davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13
SALTERS SAYINGS.
The Candidates--PeOple. Coming
and Going.-Crop Conditions.

Salters Depot, August 10:-After
the long dry spell we are having an
abundance of rain; in fact, rather too
much fer cotton. The hot weather
caused it to burn and shed very bad
". in some cases shedding several
bolls as large as the end of your
finger.
Tobacco is not turning out as well
as was expected at one time; there is
not much weight to it, the leaves
being thinner than usual, some say,
and, again, the price is low, which, |
think, is giving it somewhat of a
black eye for another season. Corn,
though somewhat short, will be
good crop.
Candidates! Candidates! And still
they come! When will they cease
wanting to serve the dear people?
Our roads, should all of the ideas of
candidates for Road Engineer be
carried out, will be scraped and iron
ed smooth; but, alas! their promises,
/ fear, are like pie crust'-easily
broken-we have heard them, 10,
these many years.
Mr. J M Cook and daughter, Miss
frankie, have gone to Mineral Hill,
Tenn, for a short stay.
Mr. $ D Mckay is on visit to his
brother at Balsam, N C. We wish
him a pleasant trip and hope that he
will be much improved in health.
Miss Carrie Sparks of Florence is
visiting relatives here.
Mr. and Mrs James A Ferrell and
children are off for a short stay at
Mineral Hill, Tennessee, and other
places.
Miss Lottie Rems of Charleston
is visiting Mrs-Moseley here.
LOOK Our.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13

rover, and under such circumstances L
suggested to the Treasurer that 1t was
hardly fair to the bank to pay interest
when finances the world over were so
tightly strained and when the bank, in
order to accommodate its customers and
the county, was naying record rates for
discounts. He agreed with me, and fur
ther interest has not been paid.
Several weeks ago the Treasurer
asked me to list for him the several
amounts of interest which had been
paid on the account, which attempted
to do. The total amount Of the list as
prepared Isl, 1916 was then deposited
to the county's credit by Mr. Cook. Up
on rechecking this list several days later
l discovered one item (Sl84.80 paid
February II, 1908, which / had over
looked. l Immediately called attention
to this oversight to the Treasurer, who
told me that he had already segregated
the 81, 1872. 16 into his settlement sheet,
and that this S1S4.S7 would be included
in his next report to the Auditor. Your
committee has copy of the list pre-
pared by me for Mr. Cook, and it, m
cluding the additional S184.87, the sum
of interest paid by the bank on said
account, but the date of the first pay
ment was made on the 18th of May,
1907, instead of February, 1908, as mad
vertently stated in statement of which
you have copy.
appreciate and thank you for the
privilege of making this statement, and
| ask that you make it part of your
official report, for since your investiga-
tion began it has come to my ears, and
perhaps to yours, that l have been the
beneficiary of portion of the interest
paid by the bank on the county's depos-
it, and l am sure thst your committee
will permit me here to brand the report
as an absolute falsehood.r have never
mad as much as one penny of this fund
in my personal charge for second Of
my life. The person who started the
falsehood is dirty slanderer. The man
who believes it believes lie, and he
who repeats it with the motive of stain
ing my reputation, or rejecting upon
the banking institution which / repre-
sent, is a gutter-snipe in human dis
guise, feeding upon the drippings of po-
litical rot.
Again thanking you for the opportu-
nifty of making the above statement, l
am, Respectfully.
&c EPPS.
The above is copy of statement fur
nished the investigating committee.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13
Total in annual settlement l,lSZ. 10 10
*Feb II. '08, the sum Of lS4.eI
Total interest allowed

Total interest allowed Sl,967.OS
#Tbe item of S184S7. credited by the
bank on February II, 1908, is not IN IN
ecluded in the settlement of June 80.
1914. for the reason that the cashier OF
the Bank of Williamsburg rendered a
statement of such interest, at my
request. and, in error, failed to report
this credit, but later discovered same,
as he explains, and called my attention
to it after the settlement sheets Were
made up. The amount, viz: S1S4.S7, Will,
therefore. be charged in the next annu-
al settlement, being now entered on the
books of my Office.
Second. will state that the interest
in question, so far as have any knoWi-
edge of same, was computed by the
said Bank of Williamsburg, at the
rate of 2%, on the average balance
carried in this bank by me, as County
Treasurer, on deposit in the general
county and school funds. This was
done in compliance with a proposlton
made by the Cashier OF the. said PAM DanK
on the 18th day of December, 1910,
when | made deposit Of several thous-
and dollars, of money transferred TO
me by the ex-Treasurer, shortly after l
took charge of the County Treasurer s
Office. The interest referred to was
figured entirely by the bank officials,
and / had no part in making the caieu-
lations. merely accepting their figures;
While / have continuously carried
the amount thus accumulated in my in
diyiduai account, at the Bank of Will
iiamsburg, assuming personal response
bili.y for same, have, at all times,
been in position to turn the Iunas into
the county treasury-which l dld DO,
acting upon the advice OF the comp,
tro3er General, after / had reported
the matter to him in the month OF
June, 1914.
(S;gned) } WESLEY Cook,
Treasurer Williamsburg County.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13
Louis A SearSon.

LOUIS ~ oSoloOAt'
90 Carolina National Bank Building,
Columbia, G.
Hon A W Jones,
Comptroller General,
and
Mr. w H Carr,
Mr. j B Gamble,
, Mr. A c Swsils, u,.r:o
Committee of Grand Jury, Williams
= burg County. =,
j Gentlemen:-ln accordance with your
instructions. l have made an a1oit OF
the books and records in the ONCE OF
County Treasurer Of Williamsburg
county, South Carolina, covering the eoP Pc
riod from July l, 1906, to June ~, IVA
A report of this audit attach hereto
In connection with this investigator,
have also witnessed and approved tne
annual settlement as representative
of the Comptroller Generals othce, sucn
settlement being for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1914: co,;,o
Dated at Columbia, South Caroiina'
this lst day of August, A u. 1914.
Respectfully submitted,
(Sioned1 l. A SEARSoN,
Public Accountant.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13
IN Re County Treasurer Wesley Cook and the Bank Of Williamsburg
Rumors Set at Rest by Comptroller Generals Office and Signed Stat
Draw Your Own Conclusions.

the following pages of this report
would indicate that certain unsatisfac-
tory conditions in the office of the Treas
urer, which have since been corrected,
revert to matter of depositing public
funds in the Bank of Williamsburg.
1t is not my purpose to advance an
opinion with regard to the incentive
which may have prompted either party
concerned, nor have any wish to sug-
gest an excuse of any kind that might
tend to justify public officer or public
institution for entering into an irregular
agreement of any nature whatsoever.
But it is my wish to be perfectly fair
in the matter of outlining facts which
may in some measure guide my clients
in forming conclusions. /, therefore,
beg to call attention to the fact that, as
shown by the records, the Bank of
Williamsburg has made liberal advances
to the county at times when money
was needed for current expenses, and
that at the present time the said bank
holds notes of the county aggregating
SIT, 500. 90, which notes represent the
total current debt of Williamsburg
county, for both county and school pur-
poses. ! do not know what disposition
other banks might have shown in this re-
gard, but if it should be the case that one
bank is inclined to be more liberal in the
matter of loans, is it not wise plan to
patronize that bank when it comes to
deposits? Would it not be good idea
for the grand jury to further investi-
gate and ascertain whether or not a
condition such as suggested did not
play its part in the matter of heavy
deposits at the Bank of Williamsburg?
/ respectfully direct your attention
to the comments, figures and signed
statements attached hereto.
BOOKS AND RECORDS.
The books in the office of County
Treasurer are remarkably accurate and
we'll kept-I have no criticism to make
of same.
find that the County Treasurer, dur
ing his entire term of office, has kept
strict account with each bark in which
county funds have been depC sited, and
it can be ascertained through these
records Just what cash was on deposit
dC any LlLne. VT Is ldCI 'aldl lHoiiy
county officials throughout the State
depend almost entirely on the banks to
keep their cash accounts Straight, ac-
cepting the banks figures as being
correct).
INTEREST ON DEPOSITS.
An important feature of this invest
igation is the matter of certain allow
ances of interest, made by the Bank of
Williamsburg on account of county
funds deposited with that bank by the
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13

Treasurer of Williamsburg county. In
this connection, | will state that have
gone into the subject very cautiously
and have made every effort 10 ascer-
tain the true conditions with respect to
this case
1t appears that Mr. J Wesley Cook
assumed the responsibilities Of the
Treasurer's office in October 1906, the
records show; that the ex-Treasurer did
not turn over the funds then in his
hands to the incumbent Immediately;
that on the 18th day of December,
however, the transer of such funds was
made. by check on the Bank of Will
liamsburg, at Kingstree, South Caro-
lima, in the sum of $7,92l.38; that the
incumbent Treasurer, on the same
date, deposited with the said Bank of
Williamsburg the amount above stated
for credit of his official account, as
County Treasurer, and that he has con-
tinuously had an account with this
bank up to the present time.
The matter of interest, as set forth
in the signed statements Of J Wesley
Cook, County Treasurer, and of E Epps,
Cashier of the Bank of Williamsburg,
respectively, which said statements the
writer obtained for the purpose of this
investigation, and which are incorpo-
rated in this report, on pages 10 IL,
would appear an unusually irregular
transaction on its face. | would not
take the responsibility, however, Of
suggesting any motive which might
have led to these conditions, nor do
feel that it is within my province to say
whether or not there is any intention
of wrong-doing apparent.
The facts remain, however, that any
public officer who, for one reason or
another applies, temporarily or other
wise, any moneys passing through his
hands officially to his personal use, vio-
.ates the spirit of the law, whether or
not such funds may be later replaced in
the public treasury. / make this COM
ment not with a desire to criticise, but
for future benefit.
The, admitted, origin of the subject
under discussion rests with the Cashier
of the Bank of Williamsburg, and re-
sponsibility for the existence Of such
funds has been assumed by him. 1t
will be noted, by reference to his sign
ed statement attached hereto, that said
Cashier proposed to the county officer
that he would pay interest at the rate
of 30 on certain average balances
carried on deposit in the Bank of Will
liamsburg-and the indications are that
the proposition was accepted by the
county officer.
Having made personal examination
of all items purporting to affect this
matter, as shown by the individual
ledgers of the Bank of Williamsburg,
which records the Cashier of this bank
permitted me to inspect, am in posi-
ton to state that the following items,
viz.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13
Kinrstree. sc. July 81, 1914.

Kingstree, C, July 81, 1914:
Mr. Louis A Searson, Special Auditor
for Grand Jury of Williamsburg
Dear Sir:-At your request. | am
making the following explanations OF
certain interest charges, appearing on
the annual settlement sheets for coun-
tv and school taxes of the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1914, which sheet you
approved for the Comptroller General
Of South Carolina, on the 3oth oay Oh
July 1914. so;d,n-
terest as credited by the Bank OF VIII
- -. n,,c dates TO wit.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13
7S2. 81 was made for Mr. Cook .

81, 1872. 81 was made for Mr. Cook.
There are no funds of the County
Treasurer which have not been proper
ly accounted for, during his entire term
of Office, so far as the officers of this
bank know.
Respectfully submitted,
(Signed) &c EPPS,
Cashier, Bank of Williamsburg.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13
GENERAL ACCOUNTING.

NERAL ACCOUNTING.
On pages Go of this report will be found
statements showing all charges against
Treasurer Cook, commencing July !,
1906, and covering the period of his term
of Office to the date of annual settle
ment, June 80. 1914. / have gone over
all annual settlements signed by Mr.
Cook. as Treasurer of Williamsburg
county, very carefully, both as to charges
and credits. | find that the County Au-
ditor has properly charged the Treas
urer with all taxes of record for State,
county and school purposes, and with all
funds received from other sources than
regular taxes, for the fiscal years 1906,
1907, 1908, 1909. 1910, 1911. 1912 and 1913,
and that the County Treasurer has very
accurately accounted for such charges.
The statements herewith cover all
transactions recorded on the books of
the Treasurer's office since Mr. Cook
took charge of same and bring down the
cash balance due to the State, county
and schools, under date of June 80, 1914.
CASH.
l have made an audit of the cash ac-
counts and find the correct amounts due
to be as stated in my cash statement on
page 9 of this report, on June 80, 1914.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13

The truth seeker may not need
Diogenes's lantern, but he has a life
long job.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13
Kingstree, S C, July 80, 1914.
Mr. Louis A Searson, .,
Special Auditor for Grand Jury, Will

Kingstree, S C, July 80, 1914.
Mr. Louis A Searson, ,
Special Auditor for Grand Jury, Will
liamsburg County.
Dear Sir:-Pursuant to your request,
thereby certify that the statement be-
low, as compiled when we went through
the records in the Bank of Williams
burg together, under date Of July 3O,
1914. represents all interest paid to
Wesley Cook on account of deposits OF
county funds during his term Of office
as Treasurer of Williamsburg county,
excepting such interest as we nave
credited on sinking fund accounts and
entered on his official pass books OF our
savings department.
The following statement applies:
May IS, 1so7-Interest credited--..s lso 6
January !, 1sSSc lsSs- w 500 500
Amount first credited to Treasur;;
er's official account-transterred
to personal account Of Wesley 70
January 6, igiI--interest credited-s 100 90
o[s1iTgH aS We.iev a cox ~ * sl,o2l 50
sl,sS7 oS
will state further that the interest
thus allowed was based upon an ap-
proximate average balance on deposit,
carried in the general county and school
funds of Williamsburg county by J
Wesley Cook, County Treasurer: with
the Bank Of Williamsburg; that this in
terest, which figured on certain aver
age balances at 2%, was paid in accord
ance with proposition made by me to
Mr. Cook on December Is. 1906, after he
assumed the responsibilities of the
County Treasurer's Office in the year
1906. :, g,
Under date of June Is. 1914, said j
Wesley Cook drew from his personal
account with this bank the sum OF
1882. 16, and deposited same to the
credit of j Wesley Cook, County Treas
urer, in the said Bank or Williamsburg,
and on July "a, 1914, he also withdrew
from his personal account the sum OF
slS4. 81, (the amount of an item of in
terest credited by the bank as Of date
February II. 1908, as is shown by the
statement herewith but which was over
looked at the time my statement show.
ing credits in the aggregate sum OF
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13
General Comments.

The facts presented in this case,
which l have endeavored to set forth in
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13
BANK OF GREELYvILLE.
Grand total.

According to the records, the forego-
ing is a correct statement of all interest
items credited to the sinking fund ac-
counts
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13

Credit of May ls, 1sO7...... .-....--s1so 6S
February II. 1905. x.....-.-........ Is4 ST
January Z, 1909 ..........-.....-..-. 200 W
January Z, l9l0-.................-....3 $40 %
ss45 50
were first entered on the account of j
Wesley Cook, County Treasurer, Int
later transferred to the personal &C.
count of } Wesley Cook, either by
check and deposit or by transfer en-
tries, while these entries:
Credit of January 6, 191l................s 400 90
January 2, l9l3........-.-...-..--........ 62l ~
sl,o21 50
were credited direct to the personal ac-
count of ] Wesley Cook, on the books
of the Bank of williamsburg although
they appear to represent the interest
allowances made by this bank on ac-
count of county and school funds depos-
its.
The records in the County Treasur-
er's Office show that in June, 1914, Mr.
Cook transferred from his personal ac-
count with the Bank of Williamsburg
to his account as Treasurer of Will
liamsburg county. with the same bank,
the sum of Sl;7S2.87, which amount
appears on the annual settlement sheets
Isl ,007.87 in the county settlement and
S755. 90 in the school settlement, as seq
regated by the County Treasurer). The
settlement sheets referred to were wit
messed and approved by the writer, as
representative of the Comptroller Gen.
erals Office, on June 80, 1914.
With the exceptions of interest on
sinking funds (which l discuss else
where in this report) / can find no rec
ord of any other interest paid 70 the
County Treasurer by any bank on &C.
count of funds deposited or for any otE
er purpose, during his term of office. /
will, therefore, state that, after care
full audit of this office and diligent re-
searches, covering the period from July
1,l9O6, to June 80, 1914, the records show
all interest funds paid into the hands of
] Wesley Cook, Treasurer of Williams
burg county, to be properly accounted
for, at the present Observation-Disclosures
ing the fact that certain funds, which,
in fact. belonged to the county and the
schools, were for a period technically
appropriated by this party as an indl-
vidual.
INTEREST ON SINKING FUNDS.
Following is statement showing all
credits entered by the banks on account
of interest on savings deposits of coun-
ty school sinking funds between the
dates of July ], 1906, and June 30, 1914:
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13
INTEREST ON DEPOSITS.

INTEREST ON DEPOSITS.
An important feature of this invest
igation is the matter of certain allow
ances of interest, made by the Bank of
Williamsburg on account of county
funds deposited with that bank by the
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13
GENERAL STATEMENT OF STATI

OREDII 10
Amt. overpaid last STINT.
Executions nulla bona
Execu, Sher. hands, bk. yrs
Pd State, as State Tr. rec
Deductions and abatements
Delinq. tax, present year =
Error on penalty sheet
Cash on hand June 30------
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-13

Office Of County Treasurer Wesley Cook,
State of Cash on Hand June 80, 1914.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-06
ABSENT, ASKS DIVORCE
Mrs. F. L. Schoonmaker's Suit
Bepins Minus Principals.

The divorce suit Of Mrs. Grace
Inwcllyn Schoonmaker against Frank i.
Schoonmaker. broker, was begun be
fore Justice Giegcrich In the Supreme
Court yesterday. with both the plaintiff
and the husband absent. Tho case went
along without the principals. and the
plaintiff viii have an opportunity to tes-
tify on Monday.
Schoonmaker was formerly associated
with the brokerage firm Of Vernon
Brown & co. lie is a member Of the
Metropolitan and severa! other clubs.
The Schoonmakers were married in 1850.
The principal testimony was given by
Felix ID. Unger. a private detective. VINO
testified that he, with Walter Easton'
brother Of Mrs. Schoonmaker surprised
tho defendant and Miss Marie Merwin
when they entered an apartment
Miss Bertha Johnson, an "invesu-
gator" testified that she engaged an
apartment in the same house where Miss
Aicrwin lived, from which point Of van
tagc she said she was able TO give some
inside information.
Miss Eva Fisher. a detective, and MT
Easton also gave testimony against
Schoonmakcr.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-06
OIL MAN RECRUIT
OF ALIM0NY CLUB
Charles R. Burke, Owing Wife
1922, Surrenders TO
Sheriff.

Charles Russell Burke, president OF the
Tribal oil Company. a director OF the
You York Iubricating oil Company and
,onbew Of the late Senator Redheid Proc
,or If Vermont. surrendered himself 10
>ber,r Grifenhagen YESTERDAY and Is now
i'm Ludlow St Jail for the non-paymen' OF
e o-o allmony 10 Mrs Katherine Pope
pprkc who sued him for separation.
The order for the arrest Of Burke was
issued in November. 1912. by justice
JamAs W Gerard. now American Ampas-
s,dor ~ Germany. An effort was made
10 extradite him from Michigan on
charge of bigamy, but Governor FERRIS
Of thai state refused 10 honor the requisi-
ton -.
Before giving himself up 10 She.''i
Grlfenhagen Burke tried TO persuade MS
wife 10 withdraw the order OF arrest
which she had issued year ana nan
ago. lie sent telegram 10 her nome al
Sg5 West b6th St.. saying that he was anX-
ious 10 resume his business here ana 'hat
II Mrs. Burke failed 70 reply ne "ou'u
consider his request refused. so lar d.
known. Mrs Burke did not reply
The commitment against Burke VIII
keen him in fail for six months hii'ess u
paws the arrcarages Of alimony or can
come 10 some understanding with MS WIG
which. IL was said, he still hoped TO De
able TO DO.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-06
WOMAN LEADS PROTEST
Mrs. Pell Fears Proposed Law
Will Kill Employment Agencies.

Mrs. Mary Hutton Pell DAILY, society
woman. who, under the name Of Mrs.
Mary Hutton Pcll. operates the Bureau of
Social Requirements. at p East 4ith St,
was among those who appeared at a meet
ing Of the United Employment Agents
Association I'm Tuxedo Hall last night to
protest against the passage Of the pro-
posed federal legislation affecting
agencies.
The association comprises about 100 Of
the 500 agents in greater New York The
legislation that will be fought is that
under consideration by the United States
Commission Of Industrial Relations, and
provides that the agent may collect fee
of only 81 from the applicant, and that
he is not entitled TO receive it in advance.
\ federal license fee Of 500 year is
also imposed. The agency proprietors arc
already under state and city control, pay
p license fee Of So and are visited semi
monthly by inspectors, The proprietors
contend that further legislation would
drive them out o. business. Mrs. Pcll
said that the agents are a power for good
and do much toward thinning the ranks of
the unemployed
Charles OConor irwin. president Of the
organization, holds that the agents do
great deal Of "mi~s ionary work