The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1906-03-22
John |. Cox, Revenue Agent Found County Clerk
Peete Delinquent and EFFORTS Profitable
Agreement From Him While Latter
is in Midst of His Campaign

Louisville, the Memphis National
Bank, and was collected by the Farm
ers' and Merchants' Bank of Covington
from the F. U. Bank Of Covington, on
which it was drawn, on October 2,
1897. A certified statement from the
then comptroller, j. A. Harris Office,
dated March Z, 1899, shows that Cox,
on May l8, 1898, about eight months
later, paid into the state treasury to
Peete's account $3.50 of this 5000. He
not only kept the money about eight
months, but then dedueted $3.50 as
commissions out Of the 5000. The law
only allowed 15 per cent. commissions,
which is $135, consequently Cox deduct
ed $15 commissions more than the law
allowed. Any claim Of Gov. Cox that
he kept this money eight months by an
illegal agreement with Comptroller
Harris is disproved by the following
letter from Mr.. Harris. 1t will be re-
membered that Mr.. Harris had boasted
that he had so managed Tennessee's
finances that the state would not have
to borrow money to pay interest on the
state debt in January, 1898, and he was
frantically writing and beseeching all
county officials to forward every cent
of state revenue they could to him to
meet the interest. Would he have al
lowed Cox to retain 5000 of state reve-
nue., paid him by Peete, while he was
straining every nerve to get every cent
he could into the state treasury to
make good his claim as to the flourish
ing condition of the state finances?
"Circular No. 13.
Nashville, Tenn, Dec. 27, '97.
"E, Fl. Peete, County Court Clerk,
"Covington, Tenn.
"Dear Sir: Over so per cent of our
revenues are tied up by the federal
court in Chattanooga, know there
fore that you will do your utmost in
this emergency for Tennessee.
Kindly have in my Office not later
than the evening of December 81 every
dollar OF state revenue you have.
with the greatest confidence. in
your answer and course, being more
than could be wished for under ordina-
ry circumstances, / am,
Every sincerely, JAS. A. HARRIS,
Comptroller of the Treasury. y
A copy of this circnlar lettar was seni
to county officials three months after
Peete paid Cox the 5000 state revenue,
and nearly FIVE months before Coz paid
any part of the 5000 into the stata
treasury. Comment is unnecessary.
On February %, 1888, Mr.. Cox agaiI
visited Mr.. Peete,s Office in Covington
but did not check him up. At tha
time Peete was q candidate for renomi
nation (and was renominated and elect
ed) for, county court clerk in the demo
cratic pr,uary, TO be held March 8, 1893
Mr.. Peete, % his deposition, filed viii
; the legislative Investigating committe
(Which is in my possesion) in 1899 say
that it was veg inconvenient for hir
3 to make settlement Mr.. Cox the
on account of his canvass. He state
in his deposition that Mr.. Cox told hiI
he did not come to investigate hi
books, but he (Cox) did say that
must make, all my reports and settlt
Q ments through him until I made q fnl
! settlement, and il wopld not agree
! do SO, he would proceed to investigat
o my books. and under the circumstance
/ consented to do 30, and did make m
reports through him until the follow
!, ing September, 1885,"
Naturally Mr.. Peete did not care
, haye a revenue agent investigating b
books and checking him mp as delil
gent while he was in political canva
for denomination, and Mr.. Cox just {
v naturally agreed not to do so if Pee
would make his reports and settlement
~ through him as he then intended an
:" did retain Is per cent. of all none,
: passing through his hands.
. Peete paid him altogether on sta
. revenue 50, 900, and large amount
county revenue, out of which Cox r
y tanned 10 per cent, as the recort
. show, and as we will show. II may
, remarked incidentally that blac
? mail" is one of the harshest words
! the English language. The followir
letter from Mr.. Cox to Peete prov
ID this agreement, and also shows til
II Cox actually had to write to Peete
II find out what his payments were (
county revenue and state revenue so
to figure his commissions ''under o.
le agreement" whereas the law provid
4 that revenue agents are to receive n
N exceeding 10 per cent. commissio
J. for investigating and checking |
e. county officials accounts and makil
le sworn reports to comptroller.
of This letter, marked personal, :" W