The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-09-04
PARDON OF NEAL
Calls Forth q Statement from A.
torney. General saIIinger.
WHAT he HAS TO SAY.
Protest Most Vigorously Against
Certain Statements That
Have Been Made About
the Cass.


most vigorously against certain state
ments that have been made N connsc-
ton with the pardon Of Col. Nasi. he
does SO becsuse Of his being the chief
officer in charge Of the prosecution OF
Colonel Neal. Here is his statement:
"While the case Of the state vs., ".
A. Neal was still within the control OF
the courts I felt that propriety, if not
Justice, dictated that the prosecuting
officer should remain silent as to certain
statements made in behalf of the de.
fen6snt through the public prints,
eriticisins the motives Of the prosecu-
tion, impugning the inpartisl!ty OF the
presiding judge and tending to mislesd
the uniformed public as to tbs facts
Of the case; but inssnuch as the gov
ernor has granted full unconditional
pardon to the defendant, justice to the
people Of the state, whose servants pub.
lie officials are to the cause Of truth and
to the integrity and ability Of one Of
the purest nsa ever honored with the
ermine, impels me to speak, while the
propriety Of my course the future must
decide.
Fer the past few day numerous
statements and predictions have been
made in the daily press, as to the prime
responsibility for which it is not neces-
ssrv 10 irouirs. It has been said, the
attorney general, it is said, gave
Colonel Meals bo1dsmen recsipt, for
the amount due by him to the state.
No such receipt ever was given, for
the reason that it had been held all
along by this Office that the bondsmeo
werc liable for only part Of what Neal
was due the state, and only for this part
was any receipt given or any money
paid. Communication was begun with
Neal immediately upon the receipt Of
the report Of the committee, early IN
August, 1899. and continued from time
TO time unpro6tably until August 29,
when warrants we're sworn out against
him and his arrest followed.
Demand was made on his bondsren
on September, 4, 1899, and the sum Of
s2.s12 Il finally paid by them on the
18th day Of the same month, after COM
plants we're prepared, ready to be
served in the suit against the bonds
men. The.receipt given distinctly states
the items Of the shortage included in
the sum.
SIT was also said in Wednesdays
State, by one apparently speaking with
knowledge:' During the hearing Con
petition for pardon) the governor ask
ed Mr.. Nelson some questions as to
what amount Colonel Neal still owed
the state, or whether by his scts the
state stood in danger Of losing anything.
Ofhand replies were given to
the questions asked By the governor,
but later on written explanations will
probably be fled and the governor
Will frat refer the petition to the trial
Judge and the solicitor before going
further in the matter I an justified
in saying no reference Of the matter was
SO made and consequently the proseeu-
ton now has the first opportunity to be
heard; snd did no one now speak in be-
half Of the state it nig ght reasonably be
inferred that the statements OF fact
contained in the petition remain IN
challenged.
''Inasmuch as the governor, Cd the
18th Of August, 1899, in transmitting
the report Of the investigating commit
tee, said in his fisial letter to the at
wrney general. ! ask that you take
such action as the law req 1Ires and pro-
test the interests Of the state to secure
the administration Of justice. would
ask also that you advise me what further
steps are necessary to be taken By me
to carry out the findings Of the COM
mittee, as contained in the report.
(Report, p. y, and as he further said to
the legislature: The whole matter Wss
then placed in the hands Of the attor.
ney general with full power to act and
protect as far as possible the interests
Of the state Report, p. g., it is Eea'
so1sble to suppose that that officer
hneW better to what extent the state
Was to be affected than defendants at
torneys. Had he honored NE with a
request for information I should have
shown him, from the copy Of the re-
port which his ofice had printed and
sent to the general assembly, that the
joint investigating Committee (Rsport,
.. 16) reported to him oG,islly thai IN
addition to the items for which the
bondsmen subsequently, paid the state,
Neal Was liable for convict hire for
three years, amounting to 81. 400, and
that the attorney general reported, IN
sddition to the amount for which the
bo1dsmen were chargeable, that on
the account of the lease Of conviots for
three years the state has lost 81, 600,
(Report, .. ~ and I should have shown
him, by the testimony printed in ssid
report that (pages 69.1O7) Neal Sc
knowledged that tie notes which be
had taken fson the Rsgsdsles were
discounted at the bank IN order to raise
money to pay his personal debts cue
the peniteutiary On account Of convict
hire; that the Rsgsoslss we're not even
morally responsible for the amount;
that he received the benefits sTisIDg
from the lease Of the convicts and tlas
the penitentiary authorities now held
one Of these notes, amounting to s., 500
for the hire Of conVicss fer the yesz
1897. And ! should have reminded him
that in his report to the general assem-
bly, he used this language: 1t will
not be improper for me in this coarec.
tion to commend the thcroughness AID
efficiency with which this committee
has discharged the diff ,ult duties they
had in hand, IS you will see from the
report herewith sumitted. The after
ney general has discharged his duties
in this matter faithfully and recon-
mend his diligence. "
Having been confined, as source Of
information, to common runors and to
the articles published in the neWsps-
Dars az To the facts nresenteo on behalf