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

superintendent Of Education May
field visited Collcton several days ago
TO look into tho reported excessive
charges for the international Diction-
arics, and his report gives nll there is
III tho matter md his conclusions ns to
tho payment Of Tho claims. IIc re-
ports:
Hon. Jnmcs Norton, Comptroller Con
cral, Columbia, S. G.
DEAR SIR:-I went to Waltcrboro.
according to appointment, to investi.
gate the complaint filed in my otliao as
to tho snlo Of Wobsters international
Dictionary for more than tho price
agreed on between the state bonrd Of
examiners and the publishers, namely,
$3.50 ($9.25 with patent inlex) per
copy, full sheep binding. found thnt
tho trustees had purchased the full
morocco binding, with patent index,
ut &l5 per copy,and II stand for $3.50.
making SIS 50 for The hnok nnd stand.
| further found Tint Tho trustees had
purchased number Of Applcton's
reading charts, paying $3.50 each,
whicl, ;is tlc regular pricc. The trns.
tocS'had Issued warrants in payment
for the book, stand and charts, amount
ing to about $1,S0O, and Tint tho
school commissioners hnd counter
signed tho warrants, and TINT tho pnycc
(thc ngcnt) had endorsed the warrants
and sold them to tho Wnltcrboro bank,
which holds them us innocent purcha.
sors, the warrants all being entirely
regular Oh their face.
There was no evidence before mo to
show that the school comm isSioncr was
interested in tho salc OF Tho books,
stnnda and charts. Tho evidence
showed TINT the agent had submitted
them to the county board Of cxnmin-
crs and that board endorsed them n.
The prices named; lhnt The school com.
mlssinncr called meetings OF The
boards Of trnstrces, tndkSthc agent H.
his lusgy, charging him fpr seat,
and attended tho mertinessof the irus-
tees. When tho SCHOOL commissioner
concluded his remarks to tho trustees
he introduced the agont and recon-
mcndcd that tho trustees mako tho
purchase.
Ii appeared that only fifteen copies
OF tho international were pnrchas, Il.
The res! Of tho money was spent for
charts.
All this took place in the spring and
and tho first part Of tho summer Of
this year. About 500 was paid by
tho county treasurer on these war
rants. This is tho SCHOOL commits
sioncr's first yenr in Office, and these
things happened before ho was thor
oughly informed as to the duties Of
his Office, and nm unable to SEQ any
criminality on his part, though ho
may have been guilty Of imprudoncc.
Tho agent making tho sales was not
the agent Of tho publishers Of Tho Tn.
ternational Dictionary and therefore
the publishers arc not guilty Of violnt-
ing their contract with the state.
Tho whole matter, therefore, resolves
itself into this: Moro was paid for tho
dictionary than should have been paid,
tho claims arc regular on their fnco
AMI in the hands Of innocent holders
and, therefore, will have 10 bn pnil.
The school commissioner should have
Informed himself rs to tho articles per-
mittod to be sold in the state by tho
state board Of examiners and their
prices, and should not have allowed
any othcrs sold in his county.
recommend that you instruct tho
treasurer OF tho county to pay Tho war
rants Yours truly,
wv II nY