The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-13
Offered Assistant City AttOr-
ney'S Job to Grover MCCOr-
mick on Condition That He
Fight City Manager Bill.
WAS IT BRIBERY OR
MERELY "P0LITICS"
Mayor and Commissioner
Quinn Also Promised Job to
Judge Greer, But Plum Still
bangles High.

Whether the city administration at
tempted to bribe Grover N. Mccormick,
prominent young attorney, recently re-
turned from the army, or whether the
negotiation comes under the definition
of politics." depends altogether upon
the construction one places upon it.
The circumstances, as related by Mr..
Mccormick are that when he returned
from the army he was promised the
office of assistant city attorney. For
some reason the appointment was not
made and Mr.. Mccormick, like Judge
}. M. Greer, to whom it was also prom
ised, was unable to get any satisfaction
from the mayor.
The first inkling of what Mayor Mon
teverde and the city commissioners
wanted to put over, came when Mr. Nc
county court, was told that Grover
might have the job If the justice would
support Dave Wells against Jerome
Richards for tax collector Failing to
make headway in that direction, Grover
was called into conference.
lie talked, he said, with G.. M. Bryan,
counsel for the street railway and tele-
phone companies, and with G. B. Quinn,
Republican city commissioner, who, with
Bob CHURCH, member of the Republican
Stdle COHllillllee, anu II, ~. true, re
publican member of the county board of
election commissioners, are in charge Of
the fight against the city manager bill.
Later he was ushered into the august
presence of the mayor and discussed 1t
with him.
Asked to Fight Bill.
Mr.. Mccormick says he was told that
he would be given the office of assistant
city attorney II, in exchange, he would
60 to Nashville and make a, fight
against the city manager bill Mr.. Nc
Cormick was nominated for the state
senate last August and, along with the
city administration and the Legislative
delegation, was pledged to support the
city manager bill
Shortly after his nomination he re-
linquished 1t and went to the army and
Frank Rice was substituted for him. Mr.
4 Rice assumed the obligation that Mr.
Mccormick took The proposition, ac-
cording to Mr. Mccormick, was that he
should go to Nashville and help in the
fight against the bill He was to say
that he didn't regard the pledge as any.
thing; that he didn't take it seriously
and that if he had continued in the race
and If he had been elected andSif he
had gone to Nashville as member ot
the legislature and If city manager
bill had been proposed. he would have
insisted upon referendum.
The offer appealed to Messrs. Monte
verde, Quinn, Bryan and others as a
small matter, since they broke theil
platform pledge and felt no compunctior
of conscience.
Says Price Too High.
But Mr.. Mccormick is made of differ.
ent stuff. He declared Thursday thai
the price they asked for the office o.
assistant city attorney was too high fol
him, but they might buy cheape,
man. He is satisfied that he will no
get the office, although it was frs
promised to him without reservation.
During the time the city administra
tion was trying to trade the office t
Mr.. Mccormick for his support and To-
the support of his brother In the count!
court Judge Greer was being assured
that he was going to get the office. 1
is a good job, but after being banded
about like spawned mule in a swap
ping yard, somebody may yet pick it VI
at bargain.
Mr.. Mccormick has made statemen
declaring that he regards the pledg
assumed at the time he was nominatet
as binding and that If he were a mem
ber of the legislative delegation h
would support and vote for the bill.