The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-05-07
The Morristown Gazette.
HAWKINS COUNTY DEPARTMENT
L. L. POATs, EDITOR.

TIE bill Gled by certain tax-pay
ers of Hawkins county against tn
Justices and the holders Of the coun
ty bonds was read and argued befor
Chancellor H. G. Smith last week a
Rogersville. A demurrer was enter
ed by the bondholders to their bill
This demurrer had been drafted BY
Messrs. McDermott and Kyle of thi
place and joined in by Mr.. Cornicl
of Knoxville. Another branch o
the case had been taken charge 0
by Judge Mckinney and W. H. Wat
terson, Esq, on behalf of the Chair
man of the County Court and the
Justices of the Peace. Mr.. Gillen
waters argued the case for the tax
payers, contending that the bonds
we're Illegally issued and the people
were not bound either in law ror
morals to pay them. His speech
was of course an able one. He was
replied to by Mr.. Cornick and H. G..
Kyle, Esq, in exhaustive and able
arguments. Mr.. Kyle's speech was
particularly strong and clear. He
had studied his case well-had all
the law upon the subject of county
bonds before him aud showed con-
cusiyely the authority Of the Coun-
ty Court of Hawkins TO issue the
bonds in question. The Judge de-
cided that the demurrer was we'll
taken and dismissed the bill. We
learn an appeal will be taken from
his decision to the Supreme Court.
1t was charged by Mr.. Gillen-
waters in the bill and charged, bold
ly by him in his speech, that there
are largely more than forty thousand
dollars in Hawkins county railroad
bonds in the hands Of somebody.
3 Heclaims that there are at least Go
thousand out instead of 40 thousand.
Aud says if this is not so then the
revenue officers of the county have
wrongfully made way with more
than twenty-three thousand dollars
of the peoples money. This branch
of the question we suppose was not
properly before the Chancery Court
and could not be acted upon by the
Chancellor. 1t is one of imper-
lance, however, and ought to be
looked into. The gentlemen who
have had charge of the railroad fund
owe it to themselves and to their
own regulations not to let the mat
ter rest where it is. We are salts
fed there has been no corruption on
their part. The County Court should
however. as soon as possible, take
legal steps TO require the holders of
our bonds to come forward aud show
their papers. If there are forged
bonds out that fact ought to be
known. and they ought to be dis.
covered, captured and destroyed.
The charge has been made that such
bonds are in existence. The tax.
payers will never rest satisfied until
the whole thing is thoroughly inves-
tigated and the truth made plain.
The bondholders cannot object aud
will not if they received their bonds
legiLimateIy. It is hardly possible
that any person honestly in posses
sion Of these securities will object
to making full statement of the
number and amount so that a full
and complete record Of these bonds
may be taken by The County Court
Clerk. a simple order of the Coun-
ty Court requesting all the holders
of these bonds to send descriptive
lists 10 the Clerk Of the County :
Court we ashould think would be !
sufficient. {
Our opinion is that this whole agi- t
tation in regald to these bonds win
have the effect to bring them into :
public notice and will enhance their t
value in The market. Hawkins
county bonds will hereafter be at
par. O