The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-09-07
.. state Treasury Defalcation of 1s42.

Will the editor OF MISSISSIPPI Mat
.ors give the facts about the State
treasnry defalcation of 1912, when the
treasurer got away with a consider
able sum. and when, it is said. his wife
manned his escape?-s. f. j.
The story is interestingly told in
Lowry and McCardle's History of Miss
issippi, as follows:
The story of the defalcation and
A;ebt of the Treasurer may be briefly
stated. In the autumn OF 1872, Rich
ord 8. Graves received from Hon.
Walter Forward, then Secretary of
the Treasury Department of the United
States, draft on the Treasurer OF
The limited States for the two and
three per cent. fund due the State of
Mississippi, amounting to s165, ,097.
This draft was made payable in United
states treasury notes, at future day
with interest, and to Richard S. Graves
in his individual capacity, and not as
State Treasurer
OF this amount, $144,214 was paid
him October 9Th, 1912. This large sum
was received in the treasury without
nav warrant or certificate from the
auditor of public accounts. This fact,
edge of Gov. Tucker until the 5th day
Of January, 1S43, when he was advised
by letter from Hon. Jacob Thompson
that Graves had drawn the whole
amount of the two per cent. fund,
which constituted the greater part due
the State by the general government.
The letter of Mr.. Thompson caused
Gov. Tucker to investigate the power
l,r L. r..
State, over the State treasurer, as
well as the contents in the treasury.
After a careful examination, Gov.
Tucker reached the conclusion, in
which he was supported by the At
torney General and employed counsel,
that the State Treasurer could only
be removed by impeachment.
There was at that time no statute
authorizing the Governor to suspend
the State Treasurer, or to remove the
funds from his custody. The investiga-
tion, however, led to the arrest OF
Graves, at the instance of the Cover
nor, in March, 1843, charged with the
offense of embezzlement. RE was ar
raigned before Chief Justice Sharkey,
of the High Court of Errors and Ap-
peals. who presided over the commit
ting court.
During the progress of the trial
Graves was in the custody of the
sheriff of Kinds county, and under
guard at his own residence, when Mrs.
Graves appeared at the door of the
room in which her husband was held
a prisoner, and requested to see him.
She was granted the privilege, and in
less than an hour person supposed to
be Mrs. Graves, came out of the room
and passed the guard, going to her
apartments. The guard, after con
siderable time, hearing no noise, look
ed into the room, and saw, as they sup
posed Graves in bed. A nearer ap-
proach to the sleeper developed the
fact that the occupant of the bed was
Mrs. Graves, and that it was the de
faulting Treasurer who passed the
guards, dressed in his wife's wearing
apparel. The next heard from Grave.
he was in Canada, where his wife sub
sequently joined him.
Soon after his escape Mrs. Grave!
requested an interview with Gov
Tucker. When the Governor called sh,
delivered to MIN $50, ,232.6S in Mississ
ippi Treasury warrants, $4,000 il
United States Treasury notes, an'
$2,f49.68 in foreign gold.
On the 31st of March, 1S43, Gov
Tucker appointed Hon. VIM. Clark
Treasurer of the State, to fill the unex
pired term of r.. s. Graves.
When the newly appointed Treasure
had qualified and given bond the Gov
ernor paid into the Treasury tn
funds received by him from Mrs
Graves.
The defalcation of the State TreasuI
er together with other reasons, in
duced the Governor to call a specia
session Of the legislature, which a:
sembled on July 10. 1S43. On the SCI
ond day after the convening of tn
legislature, Treasurer Clarke submit
Ted report, showing the defalcatio
OF his predecessor to be $44,S3S.46.
Graves dishonesty, betrayal c
friends, and unfaithfulness brougt
misery and suffering to many. II
was still living four or five years ag'
suit was brought and judgmeI
obtained against Elijah Graves. Thon
as Hogg, William Perry, H. P. Barne
Maybray Barfeld, r. w. Graves, jaime
Bond, John Middleton, Valentin
Hamer and Edward Williams, as tn
sureties on the bond of h. s. Grave
tor the sum of $51,865
The legislature passed an act, a
proved the Sd day of March, 1874
which authorized the Governor and tt
attorney General to compromise wit
the sureties on such terms as the
could effect,
Some seven or eight years after tt
passage of the act referred to, autho
lzing compromise with the sureti'
ol the defaulting Treasurer, his wi
appeared at Jackson during the sessiC
oi the legislature. Mrs. Graves mat
pathetic and affecting appeal to Il
legislature for an act of amnesty. 81
oegged hard and piteously for pc
mission Il, for the return of her husban
one alleged that he was growing oil
was IN feeble health, and his only wi:
was TO return to Mississippi to sper
.ne remaining years of his life wi
lne friends Of his earlier and happi
ppays' and when the summons came
MN, as 1t must come to all, he desir
~ oe buried In the soil of the State
naa so wronged, and to be follow
~ ihe grave by the friends to who
le mad been SO faithless. She repl