The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-03-17
A BASELESS ISLANDER.
LAND AGENT GlBBES CHARGED WITH
GROSS MiSMANAGEMENT.

GROSS MiSMANAGEMENT
Which Upon Investigation Proves to De
False-The Charge Matio by II Man with
Whom Col. Gibbes had IA Failing Out
The Whole Story.
COLUMBIA, s. G., March 1O.-The
State sinking fund commission had a
matter before them yesterday that was
out Of the ordinary by great deal,
and created a considerable stir, not
only on the outside, around the city,
where the high character of the gentle
man, at whom heavy charges were
directed, but, inside the board as well.
The matter was brought up before
the board in the nature of certain
charges Of gross mismanagementi in the
affairs of the State land department on
Jas. L. Gibbes, preferred by a former
assistant, George L. Morrison, of
Georgetown. These charges were pub
lished in the morning papers and
created great stir in consideration of
the fact that they were thus sprung Oh
the defendant without being considered
by the board at all up to that time.
Maj. GibbeS was Of course very angry
when he read the charges brought
against his good name and high char
acter, and he at once wrote the follow
ing self.explanatory card:
10 the Editor of The State: The
News and Courier and the Register of
to day dad reports of interviews be-
tween their reporters and Mr.. ii. L.
Morrison, a surveyor who has been EN-
" thnno
an account of charges he had made to
the Sinking Fund board against myself
as land agent, which condensed are
about as follows:
l. That I allowed a Mr.. Lacey to bid
off piece of laId d in Clarendon at fifty
cents an acre and to only pay seventeen
cents.
2. That l sold land in Plckens as land
of my grandfather, Maj. James S. Guig-
nard. and kept the surplus Of sale,
whereas the land did not really belong
to that estate.
3. That l allowed r. e. c. X Single.
ton to put 1000 acres of land improper
ly 02 lie tax books of Sumter.
trcs,tat l allowed a piece Of land re-
pSe Inn,G or sale in Clarendon, Of 800
acrS nioeN Mr.. II. PlOwder. to- be with
draN ''actso, one Of 1877 l,9f sTess, sI s. uer'Npg
ing hot :. J. Dullie, r!,;rSens. ,,.,d
S. Inat bought 3 lotsSody Of lanu lTa
in Hampton county for Il cents 40 aclH
and resold the same for 90 cents "''
acre.
Charge l is true, but the lah>d was ~
ported to be sold by Mr.. LaceNy. ,M.o
was, or claimed to be, its owner, and l
stated publicly at the sale that the
owner of the land sold only had the
costs and charges to pay and would be
entitled to the surplus OF sale. A1r.
Lacey paid seventeen cents per acre,
the costs and when the sheriff went to
make deed | gave receipt for the
snrp!u5, $3.50, to be sent to The sink
ing fund board for final adjustment.
2. AS to the Pickens sale I did report
l had sold several thousand acres Of
mountain land of estate Major j. S.
Guignard. This l had good reasons to
do, as representing the heirs. none Of
the proceeds coming to me individually.
These lands l claim to have the plats
and grants for, but have offered the
board to pay the proceeds to the State
to await full complete survey, which
was not made.
3. AS to the Singleton lands in Sum-
ter. Several years ago the auditor in
transferring the tax returns Of one year
to the next omitted 1000 acres. This |
the comptroller, Mr.. Ellerbe.
4. The lands Of Plowden and Duflie
were withdrawn from sale, as the
owners claimed they we're not liable for
sale. Therefore they were properly
withdrawn for further investigation.
b. The charge that l bought 1000
acres Of land in Hampton for ten cents
per acre and reSold them for twenty
cents Is utterly false. | bid off this
land, swamp land, for So 900 and reso]d
1T through Maj. Willis, OF Charleston,
for $500, said profit Of $500 going to
the State, having been reported by mo,
though the sale was not positively COLI
summated.
Mr.. Editor, though deeply indignant
at the malice and i'll feeling manifesto d
by Mr.. Morrison in the charges, and
shown by his desire TO give them pub
llclty for the purpose of injuring my
good name, | have tried to answer
them dispassiOnately but briefly, con-
vinced that those who know me Will
pay no attention to such charges, ac-
tuated, no doubt, from a desire to Sc
cure my position.
I.deny that l have done single i'm.
proper act or acted in any case in any
-Satt1a fair, square and upright manner,
and Il refer to th6msmbers of the sink
ing fund board TO" the truth>pf what |
say.
For the temperate character Of ny
reply l claim no credit for good nature,
as have yielded to the Judgment of
good friends in that matter, but had
the satisfaction of telling Mr.. Morrison
my true opinion of him, in presence of
the sinking fund board.
Yours very respectfully,
JAMES G. GIBBES.
The sinking fund commission met at
8 o'clock yesterday morning, and after
transactiDg all its other business, took
up the matter Of the charges. Mr..
Morrison appeared before the board
and read the charges. Nearly all the
members OF the commission who knew
the exact state of affairs as far as Col.
Gibbes was concerned were as much
surprised at such proceeding as he
was. Col. Gibbes, however, gave the
board a full explanation and requested
that certain investigations referred to
be made to show that the charges were
entirely false.
Secretary Tindal subsequently stated
the action Of the board as follows: "All
Hn III