Scrapbook of Papers about the Attempted Impeachment of Governor Henry H. Horton

Collection — Folder: 1

Identifier: MPA-0324

Staff Only

This collection contains a number of newspaper clippings pertaining to the attempted impeachment of Tennessee Governor Henry H. Horton in 1931.

Dates

1931

Conditions Governing Access

The Modern Political Archives are housed at the Howard H. Baker Center for Public Policy. Researchers interested in consulting the MPA collections are advised to contact the Modern Political Archives .

Conditions Governing Use

The copyright interests in this collection remain with the creator. For more information, contact the Modern Political Archives .

Extent

0.1 Linear Feet

Additional Description

Biographical/Historical Note

Henry Hollis Horton (1866-1934) was governor of Tennesee from 1927 to 1933. Horton was Speaker of the Tennessee Senate when the sitting governor, Austin Peay, died. (The state constitution specifies that the speaker of the senate takes over as governor in this event.) Horton had previously served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1907 to 1909.

Horton was an ally of Austin Peay as well as his advisor, the politically influential newspaper owner Luke Lea. Lea helped Horton get reelected to the governorship in 1928. Horton fought to reduce the influence of the Memphis political boss E.H. Crump.

The attempt to impeach Henry Horton came about after a scandal in which Lea and his associate Roger Caldwell were involved in bank fraud. The attempt was unsuccessful, but Horton did not run for the office again.