The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-04

In our Charleston correspondence, print
ed to-day, will be found some interesting infor-
nation regarding the shrewd operations Of that
eminent reformer, Gov. ID. II. CHAMBERLAIN OF
South Carolina. II 10 we'll known that CHAM
BERLAIN, In his private capacity as q member OF
the law arm of MELTON. CHAMBERLAIN d WIN
GATE. represents q large proportion OF the debt
Of South Carolina which 10 held by the taxpayers
TO be fraudulent, and II 10 surmised that
his interest In . good deal OF this suspected
debt IL more than that OF an attorney. Among
the questionable claims against the State Is that
OF the holders OF State Bank bills, and our
Charleston letter describes the adroit way in
which these have been provided for. The story
OF the State Bank bill swindle Is told at length
IN Mr.. PIXIES history Of 1.-THE PROSTATE State"
The State bound to redeem, by an obllRa-
tion ante-datiDg the war, certain outstanding
circulating notes OF this bank. /" A suit had
been commenced after tho war, and holders OF
these bills had been, by an order OF court, noti-
Ned to present them. At the end OF year and q
half OF the widest publicity OF the order, the
holders had been able to Bnd and present to the
court something less than half million OF the
notes. This amount was and Is supposed to
have been the sum total OF the then existing
issue" After SCOTT, CHAMBERLAIS& Co. came
into power, q committee Of the Legislature was
appointed to count the bills preparatory to their
redemption. To the establishment OF everybody
that committee reported that they had found
81 $50 IN these notes the result Of their
deavors. and had burned them; and bonds to
the amount of 81 100000 were actually issued
TO reimburse their owners, Notwithstanding that
II was well known that there were only about
t5OO0O0 Of the bills In existence when the count
was made. by this one simple operation" Mr..
PIKE says, the State thus appears to have been
dsfrauded OF a round million" This was bad
enough, but worse was to follow Some time
after the alleged destruction OF the entire issue
II was found tHat the late JOE CREWS, who was
one OF the committee appointed to count and de-
stroy the bills, had deposited $4,000 OF them with
. banking firm as collateral security for loan,
and ever since then more and more OF them have
been coming to light, until now, It seems, abou,
one-fourth OF the taxes for the present year have
been rendered 10 these bills The result Of this,
and OF a tax levy insufficient to meet appropria-
lions, Is that the treasury is bankrupt, MANY Of
| the State ofcals will be unable to get any ala
ries for the remainder Of the year, and there will
be no money for the support of the penitentiary,
| the State asylums and other public institutions,
| after the first OF June. hut the bills have been
| a second time worked OF to advantage, and
| CHAMBERLAIN is probably we'll satisfied with the
| success which has attended hts artful manage
| ment. Another result Is that, to make up for
| the deficiencies In the collection OF taxes this
| year, It will be necessary to nSarly double the
| tax levy next year, aud this In State where
about one-fourth Of all the real estate Ia already
| advertised for sale for non payment OF taxes
| Such is the outcome Of carpet-bag and negro
| rule In South Carolina, as begun under SCOTT,
| CHAMBERLAIN 4 Co., and continued under
CHAMBERLAIN as the Chief Executive.