Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-01-28

credit for as an outlay to secure further
/ State aid to his road?
/ Ans.-I have no reliable information on
! that subject | have understood there wa,
an appropriation for similar purposes and
refer to the Directors Of the company fol
the amount.
| This testimony shows that conspiracy
existed to control the Legislature, and that
it was 70 be done by the use Of the money.
| There is no direct evidence in the journals
of the two houses of the presence Of any
one of the cOnspirators at the Capitol save
that of the Rev. DR.. Pearne.
The journal Of the Senate Of tie first
session of the Thirty-Gfth General Assem-
bly, shows that the Rev. Mr.. Huntingdon
was the chaplain of the Senate for that SEES
ion. On the Dist of November, 1867, the
Omnibus bill, granting $4,000, 900 in bonds
10 the insOlVent roads, was pending in the
Senate. The journal shows that the pro-
cecdings that day were opened with prayer
by the Rev. DR.. pcarne. The Omnibus
DILL was defeated On the morning of that day
upon It's second reading by Il vote Of = to
Z. Before night the vote was recOnsidered,
and the bill passed the next day By Il vote
Of Il to =. In carving out this conspiracy
there was used $500, the proceeds OF
State bonds sold at large discounts. As the
object of the conspiracy was unlawful, 1t is
unnecessary to say that the act OF one was
the act of all In furtherance of the common
design. As this transaction has been be
fore the Supreme Court of the State for in
yestigation, an official copy Of the opinion
of that court is submitted for your intor-
nation.
In addition to this evidence of bribery.
your attention is called to the following ex-
tract from the deposition of the Hon. John
Baxter. to be found IN page 2OS Of said
appendix:
at is also understood and believed thar
Capt Bearden. by and with the consent OF
the directory, expended about $4,000, pro
ceeds of bonds appropriated by the Legis-
lature to build the road, in corrupting ieglS-
latOrs and in his endeavor to procure furth-
err apnropriations How this is | do not
know. bat Mr.. Fleming, Of your committee
told me- six or eight months since. th4t
Capt Bearden boasted in his presence Of
having bought up number Of Legislators at
a cost of $500.
The following extract from the same APP
pendix, shows that Mr.. Bearden was afford
ed an opportunity to repel this imputation
and how he improved it;
THAT the question being asked the wit
ness as follows;
whether or not YOU ever paid out any
funds Of the company, or whether you know
Of any other party or parties paying out the |
funds Of the company, or any other rail
road companies in this State, for the pur-
pose of securing the passage of a law ap-
aid to railroads. aud if 50, please
rive the names Of such party or parties 10 !
whom such money or funds was paid?
80 which he answered: AS far as the .
question applies to myself, l do not regard /
t Legitimate, and as to others, know moth |
ing. From which answer the committee
nte- the witness does not desire to crimi- |
late himself
This communication will be concluded /
with the following extract from the protest
Of the Hon. Wilson l.. Waters, member |
Of the Thirty-flth General Assembly, and |
amil9r with all the facts, to be found on
% &c 4o7 of the House Journal of 1869:
In December, 1867, this ring again ap-
ocsrod before The Legislature with such
lidoOus propositions rs to cause some to
question his further trespasses on the
State Treasury, but any that dared raise
heir puny voice in behalf of the people
we're crushed before the tornado. He
trode with majestic pomp over all oppo-
i.iOn. Very soon, however, a second So
,er thought brought sad reflections to many,
n unusually large addition to the revenue
lad to be provided. therefore the revenue
aw Of March. 1858, was resorted to and for
while peace was made with the demands
IA the Treasury.
..E.fS r-t1rr cell orCyr r., ,,r0r,1r,irnc. i,iS