Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-06-22

error in addition, and scarcely worth the trouble
OF correction. But, being corrected, the ac-
count will stand thus
Deficiency in bonds not accounted for...slasOOo %
Making total s570,377 96
Equivalent to 800, 600 in State bonds
How much ofthis defciency.was used by Gen
eral Mabry to dwarf the committees report
from $4,000 to S2l7, 905 is not for me to deter
mine. We do know from the committees re-
port, that the General is not aversc to such an
Illegal use of railroad money, as they show that
he had previously invested $1,000 with the
previous Legislature for the purpose of perpe-
tratlng another "swndle upon tho State yet
the innocent and unsuspecting committee didn't
know and never suspected that 'corruptonstsn
We're about After manifesting such utter
obllvlousness upon this point, the committee
ought not to be suspected of being influenced
by corrupt appliances for surely, if they were
so unsuspecting as not TO have walked up to the
fact that there were 'corruptionists" about, they
ought to be excused in the multiplicity of
frauds in which they were involved for the slight
mistake of S2SS,4 96, in an aggregate of
S372, 81 96.
The a,,ip,vs of the committee may, in part
however, explain the reason of this mistake
My pertinacity in pressing this investigation had
offended them. For eight months | had pressed
tins investigation upon the Legislature. Nell
son, who had been mem Der of the two pre-
ceding Legislatures, and by supporting and
voting for all the bills making appropriations TO
pretended and merely fictitious railroad compa-
MES, was party to the frauds complained of
Fleming cousin 10 the Governor desired to
cover his eNceency (who had voted the appro-
priations, and afterwards us Governor illegally
issued the bonds from exposure. Ramage Of
the Press and Heraid acting in the interest of
the "corruptionists," in II telegram from Nash
vile, intmated that my memorial was regarded
rs the emanation of personal malice. Mabry
spent pretty much the whole fall and winter
IN Nashville, paying court to the Legislature
laborlng to prevent an investigation. Presents
flowed freely-wine and convivial entertain
ments abounded. The two newspapers-one of
which he owned the other controlled-were
busy in eNtOlling his worth and exaggerat-
ing his political and personal influence compli-
mentlng the members of the Legislature he de-
sired to use, and disparaging those whom the
members dislikcd. And thus my efforts were
checked, and for time, defeated. In fact the
very idea of Investigation was repulsive
Once begun, there was no telling where il would
run to- 1t might, as it has, land as, if pressed
it will still further do,) overtake some of the
honorable members themselves and the word
grated upon their refined and sensitive ears.
Hence the spirit exhibited by some of the COM
mittee towards me However after eight months
of delay, my prompting, aided by public opn-
ion, dashed them into action; and the evidence
which | hunted up, and to which | referred
them, compelled them to report against Gen
Mabry, the friend of some of them but they
made faint unworthy etfortto soften and palli-
ate the exposure by 4 little, mean and mali
cious thrust at me. The committee say:
COPIES of the bill and answer filed, appear to
be II suit, in which John Baxter is plaintiff and
J. A. Mabry and the Knoxville and Kentucky
Railroad are defendants. The State is nota par
ty, and, IN the opinion Of the committee, not in
terested IN the SUit. 1t bears
upon its face the impress of a private quarrel,
which, IN the opinion of the committee is of no
Importance to tile people Of the state.
Now, the assertion that it is private quar-
rel, " in which ''the people of the State are not
Interested is not true, in point of law in
point of fact. Gen Mabry and those associated
with him, as the committee by their report show
have msapplied Sl62,0O0 in bonds, 1888 9O5 in
money, and 5000 worth of iron, while Il re-
vision of their figures show misapplication or
the homecoming for money and bonds eQuva-
lent to 100000 of the 81 10000 of the bonds
appropriated by the Legislature, for the build
ing of the Knoxville and Kentucky Railroad
With this fund he had fortified himself
with newspapers, expended S2S, 600 in corruptng
members Of the Legislature, centred around
him n posse of unprincipled men, through
which, and tho support of which he received
from the Executive and Legislative Depart
ment, and the power welded through the pos
session and machinery of railroad, he put
public opinion at defiance. His example en-
couraged Others until corruption was rioting in
wealth and high position.
Certainly this state of things needed to be
checked up. Who was to do it? Naturally
this duty devblved upon the Governor He
was invested with power to appoint State D-
rectors through whom the Knoxville and Ken
lucky railroad was to be controlled, and it was
committed to him to decide when the terms of
the law were complied with, which entitled rail-
road companies to such aid as the Legislature
had granted. But the Governor refused to act
all his personal and official influence was thrown
in the scale of corruption and of fraud. Cor
ruption was growing all around, and aCcumu-
lating strength with every additional dollar
diverted from public to private use and seeing
that no one else would assume the responsible
ty, and impressed with the public necessity of
overthrowing il, | determined to undertake the
fearful responsibility.
In this spirit and with these patriotic inten-
tions, | awaited myself of an excuse which Gen
Mabry injudciously extended, and instituted the
suit to which the committee refer, and which ]
had been contemplating six months preceding
its commencement And what is the object Of
this suit? II is not to recover anything for N.Y.
self or accomplish any end by which | can be
Individually benefited. / sue as a stakeholder of
the Knoxville and Kentucky Railroad Compa-
ny, and seek, by a decree of the Chancery
Court, to compel Gen Mabry to account with
and pay the Company the money and bonds
which he has misapplied and frauduenty
appropriated to bis own use and to compel the
directors to go forward and eXpend it in build
ing the road So. instead of its being q private
quarrel IN 1chich the people Of the State hare no
interest, it is suit prosecuted for their benit-
to force an honest appropriation of the fund.-
which the Legislature has given for the build
ing of the great enterprise, and is, therefore n
matter in which the State has direct and con-
trolling interest; and the declaration of the
] committee to the contrary but eViDcps their