St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-10-23
The Case of Collector Crane.
An Open Letter.

Editor "i th'. al'doIiltIi. -. I"hit~hurN. VI.
SIR. | have just been shown Il copy
of Your article. in the last THioiOnidn,
touching tine east If Crane, late tullrc-
ton of Internal Revenue, and making
certain statements. and a>klI" from me
certain explanations.
i'uhlic men " io are absolutely limo
cent of matters charged nI im>iuuatcd
against Thea. generally refrain from
publishing druial>. lest in >ui,.r other
similar Instance the failure to notice
lhcu may hc taken ;l> Il comi,>>lom al
THEN truth. Perhaps ought nov. 81 to
act : but H. ii has been my good forum
never before. -" far a> | IcrollccI. to
have had my personal conduct drawn i'll
question. in my official career, 10y any
Respectable journal, nave II" Hc>ila
ii"I. at thi> !iImc. III answering our rr-
quest.
The statements upon whici l"m found
Nuur desire foI explanation. :" far IL,
!hCl concern me. aIc absolutely uuiiII
!! Nh. Crane NILS originally appoint
eel in. | think. March l-ti1. upon the pc
tition aud recommendation of Il very
large num'h'l oi the most Respectable
citizens of the district.
dbl all Immortality could To have
the petition gtnnird. believing, H. they
brlcNctl. that his character and rrputa
,'"i iI t"'' u VIZ,
LILY ~ '.,,iiii.iii,,. IN office. or niS I,'
:nnni,,im,Ilr. unless When. h,for, fine.
abolition of the office. al assessor. il Wa,
in contamination To reduce. ril, RUNNER
both of assessors and collectors under
the act of June. Isl. (Which WAS ne
pcalrd IN Dee. I-72.D may have been
addressed ON the subject aud may have
expressed my views thereon. Ii had
been referred Ia AT that time | doubt
less should have spoken we'll of MI.
Crane. ten | then. and until the last of
Get. I~1:}. had perfect confidence in his
integrity rs we'll ~ ia that ot MIR. ,irn
cit. and II" suspicion of any ilcgulaIitl
in he office.
He was. ~ | am informed. reap
i,uiuird To- the enlarged district. in the
>prin. ni summer of l-73. while | WAS
in Europe. a.! hrlirlr he WAS never
commissioned. amt / am informed to
day thai hc never gave h"ni> ~ acted
under ihat appointment. and that he
stated that lie Was waiting for my re
tmm before civ ing tin, new Inmd. M or
tIcI that. mIynt hc asked to sign with
the others.
lett the rnuntr> on the. 10Th of
March. I-1:i. and did moi return until
Octol,cr 10th of that wear.
neither wrote. said. or did anNthim.
ula1cNcr nn the sihicct of his reap
pniili;u.. nj. either before or after lrtt
the country. .lnd the department did
not believe. rtl:rn... the district until
after, lrtl.
hand u, know I,d", or iuto,uotlnu of
any kind th + il WAS either thnunht of
contaminated or done. until SAN il in
same American, u,,,.unu.r. >L,utI\ he
fore. IN, ,.i;,I,. nor hod any iuIn,uu-
lion viotr,., ON tI,,. subject of hi, new
hail which am tn- ,I;,> iuf,rm,d WIS
NOT i'm i,.,p,,r of hi. new nppnjntucut
Iult h,r,,ii,,. tlI, law had imposrd upon
COLLECTORS, al he \nlious districts thc old
duti,> ut TN. :,Ss,>>,rs and with that
s,iI,i,,, r,,,r b,d TN, SLIGHTEST cnu-
ur,.ti,,u and mill mn, rcturu dill NOT
L,,u. ,I,.,i h.. bend h,,,, ,.,II,d r,.nu f,,
49,, L.,,i ,;,.,,, L,iI ,f .,,,,. Lind ,x,.,.,,t
,I,. militant I,,iI ,f uIi,I, u..,s am,
> never had. until after my return
from, Eur,rc. an, kuovIcdu,. mt,rmo-
tiou on SUSPICION. that he WIS a default To-
,r. oi- Ihai ;Ii> official conduct or that ot
his deputy. Nj. Jturtt. had been in ANY
WAY incorrect nor, H. | am Informed
and believe. had the department until
sometime ,luuIm my absence.
3. Nv tir>t information of any thin"
vrolil, in MIR. Cranes office. was after
m, return. and Ion" after his rc-ap-
pnirrmcmt. aud long after his giving
whatever new or additional bail he did.
wl.ich am now Informed wis in MAY.