New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-21
CONTROLLER HOPKINS DEFENDED
CURRENT CHARGES NET.

THE ALBANY EVENING JOURNALS STATEMENT DE-
Rived FROM OFFICIAL sOURCEs"-THE BAXTER
CLAIM THE LORD AWARD, AND THE NEw-YOkk
AND CANADA RAILROAD APPROrRlATiOS-A
BRIEF REFERENCE To MR.. THADDEUs c. DAVIS.
The ALBANY Erening journal of Thursday contained
the frat detailed statement that has been made Ill
reply 10 the charges recently circulated against Con
troller Hopkins. 1t is in reply to the demand OF Inc
Utica HeraM for explanation, and is as follows;
The demand Of The Herald is not unreasonable, and
justice to Mr. Hopkins AZ well as respect for the opni1s
of those who have lost Of their confidence In Ms
than simple denial Of tie truth Of the charges embodied
in the innuepdoes which have been so indusrios
Hopkins the evidence OF the aisIy Of nsinuated
CHARGES is at hand and furnishes full explicit ana
cornplete answer to each and every allegation r,
l. And. first in regard to the Baxter award n Ihe
act approprating to William Baxter $1,000 ao 1 ao
r. DuiIbns 81 900. and Thaddeus C. Davis S5oV uoes
not in point Of fact contain an appropriation w. nnms
Language Of the Const!uton but whether ar no
the means 70 pay provided for in the tax OF that
i he spring Of Is75 But ii being for q mertor i;
cn. object j. va. presumed the i Xan nycE tl,e
a ASH S q" the sser claim called upon the Controller
times to secure the proceeds OF the swara t %
payment but consented to submit TO and abide by me
written opinion of the on ,ne ~" ~,
aud at the request Of Mr. Van pycs on or about e ~
st day Of January ls the C3ntrost app ~ zee tho
the perona Tor MS opns a. r Go .He
ing any reply from the Atorneytenerai, on the Inn
day of The same month he addressed formal i no
note to the Attorney General the
ca mr. a ts dsGcnnt The Controller stated him that
he had writen t. the Attorney General ana rxpecu ~
claim at discount but 10 await the opinion OF the At
torney General, adding that If the opinion was adverse
lare f"T an amendment of act and on the 18th day
of January letter of which the following is copy Wac
received from that officer e, L.. TO-,
The Hon. " X HOPKINS Sir Of the 4th Is at
hand
talked matter Baxter and others over with the
tended ha s I %te p S IS c coneT pay
The act Of 1871 for !he Of h 1 Dot
Of which finG TN Te @ must naSS
amounts to be paid as pISseS d IN e as ss to pay
, M 'o Esspeeiy yours III" D. PGir Attorney
he Controller accepted 1 Sr 7 S Sa ' o febrTy
following the Baxter claim was presented ior pa. mn'
sous representing claims under this act that the Depart
ment was prepared TO pay said claims and they we're pr
properly connect Mr. Tnaddeus G. Davis with the Con
troll or the Controller with MI Davis, in this iasac
stated that Jr Davis is not and never has been con-
with the Controller and that II appcsrs
in evidence, by the testimony OF the
that officer not approached or spoken 10 ny M.
Davis regard to this claim strictly speakng meher
until The money was received from the t'1es ava 1H
a aSf curing a. srt the opF@ esnd a@s sn"
the state properly and preserve the Sinkng una
carry out the most rigid rules regard to all spproprl
tions made 10y legislature. In this case therefore, as
in all others when in doubt he insisted upon the written
opinion If the Attorney General as TO tine validity OF me
9ci and his official duty in regard to It, before assuming
ton by the payment OF the claim lie only acted there
fore. upon the written opinion OF the i ra
tons gave this opinion without any s"lictaton anu
without having esfn p1en 70 by mr. DsV sc on W., e
submit whether, in the payment Of this claim the Con-
fci" duty and whether The attempt 10 impugn his Of
fetal integrity because OF What he did IN regard 10 II
not inexcrIsaby wicked and unjust .
IT, In regard TO the George D. Lord award. Mr.. Hop
had nothing whatever TO do with the payment ~
the Canal fund, lie had nothing whatever TO do with
providing the means for t Payment hiler the passage
validity referred Ia committee Of which the Ator
ney General Was member That committee reported
under the act, imperative In addition the Attorney
General gave his formal written opinion 10 the same 81;
S isy' the e""' Auditor, ont Of fund. placed in
n of a tine Canal Investing ia
Sdej the Lord claim was paid; and its payment re-
the certificate OF indebtedness held by Mr. Lord bore an
WAS cancelled only 5 per cent was paid. The Con
troer IL will thus he seen had nothing more to do WIN
did mol know that 1t paid that it was proposed to
he paid until some days after the payment was made.
the George ID. Lord award"
of the New-York and Canada Railroad. The act reap
propated 900 before appropriated 10 be paid TO the
Railroad Company upon completing Its railroad IRON
question IN regard tho fnd from which The money mp
proprated should he taken. The money WAS, presuii
the Treasury and had been since the passage OF
the original act IN 1S61-thr tPGufcInents having
been complied with by the Company. The Controller,
however was OF opinion that the appropriation lad
apsed OF the expiration OF more than w0 years
the several rcappropati0ns As the parties IN
pertinaciousy insisted their right To the
money apprOpriated--the conditions having been com
Piled with he submitted the question 10 the Attorney
General VINO made the following reply tine following
dayI: - - >, ,o-,
The Hon ~ X. HOPKINs Controller: have examined the
in compliance with request, and ain 81
opinion obi ged 3, ihe money To the ai
Company upon being furnished with proof That the Raj
Company has Performed according TO ne terms OF the
Of this clearly expressed opinion Of tie
La Officer OF the State, the amount remaining In the
Treasury OF the original appropriation was paid to the
parties ut led 10 receive It, ii there 10 anything
or any other State officer, We confess our inability To
see IL. .
We We given the facts In these several eases as
we have received them FROM official sources, and we
respectfully submit whether they not sufficient ana
conclusive TO the several iusinuacd allegations
are any facts different from these have giyen we arc
ignorant OF them. We no more than me Ct,ed Hrum
The 1fOy Times, any other 0ut-Hp0Hen Kepunican
Journal wish up any delinquency on the part OF
any Republican official The attempt To do would be
az futile as il would be impoltic and uDwist. hut
neither do we land we are that they do mott wish
TO unjustIy impugn the personal official integrity oi an
whose general record mas secured for MIN the con-
Of the people and whose administration mas ie
suited In the highest good of the state.