and defective, am! IL only :uundcL on
beIie:, and, therefore should not he
considered, no Witness having ci;c.l il
single instance 10 Sustain this eli .rg".
Therefore, I | ask that the resolution
TO impc;leh G. ". Eutlz, solicitor, be
rejected, and that the committee he
discharged from lur:l.rr consideration
of the same.
(Signcd) THOMAS l.. MILLER,
Member Special Committee.
Mr. Miller stated in his speech that
he, with the other members Of the
committee, ell, cred into this invcstiga-
ton with no favorable opinion Of the
solicitor. In TACT, they were MI
against him at the start. That Buttz
had made application to be present,
with his attorney, Hos. ID. Il. Corbin,
during the examination ofwi,nesses,
which was refused. The committee
did not allow him to produce witnesses,
nor cross examine any Of the witnesses
brought against him. In fact, they
did not intend he should know what
had been said by the witnesses until
the house had impcachcd him. ,lr.
Miller went OH to say thnt, notwit!,-
standing all this, the investigation, so
inr rs obtaining any reliable or sub
stantial evidence ngain>t Mr.. lsuttz,
had been an utter failure; that his
sense Of honor and justice required
him TO make the rcpcrt lie had sub
mitted.
The Hon. r.. B. Elliott, who
thoroughly understood the character
Of Tie evidence that had besn taken
by the committee, showed to the
house thtt there was nothing in the
testimony that would warrant the re-
port nt Slcssrs. lIaync and Sloan. In
addition to the evidence taken by the
cnInmiitnn hn nrnInnnI :, N; 10 Il. {.