The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-08-07
GIVES HIS SIDE
MIR. M. M. MANN MAKES A FULL
STATEMENT ABOUT
That Fee That Was Paid Him by
the County Commissioners of the
County Of Calhoun.
the County Com

tice to Mr.. M. M. Mann We publish
his statement, which is as follows
Editor Calhoun Advance:
The article in the Advance enti-
tied Turn on the Light" together
with other communications on the
subject have placed me in false
light before the people of the county
| I regret that I. am forced to say
what follows, but there has been
demand for light, and it is light
that the people shall have.r.4
To say that 1 was surprised at
| the statement signed by Mr.. H. G.
Paulling does not half express It.
For him to deny that he approached
| me and secured my services to help
him with the bill to transfer the
| school fund from Orsngeburg to
| Calhoun, and that he received no
| other assistance from me is such
a preposterously false statement that
even though I see 1t in print with
his name signed to it, I can hardly
believe it.
Here are the facts:
Last fall when the mandamus pro-
| ceedings in the case Of Murph
against Millichamp was begun for
the purpose of compelling the au-
thorities in Orangeburg to pay to
the authorities in Calhoun the sum
of $4,14399 school funds then held
in Orangeburg and claimed by Cal
houn, our firm was retained by the
authorities in Calhoun to assist the
county attorney in the prosecution
of the case. l had personal charge
of that proceeding from beginning
to end, preparing all papers and
making the argument before Judge
Aldrich. AS the public knows,
Judge Aldrich gave an oral opinion
that the money was ours but that
we would have to get an act passed
authorizing its payment before pay
ment could pe compelled.
When the session of the legisla-
ture was near at hand, I was con-
suited in regard to looking after
the legal features of the proposed
bill. My reply was that would
hardly be able to do the work, as
1 would probably be elected clerk
of the senate, and my duties would
prevent my doing the work, and
suggested the name Of Mr.. R. H.
Welch.
1 knew nothing of the matter
until after the legislature had con-
vened, when Mr.. Paulling told me
that he had been authorized to Sc
cure the services of Mr.. Welch. A
day or so afterward I met Mr.. Welch
on the streets of Columbia, and he
told me that Mr.. Paulling had asked
him to take charge of the school
fund bill, and Mr.. Welch asked me
to come out to his house and talk
over the legal features Of the mat
ter with him. Very shortly there
after Mr.. Paulling approached me
about the matter, and seemed great
ly distressed. He said that he had
asked Mr.. Welch to take the case
and that Mr.. Welch wanted $3.50,
which he thought was too much.
His manner and general remarks at
the time indicated to me that he was
afraid that it would hurt him in
the eyes of his constituents If he paid
such a fee. He said that he was
very much worried, because the
committee who were considering the
bill were to meet in day or two.
He asked me for advice. told
him to communicate with the author
tiles at st. Matthews. He seemel
impatient to secure aid, and asked
me if l wouldn't help him. After
thinking the matter over told him
that being well acquainted with ali
the legal points in the matter, l felt
competent to handle the matter, and
that in consideration Of the fact that
my firm had been honored by being
retained in the case, l would un-
dertake it, and that the entire mat
ter would not cost the county more
than $3.50. He appeared very
much relieved. and said that that
would be all right, that he would de-
pend upon me. If ever man gave
value received by services rendered
for fee charged, 1 did it.
Mr.. Paulling says that he with the
assistance of two eminent council
prepared the bill, and that he "se-
cured it's passage unaided," except
for some slight voluntary service.
That is a very reckless statement.
| respectfully call attention of the
public to the Act See the Acts of
1909, and refer to the pleadings in
the case of Murph VS.. Mellichamp,
and see if the Act is not identical
with the statement in the pleadings.
! drew those pleadings, and let Mr..
Paulling have them to have the bill
copied from. The record is in the
Clerk Office.
The bill was placed on the calen-
dar for consideration and remained
there a long time. Mr.. Paulling
could not move it, although he made
several futile attempts. Finally In
his desperation he came to me and