The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-05-12
sCRuGGs AND GasTON ARRESTED.
Both Of Them waived an Examination
and Gave Bond.

The Beckroge trunk dispensary scan
dal, which has been the all absorbing
topic all over South Carolina for a
week past, eliminated Friday in the
arrest Of ex,Clerk Seth W. Scruggs Of
the State board of control, and ex-
Commissioner John 7. CASTOR, upon
the common law charge OF official
misconduct. Both have given bond
ior their appearance at the next term
of the court of sessions in Richland
co0nty, and viii be free until the court
meets IL the summer.
Friday every one was still talking
about the scandal and the aGdavits
that ha5 been secured, and wonder
! ing what the State authorities were
going to do about it. 1t was about
noon when Mr. L. J. Williams, the
member Of the State board designated
to swear out the warrants, weDt to
Magistrate Smiths Office and made the
afhdavits having the warrants issued.
TIE warrant in the case of Mr..
Scruegs charged that ION or:sbout the
irst day of March, 1897. one Seth ".
Scruggs did commit official miscon-
duct by takins and carrying away
from tie contraband room IN the State
dispenssry four boxes of cigars and
four cans of peaches and other articles
the property of the State, while en-
gagged il the discharge of his duties as
clerk and bookkeeper of the State board
OF control in said State dispensary, with
intent to defraud the State OF South
Carolina, as fully set forth in the atfi-
dayit hereto attached"
AGAINST COL. GASTON.
The warrant against Col CASTOR al
leges that 'on or about the 1st day Of
March, 1897, one Joan T. Castor did
commit official misconduct by taking
sDd carrying away from the contra
band room in the State dispensary
o"e pair OF shoes, part box of cigars
and other articles the property of the
State while acting as Stale commits
sioner in charge Of said room and
vhile in the discharge OF the duties Of
said Office, with intent to defraud the
S5ate os South Carolina, as fully set
forth in the efh6avis hereto attached" !"
rne afida I'll is also made oy Mr.. Vii.
?iams before Magistrate Saith
BOTH GIVE BOND.
Il vas abous $50 o'clock when Mr..
CASTOR walked into the office of the
magistrate and surrendered himself,
ne having been informed by the mag
istrate's Unstable tnat he was wanted.
de waived a preliminary, and gave
b, nd for his appearance at the sessions
curt in the sum OF $400. His bonds
'oea were G-u. John Gary Watts and
Nal B 3 Evars.
AocuG o'clock the same proceeding
vas gone through with as to Mr..
Sccuggs. He cane up in response to
similar notice from the constable,
Mr.. Hartin. His bond was fixed in
the same amount His bondsnen
wrre James G. Payre and W. j.
Scruggs.
Attorney General Barber says that
the punishment for the ofense cnarg-
ed upon conviction is imprisonment
and fine IN the discretion OF the judge,
IS ALI .JEISOAuSuL uOI w GASSCO SSfSA
years. It is not Of necessity IN the
State penitentiary.
Mr.. CASTOR said that he mad nothing
10 fear; he had done nothing wrong
so far as he knew; and intimated that
he did not even think he would en-
ploy counsel to defend him.
There has been considerable talk as
to what ofense these men should oe
prosecuted for. Breach OF trust, grand
larceny, hcussbresking in the case of
Scruggs and numerous other ofenses
we're looked into, but the attorneys
could not find where any Of them
would lie upon the evidence present
ed. Attorney General Barber yester-
day said: 'You can just say for me
to the public, that if there is any
other offense for which these parties
can be indicted, then this Office stands
ready to prosecute therefor. State.