The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-07-11
THE AIKEN IRREGULARITIES.
Statement Ofthe Comptroller General
His investigation Revealed No
Criminal Wrong on the Part of
Officials,

Statement Ofthe COmpt rOll ler q encrn
His investigation Revealed N,
Criminal Wrong on the Part o
| Officials.
Columbia Register
| Comptroller General james Morton
has returned from Aiken. where h:
went to look into the affairs OF tha
county which seemed to be very un
satisfactory from the report made by
the grand jury. General Norton, aftei
q close and thorough investigation OF
the situation, finds that no State
funds are involved In tho reported
crookedness. He finds that while the
grand jury were honest and sincere
In their presentment, still they were
laboring under wrong impressions.
Generol Norton in speaking about
the results OF his trip, said that he
found there were irregularities in the
county commissioners office i'm the
letting of contracts for roads and
bridges. don't think" he said.
that any personal benefit has accrued
to tho members Of tho board by the
action they took.
1T js also true, as the grand jury
reported, that tho expenses OF the
county have been increased seven or
eight Thousand dollars. but for this
the county commissioners are not en-
tircly resonsiblc. n comparison of
tho expenses for this year and the
years previous, shows thut the county
commissioners had spent practically
nothing in Improvement Of roads and
bridges. This matter had been
neglected and the public necessities
required that larger amounts should
be expended in this line. In these
two sources, alone, IL large part Of the
increased expenditures are explain
able"
General Norton said that the court
expenses wore heavy. He learned
that there were ten or twelve nmrdc,
cases on hand, besides an unusual
number OF other cases Of II serious
nature. This caused an Increased
amount of expenditures on the part
OF the shcriif and clerk. which had
to be pad, but these were matters
which were beyond the control of
the county commissioners. Those
things could not be helped.
The grand jury also reported Super.
visor Sawyer us using public funds
to pay private debts. General Norton
says on the face of it, it looks that
way, but that Mr. Sawyer, with the
consent of the commissioners. drew IL
warrant in his own favor, which he
presented to II creditor. This was
not strictly legal.
IT. was also charged that Supervisor
Sawyer was guilty Of forgery. Cen
cral Norton explains this by the fact
that Ma jor Champion was clerk OF
the board; he was ,;:k and needed
the money and MIR. Sawyer drew Il
warrant and signed Mr.. Chnmrinn's
name to it, in the presence Of tho
board. This he did to serve q friend,
and while technically the charge was
true, still the circumstances were such
as to relieve MIR. Sawyer Of any
criminal intent.
Generol Norton concluded by saying
that from conversation with members
of the grand jury ne was coniiden
that the report was not made f0l
| political effect. The members of the
jury were, in his opinion, honest in
their wishes to do the best in theil
power for their county. The jury
was composed Of twelve ItefOrmcrs
and five Conservatives, and the special
committee, which investigated mat
tors, consisted Of three ItefOrmcrs and
two Conservatives.
General Norton while adm itting
that there were great irregularities
does not think that any intentional
wrong was done. So fur as money
is concerned, neither the county or
States loses anything.