Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1869-02-12

ing his services and frequent in his
demand for money.
Letter of August %, 1868, from
John Eaton, Jr., now State Super
intendent of Public Instruction, iIsls-
ing Rutter to see that "the notes in
the Tennessee National Bank are not
got hold of so as to break u.s."
Letter from same, of August 0,
1867, saying, "elected as I am to q
State Office connected with the trans
action you suggest, should prefer not
to take part in it, further than to adj
vise scith the Governor or Others,
should 1t be wished"
Letter from j. T. Houstein, who
was sent from Washington to close
up the Tennessee, National Bank at
Memphis, dated from Office of Cur
rency, Washington, February II,
1867, saying, ~ want you to let me
have 500, if possible 500, at least,
for six months"
REVELATIONS BY THE KING LOBBY
IST.
1t will be seen from the testimony
given below that the witness was in
the capacity of Rutter's confidential
adviser and chief lobbyist, as deep in
the mud as the rest were in the mire.
He can, therefore, speak "by the
card" His revelations are rich.
r. l.. Parham, sworn: Question
Please state your name, age, residence
and occupation.
Any name is Richard l.. Par
ham, my age is forty-three, my resi-
dence Memphis, Tennessee, my occu-
patton Is that of an Attorney-at-law.
Q.-Please state ifyou are acquaint-
ed with George r. Ruttsr, of Men,
phis, and his relation to the Tennes-
see National Bank of that city, If so,
when you become so acquainted
Al am acquainted with George
II. Rutter. l became, acquainted
with him about the time the bank
was organized, and my acquaintance
has continued to the present time.
Q.-Please look at the affidavit here
shown you and marked exhibit B
of Rutter's deposition, and also made
exhibit B of your deposition, and
state the circumstances under which
1t was made; also state all you may
know relative to the truth of the
matter there sworn to also look at
letters G, ID, 1, + and g here shown
you and marked exhibits, and
state all you may know re-
lative to the contents and truth
of the statements made in each
of said letters, the circumstances un-
der which the letters were written,
who wrote them, and all you may
know relative to the transactions dis
closed, either in said affidavit or said
letters.
A.-The affidavit shown me is
mine, made on the day it bears date;
l made 1t at the request of Mr.. Rut-
ter; he had previously a written
statement of mine to the same effect;
the statements made therein are true;
might have been mistaken as to
the given name, or the initials of the
PERSONS in every other respect the
affidavit is correct and true; the let
ters shown me are in my hand writ
ing, and contain the version of the
transaction as it occurred from day to
day, of which 1 took this means of
informing Mr.. Rutter from time to
time.
Q.-At whose instance did you
come to Nashville, and when, and
under what solicitation, etc.
Al came to Nashville first in
January, 1866. L had started to
Nashville on business personal to N.Y.
self. l met Mr.. Rutter on the road
and he employed me to assist him, in
defeating Mr.. Cherry, the President
of the Merchants National Bank of
Memphis, in his effort to have that
bank appointed Fiscal Agent of the
State, and getting the funds of the
State on deposit. Mr.. Cherry was
here and actively at work for that
purpose, and n resolution or other
Legislative means pending looking to
that end. After these were defeated,
Mr.. Rutterthen employed me in hav-
ing his bank selected for these pur-
poses.
Q.-How did you aid in this, and
by what means?
A.-The ultimate plan adopted was
that we would have passed n resolu-
ton or bill through the Legislature
leaving 1t to some one or more of the
State Executive officers to designate
what banks should be the fiscal agents
and repositories of the State, and
would get political friends so to in
dorse us as would secure the first ap-
pointment, and thereby insure large
deposit and great influence this plan
ultimately succeeded, and we secured
the passage of bill to that effect, the
fOrty-third section of the act passed
May 26, 1866, being the general appro-
prlation bill, give the power and au-
thority to the Treasurer to select these
depositors, taking n bond for two
hundred thousand dollars; the bond
was given by Mr.. Rutter, approved
by the Governor and received by the
Treasurer; i desire to say that | did
not get any of these funds, nor did
ever sec them, nor did j know that
the fund would be hazarded at that
time, or know when the deposit was
made; l thought. that it would be
fully rs safe in the Tennessee National
Bank rs where it was.
Q.-What influences We're brought
TO bear upon members, or what means
used TO secure the passage of this 43d
section, and what was the history of
its passage, and upon what members?
A.-Of course we became acquaint-
ed with members, and in n social way
sought for their good opinion, rem
dered services i'm the way of drawing
resolutions, billsand charters; i'm short,
adopted all the means usual to lobby
ing. In addition to these, we made
promise To many members, land to
Others for their influence), offering to
discount their notes or lend them
money as they might need it. There
never was, so far as l know, any
money given directly in considera-
tiOn of IA specified note or direct bar
gain made to any member To the Of
feet that If he voted for a certain res