Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-01-30

dOOub lHlCC
pages. We have examined all letters,
bonds and other records of the State
Department, and of the courts of this
city tending to illuminate our investi-
cations, and also the journals of the
last General Assembly; and the fol-
lowing material facts have been
elected:
On the 2sth of January, 1873, during
the tendency of the election of Comp
troller, by the last General Assembly,
w. w. Hobbs, one of the candidates
for that office, made an agreement with
John l.. House, one of his opponents,
that whoever of the two received the
fewest votes on the second ballot next
day should withdraw in favor of the
other, and it is highly probable, but
not positively proved, that the agree
ment further was that the successful
one was to pay the others expenses.
In pursuance of this agreement, after
the first ballot on the next day, Jan.
q, House withdrew in favor of Hobbs,
and after several more ballots Hobbs
was elected Comptroller On the same
day, being in bad health, Hobbs went
to his home at Waverly, and probably
within few hours after Hobbs had
left the Capitol, and certainly on the
same day, John l.. House borrowed
fifteen hundred dollars from w. NJ.
Morrow, and executed a promisory
note therefor, telling Morrow, at the
same time, that he was to be Hobbs
clerk, and that Hobbs would pay the
note when he returned from Waverly.
Very shortly after this House visited
Hobbs at Waverly, and Hobbs agreed
to make House his clerk, with salary
equal to half the salary of Comptroller.
When Hobbs returned to Nashville,
Morrow called on him to pay said note
but Hobbs informed him that he had
never authorized House to borrow
said money. and that he did not owe
House anything, and that he would
not pay said note. Upon this Morrow
threatened to indict House for obtain
ing money under false pretenses, and
put the note in the hands Of Judge
Gaut to collect. About this time,
Hobbs concluded that House would
not suit him as clerk; whereupon
House became very angry with Hobbs:
charged that Hobbs had violated his
contract, and threatened Hobbs with
a Legislative Investigation into the
manner of his election. Hobbs, feel
ing under some sense of obligation to
House, and dreading the effects of his
anger, compromised with House, by
paying said note to Morrow and the
further Judgment of the sum of fifteen
hundred dollars to said House.
Hobbs now entered upon the dis
charge of his duties as Comptroller,
and in consequence OF the state of his
health, and aff1iction in his family,
and the consciousness of his unadap-
tedness to the duties of his office,
intimated some intention of resigning
or of remaining at Waverly and farm
ing out his Office on shares, and so
stated to various persons. At and be-
fore this time John Frierson and w.
NJ. Duncan and their friends were en-
gagged in heavy transaction in Ten
nessee bonds, at that time carrying
about one million or more. and they,
seeing the incompetency of Hobbs as
Comptroller, and having no confidence
in the men around him, concluded that
their financial interest required a
change in the Comptrollership.
A negotiation was then entered upon
by Hobbs for surrender of his office,
and, finally, the transaction was CON-
pleted by the tender of his resignation
and the receipt therefor by him of the
sum of $4,000. The parties to the
transaction were Hobbs and Duncan
certainly, and Frierson, if not party,
was privy to the bargain and sale.
There is a cOntrariety of testimony as
to who paid the money-whether
FrierSon gave check to Hobbs, which
was cashed by Duncan, or whether
Duncan paid the money to Hobbs
directly, without the intervention of
check. This fact, however interesting
it may be as a matter of curiosity, has
no material bearing upon the main
question. A high official deliberately
sold a public trust, in violation Of
every principle of morality, duty and
decency, and, also, that from motives
of individual gain and profit, the bar
gain and sale of said Office was consum-
mated. This is, We believe, the first
instance in the history of the State of
any such transaction, and from the
severe condemnation with which. in
the General Assembly, in the public
press, and everywhere throughout the
entire Community, the deed has been
it is hoped that no similar
record may ever again tarnish our an
nails.
The committee further find that
or other Hobbs intended
resignation seemed to be generally an
tlclpated, the anticipation resulting in
a public rumor that he would resign,
ana also the Impression seemed to pre-
vail tina: Col. Burch, from the facts of |
his candidacy for the office. from his !
political relations with Gov. Brown.
and from his well-known advocacy of |
the funding measure, would most |
likely succeed to the vacancy. No |
testimony, h&ever, even remotely, |
shows that Gov. Brown ever gave any |
indication Of his intended action in
reference to the appointment.
The testimony of the witnesses hav-
ng been laid before the House, the
is relieved from any dis
;ussion as to the hearing of points in
evidence, and it is. therefore, sufficient
0 set forth deductions from the facts
elected in the examination.
We do not find that Gov. Brown
had any completely, direct or indirect
With the trade concerning the surren-
Ter of said Office by Hobbs. nor do we
hink it possible for the severest criti-
ism to convict him with anything cul-
,able, either in the resignation of
Hobbs or the appointment of Burcb
The testimony connects Col. Burcb
With Hobbs only in this: When Hobbs
eturned to Nashville with his Official
,ond signed by his sureties, owing to
ONE technical defect in the acknowl-
dgement of his bond, the Governor
7ould not receive it. Hobbs thereup-
II, in a conversation with Col Burch,
old him of said defect and of the great