Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-01
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Alleged Misconduct Of - J.oveTn-
Iuent official,
Investigation at the CsP8saI Ees-
teTday.

Court room yesterday on certain charges
preferred against him. number Of wit
nesses were sworn 10y United States Com
missioner Noah, both for the defense and
prosecution. The following questions
were drawn up in writing by VIM. G.
Brien. counsel for the defense, and an
swered by a number of the witnesses:
Are YOU acquainted with Mr.. Z. ID.
LYONS. Agent Quartermaster Department,
his personal and official reputation If SO,
is II good or bad ?
The undersigned witnesses having been
first duly sworn, answered that they were
acquainted with said Mr.. Lyons, and that
his personal and official reputation was
| good: r. Dorman, J. w. Dolbear, Samuel
| b. Davidson, l. d. Walker, NJ. Loeffer, j. NJ
| Thatcher, W. J. Berg as to his official repu-
tation and Charles Fuller and j. w.
/ mclaughlin, as to his personal reputation.
Mr.. VIM. Gray was then sworn as n wit
ness for the prosecution, and read two let
ters written by him TO certain authorities
recommending the dishonorable dismissal
| of Mr. Lyons; also one written subse-
| quently asking the Withdrawal of the pa
| pers forwarded by him. These letters were
read by request of the defendants counsel
| Mr.. Gray said that he would sustain every
| thing that he had asserted in those letters,
| but could not do so as fully then as he
| could tomorrow or next day. In regard to
the letter he wrote, asking for withdrawal
Of the papers he had forwarded Mr.. Gray
said that he consented to this only upon
these grounds: That Mr.. Lyons, during the
course of his official relation to the gov
| eminent, had made statement in regard
to his (Gray's) integrity as an officer. He
alleged that | was partner of Col. Para
more as claim agent. He furthermore
| alleged that while / was in the employ of
| the Quartermaster's Department, under
Col. Moore, | investigated a certain
claim, and upon nay investigation
of the claim Colonel Moore re-
ported adversely, which l allege is false.
1t was from the fact that Mr.. Lyons,
| having explained to me that he must have
misunderstood my connection with Col.
! ParamOre, that l consented to a with
drawal of the papers. The consent was
| likewise made at the request of Morris j.
| Moran, whose name is more Immediately
connected with this controversy. Mr..
| Mora stated to him that Mr.. Lyons sug-
gested to him the idea of the Withdrawal Of
the papers.
He did not appear against Mr.. Lyons as
his prosecutor any more than what was
| furnished under his own signature.
He forwarded those papers because
Mr. Lyons had previously misrepresented
him, through his superior officers, at Wash
| ington, and he only wished to rectify the
mistake He had no unkInd feelings
towards Mr.. Lyons; on the contrary, they
were personal friends. He appeared to
| render the government a service and to set
/ Z Il. =. 10
| knew Mr.. Lyons to be guilty Of official
misconduct no more than what be did to
my prejudice.
He had never been partner Of Col
| Paramore in the claim business, nor had
derived one cent from that source, and had
! no interest in the claim business whatever.
! Tie had frequently been employed by Col.
! PaIamoro to do clerical duty, for which he
| received money. The books were kept as
| Il memorandum for Col. ParamOre for cler-
! zeal service. lie never had told Mr.. Lyons,
| 30 his knowledge, that no was partner Of
! Col Paramore, and had never offered or
attempted TO bride Mr.. Lyons in order to
| have a claim passed had never stated
such thing to Mr. Moran; he nor
! Col Paramore, or any one else had
! ever conspired together for the pur-
! pose of affecting the removal of Mr..
! Lyons. 1t WAS not the intention to have
| Mr.. Lyons removed and have a relation of
| Col. ParamOre put in his place. Hen
| rv g. Stah did not 90 to Louisville with
| a recommendation from him for the posi-
! ton of Mr. Lyons: he did not know as to
! Col Paramore. lie did not pay Mr..
| Skies expenses to Chattanooga to get up
| evidence AGAINST Mr. Lyons but did give
| him not more than 81.
! Col. Paamore being sworn made The
| following statement / had nothing TO
! dp IN the creation Of this controversy be-
tween Mayor Gray and Mr. Lyons. Mayor
! Gray showed me a letter from Quartermas-
! tor General Eallin in regard to the rcjec-
| ton Of a claim Of Morris J. Moran, in
! which there were reflections made upon
| liu AS to his course in regard 10 that
| claim and he seemed to DO very much an
| noyed about it, lie asked my advice as to
| what was best 10 do told him | did not
| think il amounted to anything and that |
! would not pay any attention to 1t. He
| replied that they were reflections
upon his integrity and that it was
! false and that he would not permit it TO
! pass IL that way. / think he said he would
! go to see Col. Ransom and have Lyons
| removed, or something to that effect. /
| believe he did go to Louisville and came
| back and commenced getting up some
| testimony in regard to Mr.. Lyons, some
! of which he showed to me. He asked NE
| to give him statement IN regard to what
knew of Mr. Lyons integrity AS an Off
| Ger. l declined to give it and told him
| that if the government would call upon
| me in authontive capacity for my state
| meut | would give it. / do not Tecol-
l IL
| time everything in regard to Mr.. Lyons
| Transactions or not, but subsequently did
| state 10 him that some time last summer a
person came into my Office and asked me
| for =. 600 | declined giving it to him,
| telling him at the time that l was not in
the habit of giving out money to persons
| without knowing what 1t was for. He re-
| piled that heIhad claim pending before
| department and that he could get his mon
| ey on it if he could get a favorable report.
| and that he had seen the agent and he had
| agreed to report favorably on It for s., 600.
| He proposed as security for Inc TO assign
| his claim to me and have me go to Wash
| ingtOn with him and assist him in the col
| lection Of the claim and that he would
| then give me the 3. 600 back and give me
II, 900 for the use of the money andtroUble.
! declined letting him have the money.
| The next morning he returned and said he
had got him down TO $1,000 and insisted
on my letting him have that amount on
the same terms that he had offered the pre-
cediug day Istill refused to let him have
the money, and replied that if the agent
was trading man he might
do it for less. In a few days
afterwards he told me he had it fixed
that the report was made out in good
shape and signed, and that he was going
that evening to Washington to get the
money Afterwards learned that hc did
get his money in very short time after
he went to Washington. This is what
told Mr.. Gray, and know of no other rra-
son why | should hc brought into This
| controversy.
| CEUsa-LAAMINED 81 MI. BEIEN.
Have vou any personal knowledge OF the
! facts vou have Just related?
hu,.-Nothing, only the fact Of his COM
ing tome to borrow the money, and have
no personal knowledge outside of that.
Are your relations towards Mr.. Lyons
| friendly OF otherwise;
Aus.-I have never spoken 90 Lyons bat
two or three times in my life.