Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-01-24


Special to the Appeal
NASHVILLE, January 23.-Governo
Brown had his name withdrawn to-day
in order to preserve the harmony of th
Democratic party. This noble, sell
sacrificing conduct has called forth tn
most unbOunded applause among tn
! Democracy. He had developed NOR
strength than any of the opponents c
| Andrew johnson.
| Special Correspondence of the Appeal
NASHVILLE, January 2l.-I herewith
/ send you condensed copy Of the testi
mony in the Hobbs investigation, sub
mitted to the house to-day by MI
! Noblitt, chairman of the committee
and on molten of Mr.. Head ordered +
be placed on the journals, open to tn
| inspection Of the public. Your CORES
| pondent, in the report made some tim
| since OF HObbs's evidence before tn,
committee, unintentionally did injustict
to Mr.. b. A. Enloe, OF the Jackson
! Courier ana Herald, and therefore he il
desirous Of rectifying any erroneous i'm
| preston that may have been created by
the publication. The synopsis of thu
! statement was, in substance, that En-
Ioe said that he Enloe] would expos,
the affair between Hobbs and House
unless he [House] paid Morrow the
money House demanded to be paid
! that be would make an investigation
etc. l find, upon examination, thaI
this statement does Mr.. Enloe injustice
and therefore first give from the evi,
dence his own statement that of @. w.
Matin and Captain M'Adoo, and refel
in its proper connection to that part oI
Hobbs's evidence relating to the conver,
sation between him and Mr.. Enloe. AS
will be seen from these, the public will
readily know that Mr.. Enloe was not
concerned in the alleged transaction,
and made no attempt at blackmailing
With a desire to iDjure no one, but to
give facts and do all justice, the APPEAL
therefore publishes the statement allud.
ed to:
H. NJ. M'ADOO's STATEMENT.
H. NJ. M'Adoo: The statement sub.
mitted to the committee by Hobbs was
written by witness as bis attorney
it WAS prepared hastily aud without time
TO consider the unfavorable construction
that some persons might put on the re-
ference to Mr.. B. A. EnlOe; witness felt
sure, in fact knew, that Hobbs never
suspected or meant to put Mr.. Enloe in
position to be suspected of having cor
ruptly Joined in any scheme to black
mail or defraud him; had seen nothing
in his conversation with Mr.. EnlOe
about the Hobbs-HOuse matter to Justify
q belief that Mr.. EnlOe had been infiu-
enced by improper motives; was absO-
luteIy certain that Hobbs, If recalled,
would testify to this fact.
MARTIN AND ENLoE's STATEMENTS.
G. w. Martin: Mr.. Enloe said to wit
ness, after the election for comptroller,
that he had been applied to as counsel
for House in a controversy between
Hobbs and House, and that he had de-
clined to act as counsel, not wishing to
have anything to do in the matter.
b. A. Ensloe: When applied to by
House to act as counsel in bringing b
suit against Hobbs, witness told him
that the whole transaction was very cor
rupt and disgraceful; that it should be
Investigated by the legislature, and that
he would not have anything to do with
it, either as attorney or otherwise. In
conversation with Hobbs on the subject,
witness said that if Hobbs did not owe
House anything, he should stand up like
a man and resist all his demands for
money, for il House once forced money
from him, Hobbs would be under his
control as long as he remained in office.
l omit Hobbs's statement because /
sent it TO you in full in dispatch, which
was published in the APPEAL of Thurs
day. Next in importance is the
STATEMENT OF W. NJ. DUNCAN.
In the year 1872, and for some time
previous thereto, l had been engaged In
the city of Nashville In the business OF
banking. During the canvas IN that
year, the Republican and Democratic
candidates for governor both took ground
publicly upon the stump in favor of the
passage OF bill by the incoming legis-
lature funding the psst-due interest upon
the Tennessee bonds, and in favor OF
the policy OF meeting in future the in
terest upon the bonds as it matured.
AS the governor and large majority of
the legislature were elected upon this
platform-favorable to State credit
was of the opinion that their legislation
would result in enhancing the value of
Tennessee bonds; therefore invested
largely in Tennessee bonds, buying
upon a margin of five to ten
per cent. l also advised a number OF
my friends to buy upon the same terms.
The legislature met. Mr.. Hobbs, Mr..
Pennebsker, General Dunlap and q
number Of others were placed in nOmi-
nation, and others, among them, l be-
lieve, was Mr.. Burch, were advertised
candidates for comptroller. AS Mr..
Pennebaker had filed the office with
energy and fidelity, and was acquainted
with the details Of the position, 1 favor
ed his election, and did what could for
him legitimately among my acquaint-
ances in the legislature. He was defeat
ed, however, and Mr.. w. w. Hobbs was
elected his successor. The legislature
shortly afterward passed the funding
bill, and afterward an assessment bill,
which was sufficiently effective in its
provisions, if sustained by a revenue
bill fixing rate Of taxation high
enough TO meet the interest upon the
bonds and the current expenses of the
State. The holders Of Tennessee bonds
desired tax OF fifty cents on the one
hundred dollars, believing that nothing
less would meet the interest upon the
bonds promptly, but the legislature, to.
ward the close of the session, refused TO
place the tax higher than forty cents,
and it became apparent TO me at once
thst, with such q low rate OF
taxation and an assessment law so COM
plicated and difficult of execution in
Its provisions, 8 sufficiency of revenue
would not be realized TO meet
the interest upOL the bonds promptly,
unless the comptroller, who had the eX- !
ecution Of those laws, was man Of |
first-class capacity, whose personal feel !
ings were in favor Of their prompt and |
faithful execution, and whose private |
affairs were in a condition to enable |
him to give his entire attention to the |
office. Some tine after the legislature |
adjourned l became satisfied that Mr.. |
HOtbs was really incompetent to dis
charge the duties of the Office, particu-
Iarly as increased and rendered difficult
by the peculiar legislation Of that ses-
ZION. was alst informed that he con-
leaving the active discharge
II his duties to clerks and assistants, in
he ability Of some Of whom / had no
he himself remaining at
nome most of tie time and coming to
\ nashville, say o1ce a week. With the
Office 20 managed, and by
such man, ssw that enough revenue
would not De collected to meet the
interest upon the State bonds, and as a
tbIeOi, their value would /
be greatly de eBTeCiated in the mar |
ket, and would be subjected |
to loss that would have
utterly bsnkrupted mo and in
juIed severely t1e friends who had sided
me in raising tAe funds for my margins.
In conversation with MIR. Hobbs he
stated to ms that he was sorry that he
had run ~ theof'ice; he found that its
duties did not slit bim; that his health
was poor; thai he was annoyed TO death
by parties tryi1g TO get positions and
claiming prondses-In the shape OF
Iblack-mail," IS he called it, but about |
which knew nothing-and that il he |
could get out Of his position without loss
TO himself, and fair compensation for