The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-27
For tho Anderson Is,eRiqe,leer.

For the anderson b;.-aigencer.
MEssRs. EDITORS: In the Abbeville
Press and Banner of the 10th instant, 1
notice long article commenting unfair
ly and unjustly upon my connection
with the arrest of Daniel Cumiskey,
which was made in Abbeville last week
upon the charge of embezzling funds of
the Singer Manufacturing Company
Asking your indulgence, wish to make
few statements in vindication of.my
course, and your readers can judge for
themselves of my conduct. About the
18th inst. received a telegram directing
me to proceed at once to Abbeville, and
receive all property belonging to the
Singer Manufacturing Company in the
hands of Cumiskey. On the morning of
the 18th arrived in Abbeville, and made
known my business to Cumiskey, who
made statements to me which were con-
tradicted by information received from
the Company that evening, giving a
statement of the number of machines in
his hands and of the notes he held for
collection, of which notes some were
missing, and there were unaccounted for
credits upon others, aggregating the sum
of $3.50. I had received the following
letter from the Company after my arrival
in Abbeville:
CHARLESTON, Jan. 13, 1876.
Mr.. John II. Clarke, agent Abbevitle:
DEAR SIR-If Cumiskey has appropri-
ated any of our funds and does not &C
count for it on demand, have him arres-
ted for embezzlement.
SINGER SEWING MACHINE Co.,
J. G. BEDELL, Agent.
Upon this, telegraphed them that
Cumiskey claimed he had accounted for
the missing sums, and they replied that
he should have all that the papers called
for. then consulted an eminent lawyer,
who gave me written opinion upon the
law, in conformity to which I made an
affidavit, setting forth the facts of the
case, and stating my belief that he had
appropriated the money with intent to
defraud the Company. Upon this affida-
Wit Cumiskey was arrested. The Press
and Banner thinks it strange that L
should have made this affidavit. In re-
ply I shall only state that the editor may
not know quite as much about this mat
ter az he thinks he does. There were
strong evidences of fraud which viii ap-
pear upon the trial, but which I did not
then propose to publish to the world. In
his remarks upon this branch of the SUBJ
ject, I can only say that he has trans
cended either his duty or privilege as
public journalist in essaying to act as
both judge aud jury upon the case in
question. AS to the assertion that no
one in Abbeville believes that Cumis-
keys intention was fraudulent, can
only say that the editor is endeavoring
to work up public sentiment in favor
of the prisoner, for no one who knows
the facts of the case can blame my course.
Those who do not know them have no
right to an opinion about the matter.
Then he seeks to convey the impression
that acted as did to secure Cumiskey's
place, which is entirely gratuitous and
without foundation, for l had been ap-
pointed to relieve him Of his place before
I went to Abbeyille, and was not actua-
ted either directly or indirectly by the
consideration intimated by the Press and
Banner. I had a duty to perform to tho
Company, and did it to the best of my
knowledge and ability. The remark
that I thought term in the penitentiary
would do Cumiskey good was made pri-i
vately to the editor, and was the express
sion of the opinion should entertain Of
any man guilty of the offence with which
Cumiskey's is charged.
In conclusion, wish to state that the
conduct of the Press and Bonner is most
remarkable in that it seeks in advance
of judicial investigation to decide this
case, and in order to influence public
opinion endeavors to induce the belief
that it is taking up for poor and friend
less man who is being grossly wronged.
The only apology given for Cumiskey is,
that he is morally too weak to resist
temptation. This is rather insufficient
it strikes me, and if the Press and Banner
can see no difference between the offence
it admits Cumiskey has committed and
the ordinary Indebtedness of our people,
then mus. say that its views of morali-
ty and honor are certainly such as to un-
fit it for the duty of educating the public.
The editors remarks about me are un-
founded in fact, unwarranted by the cir
cumstances of the case, and can only be
viewed as piece of meddlesome inter-
ference with matters with which he was
not concerned. The editor admits that
the facts were different from what>he
thought at the time he wrote, and I
would suggest to him in future to in
form himself upon any subject about
which he proposes to write before doing
so.
Very respectfully,
JOHN II. CLARKE,
Agent Singer Sewing Machine Co.