The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-04-07
SANBORN HIMSELF.
The "MysteriOus Man, tells His
Story.
A Very Interesting Account!

WASHINGTON, April 9th. - The Committee
on avs ana Means resumed The Sanborn in
mad been advised not to make statement. ex-
cept IN answer to direct questions When in
dicted in Brooklyn his conucl, Bachmann, de
sired to have the case transferred to Washing
ton, when SOnbOrn came to Washington he did
not register himself his own name; he had
been in tine habit when at work for Adams
Express Company of travelling under an as.
sumed name so as not to be known; had recov-
cred under his contract some $500, 900; had paid
out to other persons for information some $780,
600: paid for counsel fees $50, 0O0 among coun-
sci whom he had paid were Prescott of Bos-
ton; this amount had been mostly paid to
Prescott for others; paid nothing to internal
revenue officers; paid nothing to revenue agent
Horton OF Massachusetts; knew nothing of
the passage of the Sanborn contract law until
after it was passed; applied personally to Mr..
he thought little could be collected, but if any
body could collect it Sanborn could.
Compensation was not discussed Mr.. Bout
well thought the amount of percentage would
not make any difference, as little would be col
lected. The whole matter was settled with Mr..
Boutwell,. Nothing was said abo t the Inter.
nal Revenue Department. When Sauborn
came for the first contract Mr.. Boutwell, was
absent and Mr.. Richardson signed. Sanboru
said Judge Richardson seemed to know all
II.
Richardson about them, and the contract was
signed with full understanding on the part of
Mr. Richardson, who talke about it half a
dozen times. Mr. Richardson certainly did not
sign 1t as routine matter, but with full knowl
edge. Solicitor Bantield acted under direct in
structions Sanborn thought his success mas
been due to efficiency and KNOWLEDGE of such
business. Was unsuccessful in Philadelphia,
because the District Attorney would not as
sist, although he repeatedly promised Super
VISOR IOtten interfered to prevent the District
Attorney from acting.
When first arrested General Butler and VIM
u. Chandler went bail. He supposed Samuel
Hooper too but the others were sufficient. Paid
no Congressman any counsel fees. He always
contributed to General Buffers gubernatorat
campaign expenses. Pait it 10 to the finance
committee. Could not remember VIII Their this
was paid before or after the nominating con-
vention. The money was certainly paid in
Buffers interest. None of his men ever re-
ceived money from delinquent corporations as
hush money. Sanborn did counsel with Butler
in the Brooklyn Indictment. Butler gave him
letter to Robinson. Sanborn never paid But
Ter cent as counsel. Had been Special Agent
of the Treasury before this contract. When
Sanborn obtained his first contract he went to
resign They refused to permit him to resign
until May 81. 1873, in order to enable HIM to
finish his work.
Sanborn engaged person to ,couduct his
contracts while he was finishing up his business
as special agent: objected to giving a detailed
account of his expenditures, as he received it
from coz fidential sources under pledges never
to disclose the facts; a lawyer furnished him
most OF the information; thinks he paid the
lawyer too much; did not know that any of
the information came from Internal Revenue
sources.
His counsel here stated that Senborns pri
vate information was his personal property,
which court could not command. He never
heard OF Vanderwerken in Brooklyn, until he
Was indicted with him. All his infOrmatIo Ii
was furnished by the clerk of the Surrogates
Court. none of it from Brooklyu internal reve-
nue. office. Sanborn ned personally 15O
of the railroads in his list. and found them all
delinquent. He neuer, personally, knew any
thing of the GOttlieb Scherer tax or of his in
dictment in Boston, although the tax was col
lected under his contract, after Scherer was in
dicted for frauds upon the venue. Sanboin
su posed this was one of Supervisor Simm ons
cases. He thought that there would not be
much of discovery if the facts were true, but
the WORK was done by agents. SanbOrn never
had any acquaintance with Mr. Sawyer until
within three weeks. Prescott, of Boston, was
Sanborn's agent ia the Gottlieb Scherer case.
Sanborn's contribution to the Butler fund is
not an item in his statement of expenditures
under the Sanborn contract Gen. Butler had
advised Saub since this investigation began
TO put in written statement, but Sanborn had
concluded not to follow Buffers advice. Took
Woodbridge's instead.
In reply to question of Fernando Wood,
Sanborn thought he might have had coufer-
ence at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York,
about the contract before it was Obtained, with
three persons, of whom one was Congress
man. Sanborn would never have attempted to
collect taxes of which he knew there was record
in inter iai revenue offices.
A letter was read in committee which San
born had sent to The Secretary of the Treasury
referring to the GOttlieb Scherer case statiug
that the money had been collected by Sim mons
under Sauborus instructions. SaDborn thought
he told Simmons about it. Sannorn drew pay
as special agent of the Treasury and acted as
such in working up special cases after he had
Obtained his contract, until May 81. 1873, al
though he frequently asked to have his resigna-
ton accepted. Meanwhile Sanborn employed
private agent to look after bis contract until his
work as special agent was completed. Bnt this
private agent was not known to the department.
He declined to disclose the nature of his duties
as sp|cial. agent as they were matters of govern
ment confidence. He admitted that the chaa-
acter of the work was not preaching or praying.
Mr. Roberts of the committee suggested it was
preying. Sanhorn acknowledged that tho rail-
road list in his contract was made up from the
railroad list in Appleton's Railroad Guide
This was done at the suggestion of counsel with
the exception of about 100 railroads, of which
Sanborn bad personal knowledge. The rest of
the list SO, was taken from Appleton's Rail-
road Guide. without personal nowledge
A chief officer of the Treasury advised San
born to put the whole list in his contract San
born off red to go back and revise his list, and
put only such rs were personally known to him
but the treasury officers told him to put them
all in.