The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-04-04
A HYPOCRITE UNMisKED.
How Patterson Got tho Cash to Savo Scott
from Impeachment

How Patterson Got tho Cash to save Scott
from Impeachment
The following is the closing report Of
the committee on frauds. 1t relates to
the attempt to impeach Governor Scott,
and exposes the modes il which i'm
peachment WAS STAYED off by the aid Of
Moses, Elliott and Patterson:
THE REPORT.
The second noteworthy achievement of
John ]. Patterson, following that connec-
ted with the Greenville and Columbia
Railroad Company, was in quite differ
ent field of action. The Investigation
made into the management OF the issu-
ing, sale and hypothecation of State
bonds, made it plain that the financial
board, composed of Governor Scott,
Treasurer Parker and Attorney-General
Chamberlain, had fraudulently and lille
gally issued several millions of State
bonds, aud it was determined to bring
these parties to trial by impeachment.
G. G. Bowen, then member from
Charleston, on the 18th December, 1871,
introduced the resolution to iulpeach r.
K. Scott of high crimes and m5sdemean-
ors. This was Patterson's opportunity.
With the assistance of Worthington, he
gave encouragement by day to the friends
of the measure, and by Dighs worked
upon the credulity and fears cf Scott
running with the hare and holding with
the hounds. When the scheme was ripe,
and Scott became thoroughly alarmed,
he engaged the services of these worthless
to buy up majority of the members Of
the House, and issued to them for this
purpose three armed force warrants in
blank as to amounts and names of per-
sons to whom payable, leaving these inn
portant matters to be attended +, by Pat
terson.
In 1869 joint resolution WAS passed
authorizing the Governor to employ sn
armed force "for the preservation of the
peace" the expenses of which were to be
"paid out of any funds in the treasury
not otherwise appropriated" 1t was
from this convenient fund then ready To
hand that the warrants were drawn out,
filled up with the name of John Mooney,
for $25, ,545; another in the namo of John
Leggett for SIC, 800, and the third in the
name of David II. Wilson for $l3 500.
All of these names are fictitious, but were
nevertheless endorsed on the warrants.
The two first were collected hy F. S.
Jacobs, who was cashier CT Hardy Solo
mons Bank and Patterson's confidential
friend. The third order WAS collected by
Hardy Solomon, president of the bank.
The financial arrangement thus con.
cluded, Patterson and Worthington did
their work faithfully, and with the
money of the State bought for Scott and
Parker immunity for their crimes.
In the progress of this doubly dyed
villainy it became evident that it an ad-
iournment over to the holiday. could be
effected, and the members then permit
ted to return to theit homes, where the
sentiment of the people was unanimous
against the thieves, it would require more
money to purchase the recusant members
than the State treasury could afford.
Another source of annoyance to the
Financial Ring was the report of the
Joint Investigating Committee, which
was already printed and ready for deliv-
cry, and which fully. established their
guilt. Whipper had the floor, and in
tended to speak until the hour for ad-
journment should arrive; and unless be
could be seated, the vote could Eot be
had before adjournment.
In this emergency, the services of the
Speaker, F. J. Moses, Jr., were secured
by the payment of large sum of money
out of the militia fund, whercupon Sam
uel J. Lee, a ready tool of the Ring, rose
to q question of privilege, upon which
Moses ruled promptly, and thus removed
Whipper from the floor. Meantime Gov.
Scott had issued proclamation conven-
iag the General Assembly, on the day
following the day fixed for adjournment,
on the digni6ed ground that it wils "nei-
ther decent nor proper, and is injurious
to the State, for the General Assembly
to adjourn from the 22d of December,
1871, to the 9th of January, 1872, whilst
the Governor and Treasurer are charged
with high crimes and misdemeanors.'"
The high and chivalric tone of these two
worthirr, who could steal the money of
the people by the million, and yet could
not brock the indignity Of remaining
under threat of impeachment for week,
even for the sake of the joyous festiIity
of Christmas, ought to have redeemed q
multitude of sins Under such threats,
persuasions and parliamentary trickery,
further debate was cut of, and the reso-
luton of impeachment was defeated by
an overwhelming vote of So to u.
In this controversy R. b. Elliott bore a
prominent part in behalf of the perse-
cuted officials, and received warrants on
the EARNED Force Fund" to the amount
of $40, 500, which were fully paid to him
out of the treasury in January and Feb
ruary, 1871. So soon as this "goC1 de-
liyerance" was effected, the following
proclamation of bis Excellency was is
sued:
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, :
COLUMBIA, December 22, 1871.
Gentlemen of the Senate and Hottsc Of
Representatives:
Whereas, the action of the House of
Representatives on this day has rendered
unnecessary the proclamation from this
department convening the General As.
sembly on the 23d inst, l have deemed
it proper to revoke and rescind that
proclamation, and it is hereby according
ly rescinded and revoked.
Very respectfully,
ROBERT K. SCOTT, Governor.
The books of Solomon's Bank bear
complete traces of the bulk of the money
going to the credit Of John j. Patterson,
y mere crumb falling to his man Friday,
the immaculate Worthington. The
members who stood firmly by the State
and who voted for impeachment found
no money in the treasury to pay their
honest certificates, and went to their
homes for the holidays peuniless, whilst
those who opposed impeachment were
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