The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-09-15
Does Mr.. Greeley Connive at the Bribery
and Fraud Of Bancroft Davisf

Why docs Mr.. GREELEY 20 pcrsistently
avoid the case Of BANCROFT DAVIS in dis
cussing the affairs Of the Eric Railway He
Processes to be very anxious to secure to the
stockholders Of that Company restitution
Of their property but he refuses to pay any
attention TO the four million and three quar-
tiers dollars of which they have been de-
prived by the fraudulent acts Of DAVIS, one
of their Directors and counsel. What Is the
reason that while Mr.. GREELEY calls SO
loudly upon Boss TWEED, JAY GOULD, JAMES
FISK, Jr, and their associates TO make rcsti-
tuition, he does not seem to care anything
about a restitution Of this vast sum Of money
lost to the Eric stockholders in consequence
Of their confidence in Gen. GRANTS Acting
Secretary of State?
DAVIS was bribed by the Boston, Hartford
and Erie spectators to "lx up" contract
with the Erie Company, of which he was
Director and counsel. BY that contract,
frnudulcntly made under the influence of a
bride, the Eric stockholders lost two mil
lions and three quarters. They also lost
about two millions in addition by haudu-
lent lease of worthless road which DAVIS,
acting as their representative, put upon them
Their losses through his acts thus amount
TO about four millions and three quarters,
enough to pay six per cent. dividend upon
their whole stock. Why does not Mr.. GI,EE-
LEY, in his zeal for these stockholders and
for the interest of public morality, call upon
DAVIS TO refund this money so that it may
be divided among its rightful ownes2
Instead of attempting to recover for the
Erie stockholders the money of which they
have thus been defraudcd, and instead of
calling upon President GRANT to dismiss
from the public service this man who has
been blibed to commit such frauds, Mr.
GREELEY, in imitation Of Don QUIXoTE, en-
cages in an earnest effort to procure from the
present Directors of the Eric Company VIC.
lation of the law. lie asks them TO recon
slider and reverse the vote by which they
classified themselves under the Classification
act of 1860. This is something beyond their
power. The law provides that whenever the
stockholders OF any railroad company shal
uNttlb tiIat uNtg ~ bNNoAhNS NA4NhNSANANh
variable rule of the company The Eric
stockholders, at the most numerous meeting
they ever held, voted to accept the act, and
| their vote cannot DC nullilcd. The Direc
tors no longer have any power over the sub
| ject they cannot set aside the law ; and any
election of Directors held in neglect of lis
provisions is simply no election at all oul
| former statement that no new Board elcctec
| by tho Erie stockholders can be organized
except under the Classification act is perfect
| ly correct.
Instead Of pursuing the attempt TO induce
| the Erie Directors to violate the law, Mr.
GREELEY would do well TO devote his enoT
| gies TO the recovery Of the four million an'
three-quarters dollars which the Erie Com
pany lost through the bribery and fraud o
BANCROFT DAVIS. It would also be cred
table to him II he would exhibit toward thi
enormous and glazing case Of bribery an
fraud little Of that moral indignation
which in his better days he was wont to fec
and to express concerning all offences Of tina
| description.