The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1899-12-20
THE NEAL INVESTIGATION.
REPORT OF JOINT COMMITS E.
The Attorney Generals Concise and |
Comprehensive Summary OF the |
Results.

"to investigate the uffairs of she Stat
ponitentisry," sppUlnted 1T the 10,
session Of the general assembly, ha
just been ireucd fIOnl the presses. Q
the State printere, and Is being bens I
the mem bers of the general assembly
who are asked to preserve their copiel
Tho volume contains 458 pages. Pre-
liminary to the report of the committed
which has already 6een published 1
The State, and the transcript OF tb
voluminous testimony is u messag
from the Governor transmitting th
whole to the general assembly. Ii
this message the governor quotes th'
resolution, all correspondence betweel
his Ctfice and tho attorney general
office. Then the message conclude
thus:
The whole matter was then place.
entirely in the hnnJs OF tho attorney
general, with full power to act, ant
protect, as far ns possible, the In
diligently to ascertain the liability o
the bondsmen OF the late superintend
ent Of, the penitentiary and to collec,
the several amOunto due the State
Criminal action VAS sleo brought
against the defaulting superintendent
In the scsei0ns court for Rchland
county, under threo separate indict.
ments. These Gases will come up for
trial at the spring term, 1900, of IT, {
criminal courS for Richlaud county.
As soon as the attorney general de-
termined the. Goility Of the bondsmen
of the late superintendent, they came
which they were liable, as will be seen
from the following communication
from the attorney general:
Executive Department.,
O1ice OF the Attorney General.
Columbia, S. c., Oct. 2d, 1899.
To His Excellency, the Governor, Co.
lumbia, S. 9.
Sir Upon the coming in OF tha re-
port Of the committee OF tho general
assembly appointed 10 investigate the
affairs Of the penitentiary, your excel
lency referred the came to me, to take
such action as would protect tho intsr-
ests of the State, and | at once pro-
ceeded TO give the matter attention.
The committee has divided the late
superintendent's liabilities into two
classes, viz: First, as shortage ad-
mitted by himself items aggregating
$3,5S4,41; and, second, liabilities con
tested by him." composed of "convict
hire on the Watson contract for the
years 1896, 1897 and 1898, 81, 400 and
stable rent, $740, aggresating 88, 140."
beg to call your attention, first, to
the second clais Of liabilities, eo-cslled.
Upon investigation l End that Neal, a.
superintendenJ, for the years 1895 and
1897, accepted in payment for convict
hire two notes, which ke discounted at
the Carolina National bank and placed
the proceeds to tho credit of the poni-
tentiary. The State received the
money arising from these disoounts,
mr. Il
as q loss. Tbe bank must suffer on this
account, unless tho general assembly
gives 1t relief.
For the payment Of tho hire OF con-
victs for the year 1898, j. B. Watson,
the contractor, gave 10 the board Of d.
rectors Of the peDitehtiary his check
oA an Anderson bank for $2,600 which
check was transferred TO ,ho Oar olina
National bank, and one OF the Rotss
above mentioned (for 1897 was there
with taken up, and 10 now in the pos
session OF the penitentiary authorities.
lnasmuch as this check was credited
to the penitentiary account, being OK
changed for the note taken up, IL fol-
lows that this cannot be alleged 40
loss chargeable against Meals Official
bond.
AS to the last item, 9740, referred to
as stable rent" 1t seems Shst IL was
allowed by the board OF directors 90
an Item OF expense, and 10 not charge
able as breach of the oficlal bond.
am, therefore, OF the opinion that at
the present time mono Of the charges
contained In the second class OF liabi-
litiei could be made the basis OF q suit
against the bondsmen of the late super.
intendent OF the penltentiary. II will
be noticed that on the account OF the
lease OF convicts for tho three years
mentioned, the State has lost $4,000
be taken to recoves this amount.
Among the first items of the first
class of liabilities (ss,b84.41), there are
two which were deducted when de-
mand WAS made upon the bondsmen.
The report charged up "check unpaid
and carried by Burriss, Sta" Upon
investigation I find this psid before
the report was referred to this office.
There is also charged, wv. ". Russell,
note for $780," for which the peRiten-
tiary received the money, which il has
never returned to the bank, discount
Ing the note. AS long ~ tho State
holds the proceeds OF this discounted
note 1t cannot demand of tho boads-
men en- reimbursement on that account.
Therefore, deduCting these items,
$l72 and 5000, from the a3,584.41, we
have 30 the amount chargeable against
the bondsmep at the date OF the report
the sum Of 2,812.41.
! notified the bondsmen, Msssrs.
Willie Jones, w. 8. Pope and p. Fl.
Haltiwanger, OF the claim OF tho State,
and 1t gives me pleasure TO coy thai
they have promptly met tho demand
upon them, each paying the sum OF
1897 A. l now hold tho State treas
urer's receipt for the amount paid on
the bond.
Senator Tillman, upon the presenta-
tion OF his bill, as reported by the
committee, paid the amount due the
State.
~ desire to acknowledge valuable as
distance rendered me by the Hon. w
b. Stevenson, chairman OF the com
mittee OF investigation.
Respectfully
G. DUNCAN BELLTNGER,
r. Attorney General.
The attorney general has discharges
his duties In this matter faithfully
and commend his diligence.
have thus given you in detail tn,
course taken on this ropert, so tina
you might be In full possession of tn
facts In the case and bo able TO tax
Intelligent action, II you should deer
u