Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-17
THE NEGRO ouEsTloN-oNcs MORE.
Another of Mr.. Thomas's Campaign
Papers.
a "a E1ifor az a Diennich

To ne Editor Of G,e Dispatch:
| send YOU some extracts from the Re
port of the Joint Investigation Committee
on Public Frauds Made to the General As
scmbly Of South Carolina at the Regular
Session IS77-'7S" and sample OF some OF
the bills made by the Republican rulers
and paid by the impoverished State.
q" 4 room in the State House was fitted
up wherein 20 serve wines. liquors. ell
bles, and cigars 10 State officials. Judges,
senators. members Of the House, lawyers.
newspapers. and citizens generally, ire
spectlve Of party, and that they discussed
matters. State and national, in the most
agreeable manner over their sparkling
glasses
I'm addition 10 the refreshments fur
nished nj the State House large quantities
Of wines, liquors, cigars, and other, things
were sent to the hotels, bOarding-hOuses,
and residences of State officials senator's
and members and their friends.
I'VE submit a specimen order given TO
Mr.. Gibson for James A. BOwley, which
was delivered in one day: One box cham
payne. one box port wine, one box Wits
kew, one box brandy. one box sherry VINE,
and three boxes of cigars Mr. BOWley
was one Of the leading colOred members or
the House and chairman Of the Committee
on WAYS and Means, audit IS easy 10 unueF-
/ stand why he reported fayOrably upon thc
/ enormous tax lcvics and Appropriation
bills of the House"
I'VE call attention TO the accounts
/ designated Exhibits w and W IN Wood
rud's evidence. whore il is shown That on
March 4. 1872. Solomon furnished the Ben,
ate 81 ,G3l worth Of wines and liquors, and
on the 18th day Of the same month Sl,552.io
worth, aggregating -, 1873 75 This amount
was purchased for the Senate IN three
dQvs.6 1--WE also call attention TO accounts
in the evidence Of A. o. Jones designated
as Nos. %. %. 80. 81. and 80. whore it is
shown that Mr.. Solomon alone furnished
the House with S5,o17.15 worth OF wines
and LIQUORS i'm two months" Inc
prices paid were most Cxtravagant-S per
/ gallon for brandy; sherry wine, SO; wins
| KEY. -: cigars, 80 per hundred.
"We find that there has been pad
out within four years for furniture alone
| over 5000 000 Mr.. Berry says he
/ furnished large number of committee
rooms outside of the State House, as well
as bedrooms. And some OF the rooms ne
| furnished as often as three times; tnat
he furnished at least forty bedrooms,
/ but does not know who occupied them
all, or what became Of the furniture.
Benjamin Byas, chairman or
committee who reported taVoraoIY on tne
raised claim. received a certificate TO the
amount of S12.3l950, and the remainder
| {" (S24. G50) was divided between fifty other
members az follows"
' Ont Of several mirrors which cost 5000
each only one remains
In the spring or summer of 1869, { Z.
Leslie, land commissioner, purchased q lot
of furniture from Mr. Berry, ostenslbly
for his Office, but in reality for ms resi-
dence."
Mir. Greenfield says he did not sell any
bugcies or carriages directly 90 the state,
but sold them 10 the members, and was
pad for them with pay certificates
" We also refer TO the evidence given by
SALES Randall. a committee clerk, who
testifes that house of ill-fame in the city
OF Columbia was supplied with furniture
at the expense of the state
Mr.. Purse measured all the committee
rooms and Offices, and testliies that IT
would Onlv rrqujre 1900 yards 10 carpet
them all. by reference 10 the account
of Stewart. Sulphen y Co., reported from
the Committee on Contingent Accounts. II
will be found that during one session alone
they sold 10 the State 1868 yards on car
peting. more than 1000 yards being finest
Brussels"
"The evidence shows that the average
member never received over SO worth ~
stationery. but the bills rendered and paid
bv the State in one session amounted 70
Sos 600 for this commodity alone during
one session each senator received copy
of Webster's Unabridged Dictionary and n
calendar inkstand. which cost $50 lie
also furnished gold pens costing az hlgh rs
80 apiece. and, judging from the bills rem
dered, from five to ten pocket-knlYes TO
each member during the session
Upon a close calculation we find that
during one session more than one thou
sand cords Of wood and one thousand three
hundred and twenty tons Of coal were
charged for. and at the same time there
was not a single wood-stove in use IL the
State House"
Committee-rooms were not only used
during the sitting Of the General Assembly,
but were often occupied the entire year
"a. the oxtravagant price of ~ per day rent
for each room. II has been clearly demon
strated that q sufficient sum has been paid
in five years for rent of upper rooms IN
more than one building 10 have purchased
nearly the entire building"
1T is no longer q matter OF surprise 10
your committee that membcr5 who only
received six dollars per diem could III u
few weeks after their arrival IN Columbia
obtain elegant furniture for their rooms,
Brussels carpets for their floors, and rtcl'ne
on oriental springs and sponge mattresses,
whilst their constituents were being
bounded down 10y the inexorahle tax
gathercr to pay the price of these luXu-
rics."
Prices Paid for Articles Prices Paid for Articles
in lsGy-10 Under IN 1S1l-72 nder