The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-12-01
COL. ALBERT HIS BACK.
lie Replies to Chairman Cunuiurham's
InterylDw.

interview with Mr.. II. }. Cunningham
in reference to some action taken By
the Board of Directors OF the State
| penitentiary. In order that No ipjus-
tice might be done and tina. each side
might have Il fair show a Register re-
porter called on Col. w. j. Talbert, Su.
perintendent of the Penitentiary, and
asked for statement from him in ref
erence to the subject, lie ch-nrfully
complied and gave his views ao follows:
"As to the statement of Mr.. IT. j.
! Cunningham, Chairman Of the Board
OF Directors Of the South Carolina
Penitentiary, in his interview yeSter-
day, | desire to say that il is entirely
misleading from the fact that it leads
one to suppose that | have attempted
to uSurp authority, when such is not
the case. l know, as he says, that the
uperintendent Is not authorized to
make contracts, except by instructions
Of the Board, and am glad that such
is the case; bu, will say that the con-
tract in question was, | thought, made
in that way, and 1t is the first one that
the Board has ever refused to endorse
during my TWO years Superintenuency,
and l have made all the contracts tor
this institution during said time, that
have been made, except those IN An
derSOn with MCssrs. Newell Il RagSdalp,
and have always submitted them to the
Board for approval, and they have
never before, rs have already said, re-.
fused to approve any contract that
have made, or any action that have
taken looking to the welfare of the
Penitentiary. And they have, from
the time | took charge, always at their
monthly meetings. looked over my
months work and approved all that |
had done; and in making ;hIS contra It
with MIR. Seegrrs, was simply doing
what | have always done heretofore,
acting Ill good faith, Uuder the impress
sion that they had given me TO under.
stand that they would approve nf my
action H. the matter, and was net. as
the above mentioned interview WCU!u
lead one to believe, attempting to uHurp
authority, and, therefore, ] Go not fr"l
that | am responsible }or what has
transpired III the matter, Tut thn. al
this responsibility rests entirely with
the Board
at a meeting in the early fal last
year they passed reSolutom against
making any more contracts on shares
and authorized me to contract for
wages, but aS the end Of the Year al-
preached found that POSSIBLY might
not be able 10 hire out all Of cur lalur
for direct wages, and so stated 90 the
board at Il subsequent meeting and
asked permission 10 renew share con-
tracts IN order that idle labor might
not accumulate ON the yard us it had
begun to do with MrS5Ts. Wolfe Il Sims,
which authority the board gave me. |,
therefore, contracted with these gen
tleman, requiring them to iced the
hands three months and pay for all
guanO. After the terms were agreed
| upon between these gentlemen and my
| sell, rs was ana is NY custom, | sub.
mltted them to the board and they an.
proved the same, and they have also
renewed these contracts q second time
for three years. and this was done lii
the face of the fact that they had passed
the above mentioned resolution not to
make any mora contracts for shares.
They did 1t because circumstances al
tered cases, and aS good business men
they saw that the contracts were good
ones. and under these same crcllnSlan-
ces, the board having agreed to approve,
l went ahead and made this contract
with Mr. SeegerS, believing it to be for
the very best interest Of this institution
"Mr. Cunningham says III his inter.
view that |. for reasons best known to
my self, made this contract, seemingly
insinuatlng that my motives in this
matter were good, etc. Now | do not
know what Mr.. Cunningham means by
this, but II he means to say that they
were anything other than tor the very
best intcrt st o! the institution OF which
am superintendent, he docs me great
injustice.
"NoW as to this contract with Mr..
Seeger3, ] know the board had passed Il
resolution against renewal, but at both
the October meetings ] mentioned Tie
matter to them ana aollt Il if il would
not come under the same head as SiHlS
81 WOlfes: that is to feed three months
and pay TOR ali puanrS, aGd asked if
the board did not deem it prudent to
renew also his (Serg 1rS) contract, ANA
while they did not take any oiliclll ac-
tiOn, they plainly agreed with me that
such was the case, alid upon this SAW
Mr.. SrpgerS, AMI he agrc; u to IT, but |
told him that the board must liISt cn-
dorse it and at their regular meeting
on Monday last, | submitted the matter
to them, and they deferred i, for fur
ther considerations; buL on Tunsdav
morning | sought the members AID
! found three OF them and they gave ne
to understand that they NUrlu W". tn.
| gether Srmc time during iir Gay ana
approve the contract. After thi, thty
had meeting and took acLiuu aI.im,a
it. ] told the board Thought TIE : had
! acted IN hai ialth towards ne H. The
! matter aud that if Mr.. S.r&rrS CEN.
tended Tor tie contract he and tl!r EO&iu
might settle the IN alter.
ain this general way | have earned
Oh the manage lnrut Of tniS ltlotitut!0n
and viii refer the public 20 thr annual
report OF the bOdrd as 20 VI hat they
think and have to say OF my manage.
ment and court an investigation Of The
terms OF every contract made by III"
and submitted to them for approval.
"As to Governor Tillm,.n's dlctation
to the board in this Case | leave the
public to Judge for themselves from
! Mr.. Cunningham own statement"
State Banks Coming
ATLANTA, Nov. ia bill was in
troduced in the Legislature today TO al
low State banks TO issue bills. ItprO.
vdes that the Governor, the State