Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-12-06
HONEST" JOHN PATTERSON
Report Of the Investigating Committee.

Report of the Investigating Committee.
The following is the full text of the repor
of the special Notwithstanding committee
in relation to the bribery of members of tn
legislature by John j. Patterson, to secur
his election to the United States Senate Th
report was submitted on Wednesday of las
week:
To the Honorable the Senate and the House o
Representatives:
The undersigned, who we're appointed .
Joint Investigating Committee, under a con
current resolution of the General Assembly
adopted June 8, 1877, and by the said resolu
ton were instructed to investigate concerning
any improper or illegal use of the "pub
lie funds or credit of the State" and concern
ing any illegal disposal of property by th'
Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, and tt
cause legal proceedings to be instituted in thu
premises, and also to Investigate the election
of Hon. J. J. Patterson to the Senate of th'
United States on the 10th of December, 1872
and to ascertain whether the same was pro
cured by corruption and bribery" respectfully
report: .
That shortly after the close of the specia
session, the committee was organized and pro
ceeded to the work assigned to it, and ha'
been in session up to the present time.
After several weeks spent in the investiga
tion of books and papers in the Treasury, anc
the examination of persons who had been con
nected with the administration of the State
government in its various departments during
the past nine years, it became manifest to ev
cry member of the committee, and to the At
torney.G General, who had cordially assisted
with his valuable advice, that it was necessa
ry to secure for the State the testimony of Ger
tain witnesses who had been themselves impli
Gated in the transactions they would be called
upon to explain, in order to obtain evidence
oral and documentary, sufficiently conclusive
to Justify the institution of legal proceedings
in behalf of the State, with reasonable pros
pect of successful result.
Feeling that it was unworthy ofthe dignity
of the State, that any person, however helm
Gus the ofense charged, should be called tc
answer on strong suspicion merely, without
such proof as would warrant conviction before
an impartial court Of justice, and would com
pei the acquiesence of public opinion all over
the land, the course was adopted of receiving
no room for reasonable doubt of guilt before
subjecting any one to accusation or arrest
In order to accomplish this end, it was neces
sary to grant immunity to such persons al
were able to furnish testimony of sufficient
value to the State, to justify the clemency be-
slowed. 1t is gratifying to be able to state
that in every instance where such course
has been adopted, the members Of the commit
tee have been unanimous in their opinion o.
its expediency, and in their recommendation
to the Attorney General 10 grant the immuni
ty usual to States witnesses, and that the At
torney. General, in the discharge of his prerog
ative in the premises, has in every instance
deemed it proper to adopt such recommends
tions of the committee, and in cases Of specia
Importance has materially aided the commit
tee. in advance of their conclusions, with his
experience and judicious counsels. In these
Instances restitution has been required when
ever the State had proper claim maintaina
BILE in the courts, to the extent of the probable
recovery by the State, had proceedings beer
promptly instituted and vigorously prosecuted
The result has been that large amount
has been re,.lized for the State already, with
out the attendant expenses of litigation. Tht
grand jury of the county of Richland, fairly
representative of every hue of political senti
ment in the community, have presented bills
of indictment in every case submitted to them
on the testimony obtained by the committee
with two exceptions; and the petit juries, in
every case so far tried, have returned verdicts
against the parties accused, and the juries ir
every instance have been composed Of citizens
at least one.haf of whom were of the same
race or political party as the; prisoner con
victed by their verdict.
- In addition, the committee has in its posses
sion great deal of valuable testimony, and
hopes to accomplish still more substantial re-
suits. In the present incomplete state of this
testimony, and in view of the reserve necessa
ry to be maintained concerning matters alrea
dy in litigation or likely to become the sub
ject of proceedings, criminal or civil. or both
the committee being satisfied that important
interests of the State would be seriously i'm
perilled by giving publicity, at this time, tc
the evidence which has been accumulated, ear
nestly recommend that the same be withheld
from publication until the reason for secrecy
shall have ceased to exist.
In explanation of the time consumed
by the committee in its investigation, it ap
pears sufficient to state that all the vouchers
in the State Treasury had to be and were ex
amined and that at the outset it was tedious
process to break through the walls of silence
which screened the frauds which had been
perpetrated, and that the field, once opened
grew broader at every step, covering period
of nine years of the States history, and en-
braciug all important operations of the gov
ernment, g.. .a.
In addition to this, various members of the
committee were charged with other important
duties, and were consequently unable to de-
vote themselves exclusively to the prosecution
of this work.
The committee desires further to call the
attention of the General Assembly to another
disadvantage under WHICH its labors have been
thus far prosecuted. In the concurrent resc
luton. the powers Of the committee are but
imperfectly defined, and no appropriation was
made at the last session to meet the necessary
expenses.
The witnesses, whom it was important to ex-
anime, were scattered all over the State, and
in some Instances were beyond the limits OF
the State, and most Of them, on being SUM.
moned to attend, expressed willingness to
do so, but pleaded the want of means of travel
and of subsistence during the attendance be-
fore the committee. In order to meet this
emergency, the various railroad companies in
the State were requested to transport the wit
nesses of the committee over their respective
roads, the members of the committee pledgiug
themselves individually and officially to urge
tbo onooIu novmant nf the rha rpes for this