Weekly Trinity journal., 1866-02-10
The Foreign Miners License Fraud.

The Foreign Miners License Fraud.
Several weeks since, in an article relating to
the charges made against the Controllers Office
in connection with the Foreign Miners License
tax question, we stated on belief that Licenses
had been improperly obtained from that Office
We quote from the article in question:
"A duly initiated Tax Collector had only to
proceed to Sacramento, armed with with capa-
cious yalise or trunk and the requisite coin, and
take quarters at arespectable hotel An Amer
lean citizen of African descent was easily found
whose palm received the amount necessary for
the procurement of FIVE hundred licenses at ff-
ty cents each. In due time unsuspected pack
age found its way to the room of the Tax Collec-
tor, and was safely deposited in the receptacle
prepared to receive it. The negro was used as
the agent in procuring these Licenses because
! his testimony not admitted in Court, and
conseauently in case of mistake, nobody would
suffer. But session of the Legislature con-
yened majority of whose members believed that
respectable coored man should be allowed to
give testimony in certain cases, and a law
passed to that effect. And there ended Sambo's
occupation as the procurer of illegitimate For
egn Miners Licenses"
When that statement was made many were in
credulous and 10th to believe that such state
of affairs existed. But there were many who did
believe it, having like ourselves, the testimony
of an ex-Tax Collector that such abuse had ex-
listed 1t is we'll known that this development
followed close upon the publication of commu-
nication on the Revenue question in the San
Francisco Examiner, a Copperhead sheet, and
which sent from this county. Several news
papers made light of the statements from the fact
of their so appearing, denominating it trick OF
the enemy to injure the State Controller. But,
as we are informed by the author of the letter,
it was first sent for publication in the leading
Union paper of the State but was rejected, and
in the space of time occurring between such re-
lection and its appearance in the Examiner, the
Controller got wind of the License fraud, and
sent an agent to this county to investigate.
At the request of the Controller a Legislative
committee was appointed to investigate the af-
fairs of his Office to the end that the source of
the fraud might be discovered. That committee
has not yet reported the result of its investiga-
tions but the following from the Sacramento
Union of February I'd, shows that there has been
u nigger in the fence or at least in the For
eign Miners License trade:
THE FOREIGN MINERS LICENSE FRAUD.-In con-
sequence of charges made against the State Con-
troler's Office, published about three months ago
in San Francisco, a committee OF lnvesugatlon
was appointed several weeks since by the Legis
lature, with power to send for persons and pa
pers to ascertain and report the facts in the case
1t was alleged that Foreign Miners Licenses
were disposed of in Trinity county in an illegal
manner, by means of which the State was de-
frauded of portion of its revenue. The COM
mittee has been engaged in the performance OF
the duties assigned it, but has as yet made no re-
port. The rumor is current on the streets, how
ever that it has been ascertained that the guilty
party is Cornelius Brown, colored porter en-
ploved in the Controllers office. Brown. 1t ap-
pears. has been in the habit of taking the licen-
ses from the Office making an occasional tip to
the northern part of the State-coming back
"fush' and explaining his good luck by say
ing that he had been fortunate in gambling. 1t
is said that he entered into negotiations, both
verbally and in,writng with county officers IN
the north, for furnishing them with licenses on
much more favorable terms than they could DC
obtained through the regular channel. Browns
said to have left the State by the lest outward
bound steamer. These licenses were correctly
signed by the Controller, and were blank as to
the county officers-as all are when they leave
the Controllers office. Those which fell into the
hands of Brown said to be licenses when
haQ never Deen uSeu, ana ndu Dceu "
the Sherffs of different counties on making set
tlement with the State. The extent of the fraud
is not yet known. 1t is probable that the report
of the committee will be rendered at an early
day. and will contain full particulars.
We hope So We are anxious to know more
in regard to the peculations of this entcrprising
contraband. lie undoubtedly left q by the last
outward bound steamer which regret, be-
cause it will now be impossible to ascertain
whether he ever traded any in this county. He
may have absented himself from the Capital oc-
casionally. but we don't think he came as
far as Trinity in fact we have never heard any
Collector say that such person had been here.
Others, however, think differently, and date his
last appearance somewhere about three years
since. One thing is evident-that the State and
several counties have been defrauded to an un-
known amount through carelessness in the Con-
trollers office. 1t is idle to suppose that " the
How settlements are made with the Controller
bv Tax Collectors of other counties we know not,
but the Treasurer of Trinity receives all Foreign
Miners Licenses legally sent to this county, and
if by any means one or dozen are lost or al
lowed to be stolen by eltner nlmselI OF tne tAu-
ditor (who countersigns them they are required
to account for them to the tune of S3 for each
license. We have little doubtthat through fraud
in this department of the public revenue, the
State has suffered to the extent of millions, and
it is high time some positive remedy was devised
In regard to the rascalty developed the Sacra-
mento Bee says:
"Not long since, as are informed, an exec
utive officer of one of the interior counties sent
word to the Capital that person who signed MS
name Cornelius Brown, had written to him ana
offered to furnish blank % Foreign Miners icen-
ses at I" most reasonable rates. Inc ques,
ton naturally arises, " WHO'S Cornelius Brown
The answer is, coored young man, VINO lor
years has acted as porter, etc., about the Legls-
lature and the State House. Ofcourse the oolh-
mittee desired Browns attendance, but the nee
essary service could not be had. brown naa
done the thing up brown, and under the plea ..
visiting his sick family in San Francisco wen.
there thence took passage on the steamer wnlcn
left Tuesday last Brown as genera ces kept
an eve On settlements. A Sheriff would come
in the Controllers office and settle by showing
q nj