The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1897-08-06

their way TO that point. Here was
held a conference to decide what to
do when Thomas took possession of
TIE city. One after another the
cashiers and officials were called
away, or, feeling themselves in
immirent peril, went away for safe
t.. No one ventured to GO home,
for Tennessee was in the hands of
the Federals and a price as upon
Gov. Harris head. OF all the men
IN charge of the ba. k effects Jesse
Brown was tie only one who offer
ed to 90 back to Nashville and de-
liver them up to the existing Coy
eminent authorities.
Wild stories have foated through
the press as to how Gov. Harris
with a price on his head-boldly en-
tered Brownlow's presence and
threw the bag of gold (the school
fund.- upon his Excellency's table
with fierce words of scorn and then
walked scathless away. Another
legend has him flying through the
country with the money in belt
about his waist, defying everybody
who crossed his path. Both of
these stories are preposterOus when
the bulkiness of the treasure is re-
membered; he could not have car
ried in his hand what it required a
wagon to haul.
The fact is, Gov. Harris never
had charge of the school fund during
the whole of its wanderings, and he
had nothing whatever to do with its
return to the State authorities.
With a price upon his head, it be-
hooved him to keep out of Brown
lows reach, if he was ever to serve
his State or family again; and so
when Jesse Brown volunteered to
take the treasure home Gov. Harris
was far away on the road to Mexico
and safety.
After the conference in Augusta
the other bank officials scattered,
and thus Jesse Brown was left in
control of all the assets of the Bank
of Tennessee then stored in the
vaults in Augusta, which city was in
the hands of the Federal General
Thomas. With nothing else left
him to do Mr.. Brown, representing
the people of Tennessee, made for
NAL surrender to Gen. Upton, who,
representing the United States Gov
eminent, received and receipted for
the same. Even to this day Mr..
Brown speaks in the warmest praise
of Gen. Upton, both as a soldier and
a man. The treasure was to be sent
direct to Nashville, and Mr.. Brown
was furnished with transportation
and a military guard to carry il
back. Standing in the car door he
counted and checked off the forty
boxes of treasure and the State ar
chives. Then the car was securely
locked, the key put into his hand.
Leaving the Federal officer and
guard in charge of the car, Mr.,
Brown FASTENED on ahead 20 Nash.
vile and offered the key, with full
particulars from Upton, to Brown
low. But the Governor refused to
receive the key by itself, and SO Mr..
Brown waited the arrival of the
train. Those brief days were the
only ones he had spent out Of sight
and touch of the treasure since 1t
had been left in his care. When the
train came he went with Gov.
Brownlow to the depot, and, stand
ing in the car door he again checked
off the boxes and rolls, from the
Governor. And then for the first
time in months he could sleep with
out anxiety. The amount of coin,
notes and securities which this one
man had held in his care during
those stormy days were about So
600, 900. Not a dollar he had per-
sonally receipted for was missing
when.the final count came.
Gov. Brownlow publicly com
mended Jesse Brown for his faithful
discharge of duty, and said that the
Legislature ought to appropriate
$50, 900 of the protected fund as
reward for his services. He has
never received one cent. Even his
own savings, which had been in the
bank at Trenton, were never refund
ed, and he, along with hundreds OF
others, was a loser when the bank
was declared insOlvent.
Jesse Brown, the real preserver
of the Tennessee school fund, lives
to-day in the city of Memphis, a
quiet, upright man, respected By
the community. 1t is not often
that he talks of his stirring adven-
lures while guarding these boxes of
gold and silver and the valuable rolls
of State papers, but those who know
him best are sometimes thrilled
with the narrative simply and unos-
tentatiously as he tells it. Chicago
imes-Herald.
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