Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-09-02
Grand Jury Presentment.
August Term, 1896.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
COUNTY OF EDGEFIELD.

COUNTY OF EDGEFIELD.
Your Honor, Judge R. C. Watts
presiding at the August term ol
Court, 1895:
We the Grand Jury beg leave to
submit this our report for this
term of the Court.
We have examined and passed
upon the various bills of indict-
ment handed us by the Solicitor.
At the last term of the Court we
recommended that the Court room
be furnished with more chairs, al
so that the windows be furnished
with blinds. We find that neither
has been done. We again recon-
mend and insist that this matter
be attended to at once.
We have examined the jail and
find the prisoners well cared for
and the premises in fair condi-
ton.
A committee of our body have
visited the Poor House and make
the following report; We find the
bui. dings in good condition with
the exception of one house which
needs some repairs. We find the
crop in good condition. The num-
ber of paupers cared for at pres
ent is 39-24 white and Is colored.
At the last term of the Court our
attention was called to the bad
condition of the roads. We find
that the roads are still in a bad
condition. We wish to give notice
that If they are not put in good
condition at once those failing to
do SO will be presented at the next
term of the Court, both Township
Commissioners and Overseers.
Our atte tion has been called to
the fact that there has been hon.
icide committed upon the person
Of one Mack Smith by one Gary
Dorm and upon investigation we
find that the evidence has been
placed on file, but that the de.
fendant has not been committed
nor the witnesses bound over.
The committee appointed at the
last term of Court to examine the
books of the county officers and
look after other business pertain
ing to the welfare of the county is
not ready to make report at this
term of the Court The Grand Jury
for the year 1895 caused an inves-
tigation to be made of the finances
of the county, the results of which
are embodied in several reports
made by them. AS will be seen by
reference to those reports, irregu-
larities and shortages were repre-
sented to exist, which if true
should be followed by such pro-
ceedings at law or otherwise as may
be necessary to recover the
amounts. The Solicitor has been
before us and says that he has
requested the Attorney General
and the Comptroller General to
send over an expert to fix the
amount Of any shortage that may
exist and also to determine who is
responsible therefor. That the
Comptroller General said that they
had only one expert who was at
that time engaged in examining
the affairs of the county of Ches-
ter, bat promised to send an ex-
pert as soon as he could. Up to
the present time no action has been
taken in the matter. We recon-
mend that the Comptroller Gener-
al be urged to send an expert to
the end that the amount due the
State and County (if any may be
ascertained and in order that the
res possibility may be fixed. These
are matters of great Importance
and should be promptly and fully
investigated.
We beg leave to thank your Hon-
or and other officers for courtesles
extended.
Respectfully submitted.
L. w. REESE,