Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-05-16
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The resu lis Of the recent legislative in
vestigation into the management of the
Vermont Central railroad are thus sum
med up by the Rutland Globe:
November 9, 1872, Senator Reynolds of
Grand Isle county, offered Il series OF reso-
lutions which were unanimously passed.
set ting forth that grave charges had been
publicly made that money had been used
to influence legislation aud snbvcrt justice
in this State, which charges seemed Ia in
yolve the trustees and managers of the
Vermont Central and Vermont and Cana.
da and leased lines of railroad, rs well as
several gentlemen of high official position
in the legislature and other branches of
government of the State, in the wear 1869
aud before and since; that certain corpora
tions Of car companies had been organized
and been in connection with those rail
roads, and had been represented as invol,-
ing corruption ioa large extent that these
matters demanded investigation; and it
was tn eieiore resolved that committee Of
three Senators and three Representatives
should be appointed to inquire whether in
1869, or before or since, money had been
paid directly or indirectly by any trustee
or manager or agent of any railroad toany
member of the legislature .or the purpose
of influencing legislation whether any
person connected with said railroads had
piacticed frauds or populations; 10 nveSti-
gate fully all the matters referred to with
authority 10 send for persons and papers.
and 10 employ counsel to prosecute the in
vestigation.
1t is charged that this investigation Vas
prompted by i'll feeling towards Governor
Smith. II is also stated that the person
who was chosen chairman of the commit
tee was bitter personal enemy of the
same distinguished gentleman. II is at
least remarkable that the chairman of the
co mmittec of investigation should have
been selected from the same town in which
GOV. Smith resided. As fellow towns
man he must be on terms of friendship or
antagonism not to be expected Of Senator
from some other part OF the State, and
could not therefore in'eiiher case he 50 i'm
partial selection as might have been made.
Some color is lent 90 the idea of antagon-
ism by the report that this chairman, Sena-
tor H. II. Bailey, of ST. Albans wrote him
self TO Mr.. Davenport TO prosecute the in
veslieation, and the latter, who had been
previously employed against the railroad
in chancery case, has throughout acted
more like a violent partisan than an attor-
ney of the Slate, merely desiring to asccr-
tain the truth.
The testimony, however, divesled of all
colorng, shows that in 1869 Mr.. Hatch on
ly spent at Montpelier one thousand dol
lars. including his personal expenses.
An average of the expenses for legal SER
vices during fifteen years, commencing in
1858, was about $4,000 per annum, the total
being sSS, 900.
These two items seem TO dispose of the
question OF legislative corruption. They
are sually small, even for railroad com
panies never accused of corrupt PRACTICES
There was a secret service fund.- but as
that proved to be used TO employ detectives
for the catching Of thieves who had been
committing deprodations, the unear.hing
of it added no force to the presumption of
deliberately accumulated corruption
fund.
The next point Of inquiry was as to car
wheels. 1t was shown that the price was
raised from SIG to S2I and $25 But il ap-
peared also that the car company had been
required to make all wheels of new mate.
rial, in the very best style, 10 deliver them
at the railroad shops, to keep them.on hand,
to warrant them, and to take them back If
not satisfactory, Besides this IL was prov
en- that railroad iron ~ now higher than 1t
has been in five years, Two years ago IL
was 500 a ton, now II is $50.
1t WAS charged that royalty was paid
on these car wheels to w. G. and j. q.
Smith, and there was such testimony on
Saturday. but on Monday evidence was
introduced in explanation which left the
royalty to w. G. Smith alone, it having
been reserved in selling his interest in the
foundry. According to the evidence the
Governor had no interest in the business,
aud had never received "A dollar from it.
1t was charged that the Montreal and
Vermont junction railroad was put into
the Vermont Central freight line at So miles
when II was really AZ miles. But this was
explained by the fact that the Montreal line
freights were paid in gold and the Vermont