The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-03-31


| tOn.'
| ISt. Louis Globe-Democrat, March 2lst.
One by one the statesmen fall. Last
week Mr.. Pendleton went down with
crash that is still sounding through the
corridors of the Democratic party; and
now Hendricks is reported on the ragged
edge of an investigation, while Mr.. Til
den, the bright and shining light of the
Reform wing of New York Democracy,
is called upon to render up an account
that bids fair to topple him into an abyss
as deep as Tweed's. Newspaper readers
| have probably noticed within the past
few days that suit has been instituted in
| New York by the st. Louis, Alton and
| Terre Haute Railroad Co. against Samuel
| ]. Tilden and Others, for the recovery of
| S250,000, the proceeds of an alleged
fraud committed by them whiie con-
| trolling the organization some years ago.
Various statements of the case have
been made public, but we have not seen
one that was backed by a responsible
name. knowing that Mr.. William ID.
Griswold, President of the st. Louis
Transfer Company, was at the time of
the commission of the acts out of which
the suit has grown President of the st.
Louis, Alton and Terre Haute Railroad
Company, the GSohe- Democrat sent a re- q.
porter to that gentleman, with a view to
obtaining the actual facts of the case, as
nearly as they could be related or re-
membered. 1t is unnecessary for us to
add that Mr. Griswold is man of high
repute, not alone in ST. Louis, but
throughout the West, where be is known
as successful railroad manager, and a
business man of un4uesticned honor and
integrity.
Mr.. Griswold was found at his Office,
full of business, as his custom is. Our
reporter handed him telegraphie clip
ping from one OF the morning papers in
relation to the matter of which lie pro-
posed to make the interview, and asked
him if he knew of any details, and would
consent to furnish them for publication
in the columns of the Globe Democrat.
Certainly" said Mr.. Griswold, 81
know all about the matter, and have
no objection TO giving them to you for
publication.
'"Then you know Mr.. Tilden pretty
well" inquired the reporter.
"Oh, yes, knew him very well. He
is a slippery and ostentatious person,
who has contrived to palm himself off
as a reformer by pretending to Toseeute
the canal thieves oe Kew York; but this
railroad matter, if properly ventilated,
will turn out to be a bigger steal than
anything ever attempted by the canal
thieves
Reporter-You were connected with
the Terre Haute, Alton & st. Louis road
in its early days, were you notI
Mr. Griswold-Yes. was Pr, sident of
that company, and after l. was reorgan-
lied and changed in name TO the st.
Louis, Alton and Terre Haute Railroad
Company-upon which the frauds were
perpetrated-I was its President. par
ticipated in the measure OF foreclosure
and sale in 1862, of the subse.uen reor-
ganization. | waa IN familiar and fire.
quent consultation and co operation
with the members of the Purchasing
Agency and of the Board of Directors,
understood perfectly the plan of re-
organization, and of the nature, quality
and final disposition Of the securities
which were issued ana distributed on
tue establishment of the new corpore1
ton, of which became President, and
so continued for about two years, until
resigned to take the management of
the affairs of the Ohio and Mississippi
Railroad Company.
The substance of the accusation, said
Mr.. Griswold, stripped of a.. apparel of
words and forms, is this; THAT Gov.
Tilden, in confederation with Charles
Butler and Russell Sage, of New York,
about the year 1864, appropriated bonds
belonging to said railroad company
amounting to upwards OF S2Si, 900, and
that these bonds carried coupons of semi
annual interest from 1862, and that the
whole amount realized on the bonds and
interest is now not less than $500, GOO.
This Russell Sage will be remembered as
Of unenviable notoriety in connection
with the Milwaukee and Lacrosse rail-
road some dozen years ago, aud more
recently from Indictment for usury found
against him by the grand jury of New
York city, accounts of which We're pub
lished in the leading newspapers of the
country.
Reporter-Who is Charles Butler.
Mr.. Griswold-Charles Butler has been
a subservient instrument in the hands of
Tilden for twenty years. He has long
been known in Indiana as leech, prey
ing upon the Wabash and Erie Canal
fund, of which he obtained control by |
sanctimonious disguises, and which be
has finally exhausted, to the sacrifice of |
every original interest. By Tilden's in-
fuence, and for subseryiepoe of pur- |
poses developed and charged in the suit,
he was sept in office as President of the |
st. Louis, Alton and Terre Haute Rail- |
road for several years. He was very