Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-01-19

i ~ - NAN-A~---
AssembIy-SugErEli COncerning
Various Public Hafters.
The following nessa was sent to the
House, yesterday, soQa ai.er that body
assembled;
To the General Assembly OF Tennessee:
in transmitting my biennial message /
| failed to present for your consideration sew
eral matters Whidh were Of no general in
terest, which it is my duty now to COM
munieate.
REWARDS.
Upon application Of the Attorney Gene
raj on the 5th cay Of September, 1873,
/ offered a reward Of $50 for the detection,
apprehension and conviction, Of the un-
l knOWn persons who committed an assault
aud battery upon William Horton, eolored,
Of Dyer county. Afterwards one Henry
| Jones was arrested on a Justices warrant,
| b. John NJ. Nichols, a constable Of said
county, where the Ohense was commit
ted He applied for the reward. On
examination, l declined to order it
paid, upon the sole ground that
/ the party making the arrest was
/ an officer Of the county and under the ad-
\ judicaIion in the case Of Staeuper IS. Tenn
pie ct ais, 9 Humphreys, page 1l3, 1 felt
/ that had no authority to pay it. / be-
| lieye, however, that, as a matter Of justice,
/ he is entitled to the reward, and l recon-
mend it to your favorable consideration
The accompanying papers will disclose all
| the facts in thetase.
Upon representations deemed satisfac-
| tory, on the 18th day Of September, 1874,
/ l offered a reward Of i've hundred dollars
for the detection and apprehension Of the
/ Unknown parties, or either Of them, who
on the 10Th Of September, 1874, burned the
| dwelling Of Simeon shy, Of Williamson
county. The reward, by the proper con
/ structiOn Of its terms, was to be paid on
the final conviction Of the party or parties.
In an attempt to detect and arrest one
Joseph Ravise, who was beyond
doubt the guilty party, he was killed.
The perilOus and. difficult task Of detection
and attempted capture was performed by
Vim. Park and Artilra Dickson, who have
applied for the reward. could not, under
any known authority, pay il, and, there
fore, commend it, with the papers relating
thereto, to your consideration. l think
the parties ought to be compensated for
their efforts to detect the perpetrators Of 50
fiendish an act as the facts show this crime
to have been.
w. D. Joplin, Of McNairy county, at an
expenditure from his own purse, brought
fugitive to trial in that county. Joplin was
Sheriff Of McNairy county, and offered for
the arrest Of Faster Moore, cOlOrCd, a re-
ward Of one hundred dollars, which was
paid by him to the party efiecting the ar
rest The accompanying application Of
Joplin will show the whole facts and cir
- -. I
authority 70 reimburse the party for his ex-
penditure, it is referred TO you for your con-
sideratiOn and action
Soon after the adjournment Of the last
General Assembly, il became APPARENT that
an additional burglar-prOOf sale! would be
necessary for a proper dispatch " the busi-
ness Of this Office and Of the COinptrOller's,
and for the safe keeping ~ bonds and eout
pOns belong 8 ~ il safe 8nd other par
ties while tiaDsacting business with the
State. An agreement was entered into with
G. y. Ordway and 7. B. Sample, under
which they have placed in the COmptrol-
ler's Office a very superior safe, and which
has been used by the State until this time,
and is, in my opinion, still necessary for
che proper dispatch and execution Of the
business Of the COmptrOller's Office. Il
was agreed that it should become the prop
erty Of the State at the price Of $500, if
the General Assembly should see proper to |
ratify the contract, which l hope they may
do. The price asked is but little over half
the original cost.
LOST BONDS AND COUPONS.
Several applications have been made to
fund, and in some instances, for payment
Of bonds and coupons lost by the owners. 1 /
transmit herewith applications made by
Edgar Jones. Cashier Of the Third National
Bank Of Nashville, Of a. r. Duncan and
N. Gleaves. From their applications, the
General Assembly may see the circum-
stances Of each particular case. 10 is
recommended that proper relief be granted
ali such parties, taking care TO throw such
guards around each case as will save the
State harmless, in any event, from a second
payment Of such securities.
SPENCER T. HUNT SCHOOL FUND.
The last General Assembly, by an act
approved March p, 1913, directed the can
collation. Of the State bonds belonging to
and constituting this fund, and the issU-
ance instead Of certificate of Indebtedness
upon which interest should hereafter be
paid, as upon the general school fund, and
which should still be applied to the cOUn-
ties Of Dickson and Humphreys, as pro-
vided by the viii Of Spencer T. Hunt.
Upon examination of the act, and a COM
parisOn Of its provision with the bonds on
ole in the COmptrOller's Office, it was evi-
dent thai a mistake had been made in the
computation Of interest upon the bonds of
S79l.T0, and that the actual amount Of the
Spencer I. Hunt school fund was, on Jan.
1, 1873. s. $3.50, instead Of So
67j.OO, as stated in said act.
The bonds which constitute the
fund are bonds bearing interest at the rate
) psr cent. per annum, but the act is ST.
lent as TO the rate which the funding GER
tiicate should bear. For this reason, and
because Of the error referred 70 above, / did
not execute the certificate, and the bonds
are sti n uncanCelled and in the Office Oftbe
COMPTROLLER; and in the meantime l have
advised the Comptroller to pay interest on
the actual amount Of the fund, tO-wit,
S, ,SS3.3O at the rate Of 5 per cent. per ar /
mum, and distribute the fund on that basis
The matter is referred 70 the General As
sembly for such action as they may deem
necessary.
INSURANCE BUREAU.
The full and elaborate report Of W.
Morrow. Insurance Commissioner, is here
with presented to the General Assembly.
During the last two years, the business OF /
the bureau has been 50 conducted as to
meet the wants Of the public and give sat |
isfacfion to the companies, and coIisidera- |
bic additional revenue has been secured for /
the State. 1 would suggest the appoint |
ment Of special committee on insurance,
TO take into consideration the important |
matters relating TO this department.
THE DOWNS WILL CASE.
After conference with the Attorney Cen
era Of the State, it was believed that the |
estate Of - Downs, who died in the !
CITY Of Nashville several years ago, es-
cheated to the State for the use Of the CON- |
mon school fund. Proceedings were insti- |
tuted 70 contest the validity Of a paper |
purpOrting 10 be his last will and tesla |
nent. but which was believed to be a |
forgery. After much proof vas taken, the |
success Of our sIit was deemed so doubt |
ful. that the Attorney General and assOci- |
ate counsel advised a compromise upon /
such terms IS would relieve both the State |
and the school fund Of all Gusts and ex-
pense. The Superintendent Of Public In |
struction coucuTing in this opinion, the l
litigation was compromised on the terms /
suggested, as will appear from the agree /
ment on file in this Office.