The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1891-12-11

EX-CLEHK BATEMAN RBFUTEs THE CHARGE
OF Being \ DEF ,ULTER.-ro the Editor oft the
News and Courier: Under the head of De-
fanlters" tho Governors Message to the
General Assembly now in session contains a
reference II an alleged deficit in the
accounts of ''thc clerk Of the Penitentiary," ;"
and rs was the 'clcrk Of lhc Penitcntiary, -
TO whom reference is made, l feel it due to
myself and my friends to make an explana-
ton Of the matter, which would not have
been necessary this late day, bat for the
unwarranted reference TO it above referre 1
t.. | was the c'crk of the Penit entiary for
about twelve years, being charged among
other thugs with the receipt aud diSburse-
nlan, Of ali The money OF the institution, the
purchase of all supplies AMI tho general
care Of the books.
From 1885. and for some years after that
time, the institution although sclf-sus,aining
! aud roo ei we'd aid from the State, except
the loan of about onc>haf of the amount
previously paid into the treasury, was con-
stantly in debt, f,cquen ly to large amouui,
and it became imp !ssib!e to pay the accounts
in tn regular way ns they fell due. | was
therefore, compelled to pay the creditors of
the institut on whenever | could, AMI in
such amounts rs were available for the pu5-
pose, taking receipts for such payments on
account.
In this the result proves that was not as
careful as | shoal have been, an | although
f.t quite cDEti lent of my ability to pro-
duce The neccs AIRY vouchers when called
upon to settle. could not do go, and there
was c nsidcrahle apparent deficit.
After an exhaustive examination into the
matter | found that there was q deficit OF
some fifteen HUNDRED dollars for which had
fhited TO secure the necessary vouchers, or
had in some way msliid them.
Oimy own motion | reported the matter
to C"l Li.sconb, vino was then the supcrin-
tcndcnt aud made god every cent of the
money on: of my own pocket, taking his
receipt for the money paid in. And ] am
pleased to be able TO add that as result Of
my continued examination into the matter
since this settlemen', | have recovered n
conf tcrab!c portion of this amount from
The rai;y 10 whom md inadvertently ma le
Il duplic 'tc payment. AMI who promptly re-
Funded the money as soon as the proofs
were presented.
The $3.50 so referred 10 in the Executive
message is really 1896 -, and is one of the
items IN the statement ma ic by me to Col
Lip.c,m6, which was afterwards verifc! by
the cxpcr: employed by the Governor HIM
sell, aud never was and is not now deficit.
The an unit Was paid OF acc unit to a
reputable business firm in this city for goods
actually furnish - The Prnitcntiary, aud
the only deficit there is about it is that the
itcmizcd Ills fr the articles were not
properly fled ut the time although the re-
ccip's FIR every dollar Of the money were
left by me on file at the penitentinry, AMI
the b ohs of thc firm in question will show
the payments as claimcl.
The expert who male thorough cxam-
nation Of my accounts, and who, as state |
above, was employed by the G)Scrn)r him-
self. gave cheerful tcs' 'imony to my integrity
and could make ~ grayer cha"gc han care
lcssuess.
1t vii, thus hc seen that b intimate that
this cas-; is II dofa.ctlirm is total unwar-
rantcl and unjust Respectfully,
". G. Batcman.
i. 81 rc'pcc' fully request that newspa-
pcrs which have givcr cnrrrrvy 10 the
charge, Will III jus;ce to M, give the game
currency {, this exclamation.