Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-04-23
TaE MEMPHIS COUPONS.


and the Comptroller.
The Memphis appeal of the 20th lost.
publishes the following correspondence:
MAYOR JOHNSON TO coMPrRoLLER PENNR-
BAKER.
MAYORS OFFICE, CITY HALL, MEMPHIS,
Tenn, April 4, 1S71.-Hon. E. R. Penne-
baker, State Comptroller, Nashville,
Tenn: Dear Sir-Roferring to the in
closed extract from the appeal of this
date, | desire to know if it is true, as
stated, that you have sold the coupons of
the city of Memphis held by the State;
| and, if SO, have you reserved the Sic, 900
paid the Safe in 1861 on $500, 600 of the
bonds of the city of Memphis, issued TO
the Memphis and Charleston Railroad
Company, and paid into the treasury of
the State under the act of May 8, 1861
l cannot think it true, as stated, that you
have sold them, as you know, for months
past, 1 have been trying to get from you
an exact statement of the amount of cou-
pons held by the State against the city of
Memphis, that might pay you the bal
snce, if any, due by the city to the State.
But, if it be true, as stated, that you have
sold all the coupons of the city held by
the State, desire then to know when and
how you propose TO pay the SIS, 900 due
by the State to the city, as aboveR An
early reply will cblige yours, very re-
spectfully, JOHN JOHNSON, Mayor.
MAYORS OFFICE, CITY HALL, MEMPHIS,
TENN, April 4,s1S7I.-Ed. r. Penneba-
ker, State Comptroller, Nashville, Tenn. :
Sir-In writing you this morning, ! omit
ted TO say that The coupons paid By the
State from the bonds of the city of Mem
phis will not be paid by, the city in the
hands of any other party than the officers
of the State, until the $15, 900 of interest
paid to the State, 1861, is paid, or allow
ed in settlement between the city and
| the State. Respectfully yours,
JOHN JOHNSON, Mayor.
REPLY OF COMPTROLLER PKNNKBAKRR.
CONTROLLERS OFFICE, NASHVILLE,
TENN, April 8, 1871 Hon. John John
son, Mayor, Memphis, Tenn. Sri am
in receipt of your letters (two) of the
4tb, and in reply viii say that have ex-
changed the Memphis city coupons fer
State bonds. You mention that you have,
| for months past, been trying to get the
exact amount of Indebtedness, ETC., but
| your letter of the 4th is the first intima-
| ton that have received, directly or in
directly, that you contemplated an early
| settlement with tne State. 1t was not
mentioned to me by Mr.. Shepherd, who
visited me to look into the matter, that
you held any claims against the
State, or that you could make payment.
4 I hoyy haor, Srf hyx v1arlioo
that you would endeavor to claim an off
set for some $15, 900 paid into the bank
of Tennessee while South, but to-day is
the first time that you have apprised me
of the existence of the claim, and by re.
| ference to the books of this Office moth
| ing can be found to show that any pay
ment was made by the city of Memphis
| for the Memphis and Charleston Railroad
| Company in 1861. Please do me the
kindness to furnish me with the receipt.
l assure you that this transfer was made
in order 10 secure to the State what be-
| lieved justly due her, and not intended, in
the least, to do the slightest injustice to
the city of Memphis. If you have
claim against the State that you can
clearly establish, you will certainly be
paid. Your obedient servant,
Ed. r. PENNEBAKER,
Comptroller.
RRJoINDER OF MAYOR JOHNSON.
MAYORS OFFICE, CITY HALL, MEMPHIS,
TENN April 10, ISLE. r. Penneba-
ker, Esq, Comptroller, Nashville, Ten
nessee: Sir - / am in receipt of yours of
the 9th inst, and must say that | am sur
prised at its contents; particularly at
your statement-using your own words,
sit was not mentioned to me by Mr.
Shepherd, who visited me TO look
INTO the matter, that you mad any claim
against the State As / sent by him for
your examination, what l thought then
and still think, was evidence sufficient TO
convince you of the business of the
claim, and in order that l may arrive
at the facts in the case, l now de-
sire to know of you when Mr.. Sbep-
herd visited you in response to yours
of the 18th Nov, 1870, for the purpose of
investigating the claim of the State against
the city as made in yours of that date, and
also to see If the $15, 200 paid on &C
count of interest due July /, 1861,
on the bonds of the city was entered up
on the books of the State, did not Mr..
Shepherd show you the copy of q letter
from ]. T. Dunlap, Comptroller, dated
June IL, 1851, and addressed TO Messrs.
Tate, Brinkley, Wicks and Mumford,
authorizing them TO pay the money into
the Bank of Tennessee upon the warrants
inclosed2 and did he not, at the same
time, show you copies of the receipts of
the Bank of Tennessee for the amount so
paid by r. c. Brinkley, Esq, on the 14th
day of June, 1861, as audited to him on
warrant No. 1871, and by Nj. j. Wicks,
on the 18th day of June, 1851, as audited
to him on warrant No. 1874, both on &C
count of July interest on $500, 900 of the
bonds of the city of Memphis, issued TO
the Memphis and Charleston Railroad
Company? and did he not, by the
assistance of Mr.. Howard, or some
other clerk in your office, find, IN
one of the books of your Office, the
sum of $4,000 entered up as having
been paid in the same way and
! | about the same date, and on account OF
the same interest, the other payments
having been made by Sam Tate, John
OVerton, w. B. WaldTan, P. G. Bethel,
E. w. Mumford, VIM. Dixon and n. b,
Forest AS the affirmative of these
questions is the Substance of the report
made to me by Mr.. Shepherd, on his re-
turn, on this part of his business witt
your Office, l desire your answer, that
I may know whether his report to me il
correct or not, before forming cOnclu
!, sive opinion as to your knowledge O
want of knowledge in regard to the CLAIM
!, of the city to this $15, 900, as against he
coupons in the hands Cf the State, du
July l, 1861, for that amount, and fO
: which the parties whose duty it was T.
provide, certainly paid the none.
into the Treasury of the State. The Stat
3 having taken up, as she should have don't
d and was obligatory on her, the coupon
8 under consideration, the city is entitled
/ surely, having fair offset, as shown
against the State to have returned to he
u that amount of coupons due of that date
or their full value in other coupons G
- money.
l. have no doubt that it is true, as state
u by you, that Mr.. Shepherd made you q
Is offer or payment, as he had no instrut