Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-01-17
To the People of Washington County.

TO the People Of Washington County.
Being a candidate for reelection to
the Office of Trustee for Washington
County, and in view of the fact that
the Citizens Bank, of Johnson City,
during last summer, suspended at a
time when | had about $4,000 of the
public funds on deposit there, and
various statements and inquiries hav-
ing been circulated by some persons, |
feel it due to myself, as well as to the
people, that | make a full, fair and
impartial statement in regard to said
matter.
| was indicted into office the first
Monday in September, 1892, and at this
time Trustee Pouder had ON deposit, in
said bank of the public funds, $4,000.
Within Linety days after my qualifi-
cation | transferred from this fund to
the Jonesboro Banking and Trust Co.
"a, $50, and to the First National Bank
of Jonesboro "a, 100 and ON the LIST of
February following | transmitted to
the State Treasurer from this bank 49,
600, and at various times | paid for
County Schools, and Road Warrants,
through the Citizens Bank, S6,153 so,
making a total withdrawal from said
bank of S1S,053 81. =,
In the meantime my Deputy, Chas.
McNiel, deposited in said bank So
S67 03, and Constable Wilbourn Hodge
deposited therein $3,29S 67, and Con-
stable f. NJ. Walker deposited therein
S67 making a total deposit of S27,-
232 70. These figures will show that
at the date of the collapse of said bank
| had therein the sum of SO, 179 So,
upon which | have since received ST.
S34 4S, leaving still due me from said
bank the sum of 1884 40. All the
taxes deposited in said bank were col
lected from the Sth, 9th and 10th Civil
Districts, and it requires about 81 600
per month to pay the expenses of the
schools and courts at Johnson City.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
principal officers and directors of said
bank were on my official bond, | did
not deposit with said bank, all told, but
little more than one third of the funds
passing through my hands, notwith-
standing the fact about one half of the
tax of the county is paid by said Dis.
tricts for as Trustee, l have handled
about S75, 900 of public funds, and the
foregoing figures will show that all
told, only S27 900 passed through said
Citizens Bank, and as stated before,
$4,000 of this deposit was transferred
to the Jonesboro banks, and at no
time did | have as much in said bank
as my predecessor had there when |
was indicted in Office.
| lave heard it intimated that | kept
this money in the Citizens Bank that |
might obtain the interest thereon. |
never received any interest on this or
any other public fund, and could not
have done SO, for the reason that de-
posits were always made in this and
other banks subject to check. l have
been watching this matter closely, have
employed counsel at my own expense,
and am assured that there is no prob
ability, not ever the least, that this
money will be lost. Judgment has
been taken against me and my sureties
OIL my county bond who were officers
and directors of said bank, and | have
been paying upon the same, and have
placed every dollar that | can spare of
my fees as Trustee in payment of this
judgment and | am assured, and the
people may feel assured, that within
the next few months this entire amount
will be paid and as an evidence of
this fact, | need only call attention to
the fact that county warrants are worth
par, and the business and finances of
the county have not suffered in the
least.
need hardly state that it never was
apprehended by me that the Citizens
Bank would fail and |, like the other
citizens of the county, had every conf
dence in its integrity and ability to pay;
and in this transaction, as in all my
other official acts, l had but a single
object and purpose in view, which was
to discharge my duties to the people of
the county. with honesty and fidelity,
and to keep my record above suspicion
and criticism. If in this transaction
there is any financial loss it will be to
myself, and not to the people of the
county.
The foregoing is a full, a true, and
an honest statement in regard to said
matter, and in view of my struggles
and misfortunes, 1 ask the calm con
sideration of the people, and that they
aid me by a reelection, and so give me
an expression of their confidence in
my integrity and official conduct.
Should any one in any way be dis
posed to doubt the foregoing statement,
the records of my Office are at all times
open fol inspection to any one, and l
have leave to refer to Judge Newton
Hacker and A. S. Deaderick, who are
my attorneys, and who are familiar
with my transactions with said bank,
and who have carefully Investigated
the condition Of same at my instance.
am, very respectfully, your obed-
lent servant, j. A. T. BACON.