The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-06-14
hED Egl pHEStNiMENI.
Clarendon County Officials Rakad
Over the Goals.

The Clarendon county grand
jury made red hot present
ment this week in which several
county officials are criticised
and the supervisor, in partic-
ular, is severely censured.
presentnacnt Of Grand Jury for June
Term Of Court 1905.
To His Honor r. o. Purdy Presiding
Judge:
We report that we have considered
and passed upon all bills Of indict-
ment given US.
The committee that We appointed at
the last term of court to visit the
chain gang and report thereon, made
TWO visits and foud the prisoners we'll
cared for and good wholesome food
furnished. They report that on their
first visit, only five prisoners; on their
second visit only six prisoners. They
also report eight mules on hand IN
good condition.
The educational committee reports
the educational work of the county in
good condition.
The committee to examine the
county Offices employed Mr.. c. ].
I,esesne to make thorough investi-
cation which he did, and we recon-
mend that the county supervisor pay
him twenty dollars rof his services.
We find the Offices of judge Of pro-
bate, superintendent ofeducation and
county treasurer correctly kept. We
find in the clerks Office indexes torn
and badly Worn and III some instances
letters to indexes lost, rendering i. d:f-
ficult to trace records and would rec
onmend that the records Of said Of
fee be reindexed from 1882 to the
present time.
We find the auditors office behind
for 1905 the penalty abstracts for Jan
nary. February and March having not
as yet been forwarded to the compt-
roller general. We must insist upon
the auditor keeping closer up with his
work. We present the county auditor
for failure to present the county dis
penser for non-return Of request
books by the tenth Of each month as
required by law. We present the
county board of control for failure to
make the dispenser turn over all GER
tifcates and requests on the t:rst \; on
day of each month as required by
law
We present the county dispense" for
not observing the dispepsary' law, III
not requiring all applicants for liquor
to sign request blanks.
We find in the sheriff's Office q num-
Der of tax executions not reported lp-
on to the county treasurer as require;
by law and urge that he give tbs
matter his prompt attention.
We recommend that the supervisor
pay the sheriff for fuel used in jail
building.
After a full and thorough investiga-
ton of tn supervisors Office we fln2
the county's money handled in an IN
business-like. careless. and, mildly
putting it. extravagant manner. We
present the supervisor and the county
board of commissioners for not MAX
ing an itemized report to the presld-
ing Judge the first day Of the last
term of court.
We present the supervisor foI not
making the proper entry for not Civ
er. s.1loun;ing to over $4,000 for rna-
chinery bought for chaingang pur-
poses. There is absolutely no record
of this transaction, nor can the super
visor tel US the aXact amount OF th'S
claim, MOI the rate of interest that 1t
is bearing.
The most serious extravaganza is
shown in the expenditures for the
chaingang, and roads and bridges. The
amount expended during last year
for roads and bridges amounted to
4S5.34; for chaingang. s4,740.51, ex-
elusive Of a note for s2,50G, or more
dollars for road engine which is now,
and has been for the past two months,
out of fix and exposed to the weather.
In our opinion the chaingang is
dead expense and has been for the
past two years. We feel it our duty
to censure the supervisor and coun1y
commissioners for not leasing the few
convists they have had, and could
have done under the lawto antoher
county.
We feel that it is our duty to rec