The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-02-08
STATE OF ALABAMA,
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.

sfATE OF ALABAMA,
TREASURY DErAKTMENT,
MONTGOMERY. Januufv 80, 1883.
DEAR CRAWFORD: | find this even.
ing that my money is not here, neither
has it been paid over to the Importers
ard Traders Bank, as promised | leave
for New York to straightcn the whole
matter | have, perhaps, waited too
long, and will be censured, but have 10
idea Of running Away. wish you would
assist the committee, AMI after the bal
ance i. ascertained ask them to wait a
day, and telegraph me, care Fred Wolfe,
New York. fanything happens to me
wish to state emphalically and posi-
lively that being behind in my cash is
my own fault, and that you have had
nothing to do with it. Your friend,
|. Ii. VINCENT.
The amount Of Ninccnt's defalcation
can only be ascertaned after careful
examination Of the books and careful
count Of the money in the treasury, but
hurried and partial investigation indi-
cate that it is more than 100000. 1t in
not known by what train or in what
direction Vincent left Montgomery.
Means have been adopted to intercept
and detain him ifpossibIe. 1t is believed
that the State is largely secured against
ultimate loss. The two houses will have
communications delivered to them from
time TO time of any further information
that comes in my hands
II. a. ONEALE, Governor.
Large Gums OF money sent to Fred
Wolfe, supposed to be dealings in cotton,
have becn traced up, and Vincent dealt
also, 1t IL supposed, with other cotton
houses. legislative committee is
counting the money in the treasury.
There is but little TO add to the details
alro ndy given. The deficit is now put Mt
S2l2,GS!, and the State is believed to be
secured by the treasurer's bond The in
vestigation i'll progress may decrease or
diminish these figures, and may develop
mitigating circumstances or bring to
light evidences of greater turpitude.
Only the fullest inquiry can develop the
Whole scope Of the great wrong done and
fix such responsibility for it ~ may at
tnch elsewhere than To the chief offender.
Every possible effort will he made to pro-
tcct the State. All necessary legal pro-
cccdings will be promptly instituted un-
der the direction OF the attorney general.
TREASURER WITHOUT A DOND.
Mr. Vincent should have filed an np-
proved bond for $250, 900 before entering
upon the duties of his third term. This
he did not do. He took the oath Of
| Office OIL the lst Of December, simulta.
neously with the retirement of Governor
Cobb and the inauguration of Governor
O'Neal, and between the two admins.
trations slipped in without bond which
neither Governor was called upon to APP
prove. AS soon IN Governor O'Neel
learned this demand was made for a
bond, and one WAS presented for appr0-
val, but was rejected as insufficient.
Mr.. Vincem.'s bondsuien Oil his iusi
term we're NIessrs. NJ. L. Pratt, Daniel
Crawford, j. j. Robinson and J. NJ.
Driver. a second bond, presented last
week, Was OH Monday last rejected; and
the Office for this reason would have been
soon declared vacant had it not been.
unfortunately, vacated otherwise. 1t is
understood that less than $4,000 of the
defalcation has occurred since the lst of
October last.
Tho temporary loss to the State will
not at all emharrass the administration
of the government. With the money in
the treasury and the current receipts, all
current expenses will be paid and the
July interest will be promptly met. The
amount of the defulcation is just about
that of the treasury surplus; and its
worst effects will be to postpone any ma
terial reduction Of the tax rate, and to
render impolitic, and perhaps impossible,
some unusual appropriations which to
many had seemed advisable. Ultimate.
~, every dollar Of the loss will, it is con-
fidently expected, be made good, The
States credit, at homo and abroad, will
DO maintained unimpaired, and its repu-
tation will suffer only the reproec' :.
taching to the misdeeds Of a le
| official. In one week the bonds - .he
State will recover from any depression
resulting from the occurrences of the
past two days. AS soon rs the treasurer 3
default was publicly announced Mr..
Josiah Morris, the we'll known banker of
Montgomery, sent telegraphic order to
New York for the purchase of Alabama
bonds, Glass A, to the amount Of $780,
600; and that he would take n million If
they. could be purchased. Of course,
pending the examination of the treasury
and the appointment and qualification Of
a new treasurer, no Money can be re-.
cnlvea and no paymeots can be made !;
but this e.ate OF affairs will not probably
continue more than three or four days.
WHO HE Is.
The most talked-of man in Alabama,
and for some time will be the most talked.
Of man in America, was raised in Au-
tauga County; he lived there for MUM.
Der of years in the early period of his
life. He moved from Autauga to Cham
bers County, where he served long time
az register in chancery. He was Cover
nor Houston's private secretary, and
from that position was elected State
Treasurer in 1878. He was 70 elected in
1880, and again in 1882. He took the
oath OF Office Of his third term on No.
vember Goth last. He had thus been
time and again honored by his people,
and up to this day they had noger seen
reason to repent the large share of con.
fidence they had given him. He was re-
garded as man Of moderate ability but
Of unimpeachable integrity. His sterling
honesty was his strong point. He Is
about forty years old, Of medium height,
has foil beard, rather pleasing coun.
tenance and scar on his forehead, a
mark left there by the war, in which he
was q brave eoldier. He was desperately
wnnndaH In fha ban5 g. II