Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-05-22
A Savage Attack on Comptroller
General Werner.

Tho Mgefcld 1dre,fiSer, n strong Till
man organ, speaking of tho dcfalcation
of j. Il. Murray, Treasurer of Aikon
County, says:
"Now what kind of State govern
ment can that DO which allows County
Treasurer to get away with the peoples
money to the tune of seventeen thousand
dollars and nothing be known of it at tho
capital? What kind of u watch and
ward is the Comptroller General keeping
of his trust whom tho first intimation of
defalcation by a county tax oflicor comes
from tho grand jury of tho dcfaultcrs
own county? Is there not crying need
for n change in the State government
where such startling things arc possible |?
The office holders may not think so; the
Columbia people may not think so; the
Ne,cS and Courier may not think SO, but
the people do think SO and the people
are going to SEQ to it that there is a
change"
Tho foregoing Tillmanicon being
brought to the attention of Comptroller
Gcncral Werner, he ut once wrote the fol-
lowing letter, showing his prompt and
decisive official action in reference to the
dcfalcation:
"CoLuMHA, S. c., May rs, 1880.
TO the Editor of the Edgciicld Adrcr-
tiSer EdgChcld, S. C.--Dcar Sir: My at
tcnti / has been called to an article in
your paper, in which injustice has been
done mo on the subject of the dcfalca-
xtion of Mr.. J. l.. Murray, County Trcasu-
rer of Aiken County.
81 am sure you have no desire to in
juro me, and would not have published
this article had you known rHr facts.
Tho first intimation Of Mr.. Murlay'S de-
falcatiOn did not come from the grand
jury, but through me.
81 mace two official visits to Aiken
and examined the TrcaSurcrs accounts,
and it was through these visits that it
was discovered that Mr. Murray was a
dcfaultcr, and the same reached the grand
jury. The records in the Comptrollcr's
Office will show that | have done my
whole duty to the State in the pursuit Of
this County Treasurer, and since his de-
falcation was discovered that $6,SS5. 90
has been collected out Of him, leaving
now due the State SlO.02S.56, which will
be collected ont of the bond given the
State.
"Thc State Treasurer will take immc-
diatc steps to collect this amount from
tho bond, which is sufficient to cover the
entire shortage for both the county and
State"
Yours truly, J. S. WERNER,
Comptroller General
The IdccHiS"r, in the above clipping
has done Comptroller General Werner
great injustice, and should promptly
make the proper correction Of the mis-
representation which it has made, whcth-
CT intentionally or not, we cannot say.
But Judging from the appeal which our
contemporary makes upon the alleged
dcrcliction Of duty "for Il change in the
State government it is evident that
"thc wish was father to the thought"
1t is an outrage that a faithful and cii-
cicnt officer should be held up to public
obloquy in "" such manner rs this, for
no other re- ~ than that the editor Of
this paper wants Il 'changc," and having
heard of the dcfalcation, without any
knowledge of what action the Comp.
trollcr General had taken in the matter,
deliberately writes and publishes the
above slandcr.
|! there must he "a change in the
State govcrnmcnt,' let the change be
made, but let there be Il stop put To this
wholesale abuse of public officers with.
tho charges preferred. The evident in
tcntion of i'll this abuse and dcfama.
ton is to catch the popular ear. but it is
only Il question of time until the people
will see that the charges of corruption
are made by designing politicians who
desire place and power
We copy with entire appreciation The
timely comments Of the Ncwhcrry on.
serrcr on this charge made by ihc I,lrcr-
Hscr:
'''Tllc above clipping does Comptroller
General Werner great injustice. lie is Il
true man, pure man and Il faithful and
efficient officer. 1t is an outrage that he
should be held up t" public ohl"Quy in
this way for no fault of his own. Where
is This thing to stop anyway ?-thiS per-
sonal abuse and NiliicatiOn-iliiS unjust,
uncallcd-for dcnunciation of persons in
authority.
'"rhcrc is 'no divinity that doth hedge
public officer in Il Democratic govern
mcnt; but men in high places should he
treated with becoming respect because
of their Office, if for no other reason.
They may be criticized, but criticism
sNnnld bc temperate and, above all things.
just and true.
''All law, civil and divine, irculratcs
respect for the powers that be; and this
respect ought to be free and spontaneous
where public officers do their duty. aS
John 5. Werner has ever dunc-and as all
our higher officials have done. They
may have made mistakes: but mistakes
are not crimes. We may differ with them:
but We ought to credit them with a.
much honesty Of purpose and rs much
purity of motive rs we claim for our
solves ~