The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-03-29
The Penitentiary InVesti-
eating Committee
Finds an Apparent Discrep-
ancy OF About $4,000 4 on
Account of Oats.

Columbia, March % The Neal
investigating committee resumed its
work to day Colonel Neal was not
present, it being stated that he was
unwell. Mr.. Boggs. his counsel,
was, however, on hand All mem
bers of the committee were present
Chairman Stevenson announced
that President Clark, of the Carolina
bank, had furnished list of all notes
endorsed by Colonel Neal with the
bank since he became superintendent.
These papers were put in as evi.
dence.
MIR Garris, director, was the first
witness. He referred to some cor
re respondence and an editorial in the
State newspapers He stated that in
1856 the penitentiary and Colonel
1ipscomb made brick. During that
year the directors visited the brick
yard In looking around he saw
quite an accumulation Of brick which
seemed to have been rejected He
asked Colonel Neal what was done
with them, and he replied that they
were worth nothing Witness said
to him he wouid like to get about
5000 oftbem if the State did not want
them Neal said he could get them
if he would pay the freight. He said
to Neal if they cost more than SLIGO
thousand he didn't want them Ii
not he remarked that he would take
5000. Witness went to Branchvllle,
but be didn't see the railroad agent
to ask him about the freight rates
At the next meeting of the board he
asked Captain w West6eld to see what
it would cost and if it was not more
thar SLIGO to ship 5000 The brick
were not shipped up to the time of
the next meeting In March he re
ceiyed notice from the agent at
Branchville that there was carload
Of brick at the depot for him, end
that the freight was $3.50 This was
more than he expected to pay, but he
paid the freight and took the brick
BE never got any other brick from
the penitentiary and he would not
have received them had they been
worth anything to the State
Mr. Stevenson then questioned him
about the sale of 5,l20 bushels of
OATS. Mr.. Garris said the board got
it's information from superintendent
reports as to sale of products and
prices brought That with the books,
shipping receipts, etc was the only
source from which the directors got
their information So far as the board
is concerned the oats were sold
Mr.. Stevenson called his attention
to the fact that about SIS 495 20 worth
of oats were sold But the superin-
tendent's report shows only 81 ,499 :
IS as cash received from the sale OF
oats, showing a discrepancy of nearly
$4,000.
Mr. Garris said that the Gookkeeper
and the superintendent could best
testify as to that The board got ite
information from them
Mr. Patton asked him whether the
cash from this sale of oats has been
placed as assets. and the witness
replied that it ought to have been
He said as director he never made
an examination into the matter. He
said that the board examined the
books He never had discovered OF
suspected the difference before, Mr..
Patton asked him whether he did no;
conceive it his duty as director to
be so posted as to be able to know
such things ?
Mr.. Boggs at first objected to the
question, but it was put
Mr.. Garris said he had never been
educated as bookkeeper. and DEP ended
upon reports made to the board. The
board bad perfect confidence 10 the
superintendent. and he never made a
close investigation of these matters.
10 reply to Mr.. Stevenson be said
that op the DeSaussure farm he would
put in from 2 to 81 bushels per acre for
seed He thought about the same
would answer for the Reed aud Lsxiug.
ton farms. He said be didn't know
bow many acres we're sowa on the
farms, and he didn't know whether
there are aDy records as to it. But he
supposed it would be easy to get at by
consulting the farm superintendent.
He said that oats were fed to stock, be
supposed. as it was required. Blu. be
didn't know whether any record was
kept Mr.. Stevenson asked him a
number of questions as to how much
grain. oats and corn should be fed to a
mule 10 a mouth.
Referring to the cotton crop report
Mr.. Stevenson showed that 675 bales,
uor.h ell 315 Ok had haon ,eturne5