The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-22
A BoMBSRELL IN COLUMBIA.
Irregularities in the Adjutant Generals
Ohce-The Non-Psyment and Protest
OF Checks Drawn by Gen. Bonham-
The Shortage Between $1,000
and 81, 0O0-Gen. Bonham Ac-
knowledges His RESPONSE
bility.
Especial to the News and Courier. |

lSpeclal 10 the News ana COURIER.
COLUMBIA, January l5.-Yesterday
Adj. Gen. Farley handed the Governor
the following statement, and last night
copies were given to the press. Later
the governor decided to withhold it at
the earnest plea Of Gen. Bonham. To-
day permission was given to publish it,
Governor Tillman saying that he con-
sidered it his duty to do so:
COLUMBIA, S. c., January IA, 1891.
His Excellency B. r. Tillman, Gov
ernor of State of South Carolina, Co.
lumbia,.S. C.-Dear Sir: Having in
formally communicated to your Excel
lency and also the Hon. Attorney Gen.
eral Pope on yesterday certain facts
relative to the disbursements of the ap-
preparation of 1890 for the support and
maintenante Of the militia of this State,
deem it my duty to submit the fol-
lowing statement Of the whole matter
with accompanying letters and then to
await further instructions from your
Excellency as to the course to be pur-
sued.
"On January s, 1891, 1 received the
enclosed letter from the Hon. A. NJ.
Youmans, of Hampton County, to the
effect that Capt. a. r. Brunson, Troop
A. lst regiment S. c. cavalry, had re-
ceived from Gen. NJ. L. Bonham a
check on the Carolina National Bank
Of Columbia, S. c., for S156, being the
amount of the appropriation for his
company for 1890; that the notice to
him by Gen. Bonham that he had
drawn and sent the check is dated No
veuber l9, 1890, and postmarked De-
cember 2 at the postofice in Columbia.
The check has been received, and is
made payable ito order Capt. Bron-
son endorsed the check, it has been
presented to the bank for payment, and
payment refused by the bank, and the
check gone to protest, as shown by the
notice Of S. n. Walker, notary public.
Now what we desire you to do is to
look into the matter at once for US, and
write at your earliest convenience the
cause of the trouble, as it is creating ex-
element and unfavorable comment
here.'
"Gen. Bonham coming into the
Office next morning, the 9th, I imme-
diately brought the matter to his at
tention by handing him the letter re-
ceived. He said; Il have been away in
Georgetown for some time, and I will
attend to the matter at once as there
is some mistake answered the letter
from Mr.. Youmans, telling him what
had done and repeated what Gen.
Bonham said.
'Hrusting that the matter was all
right, I said and did nothing until
January u, when I received the en-
closed letter from Mr.. Butler Hagood,
Of Barnwell, dated January 10, stating
as follows: 4 have been requested by
Capt. J. A. Haynes to enclose you no
tice of protest issued by the Carolina
National Bank OF Columbia for check
for Sl4S, issued by Gen. Bonham for
the quota of State appropriation to the
Hagood Guards, and asking: will you
kindly look into the matter and write
Capt. Hayes at Appleton"' On re-
ceipt Of this letter at once went to the
Carolina National Bank to find if any
other check had been protested, and
found from the statement of the cash
ier that some eight or ten checks aver
aging about $3.50 each, had been pre-
sented from various parts and had gone
to protest from non-payment, no funds
being on band to meet them. again
went to Gen. Bonham and told him of
the receipt Of Mr.. Hagood's letter and
the. contents, and also of the facts
learned at the National Bank. He
again informed me that these checks
had been presented during his absence
in Georgetown, and that he was pre-
pared to meet every one of them, with
other explanations as to the custom of
paying these claims in the last.
Under the circumstances I deemed
it my duty to consult with Attorney
General Pope and yourself in regard to
the matter, as did on yesterday eve
ming. Early this morning, after some
conference with Col. Willie Jones,
cashier Of the Carolina National Bank,
as to the amount protested, I again al
preached Gen. Bonham on the subject,
and at nay suggestion We came to the
office of Attorney General Pope and
had another statement Of the matter.
Gen. BoRham reiterated his former
statement to the effect that checks had
been presented during his absence, and
that he was prepared to meet them
when presented again.
AFTER this conversation with Gen.
rope by agreement, Gen. Bonham
and ( went to the National Bank to see
Col. Willie Jones, the cashier, and it
was there arranged, at the instance Of
Gen. Bonham, that Col. Jones should
recall the protested checks Or drafts for
payment, and Gen. Bonham then
drew and left with Col. Jones 8 draft
on the general manager of the Union
Central Life Insurance Company,
which he represents here, for $1,000.
which, it was estimated, would cover
all all 81 the protested paper.
"At Gen. Bonham's request the draft
Is to be forwarded to the general man
ager for his endorsement, and then sent
to the general Office in - for paw
ment, Gen. Bonham stating that he
had already arranged and given bond