Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-03-04

a | so " . III Ills E5taASt GuaCfEu before
ct war, evinee III their terms and guard
i s.2G. S:.I@t - S;. f:...ssc.c..= l:=se u:
o practiced, and they were still Apr
1 hended, and that it was necessary
/ use exceeding great precaution
the use of terms to prevent then
Still, despite all the hedges of the law
= they opened a field for the action {
the prevalent notion that il
! right, or excusable to swindle III
State, and it was exercised.
Take, for instance, turnpike con
p2nies. Stock was taken in them bt
, fore the War,under laws, the condition
l and restrictions of which, if rigidl
and faithfully fulfilled, would hav
| protected the State from all loss. Th
, State issued bonds to them to th
amount of 81, $50 900. The condition
and restrictions of the law were no
faithfully Observed The burden o
the bonds and the interest Thereon
since 1861 have been upon the people
and the State has received since tht
war, $I06 600 in deprecated bonds anC
coupons. The facta with reference t
the investments in banks are known
They resulted in heavy losses to the
people.
We come now to the legislation and
actions of many corporations since the
| war and prior to the adoption Of the
present Constitution. 1t presents a
carnival of revelry and corruption.
| Previous Investigations have dis
covered much corruption, the laws
themselves evidence much this COM
mittee have discovered sons not
| known before to its memb eTs, and still
| the field is uueXhausted.
| In 1856, a. majority of the people
were allowed no voice in the govern
ment Of the State. The act Of that
year was passed $4 Gal 900 were I'M
justly and illegally added to the debt.
1867 came. The larger portion OF the
people were still debarred the exercise
of pOlitica! rights. Many corporate
presidents, agents and representatives
came to Nash Vile TO attend the sitting
Of the Legislature. All known iuf1u-
ences were used upon the supposed
repre- sentaiiv,s OF the people. From
the pulpit to the bagnio, recruits were
gathered for the assault on the Treas
ury Of the Safe. Fine brandy, by the
barrel, was OH hand to fire thirst and
muddle the brain, and first class suits
of clothing, to capture the vanity or
avarice Of the gay or needy. Money,
the proceeds of bonds issued by the
State for specific purposes to these
men, was here in abundance, and it
was used. The " omnibus railroad
bill" of that year was passed, and
nearly S., 600, 900 more cOrruptly and
Wickedly added to the burdens of the
people. Take one example: A man
came to the ) ate. He was appointed
Receiver of two short and iusOlvent
railroads, Sire Winchester and Ala
bama, aud the Manchester and Nc
Minviila, at salary of S. 600. He
was also appointed Commissioner of
Registration for Franklin County. He
sent bis uperintendent to the Legis- |
lature OF 1867 as a member That |
mem Der, in conjunction it'll a certain |
Senator, was active in procuring |
a. State aid" The Com missioner aud |
Receiver let out contracts on his road,
and was 4 silent partner in them. The
proof shows that this Receiver, MEM
Der aud Senator, formed conspiracy
to defraud the State. About million
dollars OF boz Us issued under the act
Of 1867 went into the hands of the
Receiver. He came TO the State to
plumber it and enrich himself. He
did so and left. Take another: 4
President of a railroad would sell |
bonds and apply portion Of the pro-
ceeds in corrupt Efforts TO get more
bonds They got bonds for roads that
had never been surveyed and located.
One railroad Pcsident says that he had
great influence with certain Gov
5Tnor; that another railroad Pres dent
wanted bonds and desired his services
with said Governor to get them
hat, in addition TO pay directly
'Or his services and influence
with lie Governor, he was to have the
control Of q portion Of the bonds OBJ
aimed, TO use as margins in stock spec
Ilations in the city OF New York.
They got 885 bonds without warrant or
ancti0n of law. Tuis man of infiu-
nee with the Governor did have and
gSe a large number OF the $50 bonds in
New York. This man of Influence
With the Governor further says that
he aud tse other President We're part
lers in stock speculatiOns in New
York, and used The bOuGJ obtained
rom the State in these speculations.
lie refused to answer various other
ues!i0ua put to BIN by the com mittee,
u the ground that he was not COM
eIled to eliminate himself or expose :
theirs by abusing private confidence. /
t seem9, however, further, from his !
estinOuy, that be, and certain other !
entIemen mentioned by him, had
old Tennessee bonds short" and de- . .
ired to depress them that some Of :
hem consulted the realm Of Spirits"
nth the assistance of "ftmale spirit +
alis;ic medium" to get information
OF accessible through t. estrial {
enses, and % to how to manage in or 8
er "tO stand well before the court at
ONE" They got the information de- q
red, and followed it scrupulOusly, {
hereby making themselves some pow '
r and enfiching distinguished high I
tate official some thousands. ADOth-
witness before the committee, dis +
nguished in his antecedcnt5 and con- n
ections, refused to answer pertinent /
ue5 ions propOunded by the commit S
9e, on the ground that he knew Of no c
w, "statute or organize com pelliug r
ian to criminate himself, or to di- a
ulge Information and facts received as !
n attorney, or TO abuse private conf =
auce.
A mum Der of the same manipulators 0
ere on hand during the fall session of p
3G8. They wanted Estate aid" An
Their omnibus bill was started on its T
as~age, and passed one branch Of the u
legislature. The fellows that wanted .
State aid" seemed 10 get furious over 6
ppOsitiOn. They wanted TO buy men, q
Ike mules. Some members, and a b
igilant and faithful Comptroller, al. n
lost at the peril of his life, defeated Il
lie shameless job. The foregoing is n
OF even a brief summary OF half the u
,idence. Il will all bear reading. Ct