Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-02-20
The RanIborn Contracts,

These contracts, alluded 10 in Washing.
ton dispatches, and likely to continue Ia
be, are arrangements made by the Secreta-
| ry of the U. s. Treasury, with certain spec
ial agents as detectives, for the collection oil
dues to the Treasury. They were author
lied by clause added to the general appro-
| prlation bill by conference committee,
and which became a Law in May, 1879, en-
| powerins the Sec reiary of the Treasury 10
employ three persons ITO assist the proper
officers Of the government in discovering
and collecting any money belonging to the
| United States whenever 1t shall be with
held by any person or corporations" upon
such terms aud conditions as he may deem
best for the interests Of the United States.
| Under this law Mr.. Richardson, as acting
Secretary of the Treasury, made a contract
with one John y. Sanborn Of Boston, and
Secretary Boutwell, with two Philadelphia
men, TO collect revenue taxes hitherto with
held by parties and estates. For which
service these agents were to he allowed the
liberal allowance of one-hdJ of all sums
collected. Sanborn collected over S4OO, 900
of taxes, due from distillers and on lega-
cies of deceased persons, and pockctod over
100000. Making such fat thing of it, in
quiet way, only known apparently, TO
himself and the treasury officials, Mr.. San
born, it is alleged, undertook TO further
swell his gains by making arrangeme nts
with parties having taxes to nav, to with
hold tho same from the regular collectors,
and permit them 10 he collected by him.
For this he is now under indictment in
brooklyn, n. y, for conspiracy TO deffaud
the revenue; but, we fear, with small pros
poets OF conviction.
The defence of tho Secretary is that the
Treasury was the gamer, on tho whole. bv
The operation; that no portion of these tax
es would ever have reached the Treasury,
and that half the loaf in such cases was
better for the Government than no bread
but as.the contract was rovocab!e at any
time, it would to ordinary seeming have
shown no more than common shrewdness
on the part of the Secretary, if, when he
found that his agent was making ST., 600 a
ion''' @''' "f the business, he had tried 10
una some one else VIM .-anld boyo u,,1or
taHen and done the business for n su,,,,o..
percentage, and ttus saved for the Treasure
something more than a moiety Of its dues.
That, however, does not appear TO have
been done or attempted.
The House called on the Secretary for
the contracts and he gave them, in sub
stance, but withheld the names of the par
Ties from whom taxes had been thus collect
ed. A resolution calling for this additional
Information failed of adoption in conse-
quence of an objection by Gen. Butler.
Sanborn, it is said, was provost-marshal
and store keeper under Butter in the war;
but, Of course, that may have nothing TO
do with the Generals objections to full dis
closure. The resolution will doubtless be
pressed again, when a single objection can
not defeat it. 1t is also stated that the WAYS
and means committee have agreed to a bill
repeating the clause under which the San.
born contracts were made. So the case
stands at present; but the end Of u-Aiss-nnot
yet.-Frce Press