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Isoastlan-•ora-theL-ast-tlieusu-Jnli-ible,amiKll|-hilelioirfu i'll eirn, inbcrt in-2 (if iiuse , he lousarti-S ew ■xas-i, he vent I his\]\PTcbv•.stateit, onid allmakethe Wil., Char. Ruth. Railroad. Bui. allthe bills were passed, and it is well known that not a mile of Road was ever built with the proceeds of the sale of Stale Bonds.AY e have but recently had lime to look over the Report of the Commission appointed by the Legislature to investigate thefrauds ami swindles practised against the State.From the testimony of Mr Geo. W. Swep-son we copy the following, showing what influences were brought to bear to induce the passage of appropriation bills:“Question (to Geo. W. Swepson)—Were there any bonds or proceeds of bonds or money used to procure the passage of any ordinance or bill through the Convention or Legislature? It you have any information or knowledge on the subject state it fully.A11 Hirer—In the special session of 1868 a hill was passed making an appropriation to the western division of the Western North Carolina Railroad. The bill did not accomplish the purpose, as no tax was levied to pay tiie interest. In the Fall I was elected President of said Road. I came to Raleigh and urged the passage of another bill through the Legislature. I was then told hy Littlefield and Deweese, who were lobby members, Littlefield being the principal, tlwit I would get no hills through the Legislature unless 1 entered into the same arrangement w hich they said the other Railroad Presidents had made, to pay ten per cent in kind of the amount of the appropriation. 1 understood from Littlefield and Deweese,that all the other Presidents had made such an arrangement with them. 1 had no conversation or agreement with the Railroad Presidents invscll, hut it was generally mi-derstnotl that each ot them had employedLiltiefuld as a lobby lawyer. I then a si reed ■ • . * * to iheir proposition, and afterwards paidLittlefield upwards of 8- 40*000 in money, and some bonds, for liis services in procuring the passage of bills ihrougli the Lcgisla-ture making appropriations to the western division ot said road.Qiuh.—How did you make payment to Littlefield?Ann.—I paid money in various ways, sometimes upon Littlefield's order, some-ifOI LAN Iinformed portion o p re pa rati made on unless th some chi coming growing |it is not i very shoi of Ameri time, is ii who is considei cept for t more tlui to reuiei cheapert another and corn lias been lias enabl crop at a since the supplies i cond : Fi is to be a ly used likely re deuce re the expei suiting ii account, large cro w ill be ii we under men at a the busymlcalled in tion, and be paid.operating crop to 11 hand, si;j what cm will be V them, dei ruling, in respect, t ever, is 11 be very i;. be made‘ good sea:l “Mipply liof any pclimes by taking up his notes ami noles of countries\vns.rrsonlt;hingt resiling, i icar-nt ice free, treedj,sn.DER.Mer-•k of Statenesti.14 59 1)9 51do cm i:10 05 ,1)0 01 IW 50 28 03 55 0(5 55 04 50 37 ! 55 56 1 40 00 44 20 Dl 00 i 90 00other parties at bis request, sonic; inn s in money to him and some bonds.Quen.—Will you give the names of the individuals to whom these several sums of money have been paid?Ann.—I have a list of the various sums of money paid and the time and persons to whom pafd, which list I will furnish hereafter as a part of my testimony. I have it now and will furnish a list of the bonds paid out.Ques.—You stated in the former part of vour examination that vim would furnish a list of the names of persons to whom money and bonds were paid; are you prepared to give that list ?Ans.—Since my last examination, I have had a lull examination made by my clerk and hook keeper, Mr Rosenthal, of the accounts kept by him, and 1 hereby furnish to the committee a copy from the books of the account entitled M. S. Littlefield with G.W. Swepson. This accomr* 1 believe to be correct. The same was kept by my book keeper and clerk, Mr Rosenthal. This list embraces the amount of $211,713.31, which I slated in my report, made to N. W. Wood-fin and other commissioners, had been expended to secure the charter and appropriation on account of the Western division of the W. N. Railroad Company.Quen.—Will you state particularly on what account these various sums of money were paid, and whether you have vouchersfor the same?Ann.—I stated in my previous examination, I was told hy General Littlefield and Deweese that I could get no bills through ; (jom ;int the Legislature unless 1 entered into the } t|iev’ou]■ saint* arrangement agreed upon by the oilier aci1'n.r j|( Railroad Presidents, which he said was to , (|le t^ 011-4 v fen nnr fi»nt in L liiil nil \ iiO :t rniiiinl. of _ . a.have eve cannot 1) mine wh: with a vi w heat an what con leave the these siij the folly Would itvou waulwyou cansafe, and vances siHeTlie fo the Nash that is di riculturn new spap'“Theand uporin a largmethod problem of an abi existed h labor on ploy tlu of the Snegro isi leges olsame law The iu*gi strutted the Soul!pay ten per cent in kind on the amount of J nia*ruet . the appropriation. In regard to the item, ,Jjrj?t-iion *3,500, charged to have been paid to A. W. j i^n |mTourgee, niv recollection is that this was a ^.jn }nl, draft of A. W. Tourgee, drawn on me with- rc*H|t8 j out authority, and 1 did not pay it until othsome time after it had gone to protest. Hition of When Gen. Littlefield rclt; pies ted me to pay c,j sj|,e it, and charge it to him on his account, I t*verv h rdid so. ’ | rc,rain
Newspaper Details
Charlotte Democrat
Charlotte, North Carolina, US
Tue, Mar 12, 1872
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Adrienne B.
USA 22 Jan 2023
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