The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-03-28


1 think he held second mortgage bonds
as collateral security for all the advances
he made for or to the road. He also ad-
vanced the Blue Ridge Railroad Com
pany about $4,000 out OF the proceeds
of the State bonds; these advances were
made by the written advice and consent
of the Financial Board. 100000 of the
bonds of said company were placed in
his hands as collateral but he always re-
ported tina. he could not pledge them
for money, and that he never raised any
money on them, nor did we ever know
that be had pledged them until after the
passage of the Blue Ridge scrip bill ;
then, when it became necessary that we
should have them to turn into the treas
ury, Kimpton reported that they were
pledged. NILES G. PARKER.
Rooms INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE,
COLUMBIA, S. c., Oct. II, 1877.
Personally appeared F. J. Moses, who
being duly sworn, deposes and says =
That at the first session of the House OF
Representatives during which w. ].
Whipper was chairman of the Committee
either on Railroads, or on Ways and
Means, the corporation of the Greenville
and Columbia Railroad consisting of
John J. Patterson, John L. Neagle, R. K.
Scott, N. G. Parker, D. 81. Chamberlain
aud Reuben Tomlinson and others) were
very anxious to obtain full control of
the House committees, Us also they were
to pass certain bills through the House.
First one, then the other of them con-
suited with ME about the matter q re-
member John J. Patterson and j. L.
Neagle, principally and finally they
offered me $25,0O0 if I would assist
them as Speaker in passing their bills
and also give them roll of the House
and let them make up the committees
just as they desired. Most of them talk
ed with me about the matter, but, as well
as I can remember, Kimpton was the
first spokesman whom they selected to
make me the offer.
I announced the committees as they
made them up, and I also assisted them
in passing their bills. AZ that time I
owed Kimpton $13, 900, borrowed money,
to secure the repayment of which I had
given him mortgage on tract of land
| owned in Clarendon County, and
when made the above named arrange
ment with the railroad company, Kinp-
ton claimed I should be willing to take
the mortgage had given him dollar for
dollar, as a part of the s25,000. con-
ssnted to this, and the mortgage was de-
livered to me, duly cancelled, and the
rest of the money was paid me. / do
not remember who paid me in person,
but the money came to me on account
of the agreement ! have narrated, and
was either paid to me by Patterson, or
Kimpton, or ParkeB or Neagle. re-
member that Neagle was a prominent
party in consulting with me as to the ap-
pointment of the committees.
I remember that it was while the bill
to which 1 refer above, Was hanging in
the balance in the House of Represents:
tives, one night Patterson sent Dennis
up to the Speakers stand with mes
sage to me saying, that if I would push
the bill through that night he (Patter-
son) would pay me individually, $40, 600.
I either sent back word to him, or told
him in person, that be must reduce the
promise to writing. He did put it in
writing, and it was entrusted to Joseph
Crews as my friend, and held by him un.
til the bill was passed. F. j. MOSES.
JOINT INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE,
COLUMBIA, S. G..
John B. Dennis being sworn, was ask
ed if he ever knew of Patterson paying
any money to Speaker Moses to influence
or secure legislation. Says that at the
commencement of the session of 1901
it was common talk that Patterson had
paid Speaker Moses S25,0O0 to have him
appoint his committees in the interest of
the measures that he (Patterson,) Kinp-
ton, and what WAS known as the ring,
we're interested in. Moses never denied
it when spoke to about it by Hurley,
and Patterson always laughed about it as
being high price for Frank Moses.
One night after this, he thinks it Was
the Greenville consolidation bill, at all
events it was some Greenville Railroad
bill, Frost and Bosemon we're fighting it
hard, making one dilatory motion after
another, until it seemed as if they never
could be got out of the way. The
Speaker was recognizing either of them
that would call his attention, to the e1-
clusion of any one else, or every one
else, so that they, Frost and Bosemon,
really thought that the Speaker was with
them and in favor of defeating the bill.
At this time, when the case for him
seemed hopeless, Patterson came to Wit.
ness and said: ''Go ask that - damned
scoundrel (meaning Speaker Moses) how
much he wants." He went and asked
the Speaker as requested by Patterson,
and the Speaker replied SIC, 200 over and
above everything, meaning $4,000 over,
or besides the $4,000 before spoken of,
which he had received for the appoint
ment of the committees. He carried the
message 10 Patterson, and Patterson said,
"Tell him all right, he shall have it."
JOHN B. DENNIS.
Rooms INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE,
COLUMBIA, S. G.
c,1 r -. L.s,r J,,l,, o,yoru couS