Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-11-03

| Ohiteu OtateS DlStrlce Attorney bliss, OF
New York, has made report to the Com
missioner Of Internal Revenue, Washington,
In which he reviews the action taken by him
in the matter Of the income taxes alleged to
have been fraudulently withheld from the
Government by Samuel J. Tilden. MFR.
Bliss having learned with great detail. and
IN manner that satisfied him, of the sui
stantial accuracy of the information that on
or about the year 1869, $50 .000-$33, eco
in excess of the amount returned by him as
his income-were paid to Mr.. Tilden by the
Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad
and that formal receipt of payment had been
given, despatched revenue agent to Pitts
burg to look up the transaction. The agent
was refused access to the books of the COM
pany for 1869, which had been transferred
to the keeping Of an officer of the company
who was an ardent political supporter of
Mr.. Tilden. Mr.. Bliss next applied to the
President of the Company, Mr.. l.. Ii.
Meyer, not making legal demand but put
ting it upon the footing of request to the
Ulcers of great corporation to aid the
Government IN its efforts TO recover taxes OF
which it had been deprived. Mr.. Meyer
refused to give the information desired,
placing the company, of which Mr.. Tilden is
one OF the directors, upon its legal rights
in the matter. Mr. Bliss says:
Is, OF course, clear that 81 the proper
time the Government can am will compel
the production Of the inform. ron desired
The refusal Is only of importar because it
comes from Board of Direc; = of whom
Mr.. Iilden is ore. The mere f. Of refusal
seems to me to confirm the truth of the in
formation | had received. 1t can hardly be
believed that if the books and vouchers did
not confirm the statements, there would
have been any hesitation in allowing access
to them.
| may further add that find that for the
same year, 1869, Mr.. Tilden rendered ser
vices for which he charged and received
$1,000 from the Union Pacific Railroad
Company. This is in addition to 50 600
charged the same company for services in
1865, 1869, and 1870, and which were paid
to and receipted for, by Mr. Tilden There
is. besides. 81 500, paid on March o. 1865,
by the same company, which Is receipted for
''on account of professional services - the
receipt being signed, Samuel j. Tilden,
per James p. Sinnott"
have gathered good deal of informa-
ton as to charges for services made by Mr.
Tildon, and payments made t. him for ser
vices to other corporations and persons dur
ing the period covered By the income tax
They all 20 to show that he escaped taxation
on a very large amount Of income. | am
still pursuing my examination, for though
there is abundant ground for the immediate
commencement of an action, it seems to me
that there are reasons why delay Is advisable,
especially as a brief delay now will not
postpone the final trial Of the cause, while
it gives opportunity for a more careful and
accurate preparation.
Freeh evidence in the matter i also sup
Piled by the New York Times. In an edit
orial. referring to a letter of Mr. Abram S
Hewitt, declaring that he believed Mr. I'll
den's returns to be correct, the Times says
This Is a matter about which We need
not handy epithets with Mr.. Hewitt. II
is a simple issue Of fact, which We challenge !
him to take NJ, promising that if we can
not convict Mr.. Tiiden Of perjury and |
fraud. We shall make any amends TO him |
which Mr. Hewitt may prescribe. Take |
MS income for the year 1868 a. a te-t Of the |
credibility Of Mr.. Tilden's sworn affidavit.
and the income for the year 1869 a. a test |
Of the accuracy Of his statement that he |
paid more than his legal quota Of tax daring /
the years in which be made no returns. The /
Tunes has already Published in detail the /
income tax schedule filed out by Mr. Tilden
in 1853. II shows gross professional in J
come Of S $50, and gross income. from
interest on investments. &c. Of Sll .4gj. on
the larger portion Of which three per cent
tax was paid by the corporations from
which the dividends, etc, were received.
There can be here no possible dispute
touching the enormous interval that might
exist between gross and net, /. g., taxable,
income. Against the gross amount Of Mr..
li.den's income, As stated By himself, We
place the f1llowin. items, whose accuracy
We offer to prove To Mr.. Ilewtt's entire
and which form bat a small
portion Of Nh. Ti!ien'- actual income for
that year
I-rloFEssI0sAL INCOME
Fees from Chicago Aad Northwestern Raj
ruac $1,000
Fee. d. q on Feb 4. 800. hut earned IN
1868 from Peninsula IA abroad Comosnv. 300
Fees ;or seT' .ces in c. injection q, consol-
dat. on . r. OK ri ard heuos1a Railroad
With Chicago AID NorthWcstern.---.---- ool
Par, CT professional ile'ne or lsf3..........ooo
u.-lscoxE FROM SPECULATION.
Pr, n On sale % Dayton and Uucn bonds So 0O
Pros. Rockford and keuoshA ocnds....... 3.cJ
Approx maze total OF gross earnings.
sworn statement o. gToss earn nss.-..-..-.- $40
We are perfectly content to rest our case
On these few items OF Mr.. Tilden's income
for 1868. His income from interest, diyi-
lends. etc, is supplementary to these, as
also the earnings from large proportion Of
hi, legal and speculative business Of which
we have taken no account. Every dollar
IF the amount We have stated was earned
in 1868. and at least all the income from
SPECULATION was received in cash for bonds
which came into Mr.. Tlden's possession
in that year and were sold before its close
We have heard enough about the value of
Mr. Tildens sacred honor let US have
distinct issue made on a year about whose
gross" and met" income there is no
nance to bubble. We have simply to add |
q rt EarQ 10 tlt year 4Cut. wien MI. lultu l
aid tax on a net income OF ST. 900. that an
Inspection of the books of the undermen-
Toned companies will show the receipts of
be following amounts which were duly
armed that year
PROFESSIONAL INCOME.
ittsl urs Fort Wayne and Chca 20 Railroad 50 go
mon Pacific IA lroad I6 ONp
leyeland and Pittsbur- Railroad. lo,Co0
Part OF income for ls69....-...........s76OO 600
o which ought to be added Mr.. Tilden's
rofts on speculation in Pittsburg and Fort
wayne stock, bought at l05 to 10 and sold
t 100, the lowest estimate Of which is $780,
90. 1t will DO observed that we publish !
1-dav copy Of Mr. Tilden's account with a
lie Union Pacific Railroad. and we offer to
lrn To the account and page Of the books i
the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago t
ompany, on which the above payment
ppcars, should the books be opened for that t
lrp0se.
Southern Sentiment.
sTTER IRON A VIRGINIA REPUBLCAN-THE
DANGER WHICH THREATENS NORTHERN
SETTLERS.
The following letter comes to US from /
uthful and responsible man. We COM
end its statements to the calm attention of il
,ters of both parties p