Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1901-09-07
The state Treasury Detaloation of ls4'

llbdSui9 utldICdtlou VI 1917 NhSA 'HN
Treasurer got away with consider
able sum. and when, it is said, his wife
planned his escape?-S. f, j.
The story is Interestingly told In
Lowry and McCardles History of Miss
issippi, as follows:
The story of the defalcation and
flight of the Treasurer may be briefly
stated. In the autumn OF 1912, Rich
ard S. Graves received from Hon.
Walter Forward, then Secretary OF
the Treasury Department of the United
States, a draft on the Treasurer Oh
the United States for the two and
three per cent. fund due the State OF
Mississippi, amounting to Slb5O9l.
This draft was made payable in United
States treasury notes at future day
with interest, and to Richard 5. 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
pay warrant or certificate from the
auditor of public accounts. This TACT,
however, did not come to the knoWl-
edge of Gov. Tucker until the 5th day
of January, 1843, when he was ADVISED
by a letter from Hon. Jacob Thompson
that Graves had drawn the whole
amount of the two per cent 1und'
which constituted the greater part que
the State by the general government:
| The letter of Mr.. Thompson caused
| Gov. Tucker to investigate the power
of the executive, by the laws OF the
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 AI'
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 suspenC
the State Treasurer or to remove th'
funds from his custody. The lnVestlga
ton, however, led to the arrest o
Graves, at the instance OF the cover
nor, in March, 1S43, charged with th
offense of embezzlement, He was al
raigned before Chief Justice ShaTkey
of the High Court of Errors and Az
peals who presided over the commit
= ting court. -
During the progress of the trla
\ Graves was in the custody OF IN
Y sheriff of Kinds county, and unde
:, guard at his own residence, when Mri
= Graves appeared at the door Oh III
room in which her husband was mel
a prisoner and requested to see mn
She was granted the privilege, and
. less than an hour person supposed
e be Mrs. Graves, came out OF the roo
It and passed the guard, going TO III
L apartments. The guard, after co
siderable time, hearing no noise 100
:. ed into the room, and saw, as they su
nosed. Graves in bed. A nearer a
= oroach to the sleeper developed u
le fact that the occupant of the BED W
Mrs Graves. and that it was the c
n faulting Treasurer who passed 7
f. puards dressed in his wife's wearll
-. 9nnarel The next heard from GRAY
he was in Canada, where his WlIe su
seouently joined him, IT,.
,. Soon after his escape Mrs, uiaN
~ reouested an interview with vi
Tucker. When the Governor called !
" delivered to MIN 500, ,232,6S IN Mlssi
inni Treasury warrants, $92OVO
United States Treasury notes, a
S2,749.6S in foreign gold ,,o -
,r On the 3lst of March, lSi5, u
-, Tucker appointed Hon. VIM Clal
~ treasurer of the State, to I'LL the ull
" nired term of r. S. Graves.
M When the newly appointed lreaSu
BIZ had qualified and given bond the u
Ter ernor m paid into the Treasury .,
nd funds received by him from "
,as Graves. ,c.o., rroo,
- or together with other reasons
No' dnced the Governor to call spe
,an session of the legislature, ,ll WhlGn
wd sembled on July 10, 1S43. On the
ibi- ond day after the conYening ol
elp legislature. Treasurer Clarke SUP
mo tod a report, showing the deIaiCa "a
,af of his predecessor to be S44,S5o'4o
nav Graves dishonesty, betrayal
llh- friends. and unfaithfulness Drol
the mionrv and suffering to many
al was still living four or llSe 'e"iS ,d@r
2 to Suit was brought and 3uuEl E1
but obtained against Elijah Graves ~,
red as Hogg, William Perry, H, r. bal
Mavbray Barfeld, R, W. Graves ID
pond John Middleton, Nalel
% Uamer and Edward Williams as
snreties on the bond of H. D. Gr'
: ~ e,,,, of Sal SbD.
rioe ~ The legislature passed an act
,rared the Sd day of March,
which authorized the Governor ah'
Attorney General to comprolliSe
NJ % the sureties on such terms as
' M same seven or eight years atte
city, noSsage of the act referred to, au
llleu i1ing a compromise with the su'
t his of the defaulting Treasurer, MS
ltur- onreared at Jackson during the st
been of the legislature. MIS- u,",J oI :
and n pathetic and affectlns appe"t '
mo- legislature for an act OF amnesty
NV bepged hard and piteously toi
was MISSION for the return OF ner nus nus
large She alleged that he was groWihl
ouse. om ,,ia, in feeble health, and his only
band, was @ to return to Mississippi TO
hole the remaining years VI MS Ia h,
W. .ho friends of his earlier ana h'
1t is days, ana SI wlien oar,o IA all. he d
III re- n he buried in the soil OIL Ihe 81, 81
IN hls nod 50 wronged, and to De lol
ity is ~ tbe crave by the FRIENDS 10
w w bod been so faithless. She
llo e,,tnd him as being truly peni'e
pS. srn'T sSn ,vrong he had committed;
,nsed that his only hope thls
.ntra- the grave was to return anu spe
enn ,,,e;nder of his days surroun'
the friends and scenes VI niI
life, She represented mn 20 9
aord's I care.worn, grief-laden ola man,
"a '''dont ing over his past misdeeus' a. an !.
'.''," tbe ever present heart slckenins
If the wv s Cor the home he had dlsh'
in tho The l appeal of the wife Ior u y
men ,ored husband touched the II
unde, ,,, ilonu, ,nember of the leglslatu
:, Julv eko,s tNo,,sh II was ably seconded by
" !, .o o .n9ut ..n9nential journals of the ia
, - 70 members Of the ieelsla'u1.o nv w
Va their infexible duty W uum' W
.nest Mrs. Graves y. "
daughter of a reputable CIV .
TarToll county. - 1t is not
sh GUS .ortainly whether Richard ,.
i year mr. his devoted wife are osevas ye. aa
is G3,' of the living. II 50, um hondine
90 and old, whitehaireu ANY winters,
get es- the welsna .la. Us ,s still a sojournel
ollectea Mrs; osasvs sorrow ~ It may be acc,
T, an in lana ior,tv II, that her step has lost
900 OF aoss. her eyes are dim Win y
tears" -