The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-04-18
Settlement with the Former Treas

We were shown the other day, by
Mr. r. f. Hill, who prepared it, a
| statement for a settlement between
Thos. n. Tolbert, late County TreaSu-
rer and the court of Abbeville which
was made in pursuance of an order of
his Honor Judge Cooke. The Judge
during the late session Of court at this
place ordered the foreman of the
Grand Jury to designate some two or
three members Of the Jury besides
himself to proceed in connection with
Messrs. l.. w. White and w. G..
Benet, who were named by the Court,
to ascertain what monies were in the
hands of Tolbert to the credit of the
several funds for which collections
had been made by him and to report
the same to the Solicitor, who was In
structcd to receive the money from
Tolbert.
AS this was necessarily q very diff
cult and complicated settlement to
make embracing IS it did his transact
tons as Treasurer for a period of some
three or four years, it was deemed ut
terly impossible for q committee COM
posed as this was with the limited
time which it could afford to devote to
the matter to arrive at any satisfactory
conclusion it was therefore thought
to be eminently to the interest of the
county that this matter be entrusted
to an expert who should be compen.
stated for his trouble and who could
then afford to give the matter that
study aud attention which it required.
This was the conclusion come to by
the committee and unanimously con-
Cured in by the County Commission
ers, who as the guardians of the fl
nancial interests of the County were
DESTROYS that the matter should be
thoroughly looked into. Mr.. Hill
being peculiarly qualified for this
work owing to the fact that he has
been clerk to the Auditor for several
years, thereby becoming familiar with
the modus Opcrandi of the tax de-
partment, and being also a member Of
the grand jury was selected by, and
authorized to act for the committee
and was likewise chosen by the Coun-
ty Commissioners to represent them.
AS we stated before, this was a very
difficult and complicated settlement
to make, but under the skilful man
agement of Mr.. Hill everything is
made so plain that the most simple
can understand it. 1t was not only
difficult but very tedious, rs 1t neces-
sitated:the examination of some five
or six thousand vouchers for monies
paid out in order to ascertain what bal
ance Mr.. Tolbert should stand charged
with. We had hoped to publish it in
this issue but cOnld not obtain q COPY
in time but will do so in our next.
The examination of this settlement
sheet has tended to more fully impress
us with the importance of the office of
County Auditor, as without the re-
cords in said Office all the data by
which the several debts were made
out against the late Treasurer would
have existed no where save in his
possession.
We were informed by Mr.. Hill who
Is perfectly familiar with all the rou-
tine of this office that the work be
simplified land yet be just as effectively
IS that the duties, including the as
sessnlent of the property Of the coun-
ty, can be performed for eight hum
dred.or a thousand dollars per annum
He thinks the present style of blanks
upon which the returns are taken,
should be retained, but that in ma
king up the books only the aggregates
should be used instead of being ag-
gregated as now.