Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-01-13

A Citizens Cemplaint- OGicial Cor.
rupiion-The ErJoiner In New
Role.
MrxpH,s. January 10. 1870.

famous bill Of Injunction against the
Mayor elect, in yentilating the character
Of the petitioner 10 said bill, Mr.. John
Donovan. His is case which shou d
have bsen taken 10 hand long since by
the press Of Memphis. the scene of Iii,
misdoings. have a grievance to state,
and in order mot 10 tire your readers,
will condepse it as much as possible. IL
is but one Of many which might be
brought to light in our city; and which,
taken in connection with those already
published iu your paper, and in the TIP
ton County Record, go to make for John
Donovan as disgracefdl q record as was
ever fastened upon q corrupt officis'.
During the term Of Office of Sheriff p.
M. Winters, /, in partnership with Mr.. l..
G Hsrdwck, under the firm Of Hard
wick & Neslis, had contract for feeding
the prisoners ia the county jail. In
Nay, 1867, carried my claim against
the State TO Nashville, and received from
the Comptroller warrant for the sum
ne s. 098 25, made payable by Phil.
Girvin, County Tax Collector. The
warrant was presented to Donovan at
the Citizens Union Bank, and shaved by
him to the extent Of nearly 5000. /
wrote lelter Of inquiry to Comptroller
Blackburn, aud receivsd from him the
following reply. Donovan, by some
means, learned Of the existence of this
com nu nicsiion, and deeming it advisa-
BILE, 10 order to awe himself from expo
sure, refunded the amount discounted.
The following is the letter Of the Comp
troler: c1
CoMpraoLLEa's OFFICE.
NASHVILLE. TENN, July ~. 1851.
M. Eealis. Esq.,:
DEAR SIR: The amount belonging to
the Sheriff 10 warrant No. 81 for s.. 098 25
sent to Mr.. Donovan from this Office on
the third day OF May last, is So 8T5 20.
1t is Impossible for me to know
whether Mr.. Donovan sold the warrant
at discount or not. / do know, how
ever, that there was no necessity for
it, and how be came to do it, If indeed he
did, is more than | can account for.
Mr.. Garvin writes me that be took il as
cash, and that if it was shaved he does
not know it. Mr.. Donovan had no
right, in any event, to refuse to pay
those interested, much less to propose to
keep q part of your money. II pains
| me to hear of an officer doing so. and
know that so long as the country toler-
CITES such conduct in officials that it will
do no good, nor ought to.
Hoping that you aud the Sheriff, and
| all interested, may get your money
from the Clerk, | remain,
Yours, t,uly.
G. w. BLACKBURN, Comptroller.
Before leaving this subject, / would
state that l have never received State
warrant payable by Donovan that / did
not have trouble in getting the money
| for, until special act was passed by the
Legislature. by which was protected
| from Donovan, who, ss Clerk OF the
| Criminal Court, was custodian Of the
money. See sections 2. and 4, chapter
So, of the acts of l867-68. H
Later in the same year ! received an
other warrant for moneys due the firm OF
| Hardwick & Nealis, amounting to nearly
$1,000. This sum was paid by Donovan,
excepting balance Of $l498 80. tried
repeatedly to collect this balance from
Donovan, without success, until | was
driven to publish the fact of bis with
holding money due me in the public print,
which was done in the PUBLIC LEDGER
sometime in October, 1867. In reply to
my card, Donovan published one stating
that be did not owe me anything. never
was burthened with too much cash, Mr..
Editor, and did not feel able at that time
to enter into newspaper controversy
with man who was at the same time
Clerk of the Criminal Court, Clerk Of the
Law Court, President of Gas Company,
President Of Jockey Club and Presi-
| dent of the bank which was the deposit
tory of State funds in Shelby county.
To convince Mr.. Donovan of his mistake
(which was not intentional, of course, } in
saying that he did not owe me the bal
ance due on the warrant, | went to Mr..
p. NJ. Winters and received from him the
following lines, addressed to Donovan {:
Mr.. JOIN DONOVAN: wish you would
be so kind as to let Mr.. Nealis have the
balance of the money that is coming to
him for feeding the prisoners. He needs
his money. You and myself will settle
afterward. If there is any money COM
ing to you from me, | will give you a
check or the bank for the same.
Yours, respectfully,
P. NJ. WINTERS.
October 30, 1867.
During the controversy with Donovan
in regard to this balance of $l498 so,
| communicated with Comptroller Black
burn, informing him of the trouble expe.
rienced in getting the money, and re-
ceiyed from him the following, which /
also give for what it is worth for Mr.
Donovsns benefit Mr.. Blackburn is es.
esmed and trusted by all who know him,
both as IN individual and public SER
want, and much importance attaches to
his opinion:
CoMPTRoLLER's OFFICE,
NASHVILLE. TEsN.. July %. ls61. !
Nh. MEALS: will write You fully as
soon as can hear from your Tax Col
lector, Mr.. Gsrvin.
| Surely you and the Sheriff will not al
low Donovan to swindle you out Of youf
money. If your courts there were I'll to
sit iRside the pale of civilization, Dono-
van would not be allowed to disgrace his
position day.
Yours, truly, G. W. BLAcKBURE,
Comptroller.
| will state, to Mr.. Donovan's credit,
that, notwithstanding his affirmation in
public print that he did not owe me any
thing, be has since paid the sum Of $500
on the balance, leaving still balance Of
sees so, for which ] have been compelled
to enter suit against him in the Criminal
Court. The action was brought against
him 10 this court for the reason that he
was Clerk Of the Court and custodian
of the money.
Sometime 10 April, 1868. P. NJ. Winters
and myself vent to Nashville and had
accounts audited amounting TO some
$1,000 for which was received q