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

NVA OVNtlNED ~
as is shown BY the vouchers Of ktessts:
klinok, Wickenberg & Co., of Charleston,
and others, or to tho State; as proved BY
the accounts of Kuhn q Co., Of Phiadel-
phia, dealers in wines and liquors. We
call special attention to their accounts,
designated &c 15," in the evideuoo OF
Woodruff, amounting to $1,680, furnished
to Senate at one time, and to No. 83, in
evidence of A. 0. Jones, amounting to
$2,0SS, for use of House and delivered 10
one day, also to account of Mr.. Symmers
in Woodraff's evidence, designated as No.
IL, by Woodruff, 10 which sweetmeats and
delioacies Of every kind that could tempt
the cpicure were supplied. This is only
one Of many suoh in our possession. Ia
edition to the parties above designated we
hnd that numerous other persons furnished
"refreshmcnts' under the head of "Sup.
plies" and rendered bills against the State
for amounts ranging from one hundred
dollars to three thousand, as will DO seen by
vouchers attached to the evidence.
THE PRICES PAID
for these supplies were most extravagant:
In Woodrutfs evidence there is an account
designated as No. II, in which Mr.. Sym
mers charged $50 per gallon for brandy;
sherry wine, $40; whskey, SO; cigars, $l0
per hundred. In tho itemized account of
Mr.. Solomon the prices are equally unoon-
scionable Lager beer, 81 so per dozen;
brandy, by the dozen, (quarts) $40; cigars,
$40 per hundred; champagne, $40 by tho
case; port vino, $40 per dozen. An esti.
mate cannot be formed of the amount of
wines, liquors and cigars used in single
session, but enough is shown by the bills
rendered aud the pay certif ,ates issued to
demonstrate that to have used all that was
purchased, every membor of the House and
Senate must have consumed
ONE GALLON PER DAY.
with few extra bottles of ale and wine
thrown ip, and smoked not loss than one
dozen cigars within the same time. During
this era Of "cevation," while tho average
Statesman" was deprived Of tho enjoyment
of his accustomed luxury, the suooulent
watermelon, it is not strange to find him
sccking the luscious fruits of tropical climes
-henoe the bills of Messrs. Brookbanks
u Co. Brookbanks says in his eyidoucS
"that he was connected with the confeo..
tionery and fruit store, that he furnished
such articles as we're usually kept in suoh
establishments, and that he rendered bills
made out Under the head of 'Sundries,' aud
received in payment legislative pay oerti6..
Gates"
We submit portion of these accounts,
and refer to those designated as Nos. 81. Sc
60, 6S, 60 and ID, aggregatipg $1,000.
Woodruff says these accounts were for
''FRUIT AND CIGARS
furnished the Senate" We also refer to
the evidence of A. 0. Jones and John
Williams, concerning other accounts of
similar nature.
We cannot better illustrate the effrontery
Of Caroiina's
LEADING "sTATEsMEN"
at that time than by referring to account
designated as No. 213, in evidence Of A. o.
Jones, when it appears that Gen. William
Gnrncy. Treasurer Of Charleston County,
claimed to have furnished refreshments to
tho amount of $1,000, but strange to say,
the itemized account Of Hardy Solomon
proves that Gen. Gurney was the recipient
of supplies from Soomon's store, and that
tho State paid for tho same.
Sergeant at arms Williams says of the bill:
81 know of no supplies being furnished by
Gen Gurney, nor do | know anything Of
No. 2li, referred to in A. o. Jones' cvi-
dence."
We now proceed to show tho enormous
expenditures for other purposes. The fret
we shall consider is that of
FURNITURE.
We find that there has been paid odt
within four years for furniture alone over
two hundred thousand dollars, and of tlis
amount Mr.. Berry aud Mr.. Fagan, furniture
dealers, testify that at the present time thero
is at the State House only seventeen thou:
sand seven hundred and fiftoen dollars
worth, appraised at the prices paid for it;
list of which was sworn to by them and 10
attached to their evidence. This inoludes
of furniture purchased by Attorney General
Melton, and paid for by him out Of his
contingent fund, aud at this time is in tho
Attorney Generals office.
Mr.. Berry says he furnished largo
number of committee rooms outside of the
State House, as we'll as bod rooms. He
remembers furnishing the rooms occupied
by w. j. Whipper, I. Hurley, T. B John.
ston, j. E. Green and others, and some Of
the rooms ho furnished as often as three
times! He also furnished rooms at Mrs.
Randall's for Speaker Moses, traded furni-
turo to members for pay certificates, and
furnished almost all the Offices in the State
House,
EVERY SESSION.
In continuation, he states that no fur.
nished at least forty bed rooms, but he does
not know who occupied them all, or what
became of the furniture. He was paid for
it in legislative pay certificates.
~ 81 .oeo O.