The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-10-19

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ments and asking from me certain explain
ations.
Public men who are absolutely innocent
of matters charged or insinuatcd against
them, generally refrain from publishing
| denials. lest in some other similar instance
the failure to notice them may be taken as
confession of their truth. Perhaps ought
now so to act but as it has been my good
fortune never before, so far as recolcct,
to have had my PERSONAL conduct drawn in
question, in my official career, by any re-
spectacle journal, have no hesitation, at
this time, ia answering your request
The statements upon which you found
your desire for explanation, SO far as they
concern me, are absolutely untrue.
1. Mr.. Crane was originally appointed
in, think, March 1897 upon the petition
and recommendation of very large num-
Der of the most respectable citizens of the
district.
did all honorably could to have the
petition granted, believing, as they believed
that his character and reputation were
above rcproach. Since that time have
had nothing whatever to do with his con-
tinuance in office, or his reappointment
unless when before the abolition of the
Office of assessor it was in contemplation
to redIce the number both of assessors and
collectors under the act of June, 1872,
| .uti,l, 7
may have been addressed on the subject
and may have expressed my views thereon.
If had been referred to at that time
doubtless should have spoken well of Mr.
Crane, for | then, and until the last of
October, 1878, had perfect confidence in
his integrity as well as that of Mr.. Jewett,
and no suspicion of any irregularity in the
office.
He was, as | AN informed, reappointed
to the enlarged district, in the spring or
summer of 1878, while | was in Europe.
but believe he was never commissioned.
and am Informed to-day that he never
gave bonds or acted under that appoint
ment and that he stated that he was wait
ing for my return before giving the new
bond, in order that might be asked to
sign with the others.
left the country on the 9th of March,
1873, and did not return until October 10Th
of that year.
l neither wrote, said or did ANYTHING
whatever on the subject of his reappont-
ment, either before or after I left the
country, and the department did not, be-
leve, change the district until after l left.
L had no knowledge or information
of any kind. that it was either thought of,
contemplated or done, until | saw it in
some American newspaper, shortly before
my return, nor had l any information
whatever on the subject of his new bail,
which l am to-day informed, was not in
respect of his new appointment, but be-
cause the law had imposed upon collectors
of the various districts the old duties of the
assessors, and with that subject / never
had the slightest connection, and, until
my return, did not know that he had been
called upon for, or had given bail of any
kind, except the original ball. of which /
was one.
p ! never had, until after my return
from Europe, any knowledge, information
or suspicion, that he was defauter, or
that his official conduct, or that of his de-
putty, MIR. Jcwclt had been in any way in
rOlrprt | ia L.
lieve, had the department until sometime
during my absence.
B. My first information of anything
wrong in Mr.. Cranes office, was after my
return, and long after his disappointment,
and long after his giving whatever new or
additional BAH he did, which am now IN
formed was in May, 1878.
Soon after my return, Mr.. Crane in
formed me OF the deficiency in his ac
counts, and asserted that he was entirely
innocent, and that Mr.. Jewett was guilty,
and that the department had so found on
investigation.
reached Burlington about the first of
November and was Immediately taken Sc
verely ill., and so continued during my
stay, and was unable to take any steps 10
investigate the subject, or TO protect myself
and fellow bondsmen.
As soon as | had sufficiently recovered
from my illness to be able to travel, in the
last of November, went to Washington.
| called at the treasury to learn what the
department knew or thought of Cranes
asserted innocence, and was told by the
commissioner of internal revenue that the
matter had been investigated, and that he
was satisfied of Cranes innocence. and
that he was the victim of the fault of an
other.
This was the first communication of any
sort | ever had with the department on the
subject of Mr.. Cranes conduct, appoint
ment or appointment, or keeping the of
flee or anything connected with it, since
his first appointment in 1867.
Immediately invited all my colleagues
to meet me, and told them all had heard,
and asked them, inasmuch as was one of
Mr. Cranes bail and was liable for the de-
fault and might be thereby biased in my
judgment, TO determine what ought to be
done respecting his continuing in office.
They, with my concurrence, and | be-
leve through me, obtained at once Mr..
Cranes resignation, TO be used if they
should think on further consideration or
information that he ought to retire.
Not long after, | received for the first
time, suggestion from Burlington, that
Crane must have made or allowed false en-
tries, in order to conceal the deficiencies
from the department
at once communicated this to the only
two of my colleagues then in Washington.
and we, on the same day, had Cranes re-
signdtion filed.
Mr. Cranes bail being all responsible,