The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1883-02-07
ONE OF POLK'S LAWYERS.
Colonel John Fleming Briefly
interviewed.

| lnGcTNACHcQ-
As Colonel John Fleming passed
through Chattanooga the other
night on his way home he was in.
terviewed by a Times reporter with
the following result:
"Colonel f., are you OF counsel
for Colonel Poik?"
81 am ?"
"You are a brother of Captain
Jas. c. Fleming, his Secretary"
al am, certainly"
Colonel Polk is in Jail, is he not,
and awaiting his trial 2"
Certainly he is; that is a matter
of public notoriety."
"The public would like TO know
why he is in Jail"
"That is a matter | would like to
explain to you if 1 had the time, but
the time is short, and fear to en-
ter upon an explanation.
"But, Colonel, the time may af-
ford you the opportunity ?"
"Well, will start to say to you,
at least, that after l had gotten
through with the examinations of
the affairs of my brother, / tender
ed my services as counsel for Col
onel Polk. When it was ascertain
ed that Colonel Polk would be
orought back a prisoner, in special
view of his own condition and the
feelings of his friends, and knowing
that apxr ap,nuDt 90 ho;I ,~-o,,IJ -
required would be rendered, urg-
ed that he should be released from
Jail ut once. But in this was over
ruled by the superior judgment of
counsel, and / have no hesitation in
saying now that / accept their bet
ter counsel as the more prudent.
Formal application was made Sat
uIday for bail and the Judge held
over until 2 p. IN. to-day. 1t is
simply a question as to amount"
"To what extent do you think
Polk was involved 2"
"Well, If L were to answer that
question as a lawyer, it would be to
give away the whole case. But the
matter of the defalcation in the
Treasurer's Office is one of public in
vestigation of course. 1t involves
many thousands"
"What individuals are especially
involved in Colonel Folks defalca
ton, and upon whom does the pub
lie chiefly charge the disaster p
"For various reasons that is a
very grave and searching question.
When the development took place,
that is, when it was announced and
accepted in Nashville that Polk had
there was an intense
feeling against the late Major
Thomas O'Conner. Since then two
or three gentlemen have come in to
share the responsibility. Of course
it does not become me to say what
L have discovered in my examina-
tions or investigations as an attor-
ney. L do not understand you as
asking that. l can say and will say
to the Times this, that the reputa-
tons of several well known gentle
men must be necessarily seriously
besmirched by the developments of
the case"
"What is going to be the defense
in Folks case ?"
ain regard to that can only say
that he is indicted for embezzle-
ment. The proof will be generally
of a public character. / presume
tho defense will be indicated ac-
cording to the lawyer and the case.
1 have pretty we'll formulated my
own line of defense, and prefer to
say nothing about it."
''Is there any strong opinion that
he will be acquitted p
"Most certainly we are going to
ask the jury to acquit him. | shall,
of course, believe am right, as a
lawyer. Ifyou mean to ask wheth-
er there is a public opinion endors-
ing the public offense l answer, un-
questionably, no."