Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-05-10
MUNICIPAL.
Ragular Meeting OF the General
Council.
COMMON COUNCIL.
lopyIolAL HKronr.l

af.ll CRY HALL, MEMPHIS. April Is. 1873.
Al called meeting Of the Board Of Mayo
and Aldermen Of the city Of Memphis. bell
Tueeday, April 10Th, 1878 present -hon, J9hi
Johnson, Mayor; Mesars, preiideni uleallA
Walsh, Robbins. Davis. Malatesta' buspy Ahs
Oosi, anorum being announced, the chalrmar
took his scat, called tho membera pre,en' "
order- and had the roll Of Aldermen called.
ooAuuMoArioN IRON rms MAYOR.
MAyon's OrFIcR, CRY HALL, I
N MrMrnis, TnSS. April IS. lsls.J
Honorable General Council Of tho city o
Memphis; ~,
G.sTLKnrx-At your meeting on the W
| inataut. In communication aldresseu y
Major ]. j. Busby. member on Tue bo1.e Y
n"de aSainst me which certainly demands az
investieaiion. Tho matter was, Improperly
think. referred by the Board o. Aldermen y
n committeo Of citizens outside OF your owl
rsa, e,,nmittee. am informed, decline "a
aet In the premises, and. AS the suoleet wa.
~, da6nitely acted on by the Common Coun'
III / have called you together this evening V
ask that you refer the inves,lsauHn 70 ly.n !
COMMITTEES Of your honorable bodies, desiring
,hat Inc matter be promptly and thoroughly
;nanired into and reported back 10 you fof
such further action as you may deem reoui'
site ana proper JOHN JOHNSON, Mayor.
Read and received by Board Of Aldernen.
and referred 10 Finance and Ways anu mean,
COMMITTEES, AID coneurred in by Council ApFii
10. 1873.
RESOLUTIONS.
By Alderman Busby; nj,
Resolyed. That the charges Of Goo. X: Pine,
Ian against Mayor John johnson pe referred
10 tho Finance Committee, win iull power W
make the necessary inyostigation. i.l.,
Adopted by BOARD Of Aldermen, ana con-
curred In By Council. April Is. 1873. ~
BY Aldermen Davis: 80,
Resolved, Thatthe committee appointed 70
;nvestieate and report on the charges made
against Mayor Johnson be empowered and are
berahv directed TO have Recorder winters
present &C the Investigation 50 that the testl-
mony can be taken under oath, ana that sun
penas and compulsory process may az, % haa
Adopted and referred by Board Of Alder
men 10 their Finance and Ways and means
Comm lttee, and concurred IN by Oouneil
April IS, 1917. ,.n
u'Ai nL .R. RICHARDS. City Register:
Adopted BIZ Board Of Aldermen May ]. 1918.
In Accordance with the above. and after q
formal notice published IN the dairy ciy
napers 10 all interested 20 meet az the City
Haii for the Investigation of the said matter
on Friday, May >. 1873. at 10 am, your Joint
Finance Committee met on SAID DAY Al the
CITY Hall at the hour named, ana after trans
acting its regular business. George X. fnelan'
Fsa Recorder Winters and others concerned
beinr present, il was. on the suggestion OF MI.
phelan that important witnesses were absent,
and at his request. ordered that W Is: ureen [
law and w. NJ Harrington be especially noti-
fed or subpenaed 70 attend tns m ssIl II
was moved to adjourn accordingly, which was
done. e. Ma 1874
The Finance Committee met pursuant 10 al
tournament; also present, Seorge y. fneiani
MI. Phelan announced that he had other
charges to make against the Mayor. Mhen,
on motion Of Alderman Busby, y was ruied
TINT additional charges made by Mr.. Phelan
he reduced 70 writing before being entertained
y W The Mr.. Phelan presented the fol-
That Mr.. johnson entered into an agree
ment with Mr.. T0bey. or the City Bank. OF
which he was President. to speculate in city
securities; that in pursuance OF such agree
ment Mr.. johnson furnished Mr.. T0bey the
sold bonds Of the city before Mr.. Io6ey gave
him the past due Indebtedness 70 Iuna loI
which Mr.. johnson was authorized TO issue
these bonds; that this occurred before the
civ Bank broke, and one Of the transactions
WAS In occurrence when the bank closed,
thereby losing large amount to the city; :,
bOIOI H. Il AlAlhAt%
Upon this additional charge. J, A. Hayes,
jr. and S. II. Tobey were examined, and tneir
testimony is herewith submitted marked A
I1pon the charges contained in Mr.. Phelan's
FIRST paper presented to the Boaru ana re-
Mr.. W. M. harrington and W., u. GreenlaW,
Esas., and their testimony is herewith also
submitted marked &C " aud "D.'
Your committee report that there are IN
Mr.. Yhelan's communication three distinct
charges. viz: First-that Mr.. johnson en-
tered into a combination with W. NJ, tarrlng-
ton and w. b. GTeenlaw to speculate IN city
bonds, and that they did purchase and hold
said bends. Second-Thst Messrs. Farrlng-
ton and Greenlaw were 10 furnish the money,
and Mr., johnson was TO furnish information
and other assistance. Third-That MT; John
son arranged with the Union and Planters
Bank TO pay the coupons maturing January
and July ISL and tsat th,s was dGne b sg5 ' be
purpose of approaching the ponds nelo py
Or. johnson and his partners.
First-In reference TO the first charge It ap-
pears from the testimony that Dir: johnson
did "agree to 20 into the speculation" ,pnd
that s3l0,0 900 in bonds were purchased IN new
that the proceeds Of the transaction were d.
vided equally between the parties. 1eur
com mittee report that they nave examined
the ordinances Of the city, and that the pur-
chase AID sale of the city bonds referred 20 Is
not Inconsistent with the ordinances. The
oniy yn1 .hsnter1 nsss ga. Bridees' Digest,
al s,ese UIt does ~ sppeaf that Mr.. John
80, ~ so fnrnish information and other as
s sSstonee The testimony OF Messrs. Green
lhN S ny ne;nt Fayrincton saws in his writ
~ ,a.tiu, INV that /. no arrangement was
Yen ;,h 2nS oson that h. ahonld mnnipulate
neatrs ~ ths civ IN the interest OF oar
;ni,s aJvert,rs and in his Testimony before
~ com m;ttee he stated that so far as he knew
no information was iurnlEnea oy yonn 1a .
Mr.. Greenlaw SAID tneIewas 70 nnlers,anu,
ing that Johnson snonia luInisn ~ n,,erel