The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-02-09
RICHARDSON PROBE BEGINS.
GOV. MANNING, ON STAND, PRE-.
SENTS CHARGES AGAINST
FORMER CHIEF GAME
WARDEN.
Summary of the Case and Famous
Veto Message Which Caused Probe
by Senate.

read before the senate committee in
vestigating his charges against the
administration Of A. A. Richardson,
former chief game warden of the
State, Gov. Manning alleged that V.
Z. Funderburk assistant chief game
warden, acting on authority from Mr..
Richardson, settled for 500 with a
newly married couple. who had been
hunting in Beaufort county, without
going through a trial; that Alfred
Aiken, negro, paid twenty dollars
to Mr.. Nixon, game warden; that
L. w. Little, game warden of Lau-
rens, tried to collect a bond of fifteen
dollars from DR.. ]. w. Jervey, of
Greenville; that Mr.. Funderburk at
tempted to collect from one hundred
dollars to four hundred dollars from
two winter visitors in Aiken, who put
the matter in the hands of Mr.. Hen
derson, Of the Aiken bar, with whom
Mr.. Richardson offered to settle for
5000; that Mr.. H. j. Bomar, of Man
ming. wrote that $50 was paid to Mr..
Richardson's associates without any
law being violated; that two game
wardens induced young man Of Vir-
ginia, who did not know the game
laws Of this State, to shoot birds out
OF season. and then took him before
a magistrate and scared him into
paying $780," and that Mr.. Funder-
burk and others invited two young
men to hunt foxes with them, which
invitation they accepted, and when
they could not show their licenses the
case was compromised for $40 each
The senate investigation commenc-
cd this afternoon. but only took the
evidence Gov. Manning offered to sub
stantiate the charges contained in his
veto message of last year. when he
returned the bill putting the office Of
chief game warden in the general
election, without his signature. The
committee adjourned until $3.50 o'cloc K
tomorrow afternoon, when Mr.. Rich
ardson will be heard in reply to the
evidence introduced by the governor.
IN substantiation Of his charge that
Mr.. Richardson and his friends had
conducted lobby in the former chief
warden's behalf, Gov. Manning read
a telegram from Capt. NJ. c. Lunlpkin
former member OF the house from
Richland county. to Congressman A.
f. Lever requesting Mr.. Lever to
bring the matter of the game warden
bill to the attention of Senator Till
man. that the senior senator Nigh:
urge Gov. Manning to sign the meas
ure.
In connection with this alIeged
lobby Mr.. Richardson asked the gov
ernor II the chief game warden die
not have the same right to lobby a.,
ala Gov. Manning and the former ex
ecutive secretary, Col. Oscar X. La
Rogue The governor denied that he
had "lobbied," but contended that the
governor should have frequent con-
sultations with the members of the
general assembly on the pending laws
affecting the State, which right he
thought subordinate State officers did
not have.
senator Proctor A. Bonham, attor-
ney for Mr. Richardson, contested the
right or the governor to introduce
documentary evidence to substantiate
MS charges. contending that only wit
nesses should testify. A majority of
the committee overruled his conten.
ton. Senator d. r. Williams. of Lam
caster, dissenting. Various letters
from persons whom Gov. Manning
named in his statement were intro
duced to substantiate the assertions
made. An effort by the governor to
nave Mr.. Richardson turn over the
books of his office to the committee
was overruled, the former chief game
warden stating that he was perfectly
willing to let the committee have them
when some disputed point to be clear
ed away by them was brought up.
Mr.. Richardson, during his cross.
examination of Gov. Manning, ques-
toned the governor about a confer-
ehce they held in the executive office.
he wanted to know if the governor
mad not told him (Richardson that
ne could not be reappointed chief
game warden because of politics. and
Followed Mr.. Richardson to the door
OF the executive office. shook hands
with him and called him his friend
GOV. Manning said that he could not