The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-07-02

| Lt2lOfmcr, loit u u0op Interest," IN tnt
success of Governor Tillman in thi
charged by his enemies that he wa
Incompetent to deal with the question
and that in consequence OF his failure
the credit Of the State would be ruined
ventured to suggest to Governor
Tillman the advisability OF employing
Il broker who was familiar with sucl
trapsactions and who was not an enemy
of his admins strati0n. He agreed
with me and stated that he had giver
New York broker an option on the
bonds which would expire in u few
days. | do not know u broker in the
State.who was not then an enemy of the
State administration and who would
not gladly have seen Governor Till,
man fail in his efforts. had lived in
Augusta for several years and knew
Mr.. Ithind to be a reliable and honest
man. suggested him to Governor Till,
man and he asked me to send him to
| Columbia in case the other broker
failed. The New York broker failed
to accomplish anything and Mr.. Rhind
was given chance. Mr.. Rhind sue
eeedcd .ip organizing syndicate Of
bankers in Baltimore to take the bonds
under the terms prescribed by Cover
| nor Tiilman and Treasurer Bates, by
virtue of authority conferred upon
them as follows (sec. l3, act 1892 J
hat tho governor and State treasurer
| arc hereby aut horized in their discre-
tion to perform all and singular every
| act necessary to carry out the pro.
visions of the act not herein speciti-
cally given, and which are not incon-
sistent with the provisions hereof, and
in order to have said bonds and stocks
promptly placed, the governor and the
State treasurer are hereby authorized
| TO offer and pay a commission to parties
piHcinE said bonds and stocks, and the
funds belonging to the sinking funG
are hereby appropriated to pay such
| commission, if so much be necessary:
provided, however, that they shall
have said bonds and stocks placed with
out paying commission if practicable.
1t was agreed that the interest should
commence to run from the first OF
January, 1893. The reason for this i.
set 1Orth In the message from Cover
nor Illlman to the General Assembly.
Nj. Rhind had contract with the
tond syndicate whereby he was to be
paid 1 j per cont. as commission for his
| 1aD0Ts. Afteg the bonds had been paid
| for and lShind's commission was due,
some members Of the syndicate InC"oht
| Rhlnd was getting too much under his
| contract with them and refused to
| allow the commission paid. | was
employed by MIR. Rhind to proceed to
Baltimore to take legal ste ps to col.
| lect his commission. | did so and
associated with me Maj. II. Nj. Vena-
pie. The case has been tried in the
lower court and a judgment had been
rendered in favor of Mr.. Rhind. An
appeal has been taken and will not be
| f,Sr II
by l1r. lShind in his testimony, the
amount Of my fec has not been agreed
upon. When | was elected Governor
retlred from the management of the
case and turned it over to Mai. Vona-
bic and Mr.. Bactger and they have
| examined me as a witness, as we'll as
Governor Tillman and others. NV
testimony as we'll as Governor Till
mans is matter Of record in the court
and have the record here for your
inspection.
| have never concealed anything as
to my connection with this matter and
shall not attempt to do 80. |. as Gov
ernor of South Carolina, cannot afford
TO notice every anonymous scribbler in
newspapers, nor every cowardly cul
that barks at me, but as candidate
ior the Senate, however, | deem it just
| u. UC
you the facts Of this matter. The at.
tempt has boon made to create the
Impression that Governor Tillman and
treasurer Bates, who conducted the
sale OF said bonds, and |, who assisted
them as far as | could, have been paid
q consideration by Mr.. Rhind, or by
the syndicate who took the bonds, for
allowing them to pay for the bonds we
were SO anxious to get rid of. This
came, L am informed, from the pen of
one ~. Is. Williams, whose letters
were published in the New York
Times, but not over his own signature.
Mr. Williams ls we'll known TO you as
the late editor of the Greenville News.
and any reference to him is upneces,
sary. The substance OF his insinua-
tlons, which have been published in
tnll IN the State papers, is to the effect
that the Rich mond broker told them
(thc syndlcatc) he understood, presum-
ably from Mr.. IShind, that the bulk of
the sum was to be divided AMONG
parties in South Carolina who had
political influence.
The New York broker, who was in
close association with MIR. Rhind and
whose opportunities for knowledge
were best of all, replied THAT they
would better not investigate that; hat
| ~ " 40 w 81 w .biio pcoplo VINO WOulu
better not be known" This statement
is based substantially upon tho tcsti-
mony of L. E. Ham bleton, u member of
the syndicate which purchased the
bonds and the man who is trying to
keep from paying Mr.. Rhind's com
mission. The Richmond broker re.
ferred to is Major John Shelton Will
liams. On page 2U6 OF his sworn tcsti-
mony in said case he says: "That
Golden ISbind never informed him as
to who his associates were and that he
could not have informed any person IS
to who they were, as he did not know
himself." The New York broker re-
forred to Is II. A. Lancaster, who, on
page 227 Of his sworn testimony, refer
ring to Mr.. Rhind, said substantially
that he did not know who tho parties
in South Carolina were to whom Mr.
Shind expected to make the payment;
that he had mover given him the
names of either the lawyers or any one
else employed by him as to who was to
have the amount he was to receive"
Il. G. Davidson, president Of the
Trust Company and manager Of the
syndicate. says substantially in his