Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-15

- HANnN -
ehecki drawn By 81. 7. Polk, Is Treas
urer. on different banks throughout
ths State, which we're not properly
countersigned BY the Comptroller. az
the law requires, and which we're paid
by the banks. For all such checks so
paid the banks are, in the opinion Of
this committee, liable to the State,
unless they can show hat the State in
fact received the benefit Of the money
paid on same This your committee
has found to be the case in many in
stances, while in many others they can
find no evidence that the money was
ever paid to the benefit Of the State.
These checks will reach perhaps to
$4,000 in all. They recommend that
the Attorney General be instructed TO
examine into these checks, and in all
cases where he can find no evidence
that the State has received the benefit
Of same, that he take ell necessary
steps to recover same from the various
banks.
Your cOmmitte are also of the opin>
ion that the $500 taken from the
treasury By NJ 7. Polk, on January
LIST, 1855, and paid to the Merchants
National Bank, in satisfaction of his
private individual note to said bank,
YVES such a transportation Of a trust
fund as will render the said bank
liable for same, and the Attorney
General should be instructed to take
the necessary steps to recoyer same
from said bank.
There is, according to the books OF
the T~reasurer's office, a balance due
the State, in the Mechanics Bank, at
Knoxvilis~
The committee have no statement
from said bank, but learn from j. q.
Fleming, the booAkeeper, that the
bank denies there is any such balance,
but claims it has paid same to Thos.
0'Conner for NJ. I Polk. Your
committee will at once send a sub
committee of their members to Knox
vile, examine into this matter, aud
report fully as to same.
The committee has employed an ex-
pert accountant to 60 over the Treas
urers books carefully, and compare
each credit with the voucher, and see
if there are any errors in said account,
commencing with Folks administra
ton 10 January, 1871. This work
will be completed in a few more days,
aud will be reported upon.
In this connection your committee
will respectfully recommend that they
be empowered to extend such exami-
nation back to 1870, in order to thor
oughly expose any and all irregulaii
ties, il such there he, in the bushes
J OF the T%reasurers Office.
The committee also find that on
e January q. 1881, Mr.. NJ. t. Polk'sa &C
counts as Treasurer was short SAL 600,
and that he collected from Thomas
r O'0onner, on the 18th Of January,
: $26,O and paid to his bo0kkeeper
< j. c. Fleming, $4,000 in cash, making
$4l, 600 which was placed in the treas.
[. ury in time to make his deficit seeI
. and enable him to pass his settlement
) with the committee from the Leglsla
ture. The $4,000 collected iron
y 0'Conner, was in the way Of a certif
cate of q deposit in the Mechanics
( Bank, at Knoxville. This deposit die
1 not appear on the Mechanics Bsul
book until after March q, 1881, bu.
was then entered on said bank book
< as the committee is informed.
a The committee will make a iurthe,
and supplemental report as to the mat
tiers referred TO them, as SOC as the,
II can ascertain further facts.
IT Respectfully submitted,
D.. 7. PORTER,
Chairman Joint Committee,
WIN. +. BIBB,
u NJ. d. SMALLMAN,
.e Committee on Part of the Senate.
is w. A. MILLIKEE,
Chairman House Committee.
IS w. P. MORRIS,
= JOSIAH PATTERSON,
h T. r. BURRUs,
C W. +. BALLENTINE,
N Committee on Part OF the House.
rs January IL, 1888.
' THE TESTIMONY.
30 j.. G. Fleming aud Campbell Brow
ie we're examined and made verbal state
B. ments. Letters were submitted b
Judge Demoss and Danc. Cooper.
7, Mr.. Fleming stated that while j
as New York Mr.. Polk drew checks 0
% him in four United States nationa
i'd banks: Victor Neweomb, Pearl x G,
as and others were, he thinks, Mr.. Polk
bankers. When Fleming was in Ne
be York last August Polk told him thi
by Newcomb induced him to buy Louil
|. vile and Nashville stock and prove
be treacherous. While Polk was buyin
Is; Newcomb was probably selling to bin
K Polk was indignant and cursed New
a. comb. Newcomb assured Polk tn
to the stock would be as high as 81 2
or vixen, in fact, he was unloading. Polk
ks bankers drew on Fleming, and Pol
n, ordered Fleming to pay. or Polk DIRE
lei the checks in their favor. Polk WI
II dealing in Memphis and Charlesto0
Tennessee bonds, in which he lost, an
ok invested 10 mines 10 Mexico. Polk an
be Van Leer Polk furnished all the mon,
for the mines, and Dune. Cooper toI
on Fleming that the first money realize
IS from the mines was to 90 to reimburI
ut Polk. Fleming did not know
Of Folks lending money out Of Il
.e treasury TO any one for the purpose
be specializing. Polk admitted to Elem
-as lug that he had paid 0'Conner mon,
de in large amounts on account of ire
lot works in Alabama. 0'Conner To-
er. Fleming that Polk owned one. -four
th interest in the iron works. AT Of
time Polk paid 0'Conner $4,000. al
20 Polk told Fleming he had paid 500
N in the iron enterprise. 0Conner 10
on Fleming that Polk could make mon
lse out Of it, and he wanted Polk
Ias furnish money for his bank at Kno
de vile, upon which O'Conner cou
Is check at pleasure. II was near
OF always money for the bank at Kno
ID vile that 0'Conner wanted. Flemi
A refused to let him have it in Poll
int absence. Polk tolk Fleming th
nfnouncr had Iotravod him