The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-02-26
Investigating Committee Ap-
pointed BY Senate Makes
Public Its Findings.
ALL BUT ONE SUSTAINED
Senator Reece Williams, of Ian
caster, in Minority Report
Finds Only Two of Charges
Partially Sustained.

of the charges against the official
chief game warden Of the State,
brought by Governor Manning in his
veto message Of last year, were sus-
tanned by the majority opinion OF
the chief executives allegations. The
report was signed by Senator Alan
Johnstone. of Newberry. and Sena-
tor j. w. McCown. OF Florence. and
nority statement by Senator d.
Reece Williams, of Lancaster, chair
man, and the remaining members OF
the committee. Senator williams
found that two OF the governors
charges were partially sustained, one
proved but satisfactory explana-
tion offered, fourth correct from a
superficial viewpoint. but was prov
ed justified by the former game
warden, and another was not sus-
tanned.
No Charges OF Fraud.
Both the majority and the mi
nority reports quote the governors
words as not charging Mr.. Richard
son with fraud nor misrepresentation
OF funds. THE governor stated be-
fore this committee" said the ma
jority report, that he did not
charge fraud or misappropriation of
funds and he stated before this com
mittee that he does not now charge
either fraud or Misrepresentation. 5"
The minority report said that your
committee finds that nothing was
produced before them to assaiI the
personal integrity of Mr.. Richard
son nor tending to show corruption
in office. Indeed, the governor stat
ed orally before your committee that
he did not charge nor mean to
charge dishonesty nor corruption
against Mr.. Richardson and offered
very candid written statement to
the same effect at the close of the
hearing"
Charge Sustained.
The majority report found that
the governors charges that Mr..
Richardson's friend packed" the
Audubon Society were sustained;
that illegal collections OF money
without due process OF law. some of
them with the cognizance of Mr..
Richardson. were proved; that the
former game warden's expenditures
exceeded the amount set by law. but
In making them there was no cor
ruption nor fraud; that the allega-
tions OF lobby by Mr.. Richardson
and his friends were justified: and
that the governor was in error.
which he admitted. when he assert
ed that Mr.. Richardson only turned
into the treasury in December, 1916,
$4,000 for the schools of the State.
Tor the amount really paid totalled
$10,69S.5O.
senator Williams contended that
the allegations relative to packing"
the Audubon Society and OF lobby
Ing were only partially sustained;
that the former chief game warden
did expend more than was allowed
by law. but this was satisfactorily
explained; that the governor had
ample information on which TO
charge that moneys were collected
without due process OF law: that
while the expenditures of the game
department under Mr.. Richardson
were large because of the youth of
the department, yet he was unwilling
to ind that 1t was characterized nv
extravaganza and waste; and that
the charge OF the governor as to the
amount turned into the school fund
was not sustained. In affirming the
hrst charge of the governor that
when Mr.. Richardson was recon-
mended for reappointment by the
Audubon Society. "He or his friends
brought about the admission OF
about the admission OF about fifty
new members to the society. and
through them was able to direct its
action" the majority report says