Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-10-15
Miseellaueolls 8eadins.
"HoNEsT JOHN PATTERSON"
Story Of Infamous carpetbasser Who
Plundered South Carolina.

Story of Infamous carpetbasser VIII
PIundered South Carolina.
Col. John James Patterson, who rep
resented South Carolina in the United
States senate from 1873 to 1879, died II
Bif1etown, Pa, on September 2S
The following sketch Of Patterson's ca
reer in South Carolina is from the Co
lumbia State:
While it is best to say nothing but
good Of the dead, yet the career Of
John J. Patterson can not be referred
to even in the most delicate way with.
out pointing to him as the man in the
forefront of all the public scandals In
this state from 1871 to 1875.
The most romantic story Of graft
ever told in facts, in official records, In
affldavits and in testimony, is incor-
porated in "the report Of the joint in
>vestigating committee on public frauds
and election Of Hon. j. ]. Patterson to
the United States senate" This report
the regular session Of 1877 and 1875
and shows on nearly every page that
it was improper for John ]. Patterson
to have permitted 1t to be said of him,
even dead, that he was senator from
South Carolina from 1873 to 1879.
Patterson's First Coup.
Among the pieces Of notable legis-
lation under the second administration
Of Gov. r. K. Scott, the first carpet
Dagger, was the Republican Printing
company act and the act to Promote
the consolidation of the Greenville and
Columbia Railroad company and the
Blue Ridge Railroad Co." We are told
by the historian, John s. Reynolds,
that "out of these two acts grew the
schemes of robbery formulated by John
J.. Patterson and his associates. Both
measures were passed by bribery.
Speaker Franklin ]. Moses received a
large sum of money FOR appointing
certain men on the ways and means
and the railroads committees. State Of
ficials and members Of the legislature
were likewise freely bought, with ac-
tual money"
Gov. Scott vetoed the Blue Ridge
scrip act, but it was passed over his
veto twenty-five to six in the senate;
eighty -four to eighteen in the house.
The passage Of the bill over his veto
was procured by bribery; senators
and representatives. most Of them
black, and nearly all either grossly ig-
norant or vicious, received for their
votes sums ranging from $500 to
$4,000 each.
John ]. Patterson, as president Of the
Blue Ridge railroad company, gave to
the state treasurer, Niles G. Parker, a
written order directing that official to
deliver to H. H. Kimpton revenue bond
scrip amounting to $114,250, Of which
$42,S75 was to pay the expenses Of
passing the bill through the house and
$71,41 for the expenses Of passing the
Blue Ridge bill through the senate.
Goes to Senate.
In 1872 Frank Moses was elected
governor and John J. Patterson was
elected United States senator over P.
K. Scott and R B. Elliott, the black
congressman from the Third district
who had defeated Gen. Samuel Nc
Gowan. Patterson's campaign was
managed by a carpetbagger. H. G..
Worthington, who Is said ito have
been the very fellow Honest John
Patterson wanted. The result was a
triumphant victory-Patterson 80; Ell
liot 80; Scott 7; scattering 81.
"Over a baToom near the state
house." says the historian, "Worthing-
ton opened Patterson's headquarters.
Here he did his work, buying up suf-
ficient number Of senator's and repre-
sentatives to secure Patterson's elec-
ton. The prices of votes ranged from
$50 to $2,500 each. One senator favor
able to Elliott stated that John B. Den
mis-, speaking for Patterson, asked II
$4,000 would change him from Elliott
to Patterson. 1t was afterwards testi-
fed that his election cost him more
than $4,000. HE had expected to
spend $75,O0O." Worthington was suit
ably rewarded by being appointed COL
lector of customs at the port Of Charles
ton.
mi. s. 80 ~. pottor,or man
was so fragrant that some disgruntled
fellow started a prosecution for bribei !
and another endeavored to have the
election thrown out by the United
States senate. The senate ruled out
the written protest on the ground that
it was irregular, and Patterson was
promptly sworn in. The case in court
never came to trial, for Gov. Moses had
this same John B. Dennis appointed a
Jury commissioner and he managed
the jury box in such a way as to In
sure Patterson's protection" according
to his own confession.
The career Of John j. Patterson be-
fore he came from Pennsylvania to
South Carolina is said to have been
very disreputable. His brother Law
DR.. T. J. Moore declared him to be
cheat and a fraud Of the first water
adding that in the winter of 1S61-62 he
had defrauded the soldiers Of an Ohio
regiment of s3,500 and that his COM
mission as paymaster was dishonored
by the senate. Moore testified that
Patterson had tried to get him to forge
the name of Comptroller General Leap
hart to Columbia and Greenville rail-
road bonds and charged that Patter-
son had bought his seat in the senate,
paying $3.50 to $1,000 each for votes.
"Honest john" Was He.
Patterson was called, or he called
himself Honest John. A political asso-
ciate explained his nickname by say
ing: Patterson will do what he says.
If he promises to pay you, he will do
it; If he promises to vote for you, he
will do it; if he promises to work for
you, he'll do it, and If he promises to
steal for you, he'll do It,"
When, in the midst Of the rottenness
of the Moses administration it was