The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1896-01-08
Collcton School Trouble.

superintendent of Education May
field visited Colleton several DAYS ngo
to look into tho reported excessive
charges for tho International Diction-
aries, and his report gives nll there is
in tho matter and his conclusions as to
tho payment Of The claims. He re.
ports:
Hon. james Norton, Comptroller Con.
eral, Columbin, S. G..
DEAR SIN:-I wont to Wnlterboro.
according to appointments, 10 invest-
gate tho complaint filed in my Office as
to tho sale of Webster's international
Dictionary for moro than tho prioe
agreed on between the state board of
examiners and tho publishers, namely,
$500 (S9.25 with patent index per
copy, full sheep binding. I found TINT
tho trustees had purchased the full
morocco binding, with patent index,
at SID per copy,and q stand for So. SO,
making $18 SO for the book mud stand,
further found TINT tho trustees had
purchased pumbcr of Applcton's
rcnding charts, paying $3.50 each,
which is tho regular prico. Tho trus.
tees had issued warrants in payment
for tho book, stand md charts, amount
ing to about 81 800, aud that tho
school commissioners Ind counter
signed tho warrants, aud that tho payec
(the agrnO had endorsed the warrants
and sold them to tho Wnlterboro bunk.
which holds them rs innocent purcha-
scrs, tho warrants MI being entirely
regular on their face.
There WIS no evidence before mo 10
IN 1,n n -. :. &. : | I
Interested in the snlo Of tho books.
stnnda and charts. Tho evidence
showed That the agent had submitted
them to the county board Of cxamin-
ers and that board endorsed them atx
the prices named; that the school com
missioner called meetings Of the
boards OF trustrees, took The agent in.
his buggy, charging him for seat,
| and attended tho meetings Of the trus-
tees. When tho school commissioner
concluded his remarks to Tho trustees
he introduced The ngont and recon-
mended that tho trustees mako tho
purchase.
Ii appeared that only fifteen copies
Of tho international wero purchase Il.
The rest Of tho money wns spent for
charts.
All this took place in tho spring and
and tho first part Of tho summer Of
this year. About $lO0 was paid by
tho county treasurer on these war.
rants. This is tho school commits
Rioncr's first year in office, and these
things happened before he was thor
onghly informed as to the duties Of
his Office, and nm unable to SEQ my
criminality on his part, though he
mny have been guilty OF imprudonco.
Tho agent making tho sales was not
tho agent of tho publishers Of The In.
ternational Dictionary and therefore
tho publishers arc not guilty Of violat-
ing their contract with the state.
Tho whole matter, therefore, resolves
itself into this: More was paid for tho
dictionary than should have been paid,
tho claims arc regular on their feco
anu in the hands Of innocent holders
and, therefore, will hnvo to be paid.
The school commissioner should have
informed himself as to the articles per-
mttcd to bo sold in tho state by tho
state board Of cxamincrs and thoir
prices, md should not have allowed
any othcrs sold in his county.
I recommend that you instruct the
treasurer Of tho county to pay Tho war
rants Yours truly,
wv II NJ ,,,,,x