Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-06-29

part, on MS own uepoSltlOn. IN IdcIj nls
denial-if it can be properly called deni-
5 Ais, to all intents ard purposes, an adj
4 mission of the corruption imputed TO him.
: Listen to what Gen. Mabry himself says, In
| an answer filed by him, in the Chancery
Court, he saws that the imputations made
against him are "indictable offenses, and
may lead, and perhaps were intended to
lead, to criminal prosecution or prosecu-
tions,O and F" if they are intended to con-
vey the idea of q fraudulent breach of trust,
enlightenment or misrepresentation by re-
spondent and his associates and alleged
conspirators, of the $500, 600 in State bonds,
or any part thereof, then respondent is not
bound TO make any other or further answer
than he has already made And when
before the committee and being examined,
! as we may suppose, in eXculpation of him
self, in answer to an inquiry whether, as
President of the Knoxville and Kentucky
Railroad Company, he had paid Thomas
Steers $4,000 and took receipts and had
himself credited with $50 900, thereby
abusing his trust and cheating the Compa-
ny out of $500 he responded :" | am adj
] vised by my counsel not to answer any
! further questions These evasions, cou-
! pied with his open, active efforts during
The whole past winter at Nashville TO sup
press an investigation of the frauds alleged
against him, is as conclusive of his guilt as
direct and deliberate confession by him
would have been. Why did he refuse to
answer the questions propounded by the
committee? He says it was because he was
advised by his counsel not to answer. But
why did his counsel deem such advice ne
cessary? If he had nothing to conceal,
why did he hesitate to speak and to speak
without reserve? Honest men never seek
the advice of attorney in reference to Civ
ing testimony. The truth, always plain
and simple, is easily told and if it answers
tha aNi 81
instructions nor do they need legal protec-
ton against terminating themselves end
If General Mabry could have answered in
eXculpation of himself without the fear of
contradiction, he would neither have
sought nor acted upon the advice given by
his counsel in this case
Yet, in the face of this virtual admission
of the frauds alleged against him, and the
report OF the committee confirming his
guilt, the Governor has nominated him to
the Senate for confirmation as q State Di-
rector, with the view of continuing him as
Receiver of the Knoxville and Kentucky
Railroad and, instead of that prompt and
indignant rejection of his nomination
which the country, under the circum-
stances, had right TO expect, the Senate,
as If unwilling to reject and afraid to con-
firm, has permitted the Governors nomi-
nation to remain Enacted on and by doing
so continued General Mabry in his position
OF Receiver, with power of plundering the
Company and the State as heretofore, eX-
hibiting, as l think, on the part of the
Senate, more forbearance and kind consid-
Grafton for those who prey upon the public
Interests than they deserve And the same
may be said of the press 1t is almost inn
possible to get justice at their hands. Ma
Dry owns the Knoxville Wig and, rs a
matter of course, dictates its policy and
controls its editorials. The Press md Her.
dLd is apparently as much under his infiu-
ence as the Wing, and for the past eight
months, it has omitted no opportunity 10
puff General Mabry, and misrepresent, lie
upon and depreciate me; and save the
publication of the committees report, (the
publication of which, under the circum-
stances, 1t could not avoid it has suppress |
ed and concealed from its patrons every |
evidence of the gigantic frauds which he |
has been practicing upon this community, |
showing clearly and Enthusiastically, rs be- |
tween him and the honest portion of this |
its preference for peculation |
and fraud
The spirit of this paper is, TO some extent, |
reflected by portion of the Legislature. |
The committee reported against him be-
cause made the evidence so strong they |
could not do otherwise. But, notwith- |
standing month has elapsed, the Legisla-
ture has taken no action in condemnation
of his frauds; nor have they taken or pro-
posed any action TO remove him from his
Receiyership, or force him to disgorge the
funds which he has fraudulently attained.
Yet they have not hesitated, from day to
day, to make puerile and vindictive allu-
sions to me, which were evidently pro-
voked by the pertinacity with which /
have, for eight months, forced upon them
the investigation of the frauds alleged
against Mabry. The explanation to all
this is this: portion of our legislators are
in sympathy with fraud Some of them
have shared in public plumber. Should
and searching investigation be
made in relation to the management of
railroads in Middle Tennessee, frauds as
startling will be developed there as have
been brought out in regard to our roads
here; and these frauds will involve one or
more OF the members of the present Gene
raj Assembly. They are, therefore, inter-
ested, and hear with trepidation PROPOSE
tons to investigate. Others accept his
presents, while u third class seek at his
hands such influence as the paper owned.
as well rs those subsidized and controlled
by him can afford in firtherance of their
personal ambition. Hence, we see with
modification and surprise the representa-
tives of the people receiving into their So
ciety upon terms of equality, and treating
with consideration and respect, and by re-
fusing to act upon u nomination of the
continuing in position one who.
by the judgment and finding of a commit
tee of their own body, is guilty of "swin-
ding the State, and appropriating to his
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