The press and standard. [volume] (Walterboro, S.C.) 1890-current, July 07, 1909, Image 1
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' ...v-'i
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m and
VOL. XXXI.
WALTERBORO, S. C, JL'LY ;. 1009.
NO. 46
EXPERTS REPORT FILED
. o n
INTERESTING DOCUMENT FILM
GOV ANSEL. SOME GLARING IR
REGULARITIES FOUND.
Tiu* discount l"*. k of the Bank for 1
thi- period, siiove> tiie following,
Borrowed l»v
i' m, ...... v :
Borrowed i>v
A]>r. 3. Hmki.
Borrowed by
Oct. lo, ItHHI,
A. R.
1)
the
ap-
the
In accordance '”ith an Act of
General Assembly. Gov. Ansel
pointed experts to investigate
financial condition of this county for
a period of ten years. In some re
spects it is a remarkable document
these experts have gixen out. They
throw bouquets and brickbats indis
criminately. But the report speaks
for itself and it follows:
Smith, Oct. 10.
....* $520.:i0
L. Smith.
540.10!
L Smith,
525.03
Borrowed by I > I, Smith Apr.
2, 1901,
Borrowed bv 1> L Smith Oct
1,1901,
Borrowed by L) L Smith
Apr. 1, 1902 542.92
Borrowed by I) LSmith Oct.
7.1902 526.89
Borrowed by I) L Smith
ter Counl> • interest for
1903, not prvviously charg
ed
in this of lice
i.r
in very much the .^un^
condition as were, those in the
Auditor's otlice. the papers relating
i
Making
PlsPHNSAin AO Ol NT.
>41.40
•»
Apr. 6. 19u;:
Borrowed bv
1. 1903
1> L Smith Oct.
..542.92
.527.08
To
Walterboro, S. C. July 2nd li*09.
His Excellency, Gov. M. F.
Ansel.
Columbia. S. C.
Sir-
Having finished the work of in
vestigating the public offices in Col
leton County, to which 1 was ap
pointed by your Excellency, in
pursuance of a Joint Resolution
jMissed by the Legislature at its last
session, I beg to make the following
report of my findings.
Deduct amount of the dis
count
84n00.7*‘»
159.80
Net amount brorrowed.. .$4640.96
From this take the amount
charged as above stated. 3609.34
And we have left $1031.62
, being the net sum realized on two
of these notes with which it seems
that D L Smith has not been
charged. .
While in the settlement sheet for
1899, it appears that D L Smith is
As preliminary thereto, however, charged with one note of $515.62.
I would state that agreeably to the this is evidently an error. It should
authority conferred in and by said have been charged against .A R.
resolution, I engaged Mr* W. W.
Bradley, of Abbeville, as an expert
accountant to assist me in the work,
whose services I found to Eh* of
great help to me, owing to the fact
that he had had long experience in
laoth the office of County Auditor
and County Treasurer in his home
County. > *
Concluding to begin work in the
Office of County Treasurer we-calied
upon the County Auditor for ab
stracts of the Duplicate and copies
of the settlement sheets from 1899
up to the last settlement, which was
for the fiscal year beginning January
1st. 1907, and ending June 30th,, . , ^
In 1882, Colleton County was
' We were informed by that 'officer bonded in the^um of $60.0003H) for
that he knew litthe or nothing about the purpose of funding the G r & i
Smith, as evidenced by the fact that
A R Smith is credited in that settle
ment with paying the same and the
additional fact that the Bank account
shows that it was placed to the
credit of A R Smith.
We, therefore, conclude that D L
Smith is indebted to the County ..of
Colleton, on this account, in the sum
of $1031.62.
BOND ACCOUNT.
A note of explanation again be
comes necessary in order that- what
follows bearing upon this subject
! may be understood.
such j>apers, as he had only recently
gone into office and had been kept
busy ever since m taking tax returns
and in making up his duplicates
preparatory to the next collection of
taxes, and that therefore he had not
W Rail Road, these l>ondsmatured
Oct. 1st. 19<>3 Some ten or twelve
years before the bonds fell due, the
County sold the road to the Plant
System for$35,OH).Wt.
From that time this company be-
had an opportunity or t^e time to liable to Colie on County for
that much of the bondeMl. debt, and
the interest thereon at 7 per cent
per annum, payable semi-annually
to wit.fon the 1st day of April and
October, respectively, each payment
was
acquaint himself with ‘the other
affairs pertaining to his office.
He did. however, point out to us
an indiscriminate mass of papers and
E>ooks piled up on top of tables, in .
dry good E)oxes etc. in an utter state being $l~*.o ; which it seems
of confusion, with no sort of dis- prompt y paid when due.
tinction between the papers of one | We accordingly hnd that there
year and those of another: sayifig at deposited with the Colleton
the same time that they were in just Banking Company, by the ‘ l. a n^
the condition in which they were to tbe credit of D L Smith,
when turned over to him by his ; County Treasurer, as follows.
I to one year’s transactions mingle*
.$16122.84 1 and inixod up with those of another.
; in the most indiscriminate manner
I conceivable. There is come excuse
We find, for the period Iteginning for this state of afTairs, however, as
July 1st. 1S99, and ending Oct. .Istf, 'there is little or no provision made
1900. there was paid into the County j in the office for arranging and
Treasury, from the County Dispen- preserving the pa|R*rs and recordsof
sary profits $7866.45) the office,.but granting this, there
Of this, A R Smith, who was treas-j seems to be the impression prevalent
urer for the year I'dW, and up to among at least some of the county
somtime in February 1900, when he officials that they are only responsi-
died, ar.d was succeeded by his . son., ble for the papers and records relat-
D L Smith, recieved $3456.82, and D ing to their respective terms of
L Smith $4409.63. office, and that it is no concern of
Of the amount received by A R theirs what Incomes of those of
Smith $1276.23. was the portion go- their predecessors,
ing to the incorporated towns in i There have been three different
which were located Dispensaries, | occupants in this office in Colleton
and $2180.59 was the County’s por- County within the past ten years,
tion. __ The first of these was J O Jaques.
Of that received by D L Smith, whose term lasted for four years; he
$1536.31, was the portion to^ \vhich w as succeeded by J E Moore, whose
theHowns were entitled, and $2873.32 term expired with the year lin^,
Exdonged to the County. In the whin the present incumbent, J O
joint'settlement made to determine Griffin, took charge,
the liabilities of A R Smith and I) L Mr Griffin seems to understand
Smith, respectively, for the above fairly well the duties of his office,
mentioned period, neither of them but having EH*en quite unwell for
is charged with the tow n’s portion
of the dispensary profits for the
good and sufficieent reason that the
same was paid over, directly to the
town authorities?
We find that w hile A R Smith is
charged, in that settlement, with
$2165.45. which is approximately all
that he received, and has properly
accounted for thei'spme. I) L Smith
is charged with only $2421.52 when
it appears from the books of the
Board of Control, corrol)orated
suE)stantially by his own books, that
he received $2^73.32, a difference of
$451.80; and furthermore, that he is
given credit in that settlement with
paying $1210 76 to the towns, not-
withstartting. as we have E>efore
stated, the towns, had already E>een
paid all to which they were entitled
of that fund.
We therefore, conclude that D L
Smith is due the t ounty on account
of the Dispensary the following
sums:
Amount received in excess of that
accounted for . $451.80
Amount wrongfully paid
out .* $12lo.76
Total $1662.56
The following i» a summary of
the liabilities of D L Smith, Ex-
County Treasurer, as found by us
in which the Clerk is required to re
cord aii lines imposed bv the Court
which ho may collect. No Such book
was kept by Mr McFeer for the four
years in which he was in office, ex
cept for about three months of the
latter part of his term of service.
Consequently, we found it impossi
ble to tell what fines had been col
lected by him. or what disposition
was made*of such as he may have
collected while he was in office.
A criticism which we have to
make of the present Clerk is that
while he keeps as accurate account
of all fines and license* collected by
him and p :ys over the same pnq>er-
ly to the county treasurer, it does
not appear that he makes his month
ly reports to the county auditor as
he is require*! to do by Section 937
of Ynl. 1 of Code of Laws of S. C-
We looked into the matter of his
charges for recording papers, and
C P FISHBURNE KILLED
* » •
# ■ ' — " —
SHOT LAST NffitIT AT RAVENEL BY J
W MESSERVEY. MR ALTMAN AL
SO INJURED.
The following telegram was re
ceived here by magistrate Towles
just l>efore going to press. It was
sent by the agent at Ravenel. “Come
to Ravenel this morning for inquest
over the body of Mr. C. F. Fishbume
who w as shot last night by Messer-
vey. Mr. Altman who was shot is in
hospital" Messervey is a white man
and is reported to have had a ship;
while it may be that, in some m-1 ment of Ihjuor which Constable Fish-
stances. he has charged a little more
the greater part of the time since he
uualitied, and consequently largely
dependent upon others to discharge
the duties of his office, he is some-
w hat behind w ith his work.
In checking over the claims ap
proved by the Board of County
Commissioners, of which he is chair
man, we came across a good many
that had been aproved and ordered
paid, which w re not made out and
sworn to as the law directs. We
also found that several claims,
amounting in the aggregate
to $260.55, had been twice paid,—
that is, the County Treasurer had
l>een given checks for the whole of
them, and it seems that a Mr Hiott
was, also, given checks for the
greater part <>f same claims, and
the parties in whose names the
claims had been made out. received
checks for the remainder.
We confess that we are unable to
explain how this could have oc
curred. consistent with the inno
cence of the parties concerned there
in, neither has the Treasurer or the
Supervisor been able so far. to dos*. 1
but we are fully satisfied that
neither of them has intentionaly
dones»ay wrong in the matter
The fact remains, however, that
had it not been for this investiga
tion. the County would have been
for recording certain papers, mort
gages for instance, than a strict con
struction of the fee bill would admit
of. the excess is so little that it is
hardly worthy of mention in this re
port, (‘specially since anyone who
may suspect that he has been over
charged by the clerk for recording a
paper, to determine that matter, as,
by the fee-l)ill, the clerk is restricted
to ten cents for every hundred
words contained in the document,
each figure counting a word.
SUPERINTENPENT OF EDUCATION.
The
burne went to seize. Fuller particu
lars of this horrible trage are not
obtainable now.
present supe
education. Dr. H. W. Black,
On E>orrowed money accounts1031.62 short to the extent of this $2'*6.55.
predecessor.
Alter spending a considerable
time in a futiie effort to obtain some
reliable data that would be of ser
vice to us, w’e applied to the comp
troller General tor the settlement;
sheets filed in his office for the period
to be covered by our investigation, j
but as he seemed somew hat indispos
ed to allow these papers to go out ■
of his office. Mr Bradley went up to
Columbia and made copies of them,
save those for the year 1905, which ,
he was informed, could not lie found t
in the office. •
Note. In order to a proper un- j
derstanding of what follows touch
ing the office of County Treasurer,
it is necessary to state that there .
have E>een three different treasurers
in Colleton County witnin the last;
ten years. j
In 1899, and a part of 1900. A. R.)
Smith was treasurer; in the Spring ;
of 1000 A. R. Smith died and was'
succeeded by his son, D. L. Smith,
who continued in the office to the
E>eginning of 1967, at which time he
was succeeded by the present treas
urer. R. E. Jones. „
Having obtained copies of the
settlement sheets in the manner
stated, we directed our attentions
first to the
BORROWED MONEY ACCOUNT
as it is there where trouble is most
frequently met with in the office of
County Treasurer. This ° account,
for the past ten years, was satisfac
torily checktd, except as to money
borrowed each year by the County
from the Colleton Banking Company,
April 4, 1900 $1225
Oct 8. 1900 1225
April 1901 1225
Oct 7. 1961 1225
April 1. 1962 1225
Sept. 30. 1902 1225
April 1,1903 1225
Oct. 1, 1903 : 1225
$9800.00
In the settlement for 1899-1900,
which covers the period during which
the first deposit was made, viz.,
Apr. 4, 1960, I) L Smith is not
charged with having received any
thing from the Plant System. In
the settlement for 1900-1901. he is
charged, on that account, with $2450
in 1901-1902, he is charged
with $1225
. In 1902-1903, he is charged
with $3675
$7350.00
On bond account $2450.On
On Dispen.-ary account $1662.56
Total $5144.18
The present County Treasurer. Mr
R E Jones, who is assisted by his
son. Mr Edgar Jor.es. a thoroughly
competent youn' r man. conducts his
office in a most satifactory manner.
His Eiooks are neatly kept and it was
no trouble to check up the^ame, he
being able to produce vouchers fur
all money*! paid out.
There is, however, one matter
respecting which he is open to cen
sure, and tha f is, he sometimes,
an accommodation to parties, will
cash their claims l»efore the same
Ex-Supervisor Moore seems to
have kept an unusally full and
complete account of his official acts,
and while, we think, he kept too
many books, we found after we had
assorted out, with his assistance,
from the indi-criminate ma<s of
papers in the office, such as related
to his term of service, that his sys
tem of Ex>ok-keeping, with his ex
planations was entirely satisfactory.
In going over the j>eriod during
which Ex-Supervisor J O Jaques
was in office, we came across quite
a large number of jury and witness
pay certificates, for which the
Treasurer had been given credit in
, , ^ his annual settlement which are still
have been hied in the County super- t ^j nc8nce lled. The Treasurer is re
visor s ofhee. or approved bv : qui re 4 to cash all such certificates
Board of County Commissioners. „ r to receive then, in payment of
This is a practice which is liable t a xes on presentation; ami the prac-
sooner or later to cause trouble, if tj , ^ ht . has lakcn in a i ot 0 f
|t has not already done so (see report thc ^, cortl |icates. tn *0 to the Coun-
tn reference to County bu[>er\is*.r s ty Supervisor and pet a warrant for
toothing of the fact t ft0r0rrA€rft 4p l * rnnnn Ai thpiwf
to the
account of
with the
s •* j - * c*j a- 1 1 1 them in his office as his voucher for
superintendent of educations books, | hu warrant> ju3t „ ht in the
md while there are outstanding ca9e a |j 0 ,n.-r claims for which he
Balance $2450.00
From this it is apparent that he
net been charged with all the
moneys paid in by the Plant System
by $2450, the amount of two of the
semi-annua! pavments of interest.
NOTE. The $3675.00, paid by
the Plant System, with w’hich he is
charged in settlement sheet for 1902
1903, as above stated, is included in
the item" of $46122.84, charged
against him in that settlement, as
wdll fully appear in what immediate
ly follows*
In the settlement for the vear
1962-11*03, in xhich w’as included the
interest paid by the Plant System
Oct. 1st. 19d3, we find that D L
office! to say
that it is directly contrary
law.
His disbursements on
the schools agree exactly
Su
an
school claims amounting in the ag
gregate to $1835.17, he has in hand
of school fiunds $1200.68 to be sup-
plemented by the schools portion of
the Dispensary profits for the
quarter ending June 30, 1909, which
is yet to be paid in. which will be
more than sufficient to pay all these
the aggregate amount thereef.
It is the duty of the Supervisor,
when he issues his warrant for these
certificates to cancel them and file
rintendent of
so far
as we know, and certainly so far as
keeping the records of his office
goes, makes an efficient officer.
His books are correctly ami neatly
kept and the duplicates of all claims
approved and ordered paid by him,
properly filed away. We examined
his school book account and found
that he had in the way of books on
hand and cash in bank, what was
sufficient to make up all with which is
properly chargeable, to wit; $660.
We did, however, discover a few
claims that had been signed by less
than a majority of the school trus
tees, as well as a few, the correct
ness of w hich, had not been sworn to
by the claimants as the law requires
shall be done.
OFFICE OK SHERIFF.
The present sheriff was elected at
the last general election and conse
quently has only been in office since
me first of January last.
We examined the books kept so
far by him and found tnem to lie
neatly made up. We are sorry we
can’t say as much for his immediate
predecessor, L. G. Owens, who filled
the office for some ten or twelve
years. However, that is a small
niatter in comparison with some
other things which we found m con
nection with this officer’s term of
service.
In examining his tax execution
Ejook, ior several years back, we
found that in the case of quite a
number of tax payers who had re
turned landsT running from one
acre up to 1% acres, aggregating
over 300 acres in 19<)5, who failed to
pay the taxes thereon, that execu
tions were issued against them and
put into the hands of the sheriff for
collection.
In his return made to the Treas
urer, in reference to these execu
tions, and entered in his execution
book, is this report, “Can't find.”
when in 1906, these same parties
paid the taxes on these identical
lands, showing that with proper
effort these lands could have been
issues a warrant. It is much more
important to the County that these
certificates E>e cancelled than is the
case with ordinary claims for the
reason that these certificates are
payable to bearer, and at any time
within five years from the date of
issue, and that being the case it is
found. The same, or worse, is true |
o th<
1907
trates to promptly pay over to the
County Treasurer, of their respec
tive Counties, all tines and penalties
imposed and collected by them.
It appears from the dockets of
those Magistrates, whose books are
kept in an intelligible manner, that
they have complied with the law’ so
far as paying over the money to the
Treasurer is concerned, but few, if
any of them, have paid the same
promptly as the law requires—as in
many instances the same has been
retained in their hands for several
menths after being collected.
THE OFFICE OF MASTER IN EQUITY.
We are pleased to In? able to re
port that we found the papers and
records in this office models of
neatness, and would congratulate
the people of the County on the fact
that they in this important office, in
the person of Col. Henderson, a man
who seems to Ik- peculiarly fitted for
discharging the duties incident
thereto, L>uring the last ten years
this officer has received and disburs
ed more than $126,666.00 and has all
his vouchers for the same, just
where he can place his hands upon
them, at a moment’s notice.
THE OFFICE OF JUDGE OF PROBATE.
The incumbent in this office seems
to have the business of his office
thoroughly in hand, and w’hiie his
mode of book-keeping is somewhat
different from that in common
usage in that office, the resu't is
entirely satisfactory. The only
criticism which we have to make
touching the conduct of this offieer v
is that he is rather modest in hia
charges, not collectidg in many in
stances what he might under the
bill.
Respectfully submitted
R. E. Hill.
Commisioner.
CARD FROM SENATOR GRIFFIN-
Editor The Press and Standard: —
I see in to-day’s News and Courier,
that the expert Committee for Col
leton county has reported the conn-
ty supervisor’s offiice with certain
errors and irregularities.
In reply, i desire to say that the
Supervisor is still very unwell and
wholly unable to ifiake an investiga
tion of the office, but as soon as he
reaches the physical ability it will be
thoroughly scrutinized and if the
clerk has made any erroneous en
tries it will be corrected and the
county will not lose a single cent of
The supervi
<1 his
rvisor has been
as to the executions for 1906 and ^xtremiy sick, and his health is still
i precarious. He has been driven from
lUiccur* to uk that there might hi » urKler the advice of ^
c !* i T- TJf** f re ' cer ' sin out ; poraible for anyone who might get
standing County claims, some of j,,,,,, of w , me „ f h certificates,
which have not yet been passed . th fter th(
upon by the Board of County even two or three jears alter im
Com
missioners. which will aggregate
something like $.375; to meet these
claims the Treasurer has $898, which
amount will Lie augmented by the
County’s portion of the Disi*ensary
profit*, soon to be paid in, which ic
is estimated will be approximately
$500; these two amounts will be
date of their is«ue, to go to the
Treasurer and collect the money for
them, and the Treasurer in turn
take them, in connection with a
batch of other etch claims, to the
supervisor, get a warrant for them
and thus the same certificates he
paid twice without either the treas
urer or the supervisor being aware
It occurs io us inai mere niigiu ■ • • t • i . #
be some profitable gleanings had by , Physicians, which alone accounts for
the Sinking Fund Commission in this lilt ‘ errars * u tHe Respectfully,
_ J. S. Griffin.
Walterboro, July 6.
Sinking
field, were they
matter.
to look into the
OFFICE OF MAGISTRATE.
Section No. 1<HK) of Volume 1 of
the Civil Code, requires all Magis
trates to file with the County Audi
tor and County Treasurer, respecti-
for the purpose of paying its portion Smith, Treasurer, is charged in one
of tne semi-annuai interest on the item, as follows:
Z a- ■ . . _ ■ urer or me supervisor oemg aware
.uftcient to pay .1 out-Manding of tlle frau(1> ^ n( , thir . K „f the
claims and still leave to the credit of faci | ity thus air „ rd ,., l , he treasur.-i,
bonds issued for the purpose of
building the Green Pond and Wal
terboro Rail Road^ of whicn|we w ill
have occasion to make mention more
fuiiy later on in this report.
The amount horowed, semi-annu-
ally, was $515.62, with the discount
added in the fail of each note.
against the
Cash received to liquidate bond
debt $46122.84
While it is not stated from w’hat
source this money was derived, it
is evident that was made up as fol
lows: Received from the Plant
System, purchase price of the G P &
W Rail Road $35000.00
Received from Plant Svs-
the County ,. so
Thus it will be
The charges maie .
Treasurer, touching these notes are tern, interest for Oct. 1902,
as follows: , April B-k'3 and Oct. 1903,...
In the settlement sheet for the ] Received from Dorches-
year beginning July 1, 1899, and ' ter County its portion of
ing Oct 1900, (1) note... $515.62 j R*il Road debt 6176.29
Received from Dorches-
something like $1( . jf he should be so disposed, to de-
^ fraud the county, whereas ordinary
0 ’ letan J* ^ only entirely out c | a i mSf being payable only on the
of debt a. the present time, but that w arrant of the county supervisor,
there is practically several hundred would ** wort hles« to anyone who
Wury lU | pucloin the same.
CLERK OF COURT.
OFFICE OF COUNTY SUPERVISOR. a . . .
* \n examination of this office
The office of County Supervisor shows that the incumbent is fully
CHILDRENS DAY AT TABER
NACLE. .
Smoaks, July 5, Special:—Chil-
ve'ly^on 'the first* Wednesday ' in' each J^n’» day exercises were held at
- ■ - Taliernacle church Sunday, June 2i.
There was a large crowd present to
enjoy the exercises. The meeting
was presided over by Supt. B. L.
Jones. The program consisted of
exercises by the Sunday school, and
an address by Prof Gyles of the
Bamberg Fitting School, on charac
ter building. It was an excellent
address and very timely, ^ f ^
PROF HUGO SfttRIDAN.
His many friends over the state
made! will feci like congratulating Waiter-
month or within ten days thereafter,
a full and accurate statement of ali
fines collected during the past
month; giving the title of each case
in which a fine has been paid, the
nature of the offence for which the
fine was imposed and the amount
thereof:
I While perhaps a majority of. the
Magistrates have complied with the
spirit of the law, in a sense 1 , in that
they have filed with the Auditor
the reeeipts given them by the
Treasurer for the money paid over
I to hil)n. not one of them has
these reports as the law* directs.
This is a wise provision of law and
ending Oct 1900, (1) note..
. Year 1900-1901, (2) notes...1031.24
Year 1901-1902, (1) note ... 515.62
Year 1902-1903, (3) notes...1546.86
Total .$3600.34
ter County interest for
1900. not previously charf-
ed 634.38
Received frsai
3675.00 being one of the most important of
our County offices, should be filled
by a man of firmness, good judg
ment and business talent, but, un
fortunately, these qualifications are
not often taken into consideration
by the average voter when he comes
to cast his vote for such officer.
Ws found the papers and records
informed as to what is required of
him by law, and that he has, in the
main, complied therewith..
We are sorry we are not able to
say as much for his immediate pre-
decessor. Mr. E. R. McTeer.
Among the books required to be
kept by the Clerk of Court is one
0e*igMted “Fines and Forfeitures,
boro upon securing the services of
Prof. Hugo G. Sheridan as principal
should be strictly complied with by 1 of the graded school there. He goes
all Magistrates, as in the absence of i to them from Lake City, where he
- - i. . “ Branch-
P9
such reports, the Auditor, when he
comes to make his annual settle
ments, with the Treasurer, is entire
ly dependent upon that officer as to
what money be has received in the
way of fines and penalties from the
several Magistrates of the County.
Section &>. 999 of the Civil Code
makea italeo the duty of ail Magi*-
has been for the past year.-
viiie Journal.
O’QUIN—CQUIN-
Married by Maciatrata Bryan at
r Sunday afternoon.
M. O’Quin
y Mnriatrata
Hendersonville, Sunday
’Quin andH.
MkoS. F. O’Quin
both of Ifondoranarfflo
A