The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-09-06
oalis Forth a sss|aaanaHs 'ss| taln:As.
torney. General Rallingor.
WHAT NE HAS TO SAY.
Protest Most Vigorously Against
Certain statemants That
Hava Boon Made About
tho Case.

meutb kuRS nave Doou luAuO Al cUuUeC-
!, tion with tho pardon Of Ool. Neal. He
docs 50 beosuoo Of his boing tho chief
officer in charge Of tho prosecution Of
Colonel Neal. Horo is his statement:
'Whilo the case of tho state VS.. w.
A. Neal WAS still within the control Of
tho courts I folt that propriety, if not
Justice. dictated that tho prosecuting
officer should remain silent as to certain
statements mado in bohalf Of tho do.
fendaut through tho public prints,
criticising tho motives of the prosecu.
tion, impugning tho impartiality Of tho
presiding judge and tonding to misoad
tho uninformod public 90 to the facts
Of the oaao; but inasmuch as the gov
ernor has granted full, unconditional
pardon to the defendant, juatioo to tho
people Of tho state, whoso servants pub
lilo offioisll are to tho oauso of truth and
to tho integrity and ability of ono OF
the purost mon over honorod with tho
ormino, impols mo to spoak, whilo tho
proprioty Of my oourse tho future must
decide.
"Fcr the past few day numerous
statements and predictions hevo boon
mado in tho daily press, as to tho primo
responsibility for which it 10 not nooes-
sary to inquire. 1t has bcon said, tho
attorney general, it is said, gavo
Colonel Meals bo1dsmen roooipt. for
tho amount duo by him to the state. ;
No such recoipt evcr was givon, for
the. reason that it had boon hold all
along by this offioo that tho bondsmon
werc liable for only part of what Noal
WAC duo the state, and ouly for this part
Was any recoips given or any money
paid. Communication was begun with
Neal Immediately upon tho roooipt Of
tho report Of the committee, carly in
August, 1899, and continued from timo
to time unproftably until August 20,
whom warrants woro sworn out against
him and his arrest followed.
"Demand was made on his bondsmon
on September, 4, 1899, and tho sum of
1882 Al finally paid by thom on tho
18th day OF the same month, aftor com-
plants wore prepared, ready to be
served in tho suit against the bonds
mon. The receipt given distinctly statos
the items Of tho shortage included in
the sum.
ut WAS also said in Wednesdays
State, by ono apparently speaking with
knowlodge;' During the hearing (on
petition for pardon) the governor ask
cd Mr.. Nelson some questions as to
what amount Colonel Neal still owed
the state, or whother by his acts tho
state stood in danger of losing anything,
Ofhand replies woro given to
tho questions asked by tho governor,
but lator on writton explanations will
probably be fled and tho governor
u will frat refer the petition to tho trial
Judge and the solicitor before going
3sifurthor, In the matter I am justified
I LIN cay ing no roforonoe OF tho mattor was
p34s sms dc and consequently the prosoou-
K tion now has the first opportunity to be
heard and did no ono now speak in be-.
half Of tho state it might reasonably bo
inferred that tho statements Of fact
contained in the petition remain un
challenged.
"lnasmuoh as the governor, on the
18th Of August, 1899, in trane1nitting
the report OF tho investigating commit
tee, said in his off oial letter to tho at.
ttrney general. I ask that you tako
suoh action as the law requires and pro-
tect the intorests of tho state to aoouro
the administration of justioo. I would
ask also that you advise me what further
steps arc necessary to bo taken by nc
to CARR out tho findings Of tho com
mittc5, as contained in tho report
Report, p. y, and az he further said to
tho legislature: Tho whole msttor waa
then placed in tho hands of the attor.
ney general with full power to act and
protect as far as possible the intorosts
of the state Oeport, p. 6), it is rea.
aonablo to suppose that that officer
hnew botter to what extont tho state
wab to be Affected than defondants at
torneys. Had he honorod me with a
request for information | should havo
shown him, from the copy Of tho re-
port which his Office he'd printed and
sent TO the general assembly, that tho
joint Investigating Committee (Report,
p. 16) reported to him officially that in
addition to the items for which the
bondsmon subsequently paid sine state,
Neal was liable for convict hire for
three years, amounting to $7,400, and
that tho attorney genersl reported, in
addition to the amount for which the
bondemen were ohargeablo, that on
tho account Of tho lease of convicts far
three yOars tho state mas lost So. .6O0,'
(Report, p. ~ and Ishould have shown
him, by the testimony printed in said
report that (pages 68.107) Ncal ao-
knOwledgod that tho notes which ho
had taken from the Ragsdales were
discounted at tho bank in order to raiso
money to pay his personal debts due
the penitentiAry on account Of convict
hire; that the Kagsdalos wore not ovon
morally responsible for the amount;
that no received tho benefits ariaing
from tho loaso Of tho oonvicts and that
tho ponitontiary authorities now hold
one Of these notes, amounting to $2, 800
for the hire of oonyicts for tho yoar
1897. And should havo reminded him
that in his report to tho general Assem-.
bly, no used this language: 1T will
not be improper for mo in this oonnoo.
tiop to commend tho thoroughnoss and
efficiency with which this committee
has discharged tho difficult duties thoy
had in hand, as you will sec from tho
report herewith sumitted.' The attor-
ney gonoral has discharged his dutios
in this matter faithfully and I rooom-
mond his diligence
Having been confined, as sourco Of
information, to common rumors and to
the articles published in tho nowspa-
pere as to tho facts prosentod on bohalf
OF tho defendant, l am not informed of
any oyidenoe laid hafora b;s ovooIIonou