Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1858-12-19
The Great HississIpp D sfalestion Of Is4s-Rs,
Dorr Unon me same-k Trus Woman

port Upon the sams-k True Woman.
OF course it has not been forgotten by most
OF our readers that, IN 1s45, an immense de-
falcation was discovered in the State Treasury
Of Mississippi, j. R. GRAVES being at the
head Of that department, who, as soon as ex-
posture was threatened, escaped, was pursued
caught, and finally got out Of the clutches Of
the officers and reached Canada, where be
lived beyond the reach of legal powers. The
history Of this great dsfaleation involving, as
was supposed at the time, no less than Sl64,-
600 In round numbers, is briefly sketched in the
following extract, which we obtained from a
report on tbe case by a H. Wakes, Esq, TO
Governor SIC MILE a short time since, il viii
Be seen what an honorable part an honorable,
high-mindel woman played in the disastrous
affair:
After Graves had ned and escaped from the
officers. and no oHe knew where the money was,
Mrs. Graves, true 20 the honest instincts Of
woman, sent for the Governor OK The State aud
voluntarily delivered to him $4,000 10 United
States Treasury notes, S2s747 6S % gold, 500
232 68 IN STATE warrants, making Sl64 $40 SO,
d sun quite sumcieut TO have purchased her
husbands Liberty, or made Serself and fsmily
Independent and, while her husband has Just
iY been regarded as a public d~efsultef and puI-
sued bT the officers OF the law az a fugitive
from justice, This devoted wife has had 70
share an The evils arising cut OF their unfortu
nate condition and live 90 a distant land, far
from her friends ard kindred, without even
having bad credit for Der straightforward
w0mzHlY honesty.
The state warrants delivered BY Mrs. Graves
to the Governor, were charged BY the Stale
officers 70 The various departments sn which
they were drawn, a. 50 much money paid BY
the STATE, and By which it viii be seea be had
S2l GAG 90 more state warrants on band than
be had received from the ordinary source Of
revenue; and yet although the trast funds were
only credited with good money returned BY
Mrs Graves, this S21, 6f9 90 was neither placed
to The trust funds, nor to Graves credit. If
either belonged 10 these trust funds which
Graves has IN bis hsnds. OF to Graves himself,
aud all that Mrs. Graves returned over aud
above what be had received for ordinary rev
euue, should have befn crsdf.ei 10 the trust
funds, or retained TO Mrs. Graves. Ia making
out The account between Graves and the state.
you wal! observe that I have first ascertsined
the whole money received by GraVesas Treas
ureT, for State purposes, or from general reFe- I
rue, and have made that account good out Of
lhe warrants returned By Mrs. Graves, 50 that I
10 part OF The dCfalcation sh0aii cone out of
AAe revenue uuA al cone out OF the kTuHE InrC6 ]
After the revenue vas entirely paid, the SCI
64s % either belonged b The trust funds OF to
Graves himself, but although the warrants
have been Cancelled for fifteen years as 80
much money paid out By the state. no crrdH
has ever been entered for this amount on the
books 10 any person or any account. Anong4
ihe WARRANTS given up b. Mrs. Graves were
several amounting TO 50 $50 Sc, drawn on the
two per cent. fund, a fuBd to pay the topo-
era phicsl engineers, which I had charged to
fhgt fand, aud not among the warrants drawn
on the Treasury for revenue purposes and sf-
ter al these entries are made. his exact dcfal-
cation was S44,Sl3 % at the time be fed.
Since that time A COMPROMISE has been made
an agent Of the STATE, (uuder the authori-
~ Of the Governor and Acknowledgement who
we're authorized By an act Of The Legislature,)
some Of the securities for s. O0O-hsR Of
vac paid BY the agent, aud the other
half into The State Treasury, but not the
credit II the trust fands-which reduces the
defaIestion OF S. R. Graves to the cum
II $3O.Sl3 29.