The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1921-05-26
Hon. L. Cottingham. Foreman,

My Dear Sir:
:. Complying with the request of your
honorable committee at the time
appeared before you Cat my request)
L beg herewith to hand you copies of
such records as I deem proper to re-
fute certain charges repeatedly pre-
ferred against me for improper hand
ling OF the County funds and espec-
tally the school funds. 1 desire, Just
here, to state that 1 have never de-
ciined to give any one who had suf-
f1cient interest and energy, any infor-
nation asked for. The charges pre-
ferred against me would never have
been made had the accusing parties
wanted the facts in the case. re-
gret exceedingly that any one should
have found 1t necessary to reflect up-
on me, yet this has been done and in
justice to myself I will have to re-
frte these charges.
have been charged with withhold
ing money on deposnt in a certain
bank and not paying it out for school
purposes. thereby letting the teach
ers throughout the county suffer in
order to accommodate the said bank
This is absolutely absurd and infam-
ously false. Not only have paid out
all the funds had in hand belong
ing to school, but have actually al
lowed many of the districts to over
draw their accounts into the thous-
ards which fact is sustantiated by the
report of the Superintendent of Edu-
cation herewith which shows on May
the Goth. the districts or the entire
school account was overdrawn SILL
23257.
l have also been charged with not
paying certain notes 1.-TWO in num-
ber) aggregating $37,500.00 when
they matured in order that the same
bank might be benefited. This too is
a miserable falsehood. l paid the
above papers as soon as the school
warrants were presented which was
at the time the money was available.
IThe TWO papers were paid as follows:
January 3, 1921, $22.473.35 (see
warrant No. 250) and the other Feb
Iruary ,, 1921, $15,2O5.O1, (see war
rant No. 234.) The difference in the
amount of the two papers and
amount actually paid is accounted for
in accrued interest. TIE warrants
were issued and mailed perhaps sew
eral days before presented to me for
payment.
/ have covered all charges prefer
red against me with the exception o.
the one relating to a certain indlvi-
dual holding a hammer over my
head" and with such tenacity as to
cause me to bow to the inevitable. l
do not believe that there is single
member of your Honorable Body that
believes such a thing, in fact really
do not believe that my accuser or
accusers believe this. But should /
ever fall so low in life as to be guilty
of such an offense 1 would most GER
tainly prefer having hammer over
my head in the hands of the one in
question than my accuser or accusers.
My name has been mentioned in
ccnnection with the awarding by the
County Commissioners of the $4O,-
100000 loan and sinking fund to the
Bank of Lake View, S. c. had abso-
lutely nothing to do with this mat
ter further than to be consulted in
the usual way, at the time the mat
ter was under way 1 am sure that
such men as j. B. Annette, Jas Nc
Lellan, David Manship, Ed. A. Bethea
Fl. a. Hasty, and Jack McLaurin
would not be party to collusion
which is charged. During the last ten
days of tax paying period my office
was rushed to the utmost waiting
upon tax payers who came in person
to pay their taxes. In addition to this
there was perhaps the greatest
amount of correspondence and checks
sent by mail with long lists to get
up in many instances) that l have
had to contend with during my entire
tenure of office. This made it impos-
isible for me to get everything balan-
ced and the necessary seggregations
made promptly. The Comptroller
General appreciating this fact cheer
fully granted additional time in
which to file my monthly report
which l did on the Goth, instant, the
earliest date possible under existing
iclrcum stances. In conclusion l should
Ike TO state that il seems to ME that
instead of permitting our little jeol-
ousies and desires 10 over ride our
better Judgment. we should all pull
together to that end OF securing The
best possible results for the county.
lThis is my conception OF good citizen
ship and the Christian spirit.
Most respectfully yours,
JNO. r. WATSON,
Treasurer.
p. ST will aDpreciate yery, much