The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-10-10


at Judge Mackey's request and by Mer-
rill's order to F. B. Lloyd, Mackey's
brother-in-law, for Mackey himself, and
I gave Mackey note, addressed to G. ii:
Baldwin, then Treasurer of Richland
County, asking him las favor to me- 10
cash the warrant or warrants for Mackey;
he did so. There was no consideration
given by Mackey for the warrant or war
rants, save that he lobbied for the bill
and used his influence in favor of Mer-
rill. And the warrant that 1 received
flor $4,000, 1 think was drawn in
Lloyd's name also, so that my own name
would not appear. F. J. MOSES.
a Testimony Of Hon. 7. j. Mackey.
F. COLUMBIA, S. c., August l, 1877.
Hon. Thomas J. Mackey, further ex-
amined, deposes on oath and says: In
reference to the appropriation made by
the General Assembly for paying rewards
for the arrest, with evidence to convict,
of persons guilty of the crime of Ku
Kluxing, would state that did not get
one dollar from the Treasury of the State
of the money appropriated and paid for
that purpose. My whole connection with
the matter was this:
Mr.. F. B. Lloyd, of Chester, who is
my brother.in-law, was engaged as an
agent for one or more parties who
claimed rewards for arresting Ku Klux
under the proclamation of the Governor,
and visited Columbia and aided in the
passage of the bill. Major Lewis Merrill,
of the United States army, was the chief
claimant as against those represented by
Mr.. Lloyd. The claims were based upon
q proclamation issued by Governor Scott
in 1870 or 1871, in which he offered to
pay reward of 5000 for the apprehen-
sion, with proof to convict, of any per-
son engaged in Ku Kluxing. 1t was
distinctly stated in the proclamation that
the reward would be paid to any officer
of the United States army, or to any per-
son, military or civil, who would furnish
the desired information. The bill ap-
propriating the sum of $4,000 to pay
these rewards received very general
support in both houses from members of
both political parties, it being understood
from Major Merrill, as I was informed,
that he intended to use his influence,
which was very potent at Washington,
to prevent further prosecutions or arrests
for this cause. The report of the Attor-
ney General of the United States, issued
shortly before the passage of this bill,
and which now have in my possession,
showed that there were eighteen hundred
indictments pending in South Carolina
for violations of the enforcement act, COM
monty called the Ku Klux act. No one
questioned the fact that the State was
bound to pay the rewards which the Gov
ernor, pursuant to the authority vested in
him, had offered. Eighty odd of the per-
sons in whose cases rewards were claimed
had confessed their guilt in open court.
Mr.. Lloyd was obliged to leave Columbia
the day on which the bill was passed, and
informed me that Major Merrill was to
assign to him (Lloyd) five thousand dol
lars of the amount awarded him (Mer-
rill, and requested ME to see Major
Merrill when the award was made, or be-
fore, and obtain written assignment,
which did, and delivered it subsequent
ly to Nj. Lloyd. There were two orders
delivered TO me, drawn payable to F. B.
Lloyd, one for $4,000 and the other for
$4,000. He (Lloyd) had requested me
to obtain the order in thai form, and to
have the one for $4,000 discounted at
some bank, as it was we'll known that
there was no money in the treasury to
meet the appropriation. Mr.. Lloyd ar
rived in Columbia on the day the orders
were paid, or the day after, having been
absent but few hours, not more than
day, and endorsed the two orders. The
one for $4,000 I had cashed at discount
of 10 per cent. and delivered the pro-
ceeds to him, he paying me the sum of
$500 for his board, as he resides with me.
I gave him the order for $4,000, and do
not know what disposition he made of
it. A reference to the journals of the
General Assembly will show that no
man challenged the claim for the re-
wards stated as in anywise illega! or im-
proper. 1 do not know whether the
State has ever paid any Of these rewards.
I do know, however, that when the or.
ders on the appropriations were issued
to Major Merrill, they were absolutely his
property, and not that of the State, and
the State had no interest in the premises.
This matter of paying the rewards Of
fered by Gov. Scott was fully discussed
by committees in both branches of the
General Assembly, and numerous wit
nesses were cited and appeared, ex-At-
torney General Chamberlain appearing
as attorney to Major Merrill. The only
part bore in reference to the passage of
the bill was to express the opinion that
the proclamation of the Govorner bound
the State, if the required services were
rendered by the claimants. There were
two proclamations, one offering reward
of $500 in each case, and later procla-
nation offering q reward of only 5000. |
insisted that the reward could be claimed
on the part of Major Merrill only under
the second proclamation, and that was
the proclamation referred to in the ap-
preparation to pay the rewards. l dis
counted the $4,000 claim to Mr.. G. q.
Baldwin, who was we'll known rs en-
gagged in purchasing claims upon the
State. 1 do not know the considerations
of the assignment made by Merrill to
Lloyd. Mr.. Lloyed stated to ME that
it was for aiding in the passage of the
bill, and I think he said to prevent op-
position on the part Of some other claim
ants. As to this point my memory is
not clear, as have not converscd since
with Mr.. Lloyed as to the special con-
sideration that he gave for the orders.
T. J. MAcKEY.
testimony of Henry Fl. D. Bryon.
GREENv1LLE, S. c., July 81, 1878.
Henry H. D. Bryon, being DULY sworn,
says: He resides in Greenville, S. c.,
and is by occupation a Special Deputy
Collection of Internal Revenue, and also
holds the Office of United States Com
missioner for the South Carolina district !;
that during the year 1872 he held the
office of United States Commissioner and
resided in Union County, S. c., and at
said time and place examined the cases
of several persons charged with con-
spiracy, &c., under what was commonly
| known as the Klu Kiux act. For the