Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-06-06
REGISTRATION FRAUDS.
A New Phase Of the sfrauda'
lent Certificate. Business.
How II Is Ran In Haywood.
,%ll County. II +

The reporter for the Memphis Appeal
visited the station-house on the Sd inst.
ans spoke to a prisoner confined there,
who responded quickly as ifhe was ex'
pecting a visit, and was very ready and
anxious TO communicate with the re-
porter, apparently installing him for the
party he expected. The Appeal says:
After short preliminary conversation,
which it is not necessary e, repeat here
he remarked to us that be was in bad
scrape, but that we could get him out.
Taking our cue from this and his former
remarks in order TO draw him out we as>
sented to hisconclusion, and he,continued
as nearly as we can recollect, as follows:
tMy name'sJ. T.Morton. You ought
to know me. Your circle has received
communications enough from me. Pm
the teacher of the colored school at
Brownsville, Haywood county. Pm the
man, You know Jerking his hand)
With this a food of light burst upon
us, and we "took our cue'' instantly, and
replied that we had certainly heard the
name, but we hear 50 many, etc, etc.
b well, now,D he continued, 81 came
to town yesterday, "Wednesday on the
twelve O'Clock train, and / went up to
the Lee Block to see Mr.. Boyd, a law
yer, and picked up them papers on the
STAIRS
We asked if he had not picked up a
watch and some other things at the same
time, but he denied the impeachment.
Further conversation ensued, which we
will not repeat at present, but which com
WINGED us in our first supposition, VIZ:
that he took us for q fellow loyal Lacquer.
The following is, however, the substance
of it: ....-...--
81 am the man who got the militia to
Haywood, by getting up that Ku-Klux
report. You recollect, don't you? 1t
was about the time commenced the
colored school there-about the 18th Of
February. There were some threats
against me by some rebels, and l sent
up the report that the Ku-Klux had
come to my house and threatened to
hang me if / would not swear to leave
the State. This brought the militia to
Haywood at that time"
Il haven't been teaching for month
or so-not much at least, l suspended it
until after the election, when l was to
get the superintendent of the county
free schools, l hope this (his arresD
will be kept quiet, asst might effect
ma prospects if it should get out. Dur
ing this time l have been in Boyd's en-
ploy-"
9!Whose?" we asked.
"Boyd's-B. d. Boyd's directly, but
have been working for this whole ticket,
(handing us a ticket bearing the names
Of Andrews, McLain and Hawkins for
the Supreme bench, Coldwell for Re
porter, Boyd for Circuit Judge, Muse for
Chancellor, and lilly for Attorney Gem
eral.) But Boyd was my employer"
what to dO?'' we asked.
"Well, to get up the niger vote. i
was to get the certificates for the niggers
that would vote the ticket, hunt up mig
gers to answer to names on the books,
and see they voted them. | was BOyd's
confidential man. You can telegraph to
him and he'll tell you I'm all right.
| wish you'd ..get the things fixed, as j
want to go back right off. | have prom
ised to take the stump in Haywood and
Upton and Fayette for Senter. You just
telegraph Boyd. Hold on-I'll show
you something to show who l am. i
wouldn't let any one but you see it for
anything, (producing bundle of papers.)
Look at that--that shows you that what
say is So"
We did look at it, and we now want
the public to look at it; for a more
shameless document we have rarely seen.
1t speaks for itself, however. The origins
al is in our possession, and we propose
to forward it to the proper parties IN
Brownsville, TO be used as testimony.
Here it is
"Mr. b. P. BOYD Mr.. j. Il. Morton
has been to see me to get some certificates.
am very buisey and no time for issuing
certificates but he insisted so hard i
agreed to give them by his paying twen>
ty-fiye cts apeace for my trouble. i have
give him % for which he has paid me
five dollars and sails you will pay the %
cts more. II. D. FREEMAN
MAY the 25th 1869 (Register}."
Comment on the above is UNNECESSARY.
Volumes of testimony, and hundreds Of
aflidayts could not tell the whole state
of the case with more clearness or truth
than this simple letter in the handwrit-
ing, and under the signature Of the Cons
missioner of Registration of Haywood.
county. With all of the charges against
our man Williams, we think that none
have been brought that can "hold a
candle" to it, either in point Of bOldness,
unblushing rascality, or fool-hardiness.
As to Morton, after obtaining the above
and much more valuable Information
from him We left him to his meditations
in the comfortable cell that Capt. McMath
had had prepared for him.