Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-04-20
a8o.ooo.
The Coupons Sold by Stats Comp
troIleF Pennsbaksr 70 ST.. W.
3. GrssuIsw, Of Msmphls.
The Correspondence IL Reference to
them bsiRBel Mayor Johnson
and the Comptroller.
A Question Of Notes Decided In Fa-
vOr Of 1ayOr Johnson by Comp
tF0lIsr PeHnshaksr's Ad-
mission.

On the 4th instant we published from
the columns Of the Nashville Union and
American, the particulars OF a transaction
between State Comptroller Pennebaker
and Mr.. ". B. Grsenlaw, of this city, by
which the latter bscsme possessed OF Ger
tain coupons amounting to $685. 9 A
few days subsequently We published
| correspondence between the state Comp.
trOller and Mr. Byrd Douglass, Of Nash
vile, in which the former explains his
possession Of these coupons, as follows;
ST found cancelled and pasted in various
coupon books in my office, coupons of
! Memphis, In the aggregate amounting 20
/ $4,000. These coupons had been 50 can
4 cslad and pasted with our own coupons
through mistake, no doubt, as it never
I should have been done. Settlement WGs
attempted, bWt from some cause 1 could not
succeed. 7 understood, however, that the
city Of Memphis has q clam for C0nfsG-
crate mOney pdid into the Bank Of IenRes-
see aChtie S0lLb, that lUGS designed as an
| Offset. IL YVES plain that long and eXpen-
sIve litigation must ensue If attempted to
! force q settlement at law. In any event,
these coupons would have to be removed
from the different books IN which they
had been Improperly pasted, else there
could lave cen neither a sale and deltv-
cry, or a suit at law, or settlement even,
with the city OF Memphis"
This transaction, unexplained by our
city authorities, has in financial and BUSH
ness circles called forth considerable COM
mens, all wondering if Mayor johnson
could Asve overlooked the matter, and II
he would let it rest there; not that they
blamed or reflected upon Mr.. Grsenlsw,
who did but what any business man
would do In his own interest, but that
they thought Mr.. Pennebsksr was gov
erned more by his considerations for the
State than exact justice to Memphis.
To satisfy the public, set at rest the
doubts and answer the speculstions and
inquiries of our people, we called upon
Mayor johnson on the 10th inst, for IN
explanation, and found him to be among
the most surprised at the trade Of the
Comptroller, and that so far nom being
satisfied with it or desiring in the least to
countenance It, he was then in cores
p~ondenee, as the following letter will
show, with q view to such remedy as
could be had. We were then promised by
His Honor that so soon as he received an
answer to a letter Of that date (which we
give) to the State Comptroller, he would
place the correspondence at u disposal,
in order that we might satisfy the public.
dc has waited, but in vain. Seven days
have passed, and yet no answer has
reached him from Mr.. Pennebsker. Is 1t,
therefore, to be presumed that the State
Comptroller has no answer to make, and
that his silence is to be construed as an
affirmation of the positions Of Mayor
johnson? But to the correspondence.
Mr.. johnson writes;
MAYORS OFFICE, CITY HALL,
MEMPHIS, Tenn, April 4, 1871.
Hon. E R. Pennebaker, State Comptrol-
Ter, Nashville, Tenn:
Dear SiT-Referring to the iuclosed ex-
tract from the APPEAL Of this date, I de-
sire to know II it is true, as stated, that
you have sold the coupons Of the city of
Memphis held by the State; and, if so,
nave you reserved the $4,000 paid the
State in 1861 on S50O,OO0 of the bonds Of the
city Of Memphis, issued to the Memphis
and Charleston Railroad Company, snd
o aid into the treasury Of the S ate under
ths act OF May s, 1857 1 cannot think il
true, as stated, thar you have sold them,
as you kn01D, for months past, Z hue been
trVing to get from yON an eE1ct stGtementOf
the amount Of coupons held by the STATE
against the city Of Memphis, that Z might
pay you the balance, II any, due by the cltv
70 ne state. But, if It be true IS stated,
that you have sold all the coupons Of the
city held BY the State, I desire then to
know, when and how you propose to pay
the $4,000 due by the State to the city, as
above7 An early reply will oblige yours,
Very respectfully,