Middletown transcript., 1877-09-15
pIurnrnnp soura cARoLIrA.
CONFESSION oh Ex-TREAsuRMR PARKER--CHAM-
HER1AIN, PATTERSON AND OTHERS IN
pex9ATEp wTC.


inst, publishes confession from Niles
G. Parker, an ex-State treasurer Of
South Carolina, who was recently in
dicted at Columbia, amongst others,
charged with conspiracy In fraudulent
" funding certain coupons which were
not authorized to be funded. Parker
now resides Ii jersey City, N. j., and
i actively engaged in the temperance
movement in that State. His confess
sion, which fills over three columns Of
the World, duplicates ex-Gov. Cham
berlain, ID. S. Senator Patterson, and
State Financial Agent Kimpton in
some ofthe heaviest grabs on the South
Carolina treasury. The following is
condensation Of some Of the principal
points in the confession:
Parker was elected State treasurer in
1866, and went into Office in July Of
thatyear. Scott was Governor, Cham
berlain was attorney general, Cardoza
was secretary Of State, Frank Moses
was adjutant general, and Neagle was
comptroller general. The constitution
Of the Legislature was entirely repub-
ican without an exception. Under
the provisional government law had
been passed authorizing the funding Of
all outstanding debt, interest and prin-
cipal, up to July /, 1867. The Legis-
Iature, in July, 1868, passed bill to
pay all interest due from July /, 1857,
in gold. This bill was engineered by
the State financial agent, H. H. Kimp-
ton. He was friend and classmate
Of Chamberlain's.
LII the course of 1868 and 1869 the
Legislature passed acts to provide for
the redemption at par of all floating
debts outstanding. All these financial
measures authorizing the issue of bonds
were susceptible Of two interpretations.
The wording Of one act will sufficient
" illustrate this point "The Governor
Is hereby authorized and directed to
borrow 100000 upon bonds Of the
State of South Carolina, said bonds to-
be signed by the Governor and treas
urer, and sealed by the secretary Of
State, to be payable in South Carolina
and atthe New York financial agency"
The debatable point il whether bonds
representing 81 100000 were to be put
on the market, or whether 81, ,000,-
600 was to be obtained by the sale
of the bonds at any price. Under
this act, however, which was prepared
by Chamberlain and Kimpton, $2,000,-
600 Of bonds were issued. $1,2O0,000
Of which were issued in accordance
with the provisions Of the act, but the
others were put upon the market in an
arbitrary manner. AT another time
large lot Of State bonds were put upon
the market, most Of which we're sold
at twenty cents on the dollar.
Parker says when the act for the
sale Of these bonds passed the Legisla-
ture it was generally understood by all
membersoft the Legislature except those
let into the secret that $2,300,000 in
bonds at par was the total sum author
lied by the acts. When the acts were
passed, however, Chamberlain ana
Kfmpton pointed out what was the lit
eral Interpretation Of the acts. They
contended that bonds could be sold at
any sacrifice to obtain the sum in cash
Of $4,000 Relying on Chamber
lain as the legal adviser Of the board,
Scott and Parker consented to the issue
Of the amount Of bonds necessary to
raise the authorized sum. Parker says
during the four years, himself, Scott,
Chamberlain and Kimpton were in Of
fee the bonded debt Of the State was
increased about S1O,000.000. There
was terrible increase of expenditures
at each succession of the Legislature,
and Parker is informed that Speaker
Moses has acknowledged to having
signed $500,O00 away dishonesty,
though he is sure it was a much larger
sum. He says there were number Of
$1,000 claims presented which were
outrageous certificates issued BY those
who purchased Senators and Represen-
tatives-but they were properly au-
thorized, and he paid them.
In regard to the Blue Ridge railroad
swindle Parker says when Harrison
was president Of the road 100000
was voted by the Legislature, in State
scrip, to defray the expenses ofits con-
strnction. Harrison applied to Scott,
who was then Governor, for money, and
Scott requested Kimpton to furnish
5000, 900 to Harrison for the road in
return for 100000 Of the bonded
stock Of the road owned by the State.
Kimpton still has that 100000 Of
Stock. Cameron succeeded Harrison
a. president Of the road, and Senator
Patterson succeeded Cameron. So Pat
terson came to have control Of the $4,-
100000 Of stock, less the 100000
which Kimpton had gobbled. 1t Is
this $3,000,000 that he has got now to
account for. As to the letter Of Pat
terson to Parker, published a few days
ago, authorizing him to deliver to H.
Fl. Kimpton revenue land scrip amount
ing to $114,250, Parker says; II am
ready to admit that it is genuine. IF
YOU ask me whether | paid this order
/ answer that paid every order for
this scrip made upon the treasury by
Senator Patterson, as president Of the
road. I did not see that I had any
authority to withhold the scrip 50 long
as 1t was drawn in accordance with
legal provisions. If the scrip was af-
terwards misapplied I had nothing to
do with this subsequent handling Of it.
Gas financial agent Of the State
Kimpton had in his possession all bonds
Of the State that were ever issued for
raising money. When his financial
settlement was made in accordance
with a special act he received from the
financial board due bill Of about
$15O,00O, and settled with the board
nnnn what il stated to Be a fraudulent