The daily gazette., 1877-09-12
Plunldlsersd South Carolina.
@ CONFESSION OF Ex-TREAsURER PARK
ER-oHAMBERLAIN, PATTERSON

Columbia amongst others, charged with
nspiracy in fraudulenty funding certain
coupons which were not authorized to be
| funded. Parker now resides in Jersey
| City, n. j., and is actively engaged in
the temperance movement in that state.
His confession, which fills over three
columns of the World, duplicates ex-Gov
I Chamberlain, United States Senator Pat
terson and State Financial Agent Kimp-
ton in some of the heaviest grabs on the
South Carolina treasury. The. following
| is condensation Of some of the princi-
pal points in the confession:
Parker was eleo led State treasurer in
1866, and went into office in July Of thta
year. Scott wis Governor, Chamberlain
was attorney general, Cardoza was secre-
tary of State, Frank Moses was adjutant
general and Neagle was comptroller
general. rhe constitution of the Legis-
lature was entirely republican without
a" exception. Under the provisional
| government a law had been passed au-
thorizing the funding of all outstanding
debt, interest and principal, up to July 1,
1867, The Legislature in July, 1865,
passed bill to pay all interest duetronl
July l, 1867, i'll gold. This bill was en-
gineered by the State financial .ent, II .
Ii. Kimpton. He was friend and class
mate Of Chamberlain's.
In the course of 1865 and 1869 the Leg
islature passed acts TO provide for the re-
demption at par of all floating debts out
standing. All these financial measures
authorizing the iscue of bonds were sus-
| ceptible of two interpretations. The
wording of one act will sufficiently illus
trate this point; "The Governor is here
by authorized and directed TO borrow
$1,000 upon bonds of the State OF
South Carolina, said bonds TO be signed
! by the Governor and treasurer. aud seal
ed by the secretary OF State, to be pay
able in South Carolina and at the New
\ lork financial agency" The debatable
goin. is whether bonds representing 81, :
100000 were to be put on the market, or
whether 81 ,000,0 900 was TO be obtained by
the sale Of the bonds at any price. Under
this act, however, which was prepared by
Chamberlain and Kimpton, 81 1000, 900 df
bonds were issued, $l,2c)00U of which
were issued i'll accordance with provisions
of the act, but the others were put upon
the market in an arbitrary manner. At
another time a large lot of State bonds
were put upon the market, most ofwhich
were sold at twenty cents OIL the dollar.
Parker says when the act for the sale
of these bonds passed the Legislature it
was generally understood by all members
of the Legislature except those let into
the secret that S3,2O0,000 in bonds at
par was the total sum authorized BY the
acts. When the acts were passed, how
ever, Chamberlain and kimpton pointed
out what was the literal Interpretation Of
the acts. They contended that bonds
could be sold at any sacrifice TO obtain
the sum In cash of $3,000,O00. RELYING
on Chamberlain as the legal adviser of
tie board, Scott and Parker consented 10
the issue ofthe amount of bonds neces-
sary to raise the authorized sum. Park
er says during the four years himself
Scott, Chamberlain aud Kimpton were In
office the bonded debt of the State was
increased about $10,000,O0O. There " as
terrible increase of expenditures at
each succeeding session of the Legisla-
ture, and Parker is informed that Speak
er Moses has acknowledged to having
signed $500,OO0 away dishonesty thou ID
be is sure it was a much larger sum. lie
says there were a number of 5000
claims presented which were outrageous
certificates issued by those who pur-
chased Senators and Representatives +
but they were properly authorized, and
be paid them. .u =
In regard to the Blue Ridge railfoAd
swindle Parker says when Harrison WAS
president of the road $4,000,000 was vol
ed by the Legislature in State script to
defray the expenses of its construction.
Harrison applied TO Scott, who was then
Governor, tor money, and Scott REQUEST
ed himpton to furnish $200,009 to Har-
rison for the road in return for $500, ,OOO
ofthe bonded stock of the road owned
by the State. kimpton still has that
$6OO OOO OF stock. Cameron succeeded
HARRISON as president of the road, and
Senator Patterson succeeded Cameron
80 Patterson came 10 have control of The
S4,0OO,OOO OF stock, less the 5000, 900 thai
hlmpton had gobbled. 1t is this S3, ,40O.-
OOJ that he has got now TO account for.
AS to the letter of Patterson 10 Parker
published few days ago, authorizi inc
him to deliver to ii r. Kimpton r. I've.
nue. land scrip amountingt to STA a5O
Parker says: 81 am ready TO admit thai
p 1t is genuine. If you ask me whether
i paid this order | answer that paid ever,
, order for this scrip made upon the treas
! ury by Senator Patterson as president o
the road. diG not see that | had an,
authority to withhold the scrip so Ion,
i as 1t was drawn in accordance with lega
4 provisions. If the scrip was afterwArd
misapplied had nothing to do with thi
e subsequent handling Of it.
A. financial agent of the State kim,
2 ton had IN mis- possession all bonds O
the State that were ever issued for rals
ing money. When his financial sci tie
ment was made in accordance with
special act he received from the fnau
cial board due bill of about $50 O0(
( and settled with the board upon what
stated to be a fraudulent set of bdok,
Chamberlain was a member of the board
and took an active part in all that Der
tains TO the issue, management and SET
tlement of its finances"
In regard to Chamberlain part II tn
|, corruption Parker says:
During these six years the corruptio
: and pecalation increased yearly, and
is idle 10 attempt to palliate or deuy
1t the present investig 4tion in Sout
Carolina is pushed the extent of the co,
ruption will be laid bare, and all VIII
were parties TO it will be brought ,
Judgment. ALI that | ask for is ths