Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-09-27
Tilden's Hired Man Speaks.

delay OF month or so, 1t has come
to light. A more inadequate and
evasive plea could hardly be imagined.
1t would have been better for him had
no explanation been attempted, even
though the old adage says a poor ex,
cuse is better than none"
It seems that Abram s. Hewitt,
Chairman of the National Executive
Committee of the Democracy, wrote to
the Commissioner of Internal Revenue
for copy of all the records of his
office showing the income tax of both
Tilden and Hayes. That was very
silly performance. He must have
known that the Office at Washington
did not enter the individual returns,
and that the information published by
the New York Times was derived from
the records and archives the revenue
office at New York, so far as the same
was derived from Government records
at all But even if the returns had
been fully made, they would show moth
ing, taken by themselves. They show
the amount of income returned, or, in
case of no return. the amount assessed,
but what relation it bears to the actual
income of the taxpayer, is question
upon which the returns can throw no
light. Mr.. Hewitt has made no at
tempts to get at the real facts in the
case, except that he addressed a letter
of inquiry to one Judge Siunott, an
employee in Mr.. Tilden's law Office
during the period covered by the in
come tax. In reply to Mr.. Hewitt's
letter. Sinnott has entered upon a
somewhat elaborate defense.
This man Sinnott is quite unknown
to fame. Whether he is man OF
veracity or not, the public has no
means of knowing at this time and
distance. It would be very strange,
indeed, if Governor Tilden could not
get some one who was or is in his en-
ploy to father almost any statement h.
might choose to make. But, assume
ing that Tilden's hired man is honest,
that the old proverb about i" like mas
ter like man." does not hold good in
this case, and the original charge still
remains unanswered.
The original charge was that by Til
den's own sworn statement his income
for 1862 was at least $4,000, or sew
eral thousand dollars more than he
swore to in his returns. Subsequent
investigation showed, or seemed to,
that his income for that year was over
$1,000. Sinnott seizes upon those
supplemental matters, and, in letter,
tries to make it appear that the items
are incorrect. Possibly that is SO !;
but how about those two fees of S1O,-
900 each ? In regard to them, be is
as dumb as an oyster. In other words,
the explanation offered is no explana-
ton at all.
Sinnott justifes Tilden's not making
any returns after 1864, by saying that
"the statute gave the taxpayer the
option to take the course, and good
and honorable reasons existed why a
scrupulous man should accept the op-
ton" This is not true. The law did
not give any such option. It provided
against such contingency by author
izing the Assessor to estimate the law
breakers income, and add by way of
penalty so per cent. to the estimate.
1t was thought that that penalty would
be adequate to secure obedience. In
most cases it probably was, but Tilden
was making so much more money than
the Assessor supposed he was, that he
could by such violation evade the
greater part of the tax. The charge
Of evasion remains unanswered, as does
the charge of perjury.
Better no excuse at all than such
fimsy ones as this hired man ofers.-
Chicago Journal.
The second attempt to wreck the
night freight train coming east on the
St. Paul line a. ust been made be-
tween Palmyra and Whitewater In
this instance, also, the calculations of
the villains were amiss, and no damage
occurred. A heavy iron rail was
placed across the track, one end being
driven into the earth, leaving the
other elevated some degrees.
The raised end of the rail was point
ed westward, SO that it would be likely
to pierce the boiler of the locomotive
when the collision occurred. The
train came along in due time and
struck the obstruction, but the only
damage done was the breaking Of the
head light. The rail was thrown com.
pletetely away from the track, and the
train PASSED on with a delay of only
few minutes. The motive behind
this diabolical deed is unknown.
The three Northfield robbers con-
fined at Faribault have been identified
as Cole and Bob Younger and AL.
Carter. The feeling in Mortified is
intense, and there is a strong senti-
ment in favor of lynching the bandits.
The two who have escaped are sup.
posed to be the James brothers. The
party which has been hunting them
- nokOfoh have ~oAr.-J xsATI