The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-06-16


away at that time, that he was without
sufficient funds with which to replace
them all ; that such being the case he
directed his attention TO replacing such
of them as the necessities of the sew
eral localities absolutely required-and
having rebuilt two bridges across
Rocky River, neither of which being
very far from the section of the County
from which the complaint came, he
felt that he had fully discharged his
duty, in the circumstances in which
he vas placed.
He finds himself in quite a diem
ma as to how he is to run the County
government until the next collection
of taxes, as, owing to the abnormal
expenditure necessitated by the Au-
gust freshet, he has but little funds on
hand, Notwithstanding he has Dor
owed money and pledged the next
collection of taxes for the payment
thereof, almost to the full extent al
lowed by law.
We find that the several Magistrates
of the County have not made the
monthly reports to the County Audi
tor and County Treasurer as required
by Sec. No. 1000 of the Revised Stat
utes.
These are important reports, as in
the absence of them, the Auditor has
to take the Statement of the Treasurer
when he comes to make up the AL
nual Settlement with that office, as to
the amount collected by him from the
Magistrates of the County.
We now give notice to these officers
that if we find at the next term Of
Court that these reports have not been
filed as the law requires, we shall for
malIy present all who are derelict in
this matter.
We present Magistrate Walter w.
Wilson for maIfeasance in office and
ask that the Solicitor be instructed to
draw a bill of indictment against him
for the following reasons
On or about February Is, 1908, the
following named parties, viz, John
Arnold, Don Jenkins and Warren
Clark, were arrested and brought be-
fore him, together with several others,
charged with gambling. Each of them
plead guilty and was fined $500.
We find that has entered the
names on his docket of all those fined
and paid yer the money Qess the one
half which went to the informer) to
the County Treasurer, except in the
case of the three above named. \
We give the names of S. J. Wake
field, j. M. McAdams, J. I. Crowther,
Asa Hail. G. w. Norris and Lucian
Clinkscales as witnesses.
We find that there is in the hands of
the County Treasurer about $4,000,
made up of unexpended balances due
the several school districts in the
County, Notwithstanding a large ma.
liority if not all of the schools have
closed.
This money has been accommodating
from year to year for several years
back.
There is evidently something wrong
about this-either the school term
should be heightened or less money
collected for school purposes-thls lat
ter, however, cannot we'll be done, as
the 3 mill levy and the poll tax assess
ment are constitutional provisions.
We would therefore recommend to
the school authorities that this accu-
mulated fund be expended in repair
ing and furnishing the school build
ings, thereby rendering them more
comfortable, and in erecting new
buildings where the present one are
not worth repairing, as is the case with
many of them.
While the law requires that before
the County Superintendent of Educa.
ton shall approve, or the County
Treasurer pay any school claim, the
person in whose favor tits made out
shall swear to its correctness, and the
warrant signed by at least two of the
Trustees, these officers have not, in
every instance, seen that this has been
done.
In conclusion we beg to express to
your Honor and all the officers of the
Court our appreciation of the kindness
and courtesies shown US while dis
charging the duties of Grand Jurors.
Signed, Francis Henry,