The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1878-03-07
THE THIEVES CARNIVAL.
AN ASTOUNDING CATALOGUE OF THE
RoBBERIEs UNDER cARPET-RULE ..
IN SOUTH CAROLINA. .... ....
THE WHOLE STATE GOVERNMENT FED,
HoUaED, oLoTHED, INTOXICATED
q. AND REDUCED TO CIVILIZATION ..
~ = ~ = = - ~ II! =.
H AT STATE EXPENSE.

u
under concurrent resolution of the
General Assembly, at .therspecial
session of 1877, "to ascertain whether
any improper or illegal use has been
made Of tho public funds or credit
OF the State" beg leave to report
upon such special subjects OF invesS
tigation as they deem complete, and
to make supplementary reports from
. time to time upon the:residue of the
matters before them, .7untl the en-
tire evidence, and conclusions are
reported. 81. p. a ."..,.,. .. .,.....
The committee respectfully invite
attention to the evidence and vouch.
ers submitted with this report under
the head of supplies. The abuses
have been SO great: and of such q
palpable nature, that the most Gre
dulons person would hardly believe
that such frauds could beperpotrated
under the forms of legislation. lis
tory fails to cite an instance which
CAN be compared with such Il carni-
val OF frauds and extraVagance as
has been held in South Carolina, hy
and Through the purchase Of sup
plies for the members Of tie General
Assembly. In this connection we
suhmit number of the accounts
agninst the State, also few individ~
u"l accounts OF the average Estates
men" of South Carolina under the
late regime. We not only make fhe
aaeertion, but present the proofs, that
the whole country may see how one
of "tbe old thrice: has been robbed
and laid PROSTATE, through ignor-
ance Oh one side and corrupt adven-
tnrcrs 'on the other. Our report is
necessarily elaborate; the charges
are 80 grave that we deem it, unwise
TO make them unlees su bstantiateG by
evidence which no one can. doubt, 1t
the simple statement we're made that
Senators and members Of tie House
were furnished with. everything they
desired, from swaddlipg clothes and
cradle, to the coffin of the undertak,
er--from brogans to, chignons, finest
extracts to best wines and liquors,
and paid for by the State, it would
create smile of doubt and derison;
but,when we make the statement,
and prove it by several witnesses and
the vouchers found in the Offices Of
the Clerks Of the Senate and House,
all will with sorrow admit the truth
fulnees of thisreport. For your guild
atlce we deem it essential to place
under appropriate heads the class of
supplies and the evidence referring
thereto. .H. , =. "......
We fret call your. attentionto the
evidence of Mr.. Woodruff, WHO was
Clerk OF the Senate at the time, and
necessarily cognizapt 0of' everything
concerning the furnishing 81 su p
plies. He Says, "Under the head OF
supplies was embraced anything that
q Senator chose TO order" These
orders were generally given through
the Clerk, and the accounts were
rendered against the Clerk of tie
Senate. At. first the orders were
moderate, and included only station
cry and postage .etamps, bat they
gradually increased until they as
sumed gigantic proportions.< In,1he
commencement Of this business OF
furnishing members, they gave Or
dors on the clerks@to deduct the
amount from their pay, but very
soon the orders largely exceeded
their Pay, and the accomfs we're then
included in the report of j the Com-
mlttee on Contingent Accounts, and
pay certificates tAas issbed FOR almost
every description Of merchandise. IN
ADDITION addition 70 this, pay certificates were
drawn and turned overato the chair.
man ot tile Committee on Oontingen,