The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-07-11
El.M NArLt4..

pave the way Tor the Record 8 COM
ments upon the trial which spite of
those troubles, the Record unhesi-
tatingly asserts that Colonel Neal
was the best superintendent the
penitentiary has ever had. lie
made many improvements in tho
management of the institution.
During his administration, the
sanitary condition of tho peniten.
tiary was so much improved that
there was great decrease in the
death rate among the convicts.
Moreover, the equipments Of tho
institution were greatly bothered
and ils management eystematized
and put upon such a solid business
basis that the institution made big
money for the state, instead of re.
quiring appropriations to supple.
ment its earnings in the payment
OF it's running expenses. Allthis ia
to Colonel Meals credit, and even
his enemies are forced to admit
that from this standpoint his ad.
ministration was remarkably sue.
cossful.
But during his administration
the accounts of the institution cot
somewhat tangled and he was
charged with stealing state funds.
This charge was tried III the Rich.
land county court and Colonel Neal
was acquitted. That was a charge
which directly affected his charac.
ter and the verdict of "not guilty"
vindicated him. He was indicted
on several charges, a sort of drag
net having been thrown out for him
ne having many influential enc.
mics who would be glad to see him
suffer. The Indictment on which
he was tried last week charges what
was really only technical viola.
ton of law and Of this he was con.
victed, after a fight upon him of
exceptional bitterness.
The charge against him was
failure to turn over to his success.
sor within thirty days after he oh.
tanned the office what pubic funds
were in his hands. The indict-
mont specified certain collections,
however, and did not charge that
the lump balance which should
have been on hand was not turned
over. And right an this point it is
probable that Colonel Neal will
get new trial from the supreme
court, as the presiding Judge made
q ruling there which is open to
question.
1t was developed in the trial
that during his term Of office,
Colonel Neal had been sufferer
from II severe case Of sciatlca. AS
result of the medical treatment
for that disease, he became addict
cd to the morphine habit. He got
so that he took fifteen grains of
that insidious drug daily. Any
body that knows anything at all
knows tho effect Of this drug on
the human mind. While he was
IN the clutches of tins dreadful
ht bit, Colonel Neal's accounts az
superintendent Of the pcntentiary
got out Of order. His enemies say
he stole public funds. An indict.
ment based on this idea was tried
last year, and jury Of Richlund
citizvns acquitted him. But he had
been indicted on the charge Of not
turning over public funds within
thirty days after going out Of office,
and on this ne was tried last week I.
The defense was that Colonel
Neal had no intention whatever
to defFaud tho state; that when he
was in the clutches Of the morphine
habit he would collect money,
handing part over to his book.
keeper and keeping part for travel.
Ing and other expenses, as he as
superintendent had n right to do,
intending aftsrward to give an 40.
count of how he had used tho mo.
ncy. But morphine induces q
treaoherous memory and those ac.
; counts were not Strengthened out
, Whom his turn expired, Colonel
: Neal was ready and willing to pay
his successor whatever he owed the
state, but this amount WIS moi
D known and that successor would
1 not give him a clear receipt, nc
matter what amount he turned
. over, because the legislature had
. appointed committee to investi.
gate and find out what amount
d Colonel Neal owed, and until that
o committee reported, there was no.
4 body who could give clear re.
o celpt. The appointment of that
committee by the law.making body
: of tho state, to the mind of the
. common ordinary mortal and some
Y lawyers, acted as y stay OF the re.
q quirement that Colonel Neal should
make settlement within thirty
days. Colonel Neal was 80 ady;s.
cd legally and acted on that advice.
AT the investigation, he was the
chief witNaeS aoainut b;,,aols ,nI