Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-07-06
SAMUEL J. T!IDEN.

~
;. an understanding of the character
=. the man whom the Democrats ask
,he people to support for President
as the United States. Samuel }. Til
5en was born Of parents who were IN
moderate circumstances only. lie
has been engaged ostensibly in the
aroctice of the law. His fortune is
inw estimated to be not less than
a o0O.0Op. This is very much mora
tb,n Charles O'Conor, William NJ.
Fvarts, Jere Black or any other
American lawyer has ever succeeded
in amassing; and it will be admitted
that the three gentlemen named are
vastly the superiors Of Gov. Tilden
in their profession. But the expla-
ration of the latter's success in
mouey-making is fortunately sup
nlied. He has been what is known
As ga railway lawyer; that is, he
has lent his professional skill to the
men who manipulate corporations,
ra,er stock and defraud honestshare-
holders by all the devices known to
Wall street. Sometimes he has
figured in these affairs as attorney,
and sometimes as principal; but in
whatever capacity, he has always
nartal1en largely Of the spoils.
One or two instance may be given
as they appear upon The records. A
snit was commenced not long since
hy stockholders of the st. Louis, Al
ton & Terre Haute Railroad Com
nany aga INST Samuel j. Tilden, Rus
sell Sage and William Butler. The
suit is predicated upon the following
facts: About the year 1862, the
railroad named was sold under the
foreclosure of a mortgage and bought
in by the parties in interest. For
this purpose purchasing committee
was appointed, consisting OF the
three defendants in this suit. New
stock ives issued aud placed in their
hlnds t, .ake up the old and for
other purposes AS it was not known
how much would be needed. a liberal
amount was executed and left with
the committee. When the purchase
was completed, it was found that
there was q balance Of S2s4,00O In
stock in the hands of the committee.
Some time afterward it TRANSFERRED
that Mr.. Tilden and his co-laborers
had absorbed this stock. The stock
holders naturally wanted an inves-
tigation but then it appeared that
the committee had used this very
stock to control the election; that
1ilden had procured the passage Of
an act classifying the directors; that
VIM. Butler, one of the three con-
spirators, had been elected president,
and that they were 50 entrenched
with their plumber that they could
defy the demands Of the parties
whom they had robbed. And so at
last the latter were driven to the
courts for redress; and we have
seen it stated quite recently in East
ern papers that Gov. 1ilden and the
other defendants have settled the
suit rather than suffer trial that
would bring their iniquities to light.
In another affair, Mr.. Tilden, not
having then grown to the dimensions
Of q refo,mer and candidate for the
presidency, was less prudent, and
his action was subjected to pretty
thorough overhauling in the courts.
This was in the matter of the Galena
and Chicago Union Railroad. 1t
was Governor Tilden who managed
the consolidation" of the stock, and
when the United States Court had
TO pass upon the proceeding, 1T used
such language as the following:
Finally, those stockholders of the Galcna and
Chicago Union Railroad Company who have
exchanged their stock in ignorance OF their
nights, can now be restored, and the bondhold
crN evcd from impending ruin, by joining in
NE Efforts which are now being made to set
aside the pretended consolidation which was
c"n>nmated 10y trckery and fraud, while the
public can bo rescued from the despotsm Of
Nle most gigantic and hcartIess monopoly ever
attempted l" be fastened upon free people,
making proper efforts TO sustain those who
"rr now engaged in contending against this
se'i.consltuted monopoly.
1t Is not necessary to multiply in
stances to show how Mr.. Tllden
amassed his fortune. One further
lact,however, may be mentioned. He
Was one Of the leading counsel for
lie Union Pacific Railroad, and it
was he who drew up that famous
contract with the Credit Mobilier and
oakes Ames by which those enor-
nous frauds were perpetrated upon
ne Government and upon the hon