Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-03-08

A. The bridge near Winchester bad been
built two or three years previous to the
time.
Q. What was the cost of building such 8
bridge as the one near Winchester, and
what could good bridge across Elk River
at Fayetteville been built for2
A. Inc one at Winchester could pave
been built for four or five thousand dollars;
for six thousand dollars at the outside. l
am not familiar enough with the river at
Fayetteville and its approaches, where the
bridge crosses it, to estimate the cost OF the
bridge.
Q Had this road received State aid be-
fore the suspension of work at the time you
mention above?
A. don't think any had been received
up to that time, as it had not been
com pletsd far enough to be entitled to re-
ceive aid under the general Improvement
laws.
Q. Did you have conversations with the
officers of the road and with your Repre-
sentatives in the Legislature in regard to
this bridge aid, and did they say 1t had
been received?
A. Yes, sir; With the officers and with
one member of the Legislature. The con-
yersation with the member was before the
aid was received.
z Please state II you expressed any
dou BIT about the bridge aid to SAID omcers
or to said member; if SO, state what was
said
A. 1 did to the member. This was
while l was in Nashville and while the
Legislature was in session. The member
and | were talking about the provisions OF
the bill, and | said l did not see how aid
could be received to build bridge already
built He replied that he did not have to
do the swearing, and that was too partlcN
ular AMI had better go home
Q. What Legislature was that and who
was the member?
A l don't remember the year; the men,
Der was Joseph w. Carter he was Senator,
| think that year from Franklin and Lin
coin counties.
Q Was said Carter interested as a stock
holder, creditor or otherwi G in said road
A. do not think he was; l judge SO
from the fact that he was a man of no cap
ital except his ability.
A. Did you see Y. K. Stevenson or any
other of the officers Of said road in Nash
vile during that session of the Legisla-
ture2
A. l saw MIR. Stevenson here.
@. Did not said Stevenson and Carter
know that the bridge near Winchester had
been built when the appropriation to build
was obtained?
A. Well, suppose they did | know
that Garter did, for We talked about it |
never talked with Stevenson, but l am
sure he had been over the road
Q. Do you knCw to wuat purpose and
how the bonds obtained from the State was
A. do not, Of my personal knowledge,
know. We creditors got our money shortly
after the bonds were received, and it was
the general understanding at the time
among the friends of the road, that the
money was obtained from a sale or by n.y.
poth ecation of the State bonds, but knew
nothing positively as to this. Thes matters
occurred some twenty years ago, and l, of
course, can not pretend to accuracy as TO
details; but know the impression then
received first opened my eyes at the legls-
lative .hOds and corporations, and those
have chung to me till this day.
DAVID LIPSCOMB.
W. J. RAMAGE.
The deposition taken at Knoxville, Feb
ruary 18th, 1879. Said witness being
sworn deposed as follows:
Question. Were you at any time con-
nected With any newspaper in Tennessee
If so, how long, when and with what pa
per
the Knoxville Press and Herald, January,
1867 to 1876.
Q. During that time, Was any PROPOSE
ton or negotiations made to you or through
you to said paper by any railroad or rail
road companies or other person or persons
to engage your papes to adopt particular
line of policy in regard to the State debt or
any part thereof? If so, when, by whom
were the proposition or negotiations con-
Quoted or made, and what consideration
was offered
A. Well, the only proposition that l
know anything about, was made by Col. y.
Nj. Heating, of the Memphis Appeal l
can, and undertake TO say what year 1t
was, and his proposition was in substance
this He said By combining certain news
papers and bearing" Tennessee bonds and
State credit, certain SUN,
think SO, go, could be made, and we, the
Press and Herald, should have one-fourth.
His proposition was declined.
O. For whom did you understand Col.
K eating to be operating?
A Col. Heating did not say, but L un-
derstood, inferentially, that the Memphis
and Charleston railroad had started the
matter.
O. What position did your paper occupy
with reference to the Brownlow or post
war bonds
A. We always, politically, considered
them illegally issued.
Q. What position did your paper oc-
cupy in regard to the Funding Act of
1878
A. We were opposed to it, on the
ground, for one thing, that it might be con-
strued into recognition of the BrownloW
bonds.
Q. Do you know, or have you ever heard
any one say, that any member of the Leg
stature or other person received any
money or other thing of value for his vote
IT influence in advocating said act
A. / do not know that any one did, ami |
While [ have heard much in the line of the |
question, l can not say that | ever heard |
my one say that he knew a member wanted |
)ay for his vote.
Q Did you know, or did you reliably |
lear. that propoe ition in substance Of
his kind, was afOat or entered into in re-
,ard to bonds and the Funding Act, that
,onds, of d certain number, would be
Fought for certain papers or for their ben
fit and that they were to have the eX-
pected profits, consequent upon the rise, by
'irtue Of the passage Of the Funding Act,
or their services in advocating its passage?
A. Of course l heard such a thing.
Q. Did you not have an editorial IN your
aper afterwards in substance, INVITING,
your cOnfTeres, about it, and
bouts lOoslng in their venture?
A. Yes sir, we did, as we had opposed
he act. WIN. j. RAMAGE
B. F. DOUGHTY.
Question. Are you acquainted with one
T. d. Bearden, who is at present mem
er of the General Assembly of the State
Tennessee?
Answer Yes, sir; 1 have known him
YER since he was small boy.
Q. Did you ever hear him say anything
bout paying any money Or other things Of
alue. to any member of the Legislature for
is vote or influence or any measure of