Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-07-02
PAVING AGAIA.
THE COMMITTEE REPORT,
THE BRIBERY CHARGES
NOT SUSTAINED.
Very Interesting Testimony Be
fore the Committee.
The Board Refuses TO Recon.
slider its Former Action.
Alderman Shaw Introduces &
Juicy Resolution.

Alderman Shaw Introduces a
Juicy Resolution.
A special meeting OF the board Of al
dermen was held yesterday afternoon,
to receive the report of the committee
appointed TO investigate the alleged
charges Of bribery with reference TO the
paving contract. A full board was pres
ent The following report OF the S5e-
mittee was presented by the chairman
Mayor Lofland
"The committee to whom was referred the
Investigation Of bribery in connection with the
Hopper & Montgomery contract. report that
the evidence did not sustain the charges. BY
W. U. 1OFLASD, Chairman"
The report Of the committee was
adopted, and the evidence, which is as
follows, was ordered to be published
MI. Cochran, alderman, was the first wit
ness sworn, and examined by Alderm AID Pass
more. q Did youhave any conversation with
Capt. Postal, and when2 A ] had some con
versation with Mr.. Postal q. When did It
take place. A. 1 think It took place on Ann-
day evening. @ VIII you please state what
wsstbe nature Of this conversation? AIwfU
7 was coming up 10 the board, when met Mr..
Postal, and We got into conversation near a
AAn-HANsAA EAAAAA-AAAE III NAH naAAEhH W 4 nA1
remarked to me that he had an interest with
| Hopper 4 Montgomery in their contract, and II
they got the contract it would he a thousand
dollars 10 me. Y DID you take the remark as
the offer Of a bride? a. You know what said
about II in the board. q. Did you take the re-
mark as the offer Of a brihe ? That is a very
n'ain question. \. ] did MP to that time L
s-Dpped HIM in his conversation AID walked
away: by that time we had got across WASH
ington street, and we theE talked 40, n some
lots he wanted 10 lease rom me. q. Whit
about these lots? Al proposed to lease them
TO him. q. On what terms A. He wanted u
lease or rent certain lets he says he had a con-
versation about these lots before We met at The
hogshead l have mentioned, but / don't
remember what he said up 70 the time
We were at The hOgshea1 about leasing
the lots. @ WHAT was your reply when
he tp Ike about the thousand dollars ?
A. Stop it, Nothing Of that kind for me; and
! left him O. DO You disclalm now that Capt
Postal meant TO brtle youP A. l do So from
the explanation that he has since made 10 me.
Alderman shaw wish 10 bring out ali the
facts in the case Witness-The explanation
was satisfactory between Dir. Postal and my
SELF that he did not intend TO bride me. This
was my opinion after the explanation BY
alderman Johns1n-Did you think at Lhe
tiRse he spoke lu>t to you he meant orintended
to bride you? WitnesSI had such impression
at the time, but &c was afterwards made X tbs
factory between him and me after Mr.. Postal
made his explanation that he did not intend 10
do so. BY Alderman JOhnsOn-Did YOU have
any conversation with any other parties whom
you believed parties to the contract Wit
ness-No.
Hans Lemon, alderman, on being sworn, was
examined by LEt chairman .AIu. Eman Ie-
mOns please state what PROPOSE ion was made
to you in regard to the paving contract, and
what you understood that prop sitiOu 70
amount to? A The day the council made the
at the corner OF PDntotoc and reSutO streets.
waiting GOf my men 10 come back from dinner.
may say that l was watching the too S
when Capt. Postal and another gentleman
came up. Aftgr some conversation, Capt.
Postal remarked that Hopper q Montgomery
wished the c%OBtract, and he said, II yuu vote
for them il may be a thousand dollars In your
way By Alderman PaSSm Ore-Did you take
the remark as a brlbe? W-tne>s-NOt at that
moment, told him that l could NOT consist
emily vote 20 give the contract to Hopper &
Moutgom ~, or for That party. I Ueiieve 1
in the mayors oflse. said that he
should not odsr M5 a Gribe. He s7id il was not
so. We had some words shout 10, and on the
following morning we had a personal eXplaua-
tion, and nom tHaI personal explanation he
wrote "a communication, which / answered. ]
now view the matter In a different way, and do
not think that lie dldinteud TO bride me. 1 AVE
no right 10 consider 10 otherwise. By Alder
man O'DOunell-DO you understand u that he
meant TO bride you? Witless-I do not now
consider that he meant 10 bdbe me. By Alder
man PassmOIe-HDW came the remark to be
made 20 the mayor about lt2 Witness-Aner
the result Of The award, ! met the mayor IN
front OF the hall, and 1 said that the
word 1 had given for the contract had cost me
allo1sand uOlaIs. Mayor L~Ouand--Ihat vast
WltnesS-Ihe Mayor remarked TO me that he
understood that Sir. Cochran had been ap-
proachedln the same way, and that Alderman
Boiling had or was requesting him to cal a
meeting OF the board. Alderman Lynn and
Alderman Cochran came up. and after a few
words. Alderman Cochran mentioned "a name
aud Isaid the same person had approached me,
By Alderman J~OhnsOn-When did you make
the remark that you had LIST a thoust and dol
lars by the word you had spoken Witues-I
said 1t to the mayor after the meeting at which
the contract had been awarded. By Alderman
JOhHsOu-Wh hat next took place? Witness
There was nothing dehEite until l had a per-
sonal explanation with Capt Postal. By Alder
man PassmOIe-DO YOU believe that the eight
member Of this board who voted TO give The
contract To Hammer y MnnHHAHHaFN Wrawa In
huenced by brides? WitneSs-Ihav noreason
TO think so. By Alderman Johnson Did you
think il was a bElbe until you had the aNplana-
ton you speak ~ Witncss-I did: but 1 do
uotnOw believett was a bHbe So INTENDED after
the explanation.
metropolitan police force, sworn and exam
in d by the chairman Do YOU know anything
about bribes being offered in regard TO this con-
tract? Wituess-No. The chairmau-Yhen ne
have no further questions to ask you. Alder
man Johnson think We should cOnhne our
questions 20 matters relating TO bribery.
Alderman PaSsnore read The report Of the
mayors speech az the meeting Of council, held
Wednesday, as follows:
The mayer being called on, said he had also
been approached in a peculiar manner but
anything he might say 10 the board they would
have TO takehiS word for it, for he would NOT
give the name Of the person who had approach |
ed him and endeayOred TO procure ~isinhufnCe |
in regard to these contracts. he might say that
the psrsou referred TO was a MEND OF twenty
wears standing, and his r end ever since be had
-ttainel manhood. That person had approach |
ed HIM and had told him that IL he would give
his influence 70 secure the contract to Hopper |
4 Montgomery a certain amount Of bonds |
would be settled on any OF his children that lie
might name. He had reasons 10 believe that /
the parts made this proposition was iutsr-
ested in the contract Il was Intended to have |
brought this matter before Tie private meeting /
OF the board convened at Alderman Lyun's /
rooms on Tuesday afternoon, but some mem
Der, he understood, Invited the members Of the !
press 10 be present, etc. Alderman PaSsmOre-
Is the report nave read correct, Mr.. Mayor !
MAYO n LofandI do not think said " that the |
party who made the propOs ton was int rested
in the contract" In fact, l am sare l did not
say SO.
W. o. LoHsnd, mayor OF Memphis, was then
sworn and requested to make any statement he
had TO make to the committee. Witness-I
Il was on Wednesday hat I had an in
terview with MT. Ayres, in which lie said to
should be awarded to Hopper 81 Montgomery.
He did not say that he was authorized by them l
TO come TO me but he said it was q matter in
which he felt some interest, and therefore be
had come TO me 10 see II I had any influence
that IL would be uSei for them. / told him my
position was Known, and was in favor OF the |
TO them would strengthen the hnau-
cial condition OF the city thai l had no per-
sOual feeling in the matter, and all | was look
70 was the financial condition Of The city.
The cOnNerSutiO. ia-ted sometime, in the course
OF which Mr. Ayres said that II Hopper q Mont
got the award II would be a thousand
uuiiass TO me OF my boys. / felt hurt for
a time, but afterward felJ that Mr.. Ayres
ne too wed TO think that ole
thousand dollars wouiq aGeat ne, and
l dismissed amy UNPLEASANT feeling had
previously felt. By Alderman PaSsmQre-Oid
you intend speaking about the matter Wit
neSsI would not hay6 dQn6 So until ! met
lemon. When he told me what had occur
ed with him, 1 told Mr. Lemon he should net
trouble himself about 10, as we uid not know
what our friends offered TO do. and that one Of
my best friends in the world had made a SINH
lar proposition 10 me. The next morning got
Dir. Cochran had told me on Mon
eV--ing or Tuesday morning that a similar
proposition had Ueen mage u nun. 40 Eing
"a had No nnHuEunA IN. the naw#a - w. I
preached, bat knowing also thar II Wou'd be-
come public, Id eslHed 50 my duty TO get some
explanation OF the whole matter. saw Alder
man Boiling on the subject, in company with
Lynn, Il Nj, Boiling said he was
satisfied with what had taken place, and ]
too htm 70 see aud bring 10 before the board in !
executive sesslop, tpatliLe ghoIa matter might
BE- inquired into. J lFthe tItne afterwards Z
sAd Mr. Boiling sent me a letter rsL
me To eal lac 3 ard together. By Al
ierman Passni cra-D7 you diSciaiha any att Wpt
the part of Mr.. Ayres to bride you Witness,
Certainly. For q moment was mart D9' l
never wOIld have thought auY more about II
till the time ! met Mr.. LsuGon / bad 2eyer
thought 70 repeat IL. never thought OF IL De
ing b ought up; but after it had Lsep spoken
about 1 thought &c should be brought beFofe me
board. / repeat that when Mr. AyrgS made the
remark about the thousand dollars I was hurt
knowing the kindly relations existing be-
tween US X lie would not consider that he
could DraGe ne VIII a ph4uSUnd dollars, When
me mater Wa mehlloneo ot9eE pstdes
thought 1t looked that u SHOULD be brought
before the board. By Alderman ~Smith-Wa as
that your reason for calling a meeting Of the
board? WitneSS-That WAS lhsleaS0u 4 called
the board together, in order that explanation
might be made, and in order that parlifs might
have an opportunity or disabuslng their own
minds and releasing themselves in their own
minds, and that Of Others, in reference to this
entire matter.
7. >. Ayres was then sworn, and requested by
chairman 10 make any statement he might
deem proper in tie matter. He said / have
the day in which 1 had the oOnyersa-
ton with the mayor but VIII take the day
Ee named. 1 know Il was the day the board
called TO meet in Alderman Lynns Office.
There had bsen something in the papers,
which l had only glanced over. I had been 10
dinner about two o'clock, and was return
ing to my office on Second street, about half
past two o'clock, and was in the act Of going up
stairs that led to my office, (andi here let
me state that / never spoke a word, at any
time, to Messrs. Montgomery, Hopper or Taft
on the subjeGt) As said, I was about 10 90 up
the stairs which Iced 10 my ohiea, when ! got
into conversation with Mr.. Mousartat, whom
met at the foot Of the stairs. We have been
yery Intimate and got into conversation.
said: " How about this paving contract? /
should like them Imaaufng Homer q Mont I