Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-06-19
KNOxvILLE TENN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE d. 1885,.


kegs and boxes with hatchsts and hammers in III
most approved Z" help yourself STYLE repeat tns
I would gladly say that Baxter had made his state
n'ents in ignorance or by mistake. For the eredi
OF poor human nature and for the honor of the ba1
to which he belongs, would gladly say So but un
fortunately the man admits his knowledge of suci
facts and documents as show that makes his state
ments with full knowledge Of the truth
Now Whist are the known, notorious and recorded
facts in relation to these assets Of the Bank Of Ten
nessee" On the lst Of January, ise2, these assets
amounted, as is shown BY the official reports OF that
date, to ST., $50 03723, including $40. 81 in
coin. In February following say six weeks after
this last showing was made, 8 these assets were
oil taken and carried away by Mr.. Bakers present
| eo-workers. The books papers, bonds bank notes,
ETC., were placed in strong wooden boxes and nailed
or locked up. The coin was placed in kegs and
boxes, supposed to be about sixty in number, the
amount marked on each, and each box or keg sealed
up with sealing wax. In this condition the aassets
travelled by rail, by wagon by boat and by dray for
three years and over closely attended by presidents
cashiers and clerks of bank and branches and State
/ officers as well as congressman and brigaders who
are shown by the papers recovered 20 have helped
themselves as occasion required These are the gen.
tlemen spoken Of by Mr.. Baxter in the most court
" style as the officers having the assets in charge
In April 1865 these assets or what was lef of them
were captured by detachment of Federal troops
and q portion Of the toficers having them in
charge were arrested. But portion Of the /" oA-
GERS having them in charge escaped and have
never been arrested. How much Of their charge
escaped with them has never been developed. Some
of the officers having the assets in charge" do say
that Fisher, the cashier of the mother bank carried
off large amount. of gold, sometimes stated at
$4,000, and sometimes at 100000. How the facts
IS, know not. only know that he fed to Europe,
and that hear of him as a banker ct Liverpool
and that he does not return to America No bill of
lading list catalogue was captured so as to show
of inin cci, he
boxes, kegs, etc, were weighed by the eaptors and
placed in'cbarge of Federal Captain with orders
to turn them to the civil authorities of Tennes
see. They were without delay brought to the State
Capitol, re-weighed, and placed under military
guard IN the Capitol The weights showed that the
Captain had faithfully performed his duty.
1t is also due to Mr. j. +. Brown, cashier Of the
Trenton branch, who turned over the assets cap
tured TO the State to say that his conduct seems to
have been unexceptionabe. He came with the es-
cort saw the coin delivered, and gave the commit
tee all the assistance in his power and bushed to
find that most of the boxes had been broken open
and pillaged. That gentleman will not say there
was six hundred thousand dollars in coin turned
over to the civil authorities Nor will he say there
was cent more than the committee reported
The coin was laid down in the Capitol by the mill
tary-something had to be done with it. What q
pity the Legislature did not send for Baxter and
turn 1t over to him! Short-sghted mortals They
chose 10 trust their Governor, who had been en-
trusted by their constituents with the highest efice
IN the State. An old man, who has been oftener
and more violently sssailed than any man of his
day, but never accused of dishonesty. A man as
proyerbial for his indifference for gain his as.
sailant is for averiee. They associated with tho
Governor two of their sworn and bonded public Of
fcers, one of whom they had chosen to watch over
their Treasury, and required them to Investigate
into and schedule the assets and ascertain the value
thereof" The task imposed on these officers was
one OF much labor, requiring many weeks hard
work. The Legislature did not expect their officers
who we're then constantly employed in reorganiz-
ing their several departments perform this labor
themselves. An appropriation was made to employ
the necessary help. DR.. A. W. Hawkins, brother
OF tire distinguished Supreme Judge, was employed
by the Comptroller. Capt II. III. Thomas not then
on tho staff, but we'll known to the Governor and
possessing then, as he still does, his entire conf
dence and Gen. Hunt who was on the staff and as
signed to this duty because of his fine business ca
pacty and because his services would incur no sd-
ditional expense-were the committee employed for
the work. These three gentlemen performed their
lsbors with open doors, in presence at all times of
the guard and generally Of crowd, who were com
ing and going-sone attracted BY curiosity, and
some to inquire after deposits, aud for infor-
nation generally. The officers who had employed
them were consssRtly within few steps Of them,
and the room of the ever viglant and wide-awake
Captain Heydt was next dooe to the counting. Six
persons instead Of three were now responsible, and
of the six in whom the public did not ccnfGe as
much as in John Baxter Esq. No honest man
would suspect anything criminal in these proceed
ings. But the thief is always suspicious He knows
what he would do himself if opportunity should Of
fer and imagines all others to be like himself But
am not here to moralize--I am dealing in facts,
There was nothing TO show how many of the kegs
and boxes were missing. The seals of many of them
had been broken, and the weights and amounts we're
defaced, as was observed by all who saw them. One
by one the committee proceeded to open, count,
schedule, return contents and again nail and seal up
the vessels. Some papers were found inside of half
filed bags Of gold, which may indicate the direction
the missing coin has taken. read few Of them
merely as samples
BANK OF TENNESSEE, I
Chattanooga August II, 1856.
W. W. Clayton, Atlanta, Ga:
Dear Sir: Please deliver 20 E. NJ. Bruce or order,
one bag of gold containing Ave thousand dollars,
and hold his receipt for the same.
Very truly, etc,
JoHE A. FISHER, Cashier.
And sure enough the receipt IS on Ale
One large box marked No 37-lbs 644-S30,o00
in gold seems to have been very unfortunate On
opening-an operation it had evidently become
used tothere remained but Sle LIS OF the gold and
s37ss 80 in silver, nearly $4,000 gone cut OF one
box But the documents found inside this box would
furnish curiosity shop. l will read you some of
them. Here is the bill OF memorandum OF its orig
ignal contents
No 81, Lbs 64l, $s0,0oe in gold, Bank Of Tennes-
see, Nashville and Knoxville.
G Bags of gold, $4,000 each, $4,000, belonging to
Branch, Knoxville.
And here goes the money
Gov. Harris. 10 %
Gen. Atkins lOOO O0
Col Trousdale 300 90
Ease 90
Taken by order of Cashier Fisher, Greensboro,
Geo.. April 21st 1865 J. T. BRowS.
AUGUSTA, April 26, 1895.
Bank Of 7e5saessee
Pay to myself, in coin, one thousand dollars in
part Of salary due me. H. L. CLAIRBORSE.
In the event It becomes my duty in equity to re-
turn this coin and receive other funds in payment
then am to return it. well, that Is fairl
$1,000 GRTf1s, Ga, April II, 1865.
One day after date promise 70 pay the Bank Of
Tennessee, or order, one thousand dollars IN gold
coin, for value received Witness our hand and
SEAL J. d. @. ATKINSON. Seal.
| And here YOU see Ishsrn drew his salary in gold
/ in April 1865 two years after he was Ineligible,
when Carutbers elaimed 20 be Governor and Brown
/ low was Governor. Three Governors under pay a.
one time enough for poor Tennessee. To be frank,
expect old Bob (Caruthersl didn't get his share.
| $3.50 GRBESsBoRo, Ga, April Fl, 1865.
/ Received Of Bank of Tennessee Seven Hundred
and Fifty Dollars in gold, in full Of one-quarters
salary. a. Governor Of the State Tennessee.
| l. G. HARRIs, Governor, etc.
"a Per LEON TRoUsDALE, Col. & a. Dc.
/ This receipt 20 be cancelled by Gov. Harris owr
receipt in the hands Of Mr.. T. d. Flppin fer safDe
| amount. ks
I And here we get on the track Of Bsxters efiert
and see whore $50, zoe in gold went Tbs $4,000
with the $4,000 Of the Athens Branch shows Cleage
+ 70 have got Slos,o0o Court him, Baxter he : b
fat goose. ~
AUGUsTA, Ga, April u ls6a.-
/ T. D. FIigp1i, Esq., Griffin, Ga:
| Dear Sir: Pay 70 Gen. j. d, c. Atkins, IN gold,
the receipt Of Governor IShSm g. Harris for $50
Seven Kindred Fifty Dollars, which be bold. Also,
loan HIM One thousand Dollars in gold, and take
his note accordingly the form of which note here
in close You hsd better open Of the boxes be-
longing 70 The Athens Branch. if con venient We
loaned Ceage $4,000 bat if not convenient, fben