The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1893-02-15

Trains were tied up, or, literally
speaking, chained down in Abbeville,
Aiken, Anderson and Newberry coun-
ties by order of the Governor, and
they are still firmly shackled, all be
cause the railroad companies would
not pay the taxes as assessed, with
penalties for delinquency attached.
The writs issued by Judge Simon
ton did not have any effect upon the
ShArifts in the counties named, as
they declined to release the property
levied upon.
Sheriff Tyler of Aiken county was
boarding a train for Augusta yester-
day morning when the deputy mar
shall served his writ upon him, but
so little Importance did Mr.. Tyler
attach to that he nonchalantly pre-
ceeded on his journey.
The Sheriff of Anderson county
was so little affected by Judge 81
m%onton's order that hehas advertised
the engine levied upon for sale.
The situation in Abbeville and
Newberry counties remains un-
changed, viz: the sherifs are still
holding on to what they have.
Governor Tillman held a long con-
sultation with Attorney General
Townsend and Assistant Attorney
General Buchanan yesterday, and
Judge Samuel W. Melton was also
called into the legal council. The
result was that the Governor was
strengthened more than ever IN his
determination to compel the railroads
pgspalaahs
attached.
The levies in question are Tor
amounts below $4,000, and the cases
are, therefore, not within the juris-
diction of the United States Court,
as was decided by that tribunal in
Nasu1ngton only a few days ago.
What Judge Simon:on bases his &C
ton upon is, therefore, a conundrum,
which will be answered only when
the matter is again brought up in
court.
Governor Tillman yesterday teie-
graphed the Sheriffs and Treasurers
against whom Judge Simonton issued
his restraining orders to hold the
property levied upon, and to pay no
attention to Sinlonton's orders. He
advised the officers in question to
submit to arrest if force was EN-
ployed to wrest the property from
them-assuring them that their
cases would be promptly carried to
the United States Supreme Court on
habeas corpus proceedings.
Evidently the Governors instruc-
tons strengthened the county officers
in their positions, if, indeed, any en-
enlargement was needed to keep
them up to the scratch in the per
Torrance of their duties.
When seen by a Register reporter,
Governor Tillman said:
The present purpose of the State
is to hold the property levied upon
at all hazards, and Judge Simonton
may 60 ahead and do his worst.
The county officials have been advised
to this effect already.
Il consider that Judge Simonton
is in contempt of the State govern
ment of South Carolina, and it IS
hoped he will act in such a manner
as will enable US take the case to the
United States Supreme Court at
Washington without delay, where
we will, I feel confident, be able to
prove him in such contempt.
1t is hoped he will arrest our
Sherifs, so that habeas corpus
proceedings may be at once in
stituted in the Supreme Court. If
we are wrong, and the State cannot
collect the taxes as assessed, with
penalties attached, the sooner that is
known the better it will be.
The Sheriffs have been telegraphed
to hold the fort at all hazards, and
not. surrender the property. We be-
lieve the State Las certain rights,
and We desire to test the case as
G o as possible, and with the least
trouble possible.
Until Judge Simonton renders
his decision on the Goth instant, no
further levies will be made, and all
subsequent movements will depend