Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-08-18


"IuvestigatiDg Committee closed its labors last /
week Tbs rumors 10 the contents Of this report I
relative to the Office Of Comptroller make Il neces-
sary that should reply TO ibis extraordinary paper
SO as to correct, as far cam erronsoas impress
sions made n the public mind. The COMMITTEES
state in substance, thai the Comptroller2s books
were not properly kept Now, propose to snow
from their own report that they we're totally unac-
ouained with the business aud unit for the invesA
cation of the duties assigned them, and therefore
wholly incapable Of judging how books should BE-
kept During The sitting it was published IN mary
newspapers in this State aud se7erelin other states
that the interest had been paid about SZUO,Ovv
1 Almost every day these figures were changed ana
at one time it was reported 10 be S0,OUO Inc lase
heard Of It prior to adjournment vas that II was
vibrating between S5,U00 and $4,000 The COM
! mittee have adjourned and called TO see the
amount reported 20 be unpaid and find It set down
At 4S 1888 OS from the ls Of January, 1901, TO jan
\ uary 1855 This amount is settled upon amer an
| examination Of three months and three days
now make this proposition to the COMMITTEES; that
anv one Of their BODY may select from the Bank
/ Cashiers in Nashville Except the Bank OF Tennes
see as regard him party interested') such per-
son as be may prefer, or he may kethe foss mas
! Ter at Nashville, the Clerk OF the supreme Souf.
the present Comptroller the present treasurer o.
the late Treasurer-he may take any ones Two or
more of those named, and will convince such as
Won select in three hours after they read your re-
| nort ~ three months and three deys labor, that
your figures S4S, 1888 06, are not right do not
wish 10 be understood from this that there IS nus
take Of ST. or 500, or lOVo' IN me report ous
simply mean that viii convince those you select
that The entry Of S4S 38S O3 is improper a toto,
| and should have black lines drawn around 1t ana
theword "expunged written across IL. The gen
tlemen named from whom the selection Is TO be
made are all we'll aud faVorably known, and II you
accent the proposition shall expect some statement
from them 10 accompany your report, as they may
deem of interest to the public
The Bank of Tennessee is the agent to pay the
interest on all the bonds due in New ork ana PM
adelphia. l had no means Of knowing what amount
Of interest was due in those cities, nor do believe
I anv other person can find cut, for the reason that
great many coupons which, by legislative enactment,
we're rnsde payable at Nashville, we're by an act Of
the bank made payable at New York. Now while
1 might wholly disagree with the bank as 10 their
pover to alter or amend an act Of the legislature,
did not feel that it was my place to contend with
the officers as to the payment Of interest they had
made in New York. The Committee seem pleased
with the way the bank has managed its interest &C
count and condemns the way tits keptby the Comp
troller Now I have no idea that the interest paid
By the bank was properly investigated There are
q large number Of coupons now in the Bank OF Ten
nessee not in the books, but sealed up in different
papers which the Committee never examined and
up to this day have seen, as they were sealed
up snd stored away by the bank. ssr.
regard the whole report doing great Injustice
decide, if hearing can be had from men capable Of
, making an investigation. To show how far the
Investigation has been properly conducted here
with publish the statement Of Col Luttrell.
NAsHvILLE, Aug. 18th, 1888.
A. R. CRozIER-
You request me to state in writing the subject Of
our conversation relating to such matters as you
may refer to in your reply to the report of the
Investigating Committee.
Some time after was elected Comptroller, in the
fall of 1855, l received word from you through
friends at Nashville that you wished TO resign the
A Office of Comptroller and desired to know when
could take charge of the office. l returned for an
swer that could not take charge Of the office til
March. and when you resigned in January, was
elected to fill out your unfinished term contrary Il
my wish. --4,-...-..
were in session in Nashville understood they haC
ascertained interest had been Overpaid, request
ed you to aid me in examining the account and OF
your agreeing to do so you told me 70 procure
through the Cummittee, from the Bank Of Tennessee
all matters relating to the New York agency. lsever
al times asked the Committee do this aud they inva
riably promised it should be DONE On one occasion
went with you to the Capitol, and made the reques
to Mr.. Newman. He replied that he had severa
times written to the bank for the papers, and that HI
had received for answer a request that the Commit
tee should attend ct the bank He stated positively
, that he would not do So The rest of the Commit
tee learn went 10 the bank, With ut any notice
10 me- and made the examination
, One Of the Committee some time ago remarked Il
me that in order to relieve my mind, he would tel
me What was in the report. He then sail tina
they were going TO report that Mr. Spence never los
any bonds, but that if he did, he lost 20 duTini
your term, and the balance, 49, that Spence claimed
they had no evidence when they were lost. A mem
Der Of the Committee also told me that they woulI
report the interest account improperly paid, run
ming back years.
= Yours, respectfully,
= JAMES C. LUTTRELL.
From the foregoing letter it will be seen how ia
the Committee were disposed 10 give the COmptrOl
lers Department fair hearing.
3 presume there will be no objection on the par
/ of any member Of the Committe, if either of thos
n living here would make selection out of the name
proposed so that the matter could be attended I
OF once and the public mind be relieved.
The statement to Col. Luttrell that if Mr.. Spenc
lost any bonds he lost IS while in office, is ri
diculous for in their report they say they believ
my account was correct, and they distinctly stat
it as their opinion that he never lost any. The Com
D mittee show that Mr.. Spences book reports bonds
e and that my report gives no account of them. Mr.
Spences book does show that in March and April
1856 he deposited bonds which are not in my repoT
in October following. But the Committee had posi-
tive proof before them that Tart of these bonds
It not in existence at the time Mr. Spence report
then as being deposited and they had the deposition
of Col. V. X. Stevenson that he sold % Of them
Mr.. Spence, in January, 1856, which was fOu
months after my report, and nine months after Mr.
, Spence's book shows they deposited Is it nc
! reasonable that Mr.. Spence made an error as t
date i? AT all events ought such statement b
published. ARTHUR r. CROZIER.
Il