The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-08-29

for votes,
The report Of the Joint Committee on
Frauds on the Blue Ridge Railroad scrip.
the Validating act and the Financial
Settlement, with the testimony of tho
witnesses, is now published for the first
time. 1t is as follows:
Tho Report.
TO the Honorable the Senate and House of
Representatives
Your committee, having already ex-
hibited John J. Patterson as the chief
originator and participator in various
schemes of public plumber and personal
bribery, viz, first, in his election as Uni
ted States Senator; second, in the fraud
ulent pay certificates; third, the Green
Vile and Columbia Railroad swindle.
and, fourth, the impeachment acts, now
propose to uncover and reveal his crown
ing work in fraud and infamy under the
above captions. These several measures.
viz, the Blue Ridge Railroad Scrip bill,
the Validating bill and the Financial
Settlement bill, following each other so
closely in point of time, having been
originated, matured and engineered by
Patterson and the Ring, and passed
through the Legislature by the same
means, it is impossible to separate them
in this report, hence the subjects are
combined, and may be aptly designated
a Drama of Fraud in three acts.
On the Sd day of February, 1872, A.
L. Singleton introduced in the House of
Representatives ga bill to relieve the
State of South Carolina of all liability
for its guaranty Of the bonds of the Blue
Ridge Railroad Company by providing
for the securing and destruction of the
same" On the 9th day of the Same
month John B. Dennis, by unanimous
consent, introduced IA bill relating to
the bonds of the State of South Carolina" !"
better known as the Validating Act.
He also, at the same time, introduced
"a bill relating TO the Financial Agent
of the State in the city of New York"
commonly called the Financial Settle
ment Bill" 1t will be seen how inro-
cent the titles of these bills appear, and
yet how full each is of dangerous mis-
chief 70 the State as executed By the
parties. The first on its face represent
ing plausible scheme to relieve the
State from its guaranty of the large sum
of 81, 600, 900 of the bonds of the Blue
Ridge Railroad Company by the issue of
scrip, ostensibly to pay the honest debt
of said company, but in fact to be con-
verted into private and personal cor
rupt fraud. The second appeared to be
merely gu act to validate the irregular
issue of certain bonds, but was jntende6
TO validate the illegal use and disposition
of $6,000,000 of State bonds by IT. H.
Kimpton, and then fasten such debt
upon the State. The third simply en-
powered the notorious Financial Board
TO make settlement with II. III. Kimp-
ton, Financial Agent, but really afford
ing the desired opportunity Of covering
up and cancelling the large amounts
paid out by Kimptou from sales of bonds
illegally made, to be divided out in com.
missions among the "Ring," and in car
rying the purchase of the Greenville and
Columbia Railroad for the Same Ring.
The most cnrsory examination of the
journals of the General Assembly, and
the testimony annexed to this report,
must satisfy ali that these three measures
were adroitly and deliberately concocted
by the same persons for their joint per-
sonal benefit, and by combination forced
through the General Assembly by the
most shameless and barefaced bribery OF
Senators and members. For the eyi-
dencs Of many members of the House
sets forth, with particularly, that Patser-
son, Worthington, Neagle, Kimpton,
Scott, Parker: and Chamberlain aided
these ne,arions measures by counsel and
advice, by the solicitation of votes and
the actual purchase C numerous voters
with large sums Of money, these persons
having full knowledge and conscious- ess
of the stealage and corruption intended
to be perpetrated through and by such
legislation. l5
The same persuasion, arguments ana
bribery were used upon Senator's. SEN
ator @. P. Leslie also Ssured conspicu-
onsly in the Senate as an advocate of
these bills; was stakeholder; got the
money and ran aw1Y to New York; was
followed By dupe1 and indignant Sena-
tors, but failed 20 respond with the thrice
stolen cash.
Josephus Woodruff swears that Leslie
lntorl-led him that Kimpton had deposi-
ted $4,000 in the Central National
Bank for Woodruff, to be divided among
Six Senators; also of another deposit OF
$4,000, in the Carolina National Bank,
to be divided between Leslie and Senator
Owens.
The witness drew the money and de-
iiyered it to Leslie. The deposit of the
said sums of money is proven by cashiers
Of said banks.
In tracing the history of these meas
nree, 1t seems that after the passaga u
the bills Patterson and Kimpton quar-.
relied a5ont the division or details, "a
stated in the testimony ,f Judge T. j.
Mackey, and for an adj:. :. .-Ient and set
ttlenlont of such little differences the fol-
loving order wrs given by Patterson To
Parker, then treasurer:
lUE E,RE5IDENTS OFFICE,
q. g. g. RAILROAD Co.,
COLUMBIA, 8. O., March 4, 1872.
lion. Mics q. Parker, STATE Treasure
2 South Ct1r0iittE
Please deliver to III. n. Kimpson s'rev-
epue bond scrip" due the Blue Ridge
railroad Company according to net pass.
y ed March - 2 19?2, aEaann ling Ia nne
hundred and fourteen Thousand two hun,
dFsd and Fifty dollars at par, ncon the
following conditions: That lofty-twc
thousand eight hundred and iiIty-seyen
COLLARS OF said scrip, as par, is TO DO s;sssa
ior paying the expenses of passing
through the House of Representative
dis styled "a bill relating to the bonds
OF the State of South Carolina" and
biiittc authorize The Financial Board
70 settle the accounts of the Financial
Il AGENT Now, il these aboVe named
y ll nllla ira s,asaaA and heenlna laws this
order for forty-two thousand eight hun
ared aud fifty-seven collars in scrip, a
par, 7s to be paid said Kimpton md i
not passed, then this order for thal
gElonnt to be void and che scrip is not Il
ne delivered. Also, that seyenty-on.