The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-12-18

e
DUEING the investigation of charges
made against Moody & Jamison and
the cotton weighers by Gen. Hardemau
the following ststemest was made BY
Gen. II. before the committee on Thurs.
dsy.sthe eleventh instant:
A. the, fret interview between Col.
Moody snd myself, which was It Col.
Ioo@y's request, Col. Moody pledged
me has word aud honor ss man and
hsson that be did not knew that his
account sales were made up from first
weights, aud said be did not know
Why Mr.. Groce hsd made them up iu
that wsy, and asked me to investigate
the whole D,atler snd report to him
whether be owed Dir. Walker, and If
Mr.. Grocs had done anything wrong to
say so c4ndidly. On comparing the
account ssies with weight books aud
Masterson's certificate l found that the
weights gwen in account sales and GER
tlhcate agreed, but neither account sales
nor certificate agreed with weights in
book, the weights as shown by the
books being greater than those given
IN certificate and account sales; and
seeing there WAS wrong being done
parties shipping to this house, and be-
lieving Col. Moody, from the assu-
RANGES he had given me, both ig-
norant and innocent of this transac-
ton, and knowing that some one was
guilty. and Col. Moody's remarks
making the impression on my mind
that Mr. GToce had entire control of
his cotton books, and that the account
sales were made up under his instIuc-
tions, and the account sales. and Mas
terson's certificate agreeing, / was
forced to the conclusion that Groce
and MAstersOn were the guilty parties,
and so reported to Col. Moody. After
further Investigation. and by the time
Mr.. Tom p. Hardeman completed the
staten enttful of Walkers cotton,
was doubtful of Col. AIoo1y's limo
cence, and after waiting and consider
ing the matter as thoroughly as could
and coming to the conclusion that all
three were guilty, wrote to Mr.. Mas
terson that he had signed certificate e
that | would not sign, and that
would submit them to the Governor !;
but if he would come to Austin
would wait his ar val b fore doing &C.
On yesterday Col. Moody stated
before the committee that it had
been the practice of his house to return
account sales by first weights for years,
and that / had ''s;irred no mans nest. !"
Having heard Mr.. Masterson's testi-
mony, and having on yesterday listened
carefully to the examination of diffe:.
ent public weighers, and having, with
your permission, submitted Mr.. Mas
terson's certificate to Mr.. Burke and
questioned him closely, and he and
nearly all the other weighers agreeing
that under the circumstances MIR. Mas
ierson detailed they would have signed
the certificates as Mr.. Masterson did,
| am now satisfied Mr.. Masterson be-
lieved it to be his duty to give the GER
titicate, and in justice 70 him desire to
say so publicly, and ask the committee
to exonerate him from any Intentional
wrong. As the reports of the papers
have made me say some very rid
iculous things, | wish to state what
conceive to be the duty of
public weigher. He acts as a Judge
TO do justice between factor and
buyer. It is his duty when the cotton
is sold, to weigh it, to mark the weight
on the bales, to return certified state
mept; to keep a copy of weights in his
office, from which he can at any time
give the owner, his agent or factor, a
copy. These are the legal weights,
and the only ones he is authorized to
certify to after the cotton is sold. The
factor has the right to have his cotton
weighed on arrival By any one, but not
mark the weights on the bales; any
person so weighing cotton can certify
to their correctness before the cotton
is sold. After the cotton Is sold, and
weighed and marked, no public weigh
er has the right to certify to any previ-
Gus weight.
The factor hiss the right to weigh
when there is hut one party TO the
transaction; whenever there. are two
parties, the public weigher must weigh
the cotton, except when otherwise re-
quested by the owner in writing,
This statement seems to do away
with charges of intentional wrong
by these cotton weighers, but
Messrs. NJ. Sc ]. in this transsc-
ton were the gamers by 1000 pounds
or more of cotton. Now If it can ap-
pear that this was a mere accident in
this instance, and that they were as well
losers at times as gamers by this sys-
tenn of weighing twice they, too, may
stand exonerated. But they should
show their transactions for the whole
year.