The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1917-02-16
HIGHT GIVES IN
FULL REASONS FOX
HIS RESIGNATION
REVIEWS AT LENGTH THE PRO
CEEDINGS BROUGHT
AGAINST HIM.
PRIVATE INTERESTS AT STAKE
Was A Candidate When Last Elected
Simply Because of the Charges AND
Threats That Were Made Against
Him by His Enemies.

In rendering his resignation as a
member Of the county road commits
sion, Clay E. Hight gives in full his
reasons and reviews at length the pro-
eedings instituted against him to GUST
i'm from the place. Feeling that he
las been completely INDICATED and
realizing that his private interests
need his attention, he decided to re-
sign. His reasons therefor are as fol.
lows:
Columbia, Tenn, Feb. 6, 1917
Hon. ]. T. Mcknight,
Columbia, Tennessee.
Dear Sir:
Il am enclosing herewith my ten
der of resignation as county road com
missioner for Maury County, Tennes-
see, to take effect at once. l feel that
it is due to You as Judge and chief
executive officer Of the county to
state the reasons that have Influenced
me to take this step. 1t was well
known to you, as we'll as to my friends
md advisers, that l did not, prior to
the January term of the Quarterly
Court. 1916. want to stand for re-elec.
lion to this office at that term, but
because of the threats of my enemies
made, and particularly made to Ger.
tain. members of the Quarterly Court
hat If should be reelected to office
hat custer proceedings would be al
,nce instituted against me to have me
,usted from office on account OF al
eged graft and misconduct in office
Knowing myself to be entirely limo
'ent OF any such charge. felt that it
vas due to myself, my family. and my
'riends that l should not decline to
enter the race in the face of such
charges, but that / would give to my
enemies the opportunity to make good
ehir charges, If the Quarterly Court
should again entrust me with the
1utfes Of the office.
II did allow my name to be placed
'efore that Court and was elected by
vote of sixteen to six, and was &C.
;ordingly qualified for the full term
If three years. Following soon after
his action on account of charges pub
ished in the county newspapers, and
he Nashville papers, charging me
With graft and misconduct in Office
lpon my own petition to that body,
md also to the Good Roads Associa
ion Of the county, asking for a full
Investigation OF my conduct in office,
the Quarterly Court appointed two
members of that body. who, together
with three members selected by the
Good Roads Association, proceeded to
investigate not only the charges
against myself, but also against other
members Of the Commission, as well
as against members of the Quarterly
curt.
1.-THE course of the hearing before
his commission is matter Of public
knowledge. After days of patient
hearing of proof and consideration of
the charges, they made their report to
the Quarterly Court, which was pub
'ished in the county papers. At this
hearing before the commission, those
persons making the charges were rep
resented by able and jealous counsel,
who were allowed to produce all their
proof, and present tehir claims. The
report Of this commission fully exon
Grated me from the charges of graft
or misconduct in office. No appeal
was made from their findings to the
Quarterly Court, nor was any further
investigation sought to be had in that
Court, although the statute creating
the the road commission expressly
conferred Jurisdiction on that Court
to remove commissioner from office
who was unworthy of the office, or had
been guilty Of violation OF the law
prescribing his duties; instead num-
Der Of REALTORS who are private citi-
zens, acting under the custer law, pro-
ceeded to institute an action against
me without calling to their aid the
state district attorney or any other
public officer to assume responsibility
for the proceeding, but by their pri-
vate counsel the same person who rep.
resented them in the hearing before
the committee, filed the bill of infor-
nation against me. This case was
finally heard before the Hon. w. B
Turner. an able, fearless. and impair.
tial Judge, who heard the full proof in
the case. and after fully considering
the case. pronounced his judgment on
fhe dav NJ necamber 1915 fulIv