Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-01-20
Making a total Of.

Making total ,2S7 80
These bonds and coupons the committee
are unable to find, and learn from the clerk
in the treasurer's office that they are not on
hand, and he does not know where they are
and has never seen them since he has been
in the treaSurerS office. The treasurer, Mr..
NJ. r. Polk being gone they can obtain no
clue TO the Whereabouts of these bonds. Jas.
l.. Gaines holds Nj. T. Polk's receipt for
same. 5-..--....5 -. o..
by NJ. T.. Polk, and his fight from Nashville
and his subsequent capture are matters with
which the general assembly is familiar, and
need not be referred to here. In eonse-
quence of Folks absence, the committee
has been at great loss and difficulty to as
certain the cause of his heavy defalcation,
but have traced it out as best they could and
submit the result of their labors.
From the testimony of j. G. Fleming, the
clerk of MIR. Polk in the troasurer's Office,
and his confidential friend and bookkeeper,
they learn that he first entered Mr.. PolkS
employ, as his boOkkeeper, in the treasurer's
office, in the year 1873, March 10, and has
been constantly, since that date up to now.
At the time Mr.. Fleming entered the office,
on March l5, 1878, MIR. Folks cash account
as treasurer, was short between $4,000 and
$4,000. This deficiency increased gradually
from that date to January l, 1881, at which
time it reached 81, 600. During the time
Mr.. Polk was in New York, funding bonds
under the G0-6 act, ne drew checks to a large
amount on the treasurer's office in favor of
the United National Bank; Victor New
comb Holgarten 4 Co.; Pearl & Co., ard
clerk, J. G. Fleming, out of the funds be-
longing to the State.
Itappears that Mr.. Polk, while in New
York, engaged largely In specializing in
Louisville & Nashville railroad stock, with
Victor Newcomb, by which he lost very
heavily, but the exact amount your COM
mittee cannot ascertain.
These checks the committee cannot find,
as they were taken away by NJ. L. Polk.
AS to these, checks, the committee are of
the opinion that the eattorney-generalS should
be instructed to examine fully and see If
parties above named are not liable for the
respective amounts paid them on same, and
if, in hisopinion, they are, to at once take
the necessary steps and institute proceed
ings for the recovery of same from them.
1t also appears that M. I. Polk engaged
with a pool in specializing in Memphis &
Charleston railIoad stock, by whsch he was
a loser, but to what amount, and what has
become of the stock, the committee is una
BILE to ascertain.
1t also appears that he engaged in specu-
lating in Tennessee bonds, and lost thereby,
but to what amount the committee cannot
ascertain.
? 1t also appears he purchased a one-fourth
interest in iron works i'll North Alabama,
with Thomas OConner, and which was
paid for out OF the treasury amounting to
Ii also appears that he purchased in con-
nection with d. b. Cooper and Van Leer
Polk a silver mine in Mexico, for which he
has paid out of the State treasury between
$4,000 and $4,000. This property, they are
of opinion, can be subjected by the State to
by Nj. T. Polk, and the encouragement
should be instructed to examine as to same,
and, if in his opinion, it would be proper,
to take the necessary legal steps to secure
the States interest therein.
1t also appears that NJ. T. Polk engaged in
the walnut lumber business in North Caro-
lima in connection with ID. b. Cooper, in
which NJ. T. Polk furnished all the money
that was invested in the business out of the
State Treasury.
f0 va riOus T1a rites large amounts of money!.
the various evidences of their Indebtedness
being now in the hands of John w. Chill
dress, Esq, an attorney in Nashville, a
statement of which has been furnished by
Mr.. Childress and is herewith filed. These
claims have been attached by the attorney
general, b. J. Lea, for the benefit of the
State by bill in chancery court at Nashville,
Tenn.
It also appears that NJ. L. Polk invested
effort of the said Cooper to purchase the
Daily American of Nashville, Tenn.
Whether this was paid out of the treasury
or not the committee cannot learn, but sup
On the 9th of December, 1882, NJ. t. Polk
drew $4,000 out of the various banks in
Tennessee, and had same sent here to Nash
vile.
N. railroad company as its taxes.
He also received several other large
amounts out of these collections. There
was deposited in the First National Bank
and Merchants National Bank, of Nash
NlIl6, on january ana y, looo dDOuJ SfSfUOUs
and the balance was taken out of the safe
in the treasurer'S office by NJ. I. Polk, and
taken away by him. NJ. 7. Polk, for several
days prior to his leaving Nashville, went
to this safe daily and took out the money
therefrOm, and appropriated 1t to his own
use. This continued up TO the last day he
remained. The exact amount so taken out
by him, your committee cannot ascertain
but it is included in his deficiency shown
above.
on Tuesday, January 2, he took out, in
one package, 5000. About the same time
he took out New York exchange for Sl2, GOO.
On the list day of January, he took out
50, 100, which he used to pay note he had at
the Merchants National Bank. t-.
He also took out other sums of money
daily, but the amount your committee can
On the 18th of April, 1882, NJ. t. Polk made
a statement of his account to the legislature
then in session. In order to balance his
books at that time, NJ. L. Polk had an entry
made on his ledger, charging the First Ma
tional Bank, of Nashville, with $4,000 to his
credit, as treasurer. Upon examination of
this banks book, no such credit was found
in nj. 4. Polk's account and no such deposit
had been made by Mr.. Polk, and this entry
was falsely made for the purpose of deceive
ing the legislature. There was also charged
up. at the same time, to the Merchants
National Bank, of Nashville: S57 $50. This
credit also appears on Polk's account as
treasurer, ON the books OF said bank. This
was a false credit not one dollar having
been in fact deposited with said bank to
represent such credit and was made for the
purpose of deceiying the legislature. 1t
was managed in the following manner, as
it is claimed by the president OF the bank
Nj. t. Polk gave him Two checks on the
TTDiOy o,,j DIonfarS5 Rank Mem phiS