A Comptroller General Resigns
Item
- Title
- A Comptroller General Resigns
- Source
- Daily Dispatch {VA}
- Date
- 1880-12-22
- page
- 4
- Identifier
- https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn84024738/1880-12-22/ed-1/?sp=4
- Crime
- Theft
- Subject
- Theft; Government Crime; Large Quantity of Money
- Gender of alleged offender
- Male alleged offender
- Gender of alleged victim
- Male alleged victim
- Stage of the Legal System
- Sentencing
- Location
- Out-Of-State; SC
- Length of story
- 181 words
- Description
- Comptroller General James C. Colt to-day sent in his resignation to the governor. His successor will be elected by the Legislature in a few days. Prior to the last State election General Colt held the office of special commissioner to Investigate the validity of the bills of the Bank of the State. Some months ago Alexander Laughlin, an expert employed by him stole about twenty thousand dollars in bills of the Bank of the State, worth about nine thousand dollars. While in jail awaiting his trial Laughlin died. A joint resolution exonerating Colt from the blame in connection with the theft was introduced into the Legislature a few days ago and passed by a large vote. The resolution, however, produced a heated debate in which Colt was harshly used by some of his opponents. Though vindicated by the action of the Legislature, he deemed it best to resign, because he rightly imagined that a cloud must hang over him during his term of office as Comptroller-General. Coil's action was entirely unexpected, and has created a flutter of excitement in political circles.
