The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1920-12-30
TO ALLEGATIONS
MADE BY GRAND JURY.
SAYS BOND NOT RENEWED.
Presentment States Affairs of County
Not Being Conducted Ac-
cording to Law.

Columbia, Dec. 22.-W. A. Mason,
former treasurer of Hampton county,
is alleged to- have been short in his
accounts to an amount aggregating
S17,SO1.91, according to verified
copy of the presentment of the Hamp-
ton county grand jury, made Decem-
ber 20, 1920, and filed with Governor
Cooper today. The Attorney General
is requested to begin action in the
name of the State to recover the
amount from the bondsmen of Mr..
Mason.
According to the presentment, and
from other sources, it has been found
that no record has been brought to
light of the renewal Of the former
treasurer's bond when he was recon-
missioned February Is, 1915, for
term of four years. Neither the Office
of the Secretary of State, then under
the administration of the former
head of the department, r. M. Nc
Gown, of Florence, nor that of the
State Treasurer, where the bonds of
state officials are to be filed, have any
record of the bond being issued. w.
A. Mason was first appointed during
the Blease administration on Febru-
ary 20, 1913, took out his bond and
was commissioned March 9, 1913. He
was renominated in 1914 and again
appointed on February 9, 1915. He
resigned and R. E. Causey was ap-
pointed by Governor Cooper to sue
ceed him on November 20, 1920, and
Mr.. Causey was commissioned on the
9Th of this month.
Text of Presentment.
The following is the presentment:
"At special session of the grand
jury for Hampton county, convened
by the foreman for the purpose OF
looking into the affairs of the county
on December 20, 1920, the grand jury
entered into consideration of the re-
port of the auditors, who conducted
an investigation at our suggestion,
through the cooperation Of our Sena-
tor.
1--WE find a shortage reported in
the office of w. A. Mason, as county
treasurer, amounting to s17,S01.91.
We direct that the clerk Of court i'm
mediately upon the filing of this pre-
sentiment, certify to copy of this
presentment and forward to the at
torney general to whom We take the
liberty of stating that suit should be
authorized on the bond Of the treas
urer. It is stated that said W. A.
Mason, as county treasurer, had not
given bond since his appointment four
years ago and that suit will have to
be instituted against the bondsmen
for a period before that date. If any
state officer has been negligent in
not requiring such bond we suggest
and recommend that the bond Of such
state officer be sued in the event OF
loss because of this failure to per-
form his duty. We direct that the
county attorney for Hampton county
be forwarded a copy of this present
ment and that he be requested to get
permission from the attorney general
and the solicitor to commence tha
action in the name of the state for
the recovery of the funds of the coun-
ty and the state. We direct the
supervisor and county treasurer to
see that such steps are taken as may
be necessary to secure the shortage.
Other Matters Up.
LAS to the other matters investi-
gated by the grand jury we state
that we are apprised of the fact that
the county tax books have not been
opened until December IA. This con-
dition prevailed two years ago, that
is, 1918. The attention Of the audi
tor was called to this matter last
summer. Explanations were made.
The schools of the county and other
county works were seriously in dang
er of being closed or stopped because
Of this failure to perform the plain
duty of making up the tax books as
required by law. We direct the clerk
of court to forward copy of this
presentment, Immediately upon it's
being filed, to the governor, to whom
we take the liberty of suggesting that
the county auditor of the county
should be required to perform MS
duties even to the extent Of requiring
him to show cause why he should not
be removed from Office in the event
he has failed. The county attorney
IL. ,ho,,1d 1nnk intn fhiS