The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-02-27
FLOOD OF LIGHT TURNED
on THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
CHIEF Game Warden Characterizes
Governors Message as "PerverSlon
OF Facts" and 81 ntrue Statement"

Columbia, Feb. 23.-"An untrue
presentation of the facts" is the man
ner in which Col. Alfred a. Richard
son. chief game warden, characterizes
the veto message Of Governor Man
ming, whereby he refused to accept
the action of the general assembly,
placed the election of chief game war
den in the hands of the people and re-
tanning Col. Richardson in Office until
the next general election. A per
version of facts and an untrue
statement" are among the other ex-
pressions used by Chief Warden Rich
ardson, in replying to the governors
veto message The statement was is-
sued today. 1t is as follows:
in the veto message of the gov
ernor, whereby he refused to accept
the action of the general assembly, he
charged in his voluminous message
affecting a bill placing my Office IN
the hands of the people. that there had
been corruption in connection with
this office My personal impulse Is
to go into a detailed denial Of these
false charges. But since the senate
has by it's action in endorsing the spir-
tied defense made in my behalf shown
a desire to carefully investigate all OF
the charges made against me. and all
those associated with me, and has
seemed to desire that public opinion
be not written until full investlga-
ton has been made, l shall hold my
peace.
81 stand prepared at any time to al
low not only any State officer, but
any individual who desires the privi-
lege to examine the complete records
of my office from the time that l took
charge of it's affairs until the present
time.
"As above stated, do not care to
90 into all of the details in this mat
ter. 1 feel compelled, however, to let
the people Of South Carolina know
that the part of the governors mes
sage relative to the finances of this
department is an untrue presentation
of the facts. Which statement can be
verified by my books; the State treas
urer's books and my itemized monthly
reports to the comptroller general.
"The governors message in part
states about 100000 was collected
by this department during the year of
1916, and about $4,000 has gone to the
public schools" The $4,000 mentioned
by the governor went to the public
schools from the collection Of 1919
On the very first page of my report
to the governor and the general as
sembly it will be shown that the
schools received $10,592.50 from the
collections of 1916. You will therefore
see that the governors statement con-
cerning the schools is misleading. /
wish to further state that | have re-
ceipts from the different county treas
urers of the State which will show
that | have turned over to them the
sum of $10,5925O from the 1916 col
lections
"The governors message further
states that the limit for the travelling
expenses of chief game warden is
$1,000, and that on this item alone
I spent S1,26456. This statement Is
correct. l did spend S264.65 over and
above the amount appropriated for
my travelling expenses. The business
of this department has grown enor-
mously and it has necessitated more
travelling for the chief game warden.
! wish to state that l spent this s224.-
56 upon opinion of the attorney gen.
eral and that I had perfect right
to do So l made no secret of so do
ing but reported the same in my state
ments to the comptroller general.
Just to show you the necessity OF
such expenditures l quote the follow