Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-08-29
The Interview,

occurred shortly after the war, In 1865, while
the Hon. Alvin was United s. ates attorney
for the Western district of Tennessee, we
mounted, like Dumbedikes Of old, our am
bling palfry, and sought him hither. He was
found at the residence of his son-in-law, Mr..
Thomas A Walker, where large coterie of
friends and relatives had assembled to have
a pleasant social reunion, which always &C.
ours when the msjor comes on this side of the
branch. After complimenting Mr.. Grand
vile Walker, on his ability TO raise the fnest
kid melon, of the Winfield stock, imagin-
able, by the aiding and abetting in making
away with dozen or more, We partook our
selves TO the purpose Of obtsining the desired
Information upon the matter aforesaid, and
making the object of our visit knewn to the
major, requested that he tell us all he might
now remember OF it.
Reporter-Major, are you acquainted with
Governor AlUin HaUk.nsF If so, how long
have you known him, and under what cir
cumstances did you make bis acquaintance?
Major Maclin-I am acquainted slightly
with that gentleman. Don't know that he
now remembers me. During the Beil-Doug-
las Breckenridge campaign of 1860 HaW kins,
a Bell eector, w. p. Caldwell, Douglas
elecror, and the Breckenridge elector spoke
at Durhamville, in this county. l attended
the discussion, and, after il was over, made
the acquaintance of the three gentlemen, and
invited them to go with me home and spend
the night. l then lived on the Ripley and
Brownsville road, in the edge of Haywood
county, and as it was on the way to their
next appointment, at Chestnut Bluff, on the
Forked Deer river, they-Hawkins and Cald-
weli-concluded to do SO. 1 entertained them
at my house that night, and did all could
to make them have as comfortable lime as
possible. They left next morning, with many
e., sfal.
and is all the personal acquaintance / have
with the governor.
Reporter-When did you next have &C.
cssion TO cultivate the honorable gentleman,
otherwise than personally, and what are
some of the circumstances attending same?
Major Nit was in the year 1865. He
was then district attorney for West Tennes-
see. Everything was in state of dread aud
uncertainty. We did not know what the
Yankees would do with US, whether they would
try us for treason and hang us, or copfscate
and take all of our lands and turn Us out to
starve. While in this state of dread and
suspense, there appeared in Memphis
paper, headed "Information, a certain legal
process libeling my lands and some fifty
others in this section of country, and citing
US TO appear at Memphis and show cause
why they should not be condemned and taken
from US because of our supposed participa-
said district attorney. AS everything had
been swept away from US except what lit
tie land was left, and as our sympathies had
been on the side of line Southern boys in the
fight, of course such procedure at that time
was anything but pleasant and assuring.
We were in peck of trouble, and did not
know what to do or say. So in our ex
tremity we agreed TO meet in Brownsville
and get some legal advice and see what was
best 10 be done. We did go, some fifty OF us.
/ can't now remember all their names, but
among the number now recollect were Mr..
Hamilton Cotter, Charles r. Taliaferro,
Henry johnson, Captain Msclin and Charles
F. Read. After counssling together, We
agreed TO consult the legal firm of Bond q
Strother-J Judge William ?. Bond and J. w.
Strother. The latter remarked he was not
in an attitude to help Us any, but probably
his partner, Bond, could, as he was then con-
slider ed on that side of the question. We
then applied 10 Judge Bond and Mr.. ID. A.
Num-, another attorney and Union man.
They agreed TO undertake our extrication for
SO, 900. We considered this rather steep, but
after negotiating for some time about the
fee, they agreed to attend to it for US for
$4,000. The proposition was accepted, aud
raised the money and paid it to them. Bond
then went to Mem phis, and it may be Num-
also, and opened up negotiations with
Hawkins, the district attorney, for the re-
lease of our property, which had been
libeled, as l said before, What took place
between them Of course 1 don't know, but
when Bond came back, the necessary money
having been raised and sent TO him to pay
off the amount assessed against us, he
brought with him receipt from Hawkins to
each Of US.
Reporter-Have you that receipt, and will
you allow its publication?
Major M have. Here is the original
receipt, and you are at liberty to make any
uss of it you may see proper. 1t is as fol-
lows:
District Court of the United States, District of
West Tennessee. The United States rs. the Es-
tate and Property Of r F. . Asclin. ,,,, 81
district attorney, s2lo OF marshal, $40; of clerk,
s26. and OF printer So August vt2 25 !, 1850 S5
United States District Attorney
Reporter-Did you have any conversation
with your attorneys after their return as to
the amount they had paid Hawkins as his
fee if SO what did they say?
Major MI did have conversation with
them, or at least with Bond about the
amount he had paid Hawkins. / thought
he had no authority for dem anding such
sum, and consi dered it strange Bond should
have paid il. Bond said in answer that he
down as low as possible. That Hawkins said
he (Hawkins) thought he was very liberal
with Mr.. Maclin. That he had visited his
house some FIVE years before and from the
.umptuous manner in Which he was enter
aimed, and the other evidences OF wealth
with which he surrounded, that he
'MacliH) must certainly be a man Of means,
and could well afford to pay the sum Of $500
as his part.
apI (
he receipts Bond had from Hawkins for the
,ther parties who had been libeled by Hawk
ms, and were they all of the same amount.
Major MI did see other receipts Bond
lad. They were for different amounts. This
act il what caused the conversation Just
pokeu of with Bond as to the amount he
II. had charged me to get out of his |
lutches. j saw one receipt in which Hawk |
NJ bad put down his fee at 500. This, loo,
vas in favor of one of our libelees who |
wned a great deal more land than | did, |
md in reality was a much wealthier man.
This could not understand, and tried 10 get |
Bond to explain it, WHICH he did stated |
efore. All the satisfaction that Bond could |
et out of him was that | was able 10 pay it, !
nd that / ought TO consider myself lucky in |
citing off SO cheap.
RepoFteF-How much was it thought at
he time that Hawkins made out OF parties
e had libeled in West Tennessee?
Msjor M.-This matter was pretty gen.
rally discussed at that time, and the con-
fusion reached, from the best evidence we
ould get, was that he must have made al
east $4,000 out of this procedure alone. He |
nsds nearly, if not quite, SIS, goo out of the
atch in which 1 was included, and there
Tere others besides.
Reporter-Why did you all agree 10 pay
UGH . sum, and suffer yourself hlackmailed
o easily and to such an extent? Did you
ot know that there was no rhyme or reason
n the thing, that there was no law for it, and
hat no court would authorizs such a pro-
edure7
Major MAJ the time the agreement was
1ade and the money paid we were not in an
ttitude to look calmly and considerably at
he matter. All the rest were more precipi-
ate than / was, and would willingly have
aid double the amount TO have been let off.
We did not know what would come next, nor
hen the thing would end. We were glad |
D get off at any price so we could sleep
ound once more.
Reporter-Did you ever investigate the
natter, 10 see whether in reality any such
uits had ever been instituted sgsinst you
nd the Others spoken Of above?
Major MI have, and can find no trace
T any. don't think there is any record
howing where any such proceedings were
yer instituted.
Panorfar-YVera vou evar sarvad NTH pro |