The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1873-03-27
/, MORRIS


The foregoing, together with thu sworn
statements of the Attorney General before
the Committee, comprise the defence of
that unfortunate official against the char
ges of which he was found guilty by the
Committee after laborious, bipartisan
investigation. We will publish it all to
place our readers in possession ofthe facts
of the case, since they must have seen
by our mode of treating the subject that
our motive has been from the beginning
to enable them to reach q fair and just
conclusion in regard to the conduct of that
official.
The Attorney General was unlucky in
his mention Of the witnesses whose testi-
mony he says has acquitted him. 1t so
happens, as tho public will have seen in
the Report, that their testimony before
the Investig8 ting Committee was tho
roughly considered BY them-and that
it formed part of the very evidence on
which he was condemned.
First-Col. Falkner This witness
testifes to the essential fact that as
President of the Ripley Railroad Compa-
ny, he paid SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS to
procure the removal of the Attorney
Generals objections to the issuance of the
Warrants to which he was entitled under
the Subsidy Act-that this sum was dis
bursed by third party who had told
him that ''n,oney 1oou1d PIT the thing
through" that in the perils which sur
rounded him and the necessities which
overcame him, he did not stop to inquire
particularly as to the mode of its disburse-
ment or the particular way in which it
was to be gotten through" in other
words, that he asked no questions-and
in reply to an inquiry of the Committee
whether he did not believe himself to
have been the victim of "a black mailing"
operation, so far from saying no, he gave
this significant answer II hare vARI- |
Gus AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF THOUGHTS
passing through my mind as to the nlotiues
,chich actuoted the officers but cannot sag
that Ihare any tired and definite opinion"
(But this, he does know, he paid Sc, 900, |
before he could get the wheel to running
on which the Attorney General, had |
rushed in the Auditors Office and put his |
clog.)
Second-Judge Campbell This wit
ness testifies to the receipt Of a 81 900 |
fee for his argument before Cor "conver- |
satiOn" With the Attorney General (won- |
der if the Attorney General did not
know that Judge C.'s business as a lawyer
would have authorized him to have made |
just as able an argument on the other
side for retainer )--he also testifes
that Col. Falkner told him that his fee |
was the only legitimate one IN the ,chole
transaction also relates the follow
ing incident: He (the Attorney Gen
''eral) left his office expressing a desire
''to see Col. Falkner ,eho had Just past his
''door. And earned in 4 short time
"(from Col f that the Attorney Gen
''eral ,could giue an opinion jastityi,ag the
Issuance of the Wdrrants" (which, by
the way he had been previously before
saying, che would not consent to have
testimony of Deputy Auditor
Brown, G. r. Dickson, Anderson and
others
Third-Charles A Brougher. This
witness is the Flaw partner" of the Attor-
ney General. In his testimony he says:
''Col. Falkner came to me and asked me
ito assist him if l could in any way, and
proposed to give me fee if he received
"a favorable opinion, of 81, ZOO in the S
'tWarrants asked to be issued" And |
further: The Warrants were issued"
md II found in the Office in an envelop
addressed to myself, 50, 900 Subsidy |
Warrant" And further: at was J
'one Of the Warrants issued as Subsidy e
'to W. c. Falkner for the Ripley Rail. !
road Company" G
Fourth-George l.. Potter. This gen.
leman who got no fee nor reward for his 9
. conversation Is not able to {
estify that. 10 his own knowledge, 5