The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-01-22
EX-COMPTROILER HOBBS
Points Of His Testimony Before the Inves-
tigating Committee.
Nashville Correspondence of the Memphis
Appeal.

Points Of Els Testimony Before the 4nves-
tigating Committee.
Nashville Correspondence of the Memphis
Appeal.
The following is a full synopsis of
Hobbs written affidavit, read before the
committee:
was elected Comptroller Jan -, 1873,
and resigned about the first of May. Be
| fore the election heard John L. House,
| of Williamson, spoken of a gentleman of
integrity, and his election was favored by
a number of members l met him for
| the first time, and one evening pending
| the election was in Thomas O'Connor
| room at the Maxwell House, John NJ,
Fleming, Messrs. House and Wilson, and
others, being present. l then jokingly
said that after two or more ballots the
| weakest of US should withdraw. House
did not consent. Wilson, You must
do it, as it is fair proposition" O'Con-
norjokingly, said it was right, and which
ever was the weaker, after the second
ballot, should withdraw and give the other
his influence. That was all the bargain
| or agreement made previous to the cleo
ton. immediately after the agreement,
O,ConnOr humorOusly said that it weuld be
right for the successful candidate to pay
the expense incurred by the other in the
election. House gave me his support.
| was elected, and felt grateful to him.
Alter the election | went home. House
called to see me and wanted me to give him
| a clerkshp. L then promised him the po-
sltlon, but made no promise previous to
| the election. | was afterward informed
| that House said he was to be nv princi-
pal clerk. l told Senator Allison of it,
and took means to prevent House talking
| House denied making the statement. He
said he had borrowed fifteen hundred dol
| lars from DIR. Morrow, in order to make
the race, and asked me to pay it, and
charge 1t to his salary to be received as
my clerk. Shortly afterward Morrow
said that House borrowed the money on
the plea of being my clerk and for me.
Morrow said he obtained the money I'M
| der false pretenses. and unless repaid
would be prosecuted. Finding out how
| House was acting, | saw | had made a
mistake, as he was unreliable and unfit
for the position, and | determined to get
rid of him on any terms. B. A. Enloe, a
member of the Legislature, told Il. M.
McAdoo, as my friend, that Morrow had
sent Judge Gaut to Franklin to see House,
and was gong to indict him. Enloe said
he was requested to act as friend; said
House was mad; had gone back on his
word; thatl might have to fight duel
and unless the money was paid to Dr. M
t tomorrow, they would have an investiga
, ton and disclosure of it. | discIaimed
any connection with it, and again realiz
' ing the mistake made in promising House
t the clerkShip, was willing to pay him
: anything to get rid of him, for | believed
they wanted to blackmail me. O'Connol
= said the same thing to me, as the mar
5 would ruin me. | said | feared no inves
tigatlOn. Morrow afterwards had a con
p versatlOn with me and said Il under
stand you say we want to blackmail you :?
| said, Yes" He denied it; said hi
loaned the money and wanted to have i
I back. | denied that had any previou
/ knowledge of the transaction, was not in
e terested in it, and did not authoriz,
6 House to borrow money. | subsequent,
= told House | could not give him the clerk
n ship, but was willing to pay him all haC
d damaged him. He said the amount wa
h 5000, as he had incurred expenses il
the election. l said that was too much
at first refused to pay it, but afterwarC
5 did so to get rid OF him. l never promised
I anything before or during the election
a | deny emphatically having promised hin
e any Office or clerkship before the election
deny any knowledge or participation il
: corrupting members Of the last Legisla
ture did not authorize House or any on,
= to borrow money from Morrow in procur
o ing the election; did not know he haC
{ borrowed or used money illegally, improp
Y erl y, or in any way, save from the knowl
edge of House and Morrow, the latter O
o whom said he loaned the money; | offer
= ed no money or anything else for my cleo
f ton; do not know that anything of valut
a Or money was used or offered to influence
: votes; l did not consider myself liable o
4 obligated to pay House or Morrow; | cav
= the money to get rid of House, and to ex
n onerate myself from the promise to max
/ him chief clerk | would have given hin
more rather than take him in the office
f learning what | did, and of his talk tina
/ he was to be chief clerk, have charge 0
. the money part of the Office, and wOult
9 make a )od thing oft; as to my resigna
II ton | have to state | received from W
NJ. Duncan ten thousand dollars, and re
i signed the Office Of Comptroller for rea
n sons hereinafter stated ten THOUSAND
o dollars was offered me upon tender of M
Y resignation; | did not deem it morall,
5 wrong to take it; my bad state of healti
: rendered my continuance in office peril
Gus to life; | had to leave because of il
n | health; got into q controversy with tn,
. public printers, and offered Mai. Wilkes
: who is the Governors private secretary
o half the emOluments OF the office if h
= would run it, as my health did not PERM
o me to stay there all the time; he declined
: the offer about this time, and under cir
!. | cumstances briefly indicated, | learned
p could get $4,000 to resign the office, to re
/ store it to the people in the mode pre-
n s,rlbed by law, and through the means
1 and agencies for them prescribed and
appointed by their constitution and laws
2 and to place some other person vel
q qualified to act in my stead in the posi-
1 | ton. l, in view Of the circumstances
! thou Lht it no wrong to resign and take
+ the money, Therefore did so the mon
n ey was paia me by William NJ Duncan
on draft of John Frierson, President O
/ a bank at Columbia. 1t was drawn by
= him as President, and | do not know
p whether he, or bondholders, or others sus
q tanned the amount. 1t was cashed BY
! said Duncan. AS to Col. Burch Before
p Col. Burch came into the Office | had nc
hint, or intimation. or expectation that
Col. Burch would be appointed to act in
+ my stead, but supposed the Governor
, would appoint some "Other person well
, qualified Gov. Brown extended to me
every courtesy | could have expected or
asked of h IN, while | filled the Office. and
always assured me he was ready and will
ing to give me any assistance he could in
relation to the Office and its duties. When
/ first told him | contemplated resigning,
he advised me not to do So as well as |
now recollect he said as | had been elect
ed by the Legislature, l ought to serve
out the term if l could, but expressed
doubts as to my health to bear up in the
office. 1t would throw things in an awk-
ward shape for me to resign, and in this
connection gave repeated assurances of
willingness to give me any assistance and
do all in his power to aid me in the per-
formance of the duties of the office. All
these assurances the Governor made good
while l remained in office. If he knew
any thing at all about any money or other
| consideration given me upon my tender