The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-05-24
STATEMENT OF FACTS.
Short History or the Case Upon which
There Has Been Such Vigorous
Effort to OuAt Bullock from Office.

On or about the first of November, 1897
Emma Tinch, who had attended court as q
witness In case pending, applied for her pay
certificate, through her cousin. George Mar
shall, with whom she was staying. The Cir.
cult Judge had left Abbeville before the ap-
plication. The amount due her by the county
was $3.50. The county really owed her the
amount. The certificate. was Issued: The
counter.signature, purporting 10 be that oi
Judge Buchanan was not, In fact Judge Buch.
anan's. From the time OF the discovery OF
this fact, all manner OF charges have been
made An immediate sitting Of the Grand
Jury was ordered. A special presentment
was made to the Court at It's next sitting, q
true bill for forgery was found.
The Cove was importuned to remove
Bullock and to appoint another Clerk. The
Governor ordered Bullock to vacate and turn
over the Office TO J. l.. Mcmillan. Bullock,
acting under the advice of his attorneys. re
fused TO vacate, on the ground that the Gov.
ernor had no power to remove him.. Where.
upon. proceedings were commenced by the
State OF South Carolina, through the Attor.
ney General to force him TO vacate. Judge
Klugh held with Bullock that the Governor
had no right to remove him. An appeal was
thereupon taken TO the Supreme Court from
Judge Klugh's order. In the meantime, upon
the petitioner. j. L. Mcmillan, setting forth
quired to give Justified bond in the sum OF
81 600 to account for any fees or salary that he
might receive from the office. In case he was
unable to give this bond he was required 10
ll0 III jail.
The Supreme Court unanimously sustained
Bullock's contention that the Governor could
not remove him.
In the meantime, Bullock was presented
for not turning over to the Treasurer fines,
&C., on the day that he collected them. Not
that he did not turn them over. but that he
did not turn them over on the day he received
them or Immediately, true bill was found
upon this charge. The penalty upon con.
viction upon this charge, is that he shall be
subject to a fine and be Imprisoned for not
less than three months, and shall be dis.
missed from Office, and shall be disqualified
from holding any office OF trust and profit
under this State. But this Indictment against
him was mol pressed.
In the m eantime, charges we're made to the
effect that he was due the county large sums
Of money But recent Investigations by the
Grand Jury disclose the fact that he doesn't
owe the county cent, and they report that
his Office Is well kept.
When the case against him for the forgery
of the name of Judge Buchanan to the Ger.
| tiicafe for 81 so came up for trial the Circuit
Judge dismissed the case. The Solicitor ap
pealed to the Supreme Court. The Supreme
Court said that the bill ought not TO have been
dismissed. and the case was sent back for tria
and II Is TO be tried at the June term.
After the trouble about the $3.50 certiflca te
commenced Judge Buchanan ratified, as far
| II was possible Tor him to do so, the placing
OF his name to the certificate. He issued
| one identlcally like the first one and directed
| that II be substituted for the first one, about
which there was 30 much fuss.