The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-11
COMMITTEE REPORTS
SAYS COLONEL NEAL OWES OyEI,
S11 900.
Makes no Recommendations ns to What
Shall be Donc-SynOysis OF tho Re
port.
columbia Record.

today. It consists of twenty long
pages of typo. written matter and
goes into all tho details Of tho ipvcsti-
CATION. Thoy make lJ recommenda.
tions as to what shall no done, loav-
ing that to tho dis; retion of tho
Governor and Attorney general.
Neither of these officials arc in to-
day.
Following is synopsis of the i'm
portant parts of the report:
AS to tho general financial affairs
of the penitentiary, tho committee
states that they found tho affairs not
at all creditable. The directors
knew little, too littlo, Of the affairs
OF the institution and were Subserv-
lent to the will Of the superinten-
dent. The fact that thoro were 81,
0OO worth of Rngsdale notes in tho
bank, representing convict hire for
two years on Neal's place, while the
directors thought that it had been
paid showed that their knowledge
was superficial. The fact that they
paid him $40 month for stable rent
fol- over six years and allowing peni-
tentiary horses to stand in the stable,
which Colonel Neeal used for his own
benefit is another evidence of the
somnolence of their faculties in ap-
proving accounts. There is no law
authorizing directors keeping lot of
horses for the use Of the Superinten-
dents family and this was unwar
ranted extravaganza.
Custom of entertaining at the pen
itentiary grew up largely under Mr..
Neal. Crowds ato there free, max
ing the taxpayers their hotel keepers
The board of directors set the OK
ample by boarding themselves there.
This rule has been changed, rs the
board of directors now live in the
city. The institution came to be
considered place whore any accom-.
mediation could be had.
We find that articles produced at
the penitentary have boon given away
such as book case to Congressman
Latimer, furniture to d. A. Tomp-
kins and T. j. Cunningham, and S.
l.. j. Garris and Senator Tillman
got carload of brick. Tillman says
Neal gave him the brick, but Neal
says he sold them to him. Neal
now processes he is ready to pay for
most of these articles. Mr.. Garris
also got a carload of brick bats, some
pigs and turni ps. Mr. Garris has
been anxious to settle the pig bill,
but could not have it made out,
but the other artiles were mere pre-
sents.
Further, Neal allowed the Cover
nors of the State during his admins
tration to get such things as they de-
sired and neither presented the bill
for them nor placed thom in the as
sets on the books. Neal himself
took supplies to largo extent and
never paid for them. The Superin
tendent was furnished free coal and
wood. This is not allowed by law
and is merely device to increase his
salary. Neal and Ellerbe had their
washing done at the laundry at the pen
ltentiary. 1t is disagreeble to refer
to these matters, but if the Governors
salary is too small it should be in
creased by the General Assembly, and
not supplemented by tho peniton-
tlary. A public officer, because he
is public officer, has no moro right
to the property Of the State than the
humblest citizen. We think the
penitentiary authorities should at
once find out the value of the things
thus given away and present the
bills to the parties to whom the
things were gwen, many of whom
have professed Willingness to pay
for them.
The management has been re-
ceiving favors and granting them in
return. Hon. j. w. Asheley fur
nished transportation to the officials
and in return his horse was boarded
at the penitentiary, during the ses
sion of 1893. This may be conven-
lent, but it is not business.
Another uubusinesslike matter
was the contract with the knitting