The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-09-20


sites therefrom. knew nothing. there.
fore, to inculpate him.
had no doubt that q number OF
charges brought against the treasury were
improperly passed by the Legislature.
In particular there we're number of Eve
thousand dollar claims presented which
l thought were outrageous. certificate
Issued by those who purchased senators
and representatives. The certificates aero
properly a, .horized, however, and l had
TO pay them. Suppose | had refused TO
honor them, what would have been the
result? Why should have been kicked
out for not doing my duty as treasures.
There was too much influence brought tn
bear against me. If I had stood out
alone it would not have made any differ
ence. Why, have been to Frank
Moses,
WITh TEARs IN NY EYES,
and said to him: "You will lave no
money at all in the treasury if you 90 on
in this way" Frank Moses would only
look up and laugh. "Talk about these
Republican Reiormers," lie would saw.
you hever heard me say anything about
REFORM" No said 1, l never did.
1 went ou. of office ON October 81, 1872.
Scott went out at the same time, aud
moses came in as Governor. Samuel
Melton succeeded Chamberlain as attor-
ney general, but when Chamberlain went
out of office he became Motions law
partner, and 80 got right behind the
throne again. One Of the first acts of the
Legislature after Frank Moses became
Governor was an act directing the attor-
ney general of the State to prosecute the
late sinking fund commissioners of the
State for corruption. These commission.
ers were Scott, Neagle, Chamberlain, the
chairman of the finance committee ofthe
Senate and the chairman of the ways
and means committee of the House. Did
Melton do it now2 What did he do :?
Waited until April 1874, and then COM
menced prosecution against me. The
complaint v'c3 made b. Daniel II. Cham.
berlains then Governor and ex-oflicio
president OF heyinking fund commission.
The attorney general brought suit for
the recovery Of $4,000, alleged to have
been fraudulently misapplied. was ar.
rested and held on bail. A night or two
before my arrest Chamberlain had been
talking to me as pleasantly as ever in the
theatre, where Anna Dickinson was lee
turing. We had q loving parting, but
he sneaked off and caused me N 10 be ar.
rested on the next day, or within a few
days at any rate. When l succeeded,
however, in pressing the thing to a suit
It was mol pressed by the attorney general
On whose shoulders does the blame for
the borrowing of the $4,000 lie The
sinking fund commissioners ought TO
have been prosecuted for their part in
the matter as we'll as for other crimes
which they committed. The treasury
needed the money. and it was none Of
my business who lent the amount. 1t
was not my funeral at all. 1 consulted
with Chamberlain, asking him If it wac
any crime OIL my part TO borrow this
money. "No," he said, cit is no crime
of yours" Chamberlain will say nov
that he was in u minority on the sinking
fund commission, and that the commits.
sion lent the money to the treasury with
out his consent. At any rate the sink
ing fund commissioners are responsible
in this matter and not r.yself, the treas
urer.
THE BLUE RIDGE RAILROAD sWINDLE.
In regard to the Blue Ridge Railroad
swindle, by which the State was said to
have been defrauded out of 81 300 900, 1
can say at least that had nothing to do
with the road, except when called upon,
in my capacity as State treasurer, to pay
over to the officers of the road the scrip
voted by the Legislature. When narri-
son was President of the road, $4,000 900
was voted by the Legislature, in State
scrip, TO defray the expenses of its con-
struction. Harrison applied to Scott,
who was then Governor, for money, and
Scott requested Kimpton to furnish
$2OO,0 to Harrison for the road in re-
turn sor $500, 900 of the bonded stock of
the road owned by the State. Kimpton,
believe, still he's tha. $500, ,000 of stock.
Cameron succeeded Harrison as president
OF the road, and Patterson succeeded
Cameron. SO Patterson came to have
control of the four millions of stock, less
the $500 900 which Kimpton had gobbled.
1t IS this $500, 600 that he has got now
to account for. I know that he borrowed
1925 goo from gentleman in this city,
p; Is. Wesley, giving 100000 Of the
Blue Ridge Road stock as security. I
cannot tell what disposition he made OF
any portion except of this amount
never owned dollars worth of stock in
the road myself. Scott owned stock in
it and holds it to-day. AS to the letter
of Patterson 80 me az State treasurer
published few days ago, authorizing me
to deliver to H. IL. Kimpton revenue
land scrip amounting to $114, ,250, 1 am
ready TO admit that it is genuine. Ifyou
ask me whether I paid this order, 1 an.
swer that I paid every order for this acrip
made upon the treasury by Senator Pas.
terson as president OF the road. I did
not see ts.s: had any authority to with.
hold the scrip, so long as it was drawn in
accordance with ,.,gai provisions. IF The
scrip was afterwards inisapplied, had
nothing to do with this subsequent
handling of it.
AS financial agent of the State, Kimp-
ton had in his possession all bonds of the
State that were ever issued for raising
money. He was not obliged by law to
exhibit his accounts to the State treasu.
rer, to the financial board nor to render
| any vouchers thereof, and never did sc
until his final settlement. When his
| financial settlement was made in accord
ance with special act, be received from
| the financial board due bill of about
$4,000, and settled with the board upon
what is stated to be fraudulent set oi
books. Chamberlain was o member .ol
! tae hoard and took an active part in all
that pertains to the issue, management
and settlement of its finances. Judge
Willard told me that Kimpton had man
ufactured q fraudulent set of books, bul
cannot .asert it of my own knowledge
I suppose this statement will show my
hand to him, but I do NOT care much
Chamberlain signed the settlement ant
papers in that matter, and took part ir