Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-05-27

Il y
STATEMENT OF c. R. BUTTER eIyfx .Br |
2 NASHVILLE, TKNN., April 1915. 81
Hon; VIM Green, chairman, etc. In
e.smnllsnce With the request made by
Aen- hereby give you briefl /
staieRent OF the deposit called the school
tunden the Tennessee National Bank of
Memphis This bank was organized in
January, 1860, under favorable auspices.
ana az the time resolved the State de- /
posts was making money, but as soon
as II pecame the victim Of political ma
hipuI4uon, its future became sealed. Ii
was sgreed among leading Radical poll
ilcians OF the State, among whom are S.
NJ Arneh, james Mullins, Gen. John
EAt0h Jr., Barbour Lewis, Saith & Co.,
Iaat this bank would stand up to the
hsasai party, al the weight and power
OF the party would be brought 10 bear to
favor It by any fands all means. Twenty
tnonsana collars was advanced 70 them by
when 10 perpeiuate their power in Mem
pms through the Metropolitan Police Of
That citys--Constant applications and
assessments were made upon me for
money 70 support the party in It's mani
puiaton OF State and local politics. A
good deal of money was used by the
agents of the bank and myself among
leading and prominent members of the
Legislature of 1867, as also among leading
and prominent Radical politicians in other
s,ctlons eli the State, in the appointment
OF this bank as fiscal agent Some. Of
these men, among whom are Spence,
McElwee, Mullins, Arnell, Eaton, Lewis,
ETC., when l had become so conn ietely
mixed up in the filthy messes (meshes) of
political corruption, became SO persistent
M their demands for money, that black
mail and every species of fraud was re-
sorted 70 by some of them 20 obtain
money, which was distributed among
Loyal Leagues, paid out for the susten-
ance of negroes, transferred by Gen.
Smith and Sam. Arnell TO send them
to Congress. Money was paid out
TO sustain and support Gen. Eaton'i
paper, the Memphis Post. The Pres,
and Times, the Radical State organ, was
paid money to assist us in the passage of
the bill Richards, Speaker of the House
was furnished with money to pay his
matrimonial expenses to Chicago. Out
side of my own statements, it will be seer
by reference to the last report, that mo-
only did leading men of this party vOtC
for the blll creating fiscal agents, but ad
vised the Treasurer to deposit this fund il
this bank, which was fully covered in tn,
bill. l am satisfied that their secret pur
pose was to take this fund from the hand
of the Comptroller, Secretary and Gov
ernor, and place it where they hoped &
manipulate it. Col. Bosom, feel salts
fed, introduced bill in the Senate to es
tablish State National Bank for pOlitica
purposes, and it failed, aud the Tennessee
National Bank was used il lis stead. i
appears that Arnen wanted to nOnconcu
In the passage of the forty-third section
The reason was that he wished to inser
the name of the Tennessee National Bank
and fix it as the fiscal agent beyond doubt
for l sat near him during its discussion
The written testimony of all the witnesse
is now In the hands of the committee, sub
ject TO the order of this General Assembly
And your committee, having fully, fairl
and impartially discharged the duties as
signed to them, without any wish or desir
TO criminate any one through malice or i
viii, and with the same desire to array a
. the facts in the case without any oolorin
taken from political caste or feeling, ask {
be discharged from the further considers
ton Of the matter referred to them.
E Respectfully,
JAMES WHITE,
Chairman on part Of House.
aus s. L. WARREN,
. 81 w. T. NIXON
-H--5a VIM. GREEN,
Chairman on part of Senate.
r N. A. d. BRYANT,
' a-. j. MORRIS.