Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-02-28

privileged matters, and the Schatc rule
requiring oil reports to lie over one day was
generally suspended and the report consid-
cred at once aud the accounts ordered I'd DO
paid without dissenting voice. Senators
left their accounts with tho Chairman of
tho Committee on Contingent Accounts.
When settled 10 this way they wero gene
rally returned to Senators rcceipted I"
We fiud there was regular system BY
which these accounts were passed upon by
the Senate and House throug the manipu-
lations of tho Committee on Contingent
Accounts. The following example will
suffice:
The committee would report that thoy
had considered the account of A, B and G
(Which we're honest olaims) and fotind them
corroct, and would recommend that they be
paid; and after the laet .amo on the ac-
counts we in most instances found the
ominous words sand Others" or sanRries
and Others" which being interpreted meant
'Jraud" Woodruff, continuing, says
"The committee to audit the contingent
expenses of the Seuate claimed the fight to
order what they pleased and incltde it 10
their report under the tame of "sundrics
and others"
Jones, in his evidence, speak of them as
"oUEER ACCO oNTs,'
and says they were generally paid under tho
head of "and others" Your committee
find it necessary to classify tho various
supplies'furnished in order that you may
perceive tho magnitude of the robbery and
the ruthless expenditure of taxes to provide
for the pleasure and comfort Of our states
men! Under the class of "Refreahmcnts,"
we ash attention to these facts: A room in
tho State house vas fitted up wherein to
serve "wines, liquors, eatables and CIGARS
to State officials, Senators and members Of
tho House and their friends, at all hours Of
the day and night. Woodruff's evidence is
that the largest bills were rendered tor re-
frcshmcnts, including the best liquors and
cigars, which were served up ID room
adjoining that of the clerk of the Senate,
and kept open at all hours, aud was visited
daily by State officials, judges, Senators,
members Of the House, lawyers, editors,
newspaper reporters and citizens generally,
irrespective of party, and that they dis
cusscd matters, State and national, in tho
most agreeable manner over their sparkling
glasses. Not satisfied with the establish
mcnt Of bar room 10 the Capitol, thew
employed a porter who had charge of the
"Rofreshmcnt room"
J. W.'S PRIVATE DARKROOM.
The porter states that for six years the
State House bar room was generally opened
at o'clock in the morning, and kept open
until from 2 to next morning; that during
that tune some one was constantly there
eating, smoking or drinking, and that Sun
day formed no exception to the rule. He
says: Gle never saw n barroom equal to tho
State House rcfreshmcnt room for drinking,
smoking and tulking;" thut large majority
Of the members who assembled in the room
were Republicans, but TINT Democratic
Senators and Representatives were there
also. lie mentioned the names of Senators
BIEMANN AND HOLCoMBE
aud Representative r. NJ Smith as daily
visitors; "that many of the members would
be at the room before breakfast hunting a
drink or eye opener" lie could not esti-
mate the exact amount of liquor drank, but
asserted that il taveragcd several gallons per
day, with ii considerable amount of wine,
ale ana porter thrown in. The best cigars
and wines were furnished, and that often
what lie considered good article would be
rejected. He could not keep sufficient
amount of cigars on hahd to supply the
demand, as many of them
upon leaving aud would frequently carry OFT
bottle o. champagne in the same way.
He is porter now, and says that no refresh
ments are served. as that business stopped
when Governor Hampton took charge of the
State House.
1t will be observed that the State fur
Dishcd room, u porter and refreshments
for our statesmen" while they were plotting
how to rob the people they pretended to
represent, ready to vote for any measure
that would enrich themselves at tho public
expense. In addition to the refreshments
furnished at the State House, large quanti-
ties of wines, liquors and cigars, and other
things wcrc sent to tho hotels, boarding
houses and residences of State officials,
Senators, members and their friends. This
is shown by the vouchers and accounts ren-
dered and the evidence of Woodruff, who
Gays that "tho matter of Refreshments, like
others, assumed the largest proportions, aud
orders wero given for liquors and cigars,
which were
SENT TO TIFF HOTELS,
boarding houses and residences Of the
members and their friends" Clerk Jones
says tho most extravagant accounts were
rendered for refreshments for committee
rooms, and that he found it useless to re-.
monstratc.
Sergeant at arms Williams testiffes that
tho House did not keep refreshment room,
but he was ordered to buy wines, liquors,
DO, for the members, and that ho did buy