, 1879-03-02
TENNESSEE. . :
Developments Resulting from the Late
Legislative Investigation.
How the State Has Been SWindled
and Bled by Sharpers.
4 Carnival OF Bribery Unequaled in
Extent and Magniffcence.
The State the Loser to the Tune Of
Over Seven Millions.

The Stats the Loser to the Tune Of
Over Seven Millions.
3uueciaf Dsgpasca to TIE 11faunx.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, March 1.-The Joint
Special Committee appointed bv the Lcgisla-
ture to investigate the report in regard to the
validity Of The State debt concluded the report
at 6 O'Clock this morning. and presented It to
both branches Of the General Assembly four
hours later. The report Is very exhaust
iye, covering forty-si1 pa:3;cs of foo'scap,
accompanied BY 800 pages OF -testi-
mony taken in Nashville, Memphis,
Cleveland, and Knoxville: After lengthy
statistical reference to the issuance OF bones,
the Committee says the legislation and action
Of many corporations since the War and prior
to the adoption OF the present Constitution
presents carnival OF crime and corruption.
! Previous investigations discovered "mnch cor
ruption. Tie laws themselves are evidence OF
much. The Committee discovered some
! not before known to the members,
and still the field is unexhaussed. In 1es6
the majority of the people we're allowed no.
| voice in the State act of that year passed, and
s4,9f41 600 we're unjust1y and Illegally added to
the debt. The year 1867 came, and large por-
ton Of the people we're still debarred the exeE-
else OF political rights, Many corporate Presi-
! dents, agents, and representatives came to
Nashville to attend the session of the Legisla-
| ture. All the known Influences were
used upon the supposed representatives OF
| the people. From the pulpit to the
| bagnio recruits gathered for assault upon the
| Treasury of the State. Fine brandy BY the bar
! rel was on hand TO fire the thirst and muddle
the brain. First-class suits Of clothes to cap
ture the vanity or ayarice OF the gay and needy !;
money, the proceeds Of bonds issued BY the
State for specific purposes, to these men
Was given in abundance, and Tas
used. The omnibus Railroad bill Of
that year Was passed, and nearly
| s5,No,o0 more were corruptlT aud T1ckedly
| added to the burdens of the people.
! 4 certain man, Z. Davenport, came to Ten
| uessee and was appointed Receiver Of the Win
| chester &, Alabama and Manchester d McMiun-
vile Railroads at salary Of 5000. He was
| also appointed Commissioner OF Registration
| for Franklin County. he sent his SuDerintend-
| eut, "Brown," sto the Legislature in 1867
as q member. That member, In conjunction
with q certain Senator (Parker), was active in
| securing state aid. The Commissioner and Re
ceiver let out the contracts on the road. and vas
| q silent partner in them. This Receiver, mem
ber, and Senator formed ICONS piracy to defrsud
the State. About 81, 100000 in bonds, issued
| under the act Of 1867, vent into the hands oi
the Receiver. He came to the State to plum
der it and enrich himself. He did so; and
| left The President OF the railroad would sell
bonds and apply portion OF the proceeds in
! corrupt efforts to get more bonds They got
the bonds for roads that had never been sur.
t yeyed and located. One railroad President,
James A. Aabry, says be had great influence
with certain Gov. Brown)ow, since deceased
that another railroad President, Gen George
Nancy, wanted bonds and desired
his services with the Governor
to get them; that IN addition,
to pay directly for services and influence with
the Governor, he was to have control Of DOT
ton of the bonds obtained to use as margins in
stock speculatlons in New York. They thus
got SIS bonds without warrant or sanction ot
law. This influential man had and used large
amount Of these bonds in New York, and testi
lied that he and the other President, with Gen
r T. Wilson,. Thomas Galloway, and Johr
T.. Branner. we're partners in stock specula
tions in New York, using the bonds obtained
from the State in spcculatious-
Having sold Tennessee bonds short and desir
ing to deprcss them, they consulted female
spiritualistic medium to get information not &C
cessiblc through the terrestrial senses. They got
the desired information, followed it scsupu.
lousy, making that State poorer and en1ichin9
high State official, Gov. BroEnIow, severa
thousands
slabry testified that'he and Galloway called OF
Gov. Brown1ow at his home in Knoxville; found
him lying on lounge; told him he had been il
speculation on his account in New York, and
" - tai t&
can't receive them.'' Whereupou he handed
them to Mrs. BrownloW, who was in the room
and who took them.
h1abry further said that he and his associate.
simply intended this as present to Brown1oW
to keep him in good humor.
i number Of the same manipulators were or
hand during the fail session Of 1868. The1
wanted state aid. Another omnibus bill va:
started, and passed By one branch Of tie Leg
islature. Those wanting aid becaut
furious orer the opposition. They wanted
to buy members like mules Some
members, and the faithful Comptroller, G. "
Blackburn, almost at the peril Of his life, de
featei the shsmelcss job.
One paper, the Memphis Appeal, was pait
5000 by u. j. Wicks, President OF the Mem
phis g. Charleston Railway for 71foTon
and at least one other leading pape
| in the State. the Knoxville IFh;t
and Tribune, was approached: to be engaged il
the same work. The value Of the service to the
railroad consisted In this: That Il the postwar
bonds were depressed they could be bought TO-
less, and that with them the debts of the roads
could be paid of at less than cost.
The greater part Of the present debt is the re-
suit OF the ruinous policy aud corrupt Legislation
supcrinduced b. various corpo1ntc bodies inter
| cstcd in securing AID from the State. The i'm
mediate law under which the outstanding bond