New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-09-08
COZ HAYENS "LISTMENT.p

The ATTEMPT of the TIlden newspapers TO
get up case in set-oif against Gov. Hayes IN
the matter sf tax returns has turned out
lamentable failure. No explanation has yet
been made, or none worth moments cOnsid-
Grafton. of Gov. Yildcns oath Dec. 26, 1858,
that his "iucomo from all sources" in 1862
was $7,11S, and his other oath in the suit OF
the st. Louis, Alton and Terrc Haute X. X.
Co. against himself and others, in which he
admitted an income of $4,000 for services
rendered the mortgage bondholders. There Is
something large and shapely and substantial
about these figures, and if Gov. Tilden made
n dubious affidavit nobody can say that he did
It for nothing. Against this the desperate and
disheartened Democrats, for want OF something
better, bring us q cock and bull story about
Gov. Hayes's watches and horses and carri-
ages and piano fortes, and how he did feloni-
ously, knowingly, and willfully undervalue the
same in his returns.
THE Ohio State Journal has taken the trouble
TO look into these charges @ X. Is. Hayes" says
the Democratic pamphlet petard, returned
=" gold watch at $500 in 1874, and in 1873
"and 1876 returned three watches, including
=" the one returned in 1874, at 5000" This
u
the theological resources of the Hayes house.
hold In. the first place the return III elther
case covered the same three watches, VIZ:
watch fifty years old, and worth about $2o !;
/ watch which Mrs. Hayes has had ever since
she was school girl, and worth about $15-a
watch of which we are told that " 1t has not
"been running for twenty years and can't DE
"made to run ~ and third watch any
body can have for 800. So much for
the enormous amount of property In watches
which Gov. Hayes kept so secret from
the tax gatherers. The piano-forte when
the Democratic newspapers nave playeu
upon as if it were harp of thousand strings
Gov. Hayes did not return for the simple rea-
son that be did not have piano in his house
until last October, when he hired one. lhis
Summer the Governor bought an instrument,
n much more economical way or provldlnS
himself AS for the charge that Gov. Hayes
returned "three horses at $500, when his
"neigbbors know that he values one OF his
"borses at $780," il turns out that one OF
these fiery and invaluable steeds is n years
old is not worth ten cents, and was actually
returned at $50. The other horses are said to
be worth $50 for one and 800 for the other,
horse is worth only 800 and cost S125. AS Tor
the carriages drawn by these priceless yet I'M
dervalued animals, one was venerable buggy
and another wagon. The buggy has been
sold for S20-the wagon would not bring one
dollar. The carriage, which the Governor did
not put in at all. he did not buy until TINS
year-a sufficient reason for Withholding 1t.
Il the reader weary of these petty details
Then let him refresh himself by reperusing
Gov. Tilden's $4,000 appraise. That Is some
thing worth talking about and makes GoV'
Haycss piano-foIte sing small, and his watches
tick fecbly, casting at the same time an air OF
shabbiness over his phaetons and wagons, and
particularly his steed aged twenty seven years.
Gov Hayes's proceedings as executor are OF
n more respectable magnitude. The charge Is
that he did not make proper return OF prop
erty devised by Sardis Burchard. There were
S33. 700 left in his hands for requests; he
"did not return dollar of this money for
"taxation,r and for a very good reason. lie
held it, not in money, but in lands. When he
had sold the land, no paid the requests out
of the proceeds; but meanwhile the land was
taxed, rs it always is. As for property held
by him as executor, it all belonged to HIM,
and was put in for taxation IA his own prop
erty The bulk of it was bank stock, and was
taxed against the bank.
From careful examination of this whole
matter we are satisfied that even for the pct
test of these accusations there il not the mar
rowest of foundations. The whole resolves
itself into a poor specimen of neghborhood
gossip, such rs is frequently set afoot by idle
loungers who think far more of being inter-
esting than veracious in their conversation
Tho watches, horses, pianO-fortes, and car
riages of Gov. Hayes have all been accounted
for and now an explanation of Gov. Tildcn's
celebrated income return will be in order.