New-York tribune., 1876-10-28

the Government officers which of the utmost i'm
portance for their bearing upon the truth fasity
of the income tax charges against Gov. Tilden. If
those charges false, Mr. Tlden's friends are the
sole CustOdans Of the proof of their fasity. 1t will
be seen that these friends do not deny the
charges, but simply maintain that no legal
power can compel the disclosure of
the information contained by the books.
They fall back upOn their legal rights. Evidence
has been obtained by United States Dstrict-At-
tOney Bliss tending to establish both by fair legal
presumption and by proof these facts That the
Pittsburgh and Fort Wayne Railroad Company,
about 1869, paid Gov. Tiden $jO,O0O for services,
this being the year in which he returns only $4,000
income; that this payment and Gov. Tilden's re-
ceipt for it are recorded among the papers of the
cOmpany and that the books containing this m
formation have been transferred to officer of the
company who is a special political friend of Gov.
1ilden, who refuses to thcm This refusal is
authorized by board of directors of whom Mr..
Tilden Is one. The following are the letters:
OFFICE OF THE DIsTEICr-ATToESEY or THE UNITED)
STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF
NEwYoKR, n. y. Oct. %, 1876.
The Hon GREEN HAUM, C0Him'r of Internal Rerenue.
sIR 1t is proper that should report to you some re-
cent the Of the preparations have
been making carry your instructions to commence
action against Samuel J. Tdcn to recover unpaid in
that satisfies o the substantial accuracy of the nfor-
nation that about the year 1869, $4,000 were
paid 10 Mr.. Tden by the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and
Chicago Railroad Company. its behalf and that
the entry Of that payment appeared upon the books Of
that company, and substantated by Mr. Tlldcn's
voucher. which was among the papers of that
company. As Mr.. Tden for the year 1869
paid upon only $1,000, thought
1t AT essential and just to verify the information.
therefore requested revenue agent tn 20 10 Pittsburgh
and procure access the books and papers Of the com
pany for moment doubling that the officers OF
q great corporation would gladly render all the assist
ancc in their power to the Government. On nriying at
Pittsburgh the agent learned that since the pub
ncation OF the allegations Mr. Tdcns income tax
the books and paper, Of the company had been more
directly transferred the control Of officer OF the
company vino is strong political friend Of Mr. Iilden
That gentleman percmltoriy refused to permit access
&, the books and papers aud rccrred to the rrcsi
dent Of the company, Mr. L. II. Meyer OF this city. /
should add that before leaving Pittsburgh, the revenue
agent obtained additional proof Of the substantial ac
curacy OF ms Information, with evidence that the pay
mcnt was made Mr.. rden at time wnen tile
subprdinatrs of the company were sun ring Tor want
OF thcir Just dues
Acting upon the reference 20 Mr. Meyer, |, on oct .,
addressed him letter requesting that he would give In
.trctious 10 allow the hooks Ice examined aud, in
uIv he promptly informed that De had referred tie
matter 70 the directors Iwho We're summoned Omect on
the l1th. ON tho 9Th Ir Meyer wrote me to know
under what authority of law | claimed the right" to
c,nuli.r books Of the COMPANY on the 10th ~
piled that. while believed there wa, sufficient authority
IN the lw 10 compel the production Of the Information
desired bad not intended 10 place thr matter upon thtt
footing but only upon tie footing oi request of tn"
officers % great porltiuu To- AID the Government IN
H.. effort. to recover taxes ~ which had been De prye
by ciyng 1t Information 10, to matters which could not
prejudice them. indeed any except the person II
any, who had escaped the payment of his Just dues
Though the directors, meeting called for the 18TH
r,cci,,d reply until after renewed Application on
ms part. NJ. Meyer. the 23d, sent me letter dc
culug 10 give the Information, aud placing himself and
the company upon bis aud their legal rights, rs they
claim o believe them Ia De. That letter Is as follows:
w-YorE. O-t -, lr7G.
GEORGE BLISS. T. $ District attorney. CitE
Your note Uf The .l-i was b!ou@ht in to me by
your nit-.tul-r thi. dag only. In reply Ia YOUR inquiry
beg leave 90 say that AVA advised ty counsel that the
Commissioner ~ The Internal Revenue has no executive
right examine into the Fort NaYnc books for the pir
pose Indicated In Your letter ~ oct D. Your own SubSc-
au,nt letter to me of Oct reply To mine asking for
RI, renee to authorizing statute confirms ne IN that
view. Being 20 advised, ard 80 uhdcist ihuls you,
letter Of Ort TO- YOU will need understand thai |
cannot act q firrrnt opinion OF the law To- do 50
would be- a bad precedent for any company Nhdt lhe
law requires clearly shall certainly do h1i H y 1il-
certainty arises. shall take HdNicc, ana col course M
governed hy H. In giving tai, reply beg 'l'' T." 'ld
that no sprci Is meant To- you or "s %, 10" @
mcnt uiccr.. II YOU consider yOu have Ihe nhi ana
ncanl to enforce can only meet " R "y q nl'p' m m 10 ] ,
courts; but oi courS" whht u done %l' ID, ,, u' Tl D.
bodys responsibility and that sonrh" VIII 'hnh' DE
I. II. MEYER, President pro ten.
Pittsburgh Fort Wayne aud Chicago Il. Il. Co.
II Of course clear that at the proper tre the Gov
ernmcnt can aud will compel the production Of the IN
formation desired The refusal is only Of Importance
because II comes from u board OF directors Of whom
Mr. Tden one and the Tact of refusal seems TO
me To confirm the truth Of the Information had re-
c,ycd II can hardly bc believed that the books and
vouchers did not confirm the statements there Woud
have been any hesitation In allowing access to them
may further add that find that for the same year l7"9
Nr Tdcn rendered services for which he charged and
received sixteen thousand dollars CSl6OOO) from the
Union Pacific Railroad Company. Thiss in additiontonne
thousand dollars $4,000 charged the company for
services in 1897 1865 and $50 and when were paid to
and rccciptcd by Np Tlcn There If, besides Soo
paid Match -, 1865, by the same company "h'h u
rccriptcd for account of professional services
the receipt being signed Samuel j. Ildeh per JAlieS
T. sinnott :" but presume there doubt OF Mr. SIM
motifs authority to for Mr.. Fiden Mr Ihdehs ac-
count to the L. r. II. Company shows that he at the
time covered y these charges rendered considerable
services 10 the hat notorious Circuit Mobicr, such
as advising with reference bills In equity prepared III
its behalf drawing contract between ule circuit Nio-
ber aud Oakes Amcs and others, consulting hs 10 o
suit McCOmb against the Credit Moblher NhIc" sun
led TO the disclosure Of the operations of that concern
all OF which services may have been co'ere" y! "''
charge against the L. T.. Il. r. Company, though nave
information which leads 10 the opinion that MI
Tildcn also received considerable Sums from the Oeu'
MobIlcr.
have gathered good deal Conformation as 10 chf%es
for services made by Mr.. Tilden and payments 'uc "
him for services other corporations ana PERSONS u'b
the period covered by the income tax Ihcy All 20 10
show that he escaped taxation on very large amount Vi
Income am stn pursuIug my examination Tor though
there is abundant ground for the immediate commence
OF action. II seems TO me tIcIe ate i"1ons @ VIII
delay IL advisable, especially as DIle ~" VIZ