New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-07
THE SANBORN INIQUITY.
rRr DETECTIVE AS A WITNESS.


or THE LAw-THE FOUNDATION FOR PROSE
Crrr1oN-GrN BUTLER SHOWN 10 HAVE ADVISED
sANBORN.
10y TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON. April 6-John ID. Sanborn, who was
before the Ways and Means Committee to-day as a
witness in regard to the outrageous contracts pear
inc his name was not good witness for the Treas
ury Department, for the law under which tine CON
tracts were made nor for himself lie mas oy n''
testimony placed them all in the most un"app!
light lie differed greatly with the three pllpciPai
witnesses who have been examined previously III
WAS not AZ anxious as Solicitor Banheld nor so
,ouch frightened as the latter seemed upon the
stand He seemed to have less credulity and more
intellectual strength than Secretary Richardson and
he had more confidence, self-pOssession and cour-
age: while possessing all the ignorance OF
Assistant Secretary Sawyer on the Interesting
and doubtful points with reference to the contracts
no had none of that officers vOubiity OF efirontery
He was stol.d, unfeeling and selt-contalned' Ills
face was passive, cold, and blank, revealing nothing
except what his words might indicate 1t is donbt-
full whether the testimony bears most heavily on
Secretary Richardson OF Detective Sanborp' Tor IL
was shown that between the two the Government
was robbed most mercilesSly. Whether the one who
esued the orders under which the ROBBERY was
committed, or whether the one who executed
which the Committee will probably determine.
Both arc bad enough as shown by tO-day's examine
ton and yet the future is nch in promises of further
revelations Mr. Sanborn, owing TO the unskllltul
examination at the early part of the session. to-day
did not Get well started until quite late and II was
not until he was turned over to MIR. Beck that any
material facts wereclicited
NEW POINTS DEVELOPED.
Points not hitherto made prominent, or which
have not appeared at all, as follows;
FIRST It'll shown the time the contracts we're
made with Sanborn. during almost the entire time
srcc he was aud has been holding commission az
special agent OF the Treasury Department. under pay al
the rate OF S. day and expenses, at the same time
receiving so per cent has collections amounting Ill
all 20 nearly 100000
Second That Secretary Richardson was not as igno
rant OF tine facts aud circumstances relating to the san
born and the manner in which the arrange
ments being carried out as his testimony 10"
days ago would indicate
TLtrd: That ex-seeretary Boutwell, is not wholly
blameess IN the premises.
Fol.rR That sauborn contributed money TO help Gen
Batter ia his election ventures and that the laters
name appears at every stage of the proceedings.
ram That Secretary Richardson paid the so percent
age to sauborn sums Of money which neither the
latter agents had any part in, or knowledge OF
the collection wholly contrary 10 law.
S.1th That sanborn swore that $50 railroads in the
United States had withheld and refused 10 pay taxes
due the Government, when he had no knowledge OF
than 100 the rest having been taken bodily from
Applcton's or other railroad directory.
Serenh Thatthe persons prominent in the sanborn
iniQuy from Massachusetts,, namely: ExSCCretary
Boutwell, Secretary Richardson Assistant Secretary
Sawyer Detective slnborn, Solicitor Banfeld, Repre-
sentative Butler, DstrictAtorney Bliss, now of New
York, and Supervisor Simmons
Other points have been suggested IN the testi-
k,f ole Sbad
Testimony tomorrow will probably be very i'm
portant as it is intended to press certain questions
which were not insisted upon to-day and whether
the inquiry proceeds fast slow. the revelations
damaging to the whole Treasury Department con-
tinue To multiply
Sanborn was examined under oath, most Of the
members Of the Committee asking him questions.
Several questioned him to his reasons for asking
permission TO come before the Committee and then
reusngtO make the statements nc had promised, but
the only satisfaction that could be obtained was
in the answer that The thing has got too far
along" 1t is very evident that neither Sanborn
nor any of the ring thought that the thing
would have got so far along it has for could they
have foroseen that the whole arrangement would
have been laid bare, Sanborn would not have asked
to be heard; Secretary Richardson and Assistant
Secretary Sawyer would have had better memories,
all the papers would have been sent in the first
call, and the inquiry would have been closed long
ago.
sANBORN's FEES AND EXPENSES.
Among SanbOrns answers the fact was shown that
ont Of his gross fees of 80 per cent, amounting TO
$2l3OOO, he had paid 100000 in fees. He gave no
statement as to items, although the Committee
desired it, He declined the ground that it was
private business, but the Committee will in
sst unless better reason is
shown for Withholding the information.
He paid some money to Mr.. Prescott.
al awyer OF Boston, for Others, and the Committee
will require the witness to name those for whom
the money was paid. SauborD did, however swear
that he had paid no money to any revenue officer
lie knew nothing regarding the passage of the law
authorizing the making of the contracts but his
memory conveniently fled from him when he tried to
recall the circumstances that occurred at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel when he was first urged TO
obtain contract
SECRETARY RICHARDSON'S IGNORANCE.
OF one thing SanbOrn appeared In no sort of
doubt; that was, that Mr. Richardson was fully
informed of the contracts at the time they were
made and has been since. He seemed to sneer at
the idea that the Committee should have any doubt
OF the fact He said when he applied TO the Secre-
tury for letters, such as have been previously de-
scrbed for the detectives Presbrey and Green that
MI Richardson refused to give them. What influence
may have obtained the letters afterward Mr. San
born did not assume to say, for he was not aware
they had the letters until within a short time 10
stead of the contracts having been drawn by Solic.
tor Banfeld, previously testified TO- MI Sanborn
swears that be had them drawn in New York II was
very clearly shown that had Supervisor Tuition and
District-AttOrney McMichael of Philadelphia shown
the same interest and anxiety in behalf of Sanborn
Ia,u md