The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-22
TOO many POSTMASTERS.
RESIGNATION OF WARDEN HAIR.
RS OF THE PENITENTIARY.
How IL Was Brought AbOut-The
Compensation Paid Him by
the Lrssees.

NASHVILLE, Tenn, April 2l.-Capt.
F. S. Harris, warden of the peniten-
tiary, to-day rendered his resignation
to Gov. Bate, to take effect May LIST.
The matter was the result Of compli-
cations which arose several days ago,
but only to-day reached a climax. 1t
is provided by legislative enactment
that the salary of the warden shall be
$500, and that if he receive from the
lessees any other compensation or
gratuity he shall be removed from
office. 1t now develops that for
fourteen years all the wardens of
the penitentiary, including Mr.. Harris,
have been regularly receiving this
prohibited extra compensation, and
that this sum aggregates over $4,000.
This fact coming to the knowledge of
Superintendent Of Prisons Cain, he re-
ported it to the Governor who ordered
the prison inspectors, who are Treas
urer Thomas, Secretary of State ALI
son and Comptroller Packard, to in
vestigate the charge. They did so and
the result of their examination will
now become public.
COMPTROLLER PICKARD,
when interviewed, said that Superin-
tendent Cain first made the charge
that Harris was wrongfulIy obtaining
money, and that Gov. Bate ordered
the prison inspectors to at once ex-
anime into the matter. They did so,
and put the wi ne, SEES under oath.
Harris was first seen. He said that he
received the money as charged, but
got it as a loan This arrangement
was made several years ago, but he
had closed up by note what he had
received prior to the legislative in
vestigation.
MR.. NJ. F. ALLEN,
one of the lessees, made affidavit
that ever since the present lease sys-
tenn had been inaugurated il was the
custom for the State to furnish pro
visions for the maintenance of the
warden and family, and such custom
was adhered to until the present lease
began, Then the lessees, instead of
furnishing provisions made monthly
allowance to the warden in money in
lieu of provisions This has been
paid to all wa dens since
the beginning of the lease, as
the boots of the lessees will
show. Allen, who is book-keeper,
stated that Dr. Morrow had been Civ
ing Harris about 500 per month and
that he understood that Harris was
not to repay it. He paid high tribute
to the character of Capt. Harris and
said he was certain he had not been
bribed or improperly influenced by
the lessees. MIR. Allen has been con-
nected with the penitentiary for fifteen
years.
DIR. WILLIAM MORROW
made affidavit that he is one of the
lessees. He bought out the interest
of the late w. Fl Cherry and is now
the principal lessee In reply to ques-
tons he said: "My information from
my co-lessees, who we're the lessees
from the John G. Brown administra.
ton, is that the warden was entitled
to or drew supplies from the prison
and bought out in the city what he
wanted and had the bills paid by the
lessees. Maj. O'Conner so stated
to me, and that during the
Matt. Brown administration as war
den the plan was changed so as to al
low the warden 100 per month in
lieu Of provisions. The amounts 80
drawn are as follows: w. Mat.
Brown, August, 1872. to December 81.
1874, S465O; II. F Cummins, Feb
ruary, 1875, to June 30, 1879, 500 IS 80;
Lon Blizzard, April, 1878, to Feb
Walters, February, 1881, to
March, 1882, $3.50; F. S Harris,
March, 1882, to April, 1886, about !
$4,000. The whole aggregates over
$4,000, and extends over a period of |
fourteen years. The actual amount |
d avn by the same wardens exceeded |
the $iG0 per month agreed upon. Mr..
Morrow said that he and his associ-
ates gave Mr. Harris this money, not
as a bride, but in pursuance of Gus
tom, and that he had not sought to
bride Harris, either directly or indi-
rectly, but that Harris had done as
Jll6 law Ddu6 ILL.,
Comptroller Pickard said the books
of the lessees showed these payments
had been regularly made. The result
of the investigation was report d to
the Governor, and nothing was done
until few days ago, when the Gov
ernor sent for Superintendent Cain
and asked him to report on
the matter. He did so this morning
in writing, corroborating the report
of The inspectors. About this timi Har-
ris walked in and rendered his resig-
nation, to take effect May LIST. Gov
ernor Bate left for Knoxville in the
but wrote a note to Harris,
telling him his resignation would be
accepted.
The Comptroller said he was in
formed that Harris had receipts signed
last week from Morrow for all the
money Morrow had given Harris. The
fact of the resignation of Warden Har-
ris and the attendant circumstances
are not generally known. The high
personal character of the warden will
come to the rescue in this seemingly
wrongful act when the facts are openly
Ohm CrOna