Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-07-16
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.

nave OCCuTT6u. Hc dHuouhSSAOLls ~
this effect came as surprise to all OF
the patrolmen. For more than 6
month thieves have operated here
and none have been caught. Two
white men are now on the chaingane
but neither is thought to have beer
one of the gang that has done most
of the work. The home Of the may
or was entered not long ago and $50
taken from his pants pockets while
he and his wife and baby slept in the
room. Chief Of Police Kennedy was
not sighted, the burglars breaking
into his home but not stealing any
thing. Citizens have criticised the
nolice department-there are sixteen
men and the cbief-but none have
thought that such a step would be
taken in order to insure agains,
thieves.
Columbia Record: "A classified
statement Of bonded Indebtedness by
counties would startle the people OF
this state into q realization of a most
serious state Of affairs that exists from
one end Of the state to the other,
said Comptroller General Jones to-
day. Few people realize how stead
lily and rapidly this Indebtedness Is
climbing up. / really can form nc
accurate conception Of the true facts
myself, but I know that 1t has climb.
ed to an alarming degree, and the
situation is getting worse steadily
Probably the most serious part OF
this business Is the way debts Of the
counties are piling up. A county will
get behind with a floating debt on Its
hands, and the next thing we hear OF
is that the county's delegation Is dowr
here with a scheme to dispose Of this
indebtedness with bonds. I know OF
one county that has had its bonded
debt increased to about 100000
within recent years. This office has
had in view the work Of compiling 9
statement of this bonded condi.
tion for some time, but this would re.
quire a great amount Of work
the sending Of special mar
out over the state as we'll as almost
endless work in the office, and We
| simply have never gotten to 1t, and
probably never viii. The Legislature
does not give us sufficient office force
People wonder that county treas
urer occasionally gets mixed up in his
accounts and goes short. It's a won.
Ger to me that more Of them don't
get into trouble. The system Of book.
keeping has been so complicated by
the requirements of the legislature
till I am expecting somebody in the
next legislature to advocate the ap.
pointment Of a state auditor to dc
nothing but look after this sort Of
offices. School districts have gone
mad issuing bonds for special schoo
purposes. There are over fifty new
ones this year. The treasurer Is re-
quired to keep each Of these separate
and the dog and poll tax collected ir
each district separate. Why a mar
paying his tax from any part OF the
county may elect under the law tc
have his taxes go to any school dis.
trict he may name or even to any
special school" Mr.. Jones relates ar
amusing illustration Of such a com.
plication in his own experience ir
Abbeville county. His farm, which Is
split almost in the centre by the Sea
board road is sliced by four schoo
districts from different sides, each
running down on his farm to take ir
q slice of the Seaboard so as to gel
part of the taxes the road pays. The
principal argument that has beer
used against raising the assessment
over the state to their strict market
value as required by law has beer
that to do this would more than dou-
BILE the money arising from the con.
stitutional three-mill tax for schools
the constitution to meet this condi-
ton. But it is pointed out in connec-
ton with the great marathon that has
been in progress through various re-
cent legislatures for bonds for special
school districts that this tax has al
ready been about doubled throughout
the state.
In a letter of Wednesday to the
-
of Columbia writes concerning the
dispensary prosecution situation as
follows: 1t is also said that Mayor
Samuels of Chester, a former liquor
drummer who did extensive business
with the last state board, on being
confronted with telling facts against
himself, gave up evidence which will
convict at least one member Of the
state board on documentary evidence
In fact, this director on being con-
fronted with what Samuels revealed
is said to have made a confession
Commissioner Patton's recent visit to
Chester is said to have borne excel
lent results. The latest and most
sensational report Is that Mr.. G. H.
Charles, for many years clerk Of the
state board Of dispensary directors
has been converted and, on making
up Ills HllIlu W JOlll lIc SilulSu, save
a detailed affidavit of sixty-four type
written pages to Senator Christensen
member of the first dispensary in
vestigating committee and who has
recently been working for the present
committee, duplicating practically
every man connected with the dispen-
sary within a period Of about ten
years. 1t has been known for some
time that Mr.. Charles was in close
touch with the prosecution, although
he has been holding a position as ac-
countant for some time with the Car
olina Glass company, one OF the con-
Germs whose account Is held up pend
ing further investigation. In this
connection friends of Hub Evans say
that 1t was only within the past few
financial way, when Charles appealed
to him on the score of needing money
to maintain his family. Many people
over the state are still wondering why
no warrant has yet been issued
against Hub Evans, popularity under
stood to be the shining mark for the
prosecution lightning to strike at, but
| the answer Is not to be had from the
prosecution. This situation has per-
haps furnished futile soil for the re-
| port to take root in, to the effect thai
Hub, the jolly, VINO mas always aQVer-
| tised a high sense of honor in the mat
ter Of friendship and loyalty, has also
turned states evidence and not only
| given the prosecution much valuable
| information and aid, but has offered
to turn over considerable property. A
few months ago Hub made most EN-.
phatic denial Of the report that ha6
| gained circulation then that he had
turned states evidence, saying with
many picturesque oaths that he would
go to Jail and rot there before ne
would do such thing. 1t 1;
said on what appears to be ex'
cellent authority that the prosecu.
ton has secured evidence in black
and white Of the most conclusive sor'
to convict at least five Of those now
under indictment. But with regard
to the Dudley evidence, the affidavit
which C. w. Dudley, the liquor drum
mer, gave that certain members OF
the board had been paid in cash, ant
the details of how it was paid, vii
probably not amount to great deal
There seems to be no doubt that Dud
ley first tried to bleed members OF
/ tSl, oil iroo q 4