Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-02-24
FORMER STATE HOUSE
COMMISSIONS REPLY,
Text Of the Answer to the Legislative
Committees Report on the
State House.
ALL THE ISSUES ARE FULLY DISCUSSED
Document Of Interest to All the People of South
Carolina--The Charges and Counter
Charges.

, er statement in writing that the said
memorialists may have to submit will
! be received and considered by the
general assembly whenever presented"
| Whereupon your honorable body saw
fit to refuse the request for the said
full. free and fair investigation, but
instead adopted q resolution permit
! ting the commission for the compile
ton of the building to represent to
your honorable body such statement
| as they saw fit.
WHY CONCEAL THE FACTS?
When Louis the XVI was led upon
the guillotine and began an address in
his defense, Santeere, butcher who
had been given command of the mu-
nicipal guard around the scaffold, or
dered the drums to be beaten. The
words of the French king were thus
sienced.
Neither the lives nor the property of
the members of this commission are
threatened but that which is as dear
to us as life and Droperty--our repu-
tation and good names-has been as
sailed, and our respectful request that
your body appoint committee to hear
both sides of the matter, and lay all
the facts before the people, has been
denied. You have, however, accord
ed us the privilege of making a state
| ment In writing, which we will now
proceed to do and endeavor to make
this report in as parliamentary Ian
guagc as our justly outraged feelings
Will permit, and the facts will Justify.
But, gentlemen, what we asked and
demanded of your body which we
feel we had q right to demand, was
that all the evidence in this matter be
! brought to light, that the committee
be empowered to summon witnesses
and have them examined under oath
and not to cnrfine the investigation to
such eviden, rs could be secured from
voluntary ties -.
! Many witne - to important facts
refuse to make affidavits but they
could be compelled to testify at such
| hearing.
THIS COMMISSION HAS REI.N
REFLECTED UPON AND THE
| PERSONAL INTEGRITY OF IT'S
| MEMBERS ATTACKED by THE
| REPORT.
This contention is made notwith-
standing the disclaimer of the members
| or the committee made upon the floor
| of the legislature to the contrary and
without any assertion on our part that
Such reflection was Intentional That
! the impression that such a reflection
| was made is abundantly proven by
| reference to every daily paper pub
lishcd in the state. wherein the ac-
tion or the commission is character
lHed as an "infamy," Scandal" etc
if the committee was innocent of any
intention TO attack the characters Of
those constituting the commission il
was most unfortunate in its use of the
| English language. The members Of
| TINS investigating committee now give
IL 10 be understood that their vicious
ttack was directed against the archi-
tcCt and the contractors and charitablv
suggest that this commission WAS dun
! cd and DambOuZled by these employees.
ana that we were to be fOrSiN on for our
weakness, ana that the charge against
| us OF being fools must not be serious
! ~ taken as rciiccting upon us
II the committee did not mean to re-
fleet upon this commissions why does
II refer to us in it's report as follows:
| CfheSe references being taken n. ran
dom from the rcportD
The contractors broke one of the
columns into two pieces, and rather
than put the contractors to the expense
OF replacing the broken column they
were generously excused (by the com
mission) from putting them i'm at all,
they paying the state $500. leaving
them $3,fOO profit on that transaction"
(Rcport p. -
Surely, the honorable gentlemen of
the Investigating committee would
not dare to say that any one filing a
iiduciary position could be generous
with the states money, or Intentionally
excuse any one from performing duty
delegated through an agent of the
State to another party.
Again: "A fine slate roof, bought by
the state at heavy expense and which
d1Ordcd perfect protection for years
was taken OFF ana appropriated by the
contractors Ntcport, D. S.
Ihc Inference necessarily drawn from
thiS statement is that this "appropria-
ton (Which had the committee used
the proper word to convey it's meaning,
would have been mis-apprppriation'O
was with the knowledge and consent
OF this commission, whose duty it was
To protect the interests and the proD
"rty OF the state. The Investigating
committee called before them tho sec
rcnry of the commission and had be-
iorc them for inspection the minute
book and all the records of this com
mission. That committee knew, or
ought To have known, and we believe
did know. that before the contract was
awarded 1T was agreed that the sue
ccSSful bidder should become the owner
Of all the material torn ont Of, or off
Of, the state house. and that the taking
possession Of the material of this roof
was simply exercising the right of
ownership, both under the general law
and Under the special contract
Again: 1--WE feel with what We have
reported, and the testimony taken, re-
V"hlS dark picture, it Is true, but
nothing short OF an actual inspection
Of the work can convey an ADEQUATE
ldca OF that mOnStTous Swindlc of
which the state Is the victim. appro-
priatcly portrayed i'm the closing words
or Capt Hunts testimony" Crhis
worthy imported from the District of