New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-15

tary that Mr.. Odell had paid the money, gave
tho date, amount, and number of the check, and
requested that one half should be allowed him
under his contract. How did he know Of the
payment and the minute particulars of the
manner in which it was made down to the
very number of the check Mr.. Odel says he
could not have learned it in the railroad Office;
he must have got the information from Wash
ington, and it is an unpleasant fact that while
Sanborn got news so promptly, the sender OF
a check for S99,6S5 could not obtain an ac-
acknowledgement of its safe arrival until be had
waited nine days and telegraphed for receipt.
Meanwhile, what had been doing in the
Treasury On the 18th of January the day
before Sanborn wrote his letter claiming half
the tax, Mr. Richardson sent the check to
Gen. Spinner with instructions to issue the
usual certificates of deposit in the name Oh
"Jobn ID. Sanborn "-although there was
nothing to show that Sanbon had had any
agency whatever in collecting it. The lnler-
epce is that somebody then telegraphed TO
Sanborn that the check had come, and gave
him the necessary data for filing his applica-
ton. AS soon as bis letter was received, Mr..
Sawyer turned it over to Solicitor BaBfeld
III.
was entitled to the moiety-three days after
the Secretary had made the deposit in San
bOrn's name-and in due course of time Mr.
Banfeld replied: " / see no reason to question
" the propriety of Mr.. SanbOrn's claim to his
81 share of said amount according to the pro-
visions OF his contract What o charming
little official farce. Sanborn and Richardson
settle the business quietly together, and then
the Assistant Secretary, and the Solicitor. and
the unknown clerk who starts things, go through
the elaborate routine of rcd-tape, and indOrse-
ments, and respectful references while Mr.
Odell telegraphs anXiOusly from New YORK
to know what has become of his check,
and nobody finds time to answer him.
But who was 1t that watched the Treasury
mails and gave warning to the contractor
when somebody voluntarily paid his taxes
Mr.. Sawyer we are told, has some more tes-
timony to give, and when he is on the stand
we suggest to the Committee that they turn
to the correspondence in the case of the In
dianapols, Peru, and Chicago Railroad Com
pany, on page 249 of the printed documents.
1t will be seen that the accounts of the Com
pany were examined by Frank NJ. Green, s.
IS. 4. Treasury Department" and that the
Company thereupOn sent to the Secretary OF
the Treasury from Indianapolis, Jan. 81, 1874,
a draft for 1900 10. Mr. Sawyer wrote to Sanborn
in Boston 0hOugh Sanborn had not appeared
in the matter at alD: "The Department has
received the check of the Treasurer Of the
" indianapolis, Peru, and Chicago Railroad
Company for $3.50 10, and you are advised
" that the amount will not be distributed
"until the receipt of your letter requesting
"the same" On the 3Oth SanbOrn accord
ingly made demand for his moiety, stating
that the Company had paid the amount I" to
"him." But Mr.. Richardson had already
made the deposit in Sanborn's name four
days before. Perhaps Mr.. Sawyer can give
the Committee some interesting information.