The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1890-07-26
EUGENE MARTIN HEARD FROM.

The following is published q the
Times by request of Eugene Martin,
Esq:
VI0KsBURG, Miss, July 2lst, 1890.
Editor Greenville Spirit:
Dear Sir-My attention having been
called to the article in your paper of
the 18th inst, in which certain charges
are made against Gen'l I. c. Catch
ings in which my name figures, and
being familiar with the facts in relation
TO some of the various matters therein |
referred to, and assuming that you do
not desire to do Gen. Catehings or
myself an injustice, | ask that you
publish the following statement of
facts:
l was the principal officer and had
charge of the various railroad COM
panies which became consolidated into
the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas
Railway Company up to some time in
1882, when Mr.. r. 7. Wilson became
President. The firm of Catchings &
Ingersoll had been acting as attorneys
of these various roads through my
employment; it was understood that
they did not represent the roads in any
matters in which the State was inter
| estsd and their bill for services had
not been paid.
After had made the contract for
the construction of the road from
Memphis to New Orleans and had
paid off certain indebtedness of the
roads, there remained still unpaid sew
eral claims, including the bill of Catch
ings 4 Ingersoll for services rendered
up to that time. Mr. Wilson objected
to paving any more than he had
agreed to, but l finally arranged with
| the authorities of the railroad conf
panies to pay the various small claims
| to contractors which remained unpaid,
and as to the bill Of Catchings Il ln-
gersoll, recommended to the authori-
| ties that if 1t could be arranged with
them to get them to agree to take the
amount half cash and the balance dis
tributed over several months, II would
give to the companies the benefit Of
their advice in relation to any matters
with which they had been previously
connected. compromised the matter
with Catchings " Ingersoll and theil
names were therefore put upon the
payroll for a limited time SO as te
cover the fees due them for services
previously rendered. There was ns
other consideration for the paymen
/. of the bill than that stated.
Il AS to the land grants referred to o
i the Memphis & yicksburg Railroad
aud the Mississippi Valley u Shil
). Island Railroad, the charters OF thes
il companies gave them the right unde
certain conditions to enter State land
at two cents per acre. | secured th
services of the Hon. Wiley p. Harri
to represent the railroad companies
:, these two cases and 6en'l Catching
4 represented the State. IN both case
the Supreme Court decided in favor {
B. the State and against the railroa
y companies, The cases were ably rel
= resented OH both Sides
As to the Pearl River Navigatio
Company lands, 1t is q well know
fact that IN the days of Radicalism, Il
s. Pearl River Navigation Company WI
~ organized ostensibly for the purpo
of improving the navigation of Il
Pearl Biver, but 1t Is generally ADM
ted, to defraud the State OF the
lands. The Pearl River Navigate
Company had made deeds to the
lands to various parties who hi
recorded them and the Attorney-Ge
erai had given an opinion that the til
TO these lands had never left the Stat
still these lands remained from year
year with no one willing to risk d
= lar in their purchase, whilst 9th
n lands we're being entered freely a
II were therefore loaded with q clio
" when they we're purchased aud t
money paid for them to the State.
& that time the State had a great ma
other lands which II was selling at
same price aud under, to any one W
!, chose to enter them.
,ss II Is also well known fact that
= 1884. the Legislature passed q !
opening to entry ein any quantity
the land belonging TO the State at
ann of fifty cents per acre-the evid
4 object being to relieve the State OF
immense body of land which it had
nee. its hands aud on which 1t was rec'
ing no taxes.
. Had not the Supreme Court OF
,Mp. state. subsequent to the entries un
dam which /. aud those who claim un
r me hold, decided that the Pearl III
-ss Navigation Company was fraud
!, had no title, 1t is not likely tnat
subject would ever have been opel
eJs | will add to this, that in relation
these lands, they were entered
broad daylight, that 1t took s. $
- twenty or thirty days for the pat'
70 he issued and that the State
yery w glad to get rid of a lot OF la
Id. rthc Title to which was then
SdoubtfuD especially when IL was s. sci
other lands at the same price, the
racts to which was good, and that the
the did not say that they should mol
pera entered by any one but actual so.' M
nany and that the mode OF their en.ly
tenn the same by which halt Oh the ti'l'