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

showed him u memorandum furnished
| him by the Carolina bank on which
tho ltagsdale notes appeared. His i'm
preston and mine was that the b. B
!tag sda!c note was for convict hire for
1878 and that OF @. w. Ragsdale for
1898. Then ho asked me to SOC If |
could arrange matters, stating that
Coj. Neal had said he had about 250
bales OF cotton unencumbcrcd. Col.
Neal was sick, but he told me that he
had about l73 bales. Considering his
prostrati0n and the fact that ho had
promised to pay $2,700, and knowing
That l would be protected by the land,
L gave Mr.. Cunningham q draft, and
also in consideration Of the statement
which bad been handed to me by Col.
Neal in reference to cOnvicts here fer
1897.
He said it was painful to have to tell
the reason why he recalled the draft.
1t was a ten days draft. His first draft
was for $1,000. MIR. Clark, Of the bank
didn't approve of this, and another was
drawn on January 25, 1899. | expected
to get $4,000 from Colonel Neal, as u
third payment on the land. In Novem-
Der he stated he would be able to pay
it and went on to say something about
the balance. He said he had arranged
posed to loan it to him for per cent.
payable semi-annually; another at S
per cent. annually. He asked me . bout
it and told him if he lost his job he
would advise him to take the s per
cent. AS to why | notificG the bank
not to pay it was in cons qucnce OF
papers on the cotton which would pre-
vent me getting it. There was a $1,000
note in the Farmers and Merchants
Anderson bank which Mr. Fowler had
endorsed and which had gone to pro.
teat. MIR. II. Nj. Burris and Mr. j. q.
Hammond were the other cndCrsers
The note was made by Colonel Neal
Thoy notified Mr.. Ragsdalc not to
move any cotton from the farm. He
went over to take the cotton to sell il
and meet the draft, when he was no.
titled that others had lien on it..
Then he told the bank not to pay tho
note. He has never ascertained from
Colonel Neal what those &agsdale
notes were given for.
the draft and Col. Neal told him that
if he had had the opportunity he would
have advised witness not to nave done
it. | told Col. Ne | that he knew that
| was not morally responsible for the
hire, and Col. Neal replied that WAS
true. Col. Meals general tenor was
that he himself was responsible. He
said so. He said Col. Neal told him
that he had informed the board of the
transfer Of bis contract, and he was
shocked when some Of them told him
they knew nothing about it. He WAS
dealing with Col. Neal as an individual
and did not know that there was any
thing contrary to law in the transac-
tion.
In answer to Senator Livingston he
said there was no secret agreement
SO far as he was concerned. He had
nothing TO conceal. lie didn't know
whether the board knew about the
that he had told the board that he
did not hold himself liable TO the hire.
This was when Mr.. Cunningham
showed MIN the memoranda during
the session Of the Legislature. He
could not remember whether he had
made the verbal agreement with Col.
Neal about the use Of the cOnvicts be-
fore or after he made the contract for
convcts. 1t was really Col. Meals con-
tract and witness was never required
to sign bond as had previously been
the case. He produced some letters
and papers bearing on his testimony as
to the sale Of cotton.
THE BOOK.KEEpER GIVES HIS AC
COUNT OF PENITENTIART AFFAIRS.
Mr.. r.. X. Burriss, book keeper of the
penltcntlary, was the next witness.
He has kept the books during Col.
Meals term, He saw only the B. b.
Ragsdalc note. Going back to 1896 the
Watson contract was made. The first
note which came to him was IN April,
1896, for 81. l.56J and was given by Mr..
Watson. 1t was payable in the fail.
That note was not paid at maturity,
but was charged by the bank to the
penitentiary account. On December,
1896, the note and interest after ma
turity was charged. The amount was
for 81 $50, less the discount. The Eirc
for 1896 amounted to something over
81, 800. Some time in 1897 Col. Neal
told him OF settlement he had hau
with Watson and turned over $3lS.S7.
Col. Neal said the note has been settled
up and the S3lS 81 WAS TO go on convict
hire for 1896. He thinks the note of
one Of the Ragsdalcs was taken up in
this transaction.
In February, 1898, Mr.. Clark, or Col
Jones, told him tney had note Of b
b. Ragsdalo. He called Col. Meals at
tcntlOn 10 III ana be SAID Ii had beer
arranged. lie didn't say anything
| about the circumstances Of giving tn,
note. In February, 1898, was q 81 39
| note by Watson to cover the 81 convic
hire. In April, 1897, there was pay
mont of $l72 by check, which was no
paid. Col. Neal said he would arrang.
| the matter with tho bank, and it wa
carried as cash. 1t was given by Col
Neal personally, he saying he woul,
! have to pay discount on the note. IL
knew nothing about the Neal and Wat
son private contract. Col. Neal hat
mover told him anything about it. II,
knew nothing about the 9. w. Rags
dale note until about six weeks age
when ne learned Of it through q lctto
to Col. Neal Col. Neal dcpositcl
notice in payment Of 1898 convict hire
He was under the impression it was
Watson note. AS to the accnnnL OF w
q. Hammond OF 1902, at uac ,,anuar
meeting OF the board, 10 asked tn
chairman to ask parties owing to com
down and settle. They ct.,ne In FcSru
airy. Mr.. Hammond produced state
mcnt, draft and check. The chcc
| Waa IN hnnk nf a nd ,f Man. / -