Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-07-16
Ma. COOK REPLIES.
He Shows Up with Letters from Col. Robt. A.
ThomP:s: saea ssaea Hon. W. N. brown. 4

He Shows Up with Letters from Col. Robt. A.
Thompsc::: ssa Hon. w. m. Brown.
Fort Madison. July 14.-Editors Cou-
rier; IN our communication of last week
we made special mention of an Act,
which was passed in the Legislature OF
1901, requiring the Supervisor and the
County Board of Commissioners TO pubs
lish an iteuiized report of all the ac-
counts audited by them, and the reports
should show the nature of claim or ser
vices rendered, as well as the names of
claimants and amounts Mr.. II. A. III.
Schroeder thinks there Is no such law.
He says: 81 will ask Mr.. Cook to please
tell me where can find the law he refers
to-"
Now, Messrs Editors, it seems strange
that an officer who lives in nest of law
yers would apply to an old olod-hopper
like myself, who lives twenty miles away,
for instructions on a roint of law. This
looks very much like he did not believe
anything that we said, and wanted to
critioise us. Therefore, we hope If we
furnish the necessary proof to satisfy our
friond that he will be frank enough to
acknowledge the same. We can tell him
where we found it; then, probably, he
will not quote any more laws which are
| $500 Va a'o yOoio oiu, aho laWb bndb nave
been repealed.
We first read a copy of this law in the
columns of The Courier when the Legis-
| lature was in session in 1901. Now, as
our friend, Mr.. Schroeder, is one of it's
force, we would like to ask him where
he found it. OF course, the law may not
be precisely the same words that /
quoted in my article, but they were very
nearly the same as / quoted. After we
noticed that this law was not being en-
forced l thought probably it had been
repealed. So l wrote Col. r. A. Thomp-
son in regard to the law, and now give
you his letter in full, as follows, verba-
| tim:
Walhalla, S, O., June "a, f002-J. a.
| Cook, Fort Madison, S. c.: My Dear Sir:
Yours of June 10Th, in reference to
duties of County Commissioners, has
been received. The Legislature of 1901
enacted that the County Board of Com
missioners in publishing their reports,
the said shall show the nature of claims
or services rendered, as we'll as the names
of claimants and amounts allowed. In
1902 the law was so amended that their
reports should be published, and a pen
atty was added for not performing this
duty. l have not got copy of the Act
of 1901, but give you the words of the
Robt. A. Thompson.
1NoWt his oShlouol, au uOU u lawyer,
but Col. Thompson is. He is not only
one of the Oldest lawyers in the State,
and reputable one, but he was one of
our Representatives and was in the
Legislature of 1901, and he certainly
ought to know what he is talking about.
Now, it might be possible that we are
mistaken, but it's hardly probable. If
my friend Schroeder will look over the
old files of The Courier in the year 1901,
he will find copy of this Act published
| there. If it is not law it certainly
should be. If they show the nature OF
| claims or services rendered, then the
people could see how much of their
money was being expended for cartridges
for the convicts to shoot at stumps; also
| we might see how much fine six-dollar
flour, canvassed ham, sugar, coffee, and
| all kind of canned goods, five-dollar
trunks, etc., that had been bought fol-
| the convicts.
| Now, Messrs. Editors, we have no in.
clination to dabble with private matters
at all, but we are all concerued in public
matters; therefore we hope our friend.
Mr.. Schroeder, will answer our ouest tions
that we asked in our article of last week
If he is book-keeper for the County
Board, 1 suppose it would be less trouble
| to him than to anyone else. If it's any
trouble to him, we are ready to pay him
q reasonable price for his work in getting
up this information. Question is as fol.
| lows: How much was the county in debt
when the present officers took charge OF
the county affairs, and how much is the
county in debt oday? We suppose Mr..
Schroeder had not had the time to look
this matter up for last weeks paper, but
we hope he will answer at his conven.
fence. Yours etc., j. A. Cook.
Since the above article was written we
are in receipt of letter from Hon. w.
~ al Do b.,
tive in the Legislature of 1901. His let
| ter is as follows verbatim:
| Oakway, s. c., July>12, 1907. A.
Cook, Fort Madison S. C.-Dear Sir
Yours to hand and contents noted. The
| Act of 1901 requires the Commissioners
in all the counties in publishing reports
of claims to show the nature of claims OF
| services rendered as we'll as name OF
claimants and amount allowed Ap.
proved February 8, 1901. This Act is
found on page 665, No. 3S4. The Act OF
| 1902 amends and repeals inconsistent
Acts, and says that the failure of any OF
the Supervisors to publish said reports
! shall be misdemeanor punished by fine
or imprisonment or both within the dis
ary 20, 1902. This Act is on page 9S3-4,
| No. 553. remain as ever yours,
| w. M. Brown.
Now, friend Schroeder, if we have not
given you the necessary proof to satisfy
| you, please let us know and we will try
| and get up more evidence in the case.
It's true that we have not been away from
| home for the last twelve months much,
simply because we have no roads to
travel. But we can stay at home and
read The Courier. 1t comes to us on
| the railway train, and when we read il
we don't forget what we read in q few
minutes. That's where we got this law.
j. A. Cook.
Schroeder Acknowledges the "Corn."
Walhalla, July 15.-Editors Courier
Mr.. Cook wants me to acknowledge the
| "corn," which 1 gladly do. was ready
to acknowledge it on the 10th, the day
Following the publication of my commu.
nication, for Col. Thompson pulled that
| 1902 Act on us, but will say that nei-
| ther of the laws referred to last week
| have been repealed. Mr.. Cook says we
| will not quote any more laws which are
four or five years DID, and laws that have
been repealed" He knows they have
not been repealed, and ought to have
the manhood to acknowledge it.
desire to thank Col. Thompson and
MIR. Brown for stating where / could
find the information asked for, as it will
be seen by Mr.. Cooks article that he did
not know, and was about to give up the
"chase" when Mr.. Browns letter came
to his relief.
! The Supervisors report of claims
audited, compiled expressly for Cook"
will be found in another column of this
issue. Respectfully,
| p. S.-Will endeavor, in the near
future, to give Mr.. Cook the information
| asked for. f. III. 8.