The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1901-03-30
THAT BOND CLAIM.

Gov. Davis Does not Believe It Valid
aud Would not Have TAX.
"a the Case.
From the Arkansas Democrat
Gov. jeff Davis has testified In the
Hudson bank case and his testimony
was sharp, clear decisive and squarely
to the point. !. :.
Prior to his election to the office Of
chief executive of the state Of Arkansas
Gov. Davis WAS attorney general OF the
state. II WAS during his incumbency
OF that Office that the now famous claim
Of the Farmers National Bank. OF
Hudson, New York, was presented to
the state debt board and transferred
from that body to the federal court.
Naturally It became the attorney-gen.
erals sworn duty to do every legal
thing In his power to defeat this Claim
II his examination of the records and
facts convinced him that the claim was
not just one. :,
The examination took place 10 his
excellency's private Office. The inves'
tigating committee was represented by
senators sengel and Landlord. The
governors private secretary his former
assistant Encouragement, Mr.. Jacob.
son, ex-Gov. Clarke, 4 Democrat
reporter and the official stenographer
made up the group.
Senator Landlord propounded the
questions relating to the claim. He
found the governor 6rst-class witness
for the state from the very beginning.
He was familiar with the case from a
legal standpoint because he had repre-.
scented the state In the capacity OF
attorney. general he fought the claim
on the ground that the claimants were
suing the state, and bis contention WAS
sustained on demurrer; the case was
not decided BY Judge Caldwell on u
question Of fact; the state had taken no
testimony; the evidence was all ad'
duced by the clximants; he had merely
cross.examined witnesses Of the bank
20 far as his examination had gone he
bad been unable to fud that the state
WAS In possession Of Holford bonds at
the time the Hudson bank Ia alleged to
have come Ia possession OF the bonds OF
s r~ how tho MAUI honda and
~ ",d honas Ithoss thst wsrs hnrnedI
,-s u both rornd ' torather In the stats's
Ssno.,tnrw IN Nsw Yort. hs had NO
.isknIts ihsorv ". n whv The bonds
were left IN the states depository by
Denokla, who, M the state q agent. had
"vsm,nstion ~ the records with refer.
sr"s ~ thst tsuturs Int onIv with
-s .v Nv !" ..a "sSa thsn NJ issns
s Thsr emma ths %,,r IN ths cocoarut
.,snvsrror 49, Vii v"wr ressnrch
and sSsn,nat;on ~ the racords what
onirinn Sid von .rrivs NJ with reference
~ ths vsii3;tv ~ ths claim nat mn
s.sirst ths sia,s he tba Tarmers, Ma
sy"rsi '' psnb ' ~ urSs"n Nsw Yort,',
ssrsd ss~"tor sanvsi '' "'"
|xs sttornsv.rsneral I had very
.r.vs dorhts as 70 ths validity ~ Tia
cis,w )" r rsnl,sS rovsrnor Davis w
"i,ia Won p" mo- .ttorr ." th,nt
~. cisi,s, I'm sho" ~ r hs nsIa his a~csi.
isrcv Vas nsyt ssrsd
.skrom nv irvsstiy.t,or M attorrev.
general | did not think the claim should
be paid, and | don't think no now, "
WAS the prompt and unhesitAting re
sponss OF Gov. Davis.
"What makes you think sol" asked
ex.C}ov, Clarke.
IFrom the fact that the bonds your
atlantis claim ,vors s"" rsvs, ont y, ths
,"s.sss,on ~ ,h 800 80 ,ror tha smr,har
fact that vt the time this change OF
OF bonds ia alleged TO have been made
che so.called Holford bonds were MA