The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-03-16
out that note Is through our report.
1t appears In the report uf 1896.

1t appears In the report uf 1896.
"Have you q copy OF that report ?"
"No, sir. The note Of .. w. Rags
dale is the Same as the convict hire tC
Mr.. Watson in 1896"
"And your understanding was that
the note was put in the bank and the
money got for It, Has Col. Neal ex.
planned this matter to you; have you
asked him about those notes ?"
Eyes, have"
"What is his explanation 2"
HE has not given any satisfactory
explanation. He said they would be
settled"
The only information the board has
from him is that they will be settled" ;"
This check Of j. B. Watson he said
he had Just discovered was unsecured
by bond"
A number Of other questions served
to show that these notes had appeared
In the suporintendent's report as being
satisfactory. The balance due by O. c..
Scarborough, the witness said had been
paid. In regard to the overdraft of
So, 355. .62, he said the bank had allowed
it to be made when Col. Neal paid the
$4,000 into the State treasury this
year. 1t had since been paid by funds
derived from the sale of certain pro-
duoe from tho State farms.
The disposition of the convicts for
the present year was taken up. Mr..
Cunningham said that 2G0 convicts
were hired out.
In answer to questions he said that
the majority of the convicts let were in
Anderson County. A number Of them
were hired TO Hammond, }. b. Watson,
Fowler and others. These mon had
promised that they would pay up if
their contracts were renewed.
In answer to several questions by Mr..
Hay as to the disposition OF the fal IN
products, the witness said tho mem bers
Of the board Of directors were satisfied
that all these things we're sold and due
credit given to the penitentiary.
MIR. FOWLER'S TESTIMONY.
Mr.. j. S. Fowler, o! the firm of Cooley
Il Fowler, came into the room as MIR.
Cunningham was finishing his testi-
mOny.
Mr.. Stevenson called his attention to
the fact that in the last report OF the
board OF directors he was put down as
still due the State for convict hire
$S66.51. This he said was erroneous.
He had paid $500 Of the amount.
"Have you a receipt for such paw.
81 have" answered Mr.. Fowler, and
he pulled from his pocket a draft OF the
date of February "a, 1897, upon him
self drawn by Col. Neal, which was
marked paid. Itwus paid through the
Farmers and Merchants bank Of An
dersUn.
Mr.. Patton then took up the Ques-
tioning and brought out the facts that
when the Legislature was in ses-
sion Mr.. Fowler had been to Columbia
to see about renewing his contract for
convicts. The board OF directors did
not want to let him have them until he
had settled his account for past hire.
He assured them that we're tho con-
tract renewed he would see that the
past claims were paid. He was not
very positive about tic assurances
given the directors, but said:
"At the time this matter was brought
uD | vas in a great hurry to get of.
The matter WAS to be left open tempo
rarily. Col. Neal went up on the same
tr lin, and as soon as we got there Gan
derson) arrangements were to be made
to pay up this money"
Further questioning developed the
facts that if Col Neal made satisfac-
tory arrangements, that he (Fowler)
was to let him have tho $500 to help
balance the account.
These arrangement, Mr.. Fowler said,
were not made.
Col. Neal was offered the privilege OF
questioning either MIR. Fowler or Mir.
Cunningham, but declired.
THE TESTIMONY OF J. B. WATSON.
Mr.. j. Bolton Watson, OF Anderson
County, was most important witness,
owing to large and unsettled transac.
tions between Col. Neal and himself,
in which the penitentiary funds were
mixed. His statement is as follows:
After being sworn, he was shown a
contract and said it was for work on IA
plantation he owned, which was for
mcrly owned by Col. Neal He ac-
quired it in 1893. For lS96-'97 '9S he
aid not work convict labor under the
contract. Col. Neal worked 1t. He
rcsold the farm to Col. Neal for SD, 600
IA credit transaction. He didn't re-
member whether it was before or after
the contract for convicts was made,
but thinks it was after. Papers were pro
ducod showing that the convict con
tract and the transfer OF land was made
on the Same day. He got no convicts
during '9G, '97, '0S for his own use.
Referring to the penitentary report
for 1896, he Is credited with paying
So 900 or moro for convict hire; he said
he knew nothing OF it. He supposed
If he was liable, it was under the con
tract, but he mover used convict hire
In January, 1897, he is CT edited with
paying over $500 as balance. He de.
MED that he owed any balance. In
April, 1896. he was credited by the re-
port for 81 ,lS2.75. He was not positive
whether he had paid that on the settle
mcnt on his contract, which expired in
| 1895. Since then he had not used one
| hour Of convict labor. In 1896 Mr.
Burris wrote that witness had givcr
% note for the hire Of convicts for that
year. The cotton raised on the Ander
son and Pickens farms was sold to fac
tories. The balance coming to me tt
pay for the land was turned over tt
| Col. Neal. The amount was 81 ,465. .S3
1t was to be credited to payment f0l
convict labor. He got u receipt signeC
by superintendent Neal. (Mr. Stephen
son remarked that thcro was no credit
In the report.) Mr.. Watson said IL
letters and from personal statements
from Col. Neal he was told that all &C
| oonpIa n al hppp bnl lappp1 m and h Z