The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-01
GUILTY OF OFFICIAL
MISCONDUCT is THE
VERDICT ON FORNEY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE So

|
| private individual and no committee
| knew or felt that l, John c. Forney,
was particularly interested in the prop
osition or had any peculiar knowledge
| of the same either as an alderman or
| private individual. The fact that I was
interested or had any peculiar knowl-
edge as to the merits of the proposition
had made no impression upon the Mayor
or the committees until latter the prop
erty had been viewed ana the resolution
passed authorizing the Mayor to close
the deal with Mr.. Tarrant for $4,000.
No Undue Influence.
This is said. gentlemen of the commit
tee to impress upon you that 1 have not
solicited the city to buy the property
nor did I use any undue influence, or
any undue means to influence any COM
mittee or the Mayor. I say it without
fear of contradiction, that the land was
bought and sold upon its merits The
committee will find attached to this state
ment of mine statements from one or
more witnesses that l had held the OPP
ton upon this land since August "a 1907
continuously; that 1 obtained this option
for the purpose of turning the property
over to people who were willing to give
$40 900 for the same. The public will
know, when it is suggested to them, that
QedlS OI ItllS hlIu were Ildut SLOW anu
slower because of the stringent money
market, but being encouraged by the
parties who seemed delighted with the
property, I had kept up the option and
when it csme close to this fall, the lat
ter part of August, the same people got
again actively into the market and said
they would soon come and ask for the
property. This was cash proposition,
and only because the city wanted it did
~. o,,1 7 20 oh,
terms Mr.. Tarrant will say to you that
the price all along was $4,000 and that he
had agreed all along to make the deed
direct to the purchasers, thus trusting
him to give me his individual check for
the difference in the price called for in
the deed and called for in my option.
"The committee will please state to the
public that l have never been appointed
on a committee, nor was l on a standing
committee to which committee or commit
tees the proposition of this land pur-
chase was ever referred by the City Coun-
Gil of Birmingham
1.-The committee will please notice that
in his card to you Mr.. Tarrant expressed
the firm belief that I, John c. Forney,
could now deliver to him. Mr.. Tarrant,
bonafide purchasers for this property at
and for the sum of $4,000, if we give
them the same terms that were offered
IT have this request to make of this in
vestigating committee and 1 think it moth
| ing but fair that they will find that have
never yet voted to buy the 40 acres in
question; that the question of the pur-
| chase of this 40 acres had never come up
| before the board, but that all such was
| delegated in full to the above special com
mittee, who at one and the same time
turned down one proposition and accept
ed the Tarrant proposition of $4,000.
Had Done City No Wrong.
| 81 submit this statement to you gen
| tlemen of the committee hoping that
| you VIII accept ii as being given to
| you in the most cordial manner and
that l have taken no offense at any
| one seeking to discover the truth
| feel that / have done the city no
| wrong, and that the only person who
| has suffered in this proposition has
| been me. and that was possibly be-
cause of a lack of judgment at times.
and not done with the intent of injur-
| ing the city or myself. 1 obtained the
option upon this property, not for the
| purpose Of delivering it to the city, but
since they wanted it, l saw no wrong
in allowing them to have it at a price
! agreed upon long before the city asked
| for 1t, and at a price much lower than
| any other property of its like kind in
| the city of Birmingham.
| You will please. gentlemen of the
| committee, let the people know that
| this property is in the city of Birming-
ham, and came into the city of Biz
| mingham since I obtained my option:
| that this property fronts a quarter of
| a mile on Forty-sfxth street in Bir-
mingham and about 500 feet on Village
| creek; one quarter of a mile upon one
of the Louisville and Nashville rail-