Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-04-01
THE INTERVIEW.

RepoTter-Are you not interested in the Kerr
terry, about which 81 much has been published?
Capt, CarneS-I am, through my vile. who Is one
OF the heirs OF that estate.
Rep.-Were you oIe of the parties VINO seized
upon and fenced off portion of the cemetery
Cast. C.-NOt seized upon, If you pea c, for that
would imply force, or at least All ntusiyn, which
1 disclsim, for, on tine contrary, we have only
taken that which was forced upon u. by reason Df
forfeiture on the part OF the cemetery people,
rather than pa the balance of the purchase money
due Oh il to the estate.
Rep Would you object to giving your version
of this matter, as to how ali this came about?
Capt c. Not st all. Il is simply Il business
matter and nothing more, and can see no reason
for all Of thi newspaper publicity, unless it is to
excite and fire up The mass of Catholic people
with the idea that great outrage had been Ierpe-
trated upon them and prouOke, IL we're, them to
raise the money and bay back this property.
From what can learn of toe matter prior 10 my
marriage these are about the facts: After The
DEAN Gi Coz, ~ an oi t Ra RoT
dan, then vicar general, wanted the deferred pay
ments on this property extended, ami agreed TO
pay interest at the rate of ten per cent ii the same
would be done. At that time ten per cent was
not high for money, and a great deal was loaned
out on the best kidd of paper at that rate.
Faith Father "i Riordan lived l. believe " the
interest was paid promptly; and PerphaFs
payments made on the principal. Alter his death
in 1873, tue affairs OF the cemetery passed into the
hands OF this Board of Trustees Col White in
sisted upon q settlement of this balance, and 1t
resulted in Lawsuit don't know who brought
this suit but the trustees put IN claim for usury
and recovered the difference between ten and SIX
per cent. This amounted to something over S2OJ0
and was ordered credited ON the amount OF the
notes Judgment was given for the balance
amounting to something over 5000, and the prop
erty was ordered sold TO satisfy the same, and was
sold by the Chancery Court clerk on the l9th OF
October 1850. and this portion was fenced OH ana
estate, to cover the debt This is the shape
I found matters after I Was married, IN
wear some Of the trusiees-I believe MI
semmes and MI Gavin, proposed through hr J.
this balance, and retain the property by paying
$500 cssh and giving netes for equal amounts for
the balance at ono, two and three years, with SIX
per cent. interest This Col. White and myself
botU agreed to accept but the gentlemen said al
teTward that the board would not confirm this
| settlement. and it was not made.
Sometime in the spring or summer OF 1852 Dr.
| Willett called on me at my home In the Interest
of The trustees to kaoH if some compromise could
| not be effected. informed him that | was not
prepared TO tslk of = compromise; that oil White
had always told me he regarded that debt per
| fectlv good and thought 1t would be paid sOOR
that he would hold the claim and di ide the pro.
| ceeas after 1t closed up, and consequently l
knew ls ABOUT It. Later on tni INK @ s1S sep
duested me to call at his store right away. went
| and Thin, DR.. WiIlett and Mr.. Gavin They
stated their Hish to get The MISTER settled up ga
| wanted TO know what compromise could be ef
| fected replied that they could pay US the bal
| ance and we would be glad to let them have the
! and even if they did have, the balance
then. due was more than the land was
|
/ That they would pay 5000 in Catholic Cemetery
! bonds in settlement of tue debt-which amounted
| with interest to over $1,000 This declined.
offered to close the matter up for $500 cash and
| three or even four notes OF equal annual pay
ments, with lien on the properly; Ihey VIC utc
not agree to this. Later on they offered TO settle
| the entire amount in these bonds but, as wa
| gwen 10 understand the payment OF the interes
and principal OF these bonds was contingent OF
aheir offer, on the ground that we haC
/ ole I'm hDn0S WOnl1
give US lien OF about one-tour A. as 5000 OF then
Is about that proportion OF the $50 0Ooissue whicl
| they had not issued this amount, but hey had tn
right to do so and were settling up sn snch mat
| tiers with them that they could.
| / suggested that If these bonds were good, a
they seemed so confident OF, that they could ahor'
to invest in them and furnish the money TO pa
us but they could see it in tais light. After thi
! called on Father Walsh one OF the trustee.
| and also of the clergy. 10 know what settlement b
| could make with US. Father Walsh told ME quit
| frankly that he and Father Neale could not sgre
| with these gentlemen OF the Board and had virtu
aIiy ceased 10 act with then, because they disaI
proved OF this manner of settling tncse matter!
, They might be approved il matters OF usual N el
ohantie routine, but the church regarded It's debt
as sacred and it was its policy to pay them in ful
| He said they The aud Father VI were IN the m
no Ivy aud could not help what they did, but
, said linus. understand while these gentlemen Wer
business men trey were net the church, and theI
was quite difference. He thought some tin
the Church would take toe matter in hand, IL nc
settled sooner, and settle The whole thing, even
, | the usury claim that these gentlemen hsd cote
c-e iited on the smount. 1 afterWaTd tod NJ
? | Gavin % my interview with Father Walsh. Il
Sc "a ed proTok d thai Father Walsh SHOULD int
| fere in the mater. He did not consider that h
( | knew what he was talking about or that he cou-
| do anything toward settling this natter himself
: | Rep.-HoW about the Dissertation OF these grave
| etc
Can't C.-Some Of these posts have been set i
| che graves. That am sorry for, and It was don
coutraTF TO my Instructions. hsd the fence d
: | M under contract, but told him not 70 put az
posts in the graves; but is seems he 1t after al
7 Rep. What do you suppose will be the result
I | all this?
Capt C.-ThRt rests with these good Catholic
? | Now these publications in the 4UGiaRche are ca
| cuiaLed, Ann / think intended, to throw odiu
= | upon US and make us appear ike very Sbylock
= | but il i nothing in the world but question
equity and as We have done nothing but VIII
e they have forced Us To 10, We propose 70 do not
ing but maintain our position, unless they cor
: up and want TO buy back this land for cash.
~ can settle our own affairs without the aid of Z
8 AudlGRche or its Board of ArbitTators aud We pI
e pose 10 do It, II it is done at all.