The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-07-01

a certain part of Mr.. Rhind's commits
sions, utshould divide with his breth-
rem. In order to show that Lancaster
had deceived them and thus get a
standing in Court some of them had
sworn that Lancaster told them he was
to get nothing but his travelling ex'
penses and that the rest went to polltl
clans. What was the necessity for
buying politicians2 There was no
legislation needed. There was no in
flunce to be used or necessary. They
were dealing with Governor Tillman
and Treasurer Bates, who alone under
the Acts of the Legislature above re.
ferred to had the authority to dispose
of the bonds and who, as was publicly
known, had been unable to do so. If
there is any man in South Carolina
who had pull on Ben Tillman do
not know him. He does his own
thinking and pulling and his integrity
and honesty is too we'll known to re-
quire any comment.
Governor Evans then read Mr..
Rhind's testimonyiu in full. Below are
given some extracts:
9. Well, did you succeed in forming
that syndicate or finding purchasers
for the whole issue on those terms2
A. We did not. At this juncture,
the exact date l cannot give from
memory, someone introduced a bill
into the South Carolina Legislature
authorizing the extension of the 6 per
cent. Brown consols for four years at
per cent. which was evidently done
by someone unfriendly to the Admin
istration of South Carolina, and that
had the effect of throwing those peo-
pie off entirely. me1y u them. They
said they could not negotiate for 4 !!
per cent. bond when the State was
considering the extension of its bonds
at per cent, and when l say they
say" understand me, I do not
mean any particular person; l am Civ:
ing you the general view Of what l
gathered at the time. Mr. French was
ill and not active in getting up the
syndicate as we'll man might have
been.
In another place Mr.. Rhind speaks
of the commission which he was to get,
saying he started out to work for a
commission of l J per cent.
Mr.. Rhind, on the redirect exami-
nation by Mr.. Venable, tells of the
81, 900 fee he promised to pay Major
Gary, of Augusta, Ga.
.. Now you have said also that you
agreed to pay Mr.. John Gary Evans a
fee. What was the amount of that
fee2
A. It has never been settled; it is
like yours and Mr.. Baetger's; il is sub
ject to an agreement.
@. What was the fee for service as
an attorney2
A. Services as an attorney; he has
been working with me from the start
on this thing, and he has given me
point after point in regard to the law,
and have consulted him as resident
of South Carolina, and as practicing
attorney there, I have consulted both
of these gentlemen, and he has come
on to Baltimore here in this case, l
don't know how many times, half
dozen times, several times at least, in
this matter, and until he was nominal
ed and elected Governor he was my
active adviser in the case.
@. And you owe him fee for his
services. but Ihe amount is not settled2
A. The amount is in abeyance.
q. Have you agreed or undertaken
to pay any other persons for their
services in connection with this mat
ter?
A. No person whatsoever except the
81, 900 that I have stated payable to
the Bank of Charleston.
AS to my connection with the cas-
es in our Supreme Court 1 have this to
say: I was sent for by Governor
Tillman to come to Columbia after the
contracts had been signed for the sale
of the bonds. He related that hair
splitting lawyers had raised a point
against that constitutionality of this
Act and the syndicate would not take
the bonds unless they were decided
constitutional by the Supreme Court.
1 then brought an action in my own
name against Tillman and Bates, en-
Joining them from entering into the
contract with the syndicate. The case
was heard by the Supreme Court, the
Attorney General representing the
State. The Supreme Court decided
the Act to be constitutional. Govern.
or Tillman refused to pay me fee
upon the ground that he had no money
for that purpose, but I insisted that he
at least pay my expenses. This he
did by giving me check for $50 out
of his contingent fund. After the
syndicate. had purchased the bonds
lawyers in New York raised anoth-
er point against their validity,
which is reported in the case of Rob-
ertson VS. Tlllman and Bates. l was
telegraphed to by Mr.. Davidson, pres
ident OF the syndicate, to meet their
attorney, Mr.. Steele, in Columbia. 1
did so. He desired me to assist him in
bringing the matter before the Su-
preme Court. I prepared the papers
and assisted him and for this service
the syndicate paid me 500.
This is my connection with the en-
tire matter. No fair minded person
in South Carolina will assert that I
have been guilty of wrongdoingin ac-
cepting a fee for my services.
Now let us see what Governor Till
man and Treasurer Bates have saved
the State by his so-called bond deal t.
In 1892, while this matter was pend.
ing. Mr.. John G.. Haskell had intro
duced into the House of Representa-
tives joint resolution extending the
time for the payment Of the bonds for
a period OF four years at the rate of &
per cent. per annum. He stated in
advocacy of the resolution that by
roaenn of the stri n nennu of money and