The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1878-02-14
Chamberlain and Leslie.

1 H
vestgating committee duplicating
ex. Governor Chamberlain in the
land commission fraud. The witness
es were O. @. Bowen, ex-G Governor
Moses, John B. Dennis, Niles G.
Parker, j. L. Neagle and others. AT.
ter describing the Indignation of the
negro Radical leaders at finding that
Land Commissioner Leslie and his
white associates were enjoying q mo-
nopoly of the land commission steal
ing, the letter goes on to say:
1t was unanimously determined
that Leslie must be got rid of and
Delarge appointed in his place. Mos
es was requested to go and bring
Leslie to the meeting After he had
returned with the latter, Cham berlain
Gas the special friend and supporter
of LESLEY unfolded to him what was
proposed, and asked that, in view of
the danger which stared them in the
face, he Qeslie) should consent to
hand in bis resignation. But, to the
CONSERVATION of all of them, Leslie
Indignantly refused to do any
such thing. His answer, as contain
ed in the testimony given before the
committee, is as nearly as possible in
the following words:
"Gentlemen, positively refuse to
resign. My acts as land commission
er am willing 10 have investigated.
AS you ell know, l have never
bought for the State one acre of land
accept on the written approval Of a
majority of yourselves, who co COM
pose the advisory board; and, Sc tar
as any investigation into the affairs
of the financial board is concerned,
have nothing to fear from that. II
you have committed fraud, you mus'
protect yourselves, and not ask me
to resign my Office to protect yon."
The crnspirators were all COM
pletel y astounded at this unexpected
reply, and for time silence prevailed
Finally Neagle, knowing the char
acter of the man with whom he had
to deal, looked up and asked:
"Lesiie, how much will you take
to resign9"
"Ah! that is another matter" re-
piled Leslie. 'Doctor, you under
stand business, and | am willing to
listen to you on that line. for I am
ID anxious to get rid ofall associa
ton with such men as you are
afraid Of your own shadows. I own
one share in your Greenville and
Columbia Railroad corporation, esti~
mated value $4,000. If you will
take that off my hands at that price,
in cash, pay me, besides, in casb,
$25, 900, and also pay to Kimpton
$1,000 borrowed money which | owe
Kim, I will make any arrangement
reference to my resignation which
you may suggest. OrI will do this:
If you accept my terms l will write
ont my resignation, place it in the
hands Of Chamberlain, who is the
only one OF your number whom l
trust as my friend, TO be kept by him
II It'll the money or its equivalent is
paid to me, and then he may present
it to the advOsary board, and Delarge
may be appointed"
This proposition of Leslie's was
acceded to, and Scott, Chamberlain
and Parker agreed to pay him the
$49, 900 demanded. b.. -" ...
AS this money had to come out of
the treasury of the State, it was ne
.cessary to decide how it could be
raised, and to what fund it should be
charged After long consultation
Leslie agreed to sign as land COM
missioner such a number as they
might desire OF the blanks used In
the purchase OF land, and it was de-
termined that on these blanks value
less lands should be bought at a very