The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-10-09

Iney say turkey TO me once. But airs
we'll that ends well.-BIL1 ARP in At.
lanta Constitution.
OFFICIAL CoNTRoVERsy.,'
Marlboro Grand Jury and General
Norton Lock Horns..
Last. weeks court in Benpettsville
was somewhat "hot" between Judge
Norton and the grand jury. The fol-
lowing Are extracts from the'grand
jury's report to the court and also the
judges reply:
The grand Jury finds that
no annual settlement has been made
this year between the County. Treas
urer and the, Auditor, .Superintepdant
of Education and the Supervisor in the
presence of the grand jury and the
Comptroller General as required by
law. We examined the reports Of the
County Treasurer and County Snperin-
tendent of Education and, so far as we
are able to Judge, they are correct. It
is impossible, however, for us to ascer-
tain to any degree of certainty the COR
rectness of these reports in advance of
the annual settlement r6quifed'Sy law.
We further find that the Comptroll-
er General has not mailed q copy of
last years settlement to the Clerk of
this Court, County Supervisor and
other officers as required by Section
369, I Vol. Revised Statutes. This
matter is important to the citizens. Of
the county as we'll as to the officers, as
from these reports the fiscal condition
of our county can alone be properly
sscertained. Comptroller General
Norton has written q. long reply to this
report. Among other things he says:
"a grand jury who can CORRECTLY H.
certain the real facts. about the couEty
officers as to, taxes after aq annual set
Element, can do so before such settle
ment if so inclined. The facts'for
such results are all at their command.
They can use them or not,use tkera. II
seems that Marlboro's. grand Jury lid
not care to use the facts at their CON.
mand, and to excuse themselves blame
the Comptroller General. ;. Very, yell
to shit blame to some one, but in this
case, as manly man.; as-I know thia-
grand jury to be, wouldAit. not have
been as clever. in q manly, straight.
forward way. to have said: we don't
understand these reports, and cannot
ascertain the exact correctness of all
the facts and figures without much
work and some trouble and incohven-
ience to ourselves;. we will wait:for
other officials to verify and ascertain
the correctness and let US see them and
then accordingly we will report them
to the court and pnblic. '"'
1t is the duty of the grand jury to ex-
anime all these books, facts and figures,
and give results 20 their people, butuot
their duty TO dodge or confuse the pop
ular mind by going off to Columbia to
blame the Comptroller General, This
officer has sins enough Of his own to
bear. He has: not witnessed ANNUAL
settlement. for taxes Of 1894-,94. but
has been to Marlboro county for that
purpose. Your county officials are not
to blame as. to this settlement The
primary system of electing these Off
cials made impossible many Of these
annual settlemt ats but will be finished
in due time.
Grand juries >must not attempt to
shift their official responsibilities to my
shoulders and expect them TO remain
there. am willing to do and bear my
part and take public 'cussin ngs" like
little man when blamabIe. but, ".gen-
tlemen of the jury," your, :, duties are
left undone in this matter. All the
facts and figures are at your command
in your county. You have only to look
to find them in some form. { AL tho
Comptroller. General has or 1ill'get
comes from the same SOURCE. ~; r..
The report and General Norton's re-
ply created quite sensation.; .3J-
Making Sailing ships Go Faster.
The statement Of an Italian sea cap
tain that he had proved BY experience
that a ship goes faster when her .sa4is
are perforated with n number Of .holes
than when they are quite sound, was
at first looked upon as too rbA1culohs
for consideration. uabaaisvssA hS<v-
ever, now find that tbs ftnlian has gone
q hong way toward proving his c7se.
Hts theory is thas the fosNe OF ,theAwind
cannot fairly take effect on an inflated
sail, because or the cusiiion OF immov-
able air that alls; up the hollow. To
prevent this cushion pllectinA he hopsd
number Of holes In the sail, which,
let part OF the wind blow right though
it and allowed the remainder to. strike
against the canvas aud exercise Its full
effect. Seyeral trials have been made