Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-03-12
WITH COL. r. It.
WILSON.

A reporter of the Nashville
American interviewed Col. r. T.
Wilson, President of the East Ten.
nessee, Virginia and Georgia Rail
road, last week. Among other
things he said:
Rep.-Msjor, 1 see from Mabry's
deposition that he states that yourself
| Col. G. NJ. McGhee, J. r Brown and
Thomas Galloway presented TO Gov.
Brownlow five thousand dollars
please explain that transaction,
Maj. Win the latter part of June,
1868, Gen. Mabry was in New York
city. / learned through his brother
in-law, Hon. w. G. Swami, that suits
would be Instituted against the finan-
cial agent of Tennessee In New York,
restraining him from paying the cou-
pom interest until the past due bonds
were paid, which under the laws then
existing were preferred to the pay
ment of coupons. l thought the
natural result or these suits would be
to depress the price OF Tennessee
bonds.
Rep.-Was it at SWANS suggestion
or at Mabry's that you agreed, by rea-
son of the information furnished
through Mabry's fundamentally, to
go into a speculation with those gem
tIemen in Tennessee bonds?
Mai. Wit was at SWaHn's sug-
question, as | now remember, where
upon he brought Mab~y in contact
with myself and other parties. Mabry
demanded, in consideration of the in
formation thus given, that he should
be allowed to sell some State bonds at
the risk of the parties before men-
toned, for the benefit of member Of
Gov. BrOwnlOW's family. This was
agreed to by all the parties named,
who were to bear the lOss-in case of
loss propOrtiOnally. This venture
resulted in q profit of about five thou
sand dollars, which was paid over to
Mabry and Galloway, who said they
would take ii and give it to a member
of Brownlow's family. OF my own
personal knowledge L do no, know
that any member of Brownlow's
family ever received the money. The
day after my deposition was taken,
in Knoxville, / met MabIy on the
street, and he Informed me that he
had paid the money to Mrs. Brown
low, which was the first notice 1 ever
had that he had done so. l do not
consider that L had any con-
troll Of the money at any
ime. The account was kept
in Mabry's name, aud was entered
into and conducted on account of in
formation given by him of what was
rauspITlug respecting The suits.
S,rcjiy speaking, neither my self nor
any Uf the other gentlemen named
had any interest Whatever in the
Transaction, except to bear their pro-
portion of loss, if any was sustained,
! II the So, culatIOD. All tie money
paid over - MabTy WAS the proceeds
Of profile ~ specUiailon IN Iennts-
see bonds.
Rep.-Did Gov. Bow low, ct any
member of his family have any
knowledge of thai cps CuIailOu, or of
any mention 10 pay any money to
nIm or any member Of his family, un.
Ill il was paid?
NJ j. W.-NOne, whatever.
R-p. Were you at that time Pr 81
dent ii any Tennessee railroad?
Maj. WI was not.
Rep.-Had you any favOrs TO ask of,
Brow ulOw at the time of this transac-
ton?
Maj. W.-None whatever. 1t is
proper, however, for me to state that l
mad known Gov. BrOwnlOw before
and since the war, and although diff
fering in politics, We were always per-
sonal friends. He had been instru-
mental in procuring the prompt re
mOval of my disabilities at the clio e
of the war, for which | always felt
grateful.
Rep-Kuowing Gov. Brow es
you did what WI your opinion of his
character in private and public life?
Msj. WI regard him as a strictly
honest man and irreproachaDle both in
public and private life; very strong
aud bitter partisan in politics, but
man of Bind heart and warm personal
attachment. He lived poor and died
poor, and l know of no transaction
that reflected in the slightest degree
upon his peIsonFl integrity Of char
acter.