Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-09-19
PARKERS REMORSE.

The Escaped State TreaAurer of
south CarOltna Makes n sOrrOWIuI
COnfesHiOn - Important niscIOse-
ures.
Chicago Times New York Telegram. soptem-
Der 9th.
The World will print tomorrow
"a long and detailed statement or
confession made by Niles G.. Par
ker, ex-State treasurer of South
Carolina, but at present living in
Jersey City, in which he makes
startling charges of corruption
against ex-Governors Moses, Cham
berlain and Scott, United States
Senator Patterson, Financial Agent
Kimpton and other members of
the ring which plundered the Pal
metto State of millions. Parker
frankly acknowledges his own guilt
in all this, since it appears by his
statement that most of the stolen
moneys were paid out by him in
his official capacity. He is now un-
der indictment, and processes his
sorrow for his crimes and readiness
to 90 to South Carolina for trial.
His statements, if substantiated,
will confirm the former charges
against Patterson, and doubtless
lead to the indictment of Chamber
lain. They are corroborated by a
yoluminous array of figures, dates,
circumstances, etc, in which the
connection of Gov Chamberlain
with the fraudulent issue Of bonds
seems made clear. Parker's mo-
tive for making the confession is
given by himself in his refusal to
be made the scapegoat for the
crimes of his allies.
In the course of this confession
and arraignment of his ring part
ners Mr.. Parker says: 81 don't
wish to say anything which may
appear like a personal attack upon
Chamberlain, though l acknowl-
edge that | have been offended by
his treatment Of me. | do object,
however, to being made the scape-
goat Of the ring, and | am by no
means willing that Chamberlain
and Kimpton should foist off any
of their load upon my shoulders.
| am tired of hearing what Parker
did, and how he acted in this trans
action, and that when knew that
my share in the unquestionable
doings Of the ring, from 1868 to
1874, was no greater, to say the
least. than the other members with
whom | acted. During these six
years the corruption and pecula-
ton increased yearly, and it is idle
to attempt to palliate or deny it.
If the present investigation in
South Carolina is pushed, the ex-
tent Of the corruption will be laid
bare, and all who were parties to it
will be brought to judgment. !
wish it to be understood that ! do
not shrink from this investigation.
| desire, rather, that it be made as
thorough and searching as possible,
and / am ready TO hold myself
responsible for my share in it.
dFor Chamberlain aud Kimpton
to deny that they were privy to
what is going on is simply ridicu-
lous. Some things undoubtedly
Chamberlain had no hand in di-
rectly, though they we're done d.
rectly uuder his nose, and he must
have known about them. In other
transactions his name did not APP
pear, but there can be no question
that he was concerned in them in
some way. In other cases still he
reaped direct benefit from his
corporations. Take the case of
the Marine and River Phosphate
Mining Company. The shady
transactions connected with the
management of this company and
the bills lobbied through the legisla-
ture for its benefit are quite gener-
ally known. The measures by
which the interests of the stock
holders were subserved in the legis-
lature have been published in the
Charleston papers; but Chamber
lalp's connection with it has not
heretofore been stated. The stock
OF the company was owned largely
by members Of the ring, and Cham