The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-03-16

| a- -N-N~ :. .4E.s s.NsL Wa
bank OF Anderson. 1t was deposited tt
the credit Of w. A. Neal, supcrinton
dent. The Fowler draft WAS drawn or
the same date. That made somewha o,
over ST. 300 on deposit in the Andcl COR
bank. 1t appears on the books Of that
bank that tho amount had gone out
during March OF the samo year. The
officials said it was drawn out by draft
from Columbia. Tho Carolina bank
says 1t was for 81 352 II, which was
given them on Feb. 26, 1897. On that
date Noal told him ho had deposited
on w. 9. Hammonl's account, $556 II
$500 loss than the draft Colonel Neal
had drawn on him. Also $256 on the
account OF Cooley Il Fowler, $244 less
than the draft Mr.. Fowler accepted
Tho Carolina National bank informed
mo that %Sl2 and somo cents, the sum
Of the two amounts deposited, wero to
the credit OF Colonel Neal, superinten.
dcut. He also deposited $539 % to his
personal acc cunt. That, with the dc,
pOsit to the credit Of the supcrintcn-
dent, makes up tho amount Of the
Anderson draft. Colonel Neal told
| him to credit the $339. .95 to expense ac-
count and the items would be given
him later. But this has never been
done. Mr.. Cunningham had Scnt him
| to Anderson to havC q settlement with
Mr.. Hammond and there he found out
| the facts.
The accounts Colonel Neal pat to his
own personal account in the bank could
not 40 to the expense account. EX-
pGnsc accounts arc never paid to the
superintendent. Tho statement that
the amounts had gone to tho expense
account was Il misrcprcsentatio OF
facts. Mr.. Hammond after paying cx-
| ii \ l.
| tiary did not get 5000 Of tho amount.
The J. j. Fretwell case WAS for Il
| thousand bushels OF oats at so cents a
bushcl. Mr.. Fretwcll showed him a
receipt from Colonel Neal in settle
ment. He asccrtaineG this since Jan.
| uary.
He knows nothing about the w. w.
| Russell note. There was Frctwcll
and Russell note for $625, of which the
pepitentiary got 5000, the %25 baing for
discount. w. W.. Russell had never
hired convicts. Sometime during '9S
Russell and Fretwcll were urged to
settle the note. Later he was in
formed by the bank that the penitcn-
tiary had been credited with 5000.
Fretwell and Russell owe something
like $235 over and above the note.
THE TESTIMONY or COL. NEAL.
| Col. Neal gave his evidence in a clear
aid straig htiOrward manner as follows:
The first note of B. b. Ragsdale,
taken up by Mr.. Watson's draft, was
first considered. He sworc that the
note was given for convict hire in 1897
under the contract Of Mr.. Watson
Col. Neal wished to start at the outset,
and said he as ready to answer any
aud all questions.
In December, 1892, he was elected
superintendent. Two years b fore that
he hclQ and made large cotton CROPS
$50 to 300 bales-and Mr.. Watson was q
first cousin OF his, living five or sin
miles apart. He held the crop Of 1896
and 1891 for better prices. Watson en-
dorscd for him to hold the crops to the
amount OF $4,000. He ovcrdrcw his
bank account to about 81, 200, and was
pretty well fixed up to 1891. Luck
went against him. The crop was sold
in ,he fall Of 1891 and he was sick. He
owed the proceeds Of the crop to the
| bank and was prOStrutU when sold.
Col. Neal went on to say that things
went on so until the fall CT 1892 and he
was elected in December, 1892, as
superintendent OF the pcnitchtinry
He took charge on January 3, 1893
After the election and before coming
hero, he had 7Ol acres OF land in An
dcrson, and eighteen mules and horses,
corn, fodder, hogs and provisions. lie
said to Waston he was going to lea &c,
and told him ne had endorsed to the
amount OF $4,000, and we have slipped
up and he meant to protect him If he
coul /. He rendered him all the prop
crty and left Watson the real estate,
mules, machinery and all. He made
| him q deed to the real estate and had
mis- wife to relinquish dover. Watson
told him he did not want the property.
| Neal said that WAS all nc could do.
| There were some other debts. The
tenant on the placc-a kind of fore
man-Nlr. f. B. Ragsdalc, took charge.
He agreed to help him the first two
years by giving him $500 out of his
first two years salary. 1t went on
that way for three years; that he was
to run the pace, he to keep account OF
things. The understanding was that
if he could restore the plantation to
this way for 1893 1891 and 1893. The
foreman became dissatisfied and said
he would Quit unless he, (Ncal,) took
charge, rs itagsdalc and Watson could
not get along. lie paid forty dollars OF
his salary. AZ the end Of the third
!, year he told Watson something wOulG
, have to be done 10 keep ltagsdalc
Watson WAS boarding with him, and h,
told him to figure things ny. Watson
told him it would take $li 600 to sQuar
up what he owed Watson on the prop
, crty. He agreed to pay ~ 600 a. yea
, and interest at per cent. This con
vcrsatiOn took place In February, 1886
He made up the statement, and it wa
} agreed upon. He then agreed to hir
thirty convcts for three years. Col
Neal was to assume control OF th
farm, 80 far as Mr.. Ragsdalc WAS con
cerned. He paid Watson something
like So, 900 the first year. lie kept o.
. hoping for better years. In 1897 h
paid about $1,000 again, including in
B. surancc. This year has not bccI
, wound up. The expenses will abo1
consume what was made and pcrhap
Il little more. He has go. nothing on
, Of the farm in three years. Roiativ
9 to the ltagsdalco' notes, the Ragsdal
: were managers on the farm. IT.,
= place was decided to Watson in 1872
( and he took charge OF the place Jan
I.l