The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-08-11
COMPTROLLER JONES WRITES.
A Letter from Him to Captain Riley in Reference
to Bambers County Affairs.

berg county:
In nv speech at the campaign meeting
in Bamberg August 1st, I contended that
Col Folk had no rightto claim reelection
to Treasurer's Office for the reason that
he had managed the office in an inefficient
and incompetent manner In support of
this contention, read the Comptroller
Generals report as to investigation OF
Bamberg county, showing gross lrregu-
larities. This report was published in last
weeks issue of The Herald as part of
my speech. Col Folks explanation of said
report being unsatisfactory to me, wrote
to the Comptroller General and have his
reply now beg to lay before the inter-
ested taxpayers of the county this cores
pondence, which confirms, without any
possible doubt, my contention Comment
is unnecessary All 1 ask is that the peo-
pie read and digest the Comptroller's
letter and then draw their own conclu-
sions.
wish to call especial attention to the
fact that do not base my charges upon
vague circumstances or imaginary acts,
but solely upon official records and official
utterances from the very highest author
ity, namely: the Hon A " Jones, Comp
troller General, who has been placed at
the head of the taxpaying department of
the State and whose duty it is to super
wise and keep straight all the County
Treasurers throughout the State.
BAMBERG, S. c., August 4, 1904.
Hon. A. W. Jones, Comptroller General,
Columbia, S. c.
Dear Sir: I send by this mail in sep
arate cover marked copy of the Bam-
berg Herald, which shows in fair degree
Col. Folks explanation of your report as
to Bamberg county. |, together with
many other citizens ofthe county, am not
satisfied with Col. Folks explanation,
and if not asking too much would be glad
to have your version of the matter, more
especially in regard to his acquiescence
in the report and in what way he Ac-
COUNTED for the over-credit and WHEN,
etc., etc.
If YOU will answer this you will place
me under great obligations and also a
great many people in the county who
want the light turned on. Awaiting an
early reply. Yours very respectfully,
W. A. RILEY.
COLUMBIA, S. c., Aug. 5, 1904.
Mr.. W. A. Riley, Bamberg, S. c.
Dear Sir Il have before me you letter
of August 4th, asking for an explanation
of my report as Comptroller General in
the matter Of the annual settlement OF
taxes for Bamberg county, fiscal years
1900 and 1901.
The records of this Office show that Mr..
J. F. Folk took charge of the Treasurer's
Office August 9th, 1901; that settlement
was made with him covering the period
from August 9th, 1901, to October 10Th,
1901 This settlement is duly signed by
J. F. Folk, County Treasurer, r. W. D.
Rowell, County Auditor, and E. c. Bruce,
County Supervisor. This settlement also
covered the final settlement with ex-
Treasurer Dickinson for taxes of 1900,
but was separate and distinct on the sheet
and ONLY the items turned over by Dir.
Dickinson toTreasurer Folk were brought
down and charged to Treasurer's Folks
settlement. On October 1st, 1902, MIR K
W D Rowell, County Auditor, made the
annual settlement with County Treasurer
Folk for the taxes of 1901, and filed said
settlement in the Comptroller Generals
Office and it was published, just as re-
ceiyed, in the Comptroller's report for
1902. I will state that when Mr RoWel
filed the said settlement the office force
did not have the time to check 1t up, out
in the spring of 1908, some six months
| after it's receipt, this office in attempting
to check it, found it to be in lndescrloaole
confusion; the settlement showing that
the county was due Treasurer Folk
s3,s7O46. Mr. E B Wilson, the chief
clerk of this Office, was instructed to to
Bamberg, check up and adjust the ac-
counts: this he did, eliminating the i'm
proper debts and credits. Asan instance
of the improper credits allowed Dir
Folk, it was found that he had been
given credit for over IS 100000 in county
commissioners warrants in excess OF the
amount of county commissioners war
rants shown by the Supervisors book.
Erroneous debts reduced this amount.
The result of the investigation and cor.
rection of the settlement, reduced the
county Indebtedness to Mr. Folk from
s3.s70.46 to $a,203s9, the net reduction
being 81 1,666.57. Mr. Folk acquiesced in
the reduction by this amount l will
state further, that Mr. Wilson's report to
me covering the errors discovered by him.
was not covered in my report to the legls-
lature, hut I simply stated the net result.
The chief clerk in reporting the investi-
CATION says in his report: 81 could not
90 into thorough investigation of the
dispensary account for want of time, but
Mr. Folk and Mr. Rowell declared it to be
all right, but finding so many errors IN
the other accounts, I am not satisfied and IN d
when visit the county to check up the
next annual settlement, will cheek up
thoroughly the dispensary accounts
However, I believe that the errors have
all been corrected, but in justice to Mr
Folk, a complete investigation will be
made as soon as the time can be spared
for this purpose.
I trust the above will give you the in