The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-06-30
SAMUEL ]. TILDEE.
A Sketch Of His Career.

as q representative OF democratic principles
and virtues IN the campaign for the presi-
dency, is native of Columbia coun V,
N. Y. He was born in New Lebanon III
1914. His family is of English origin ma
tives Of the county of Kent, from which
the Tiden's emigrated to Scituaie, IN the
colony of Massachusetts Bay. 1854. Gov.
Tilden's grandfather, John rllJen. settled
in Columbia county in 1890 This has
been his family residence ever since. His
father was farmer and merchant, and
man of much influence in local politics.
From him Samuel Tilden inherited a taste
and fondnets for political affairs, in Which,
at the early age of eighteen, he made his
first appearance as the author of a letter or
pamphlet on the political Issues of the day
In his native home, young Tilden was made
acquainted with nearly all the more pro-
minent politicians of the siaie-men who
were leaders during what has been called
the JacksODian era. Among these Were
VIM. l.. Marcy. Martin Van Buren,. A, &.
Flagg, Silas Wright, Michael Hoffman.
and the Livingstone. In the year 1892
when Samuel Tilden was TO enter college,
Gen. jackson was the nominee for the
presidency, NanBuren for v ce-prcsident.
and Marcy tor gov, rnor Of New York.
Against this n coalition Of national republi
caus and anti-masoDs- a fleetiug party
made up from members of the main pat
ties--was opposed and the success OF the
democracy depended on defeating this
coalition by drawing from 1t the democrats
who bad joined the anti-nlason'. samuel
Tilden drew up paper on the issues,
which was shown by his father to Van
Buren,, and was subsequently published in
the Albany ArguS as an address TO the
oil OFr .Nlu,,hia ta
ton journals attributed it to Van Buren,.
In this year SAMUEL Tilden entered Yale,
but i'll health soon compelled him to leave.
| In 1884 he entered the University Of New
| York and completed his academic educa-
| ton there After leaving college lie en-
| tered the law office of the late John w.
| Edmonds, in New York city, where he re-
manned until he left TO go into business on
| his own account Mr. Tilden's profession.
al career has always been a minglng OF
| law and politics and so, when the finan-
| cial conyulslon which followed the acces-
| sion of MIR. NanBuren to the presidency.
in 1887, occurred, We find Samuel Tiden
taking an active part on the side OF the
president and the financial policy he had
recommended. He wrote series of arti-
Giles under the nom de plume of "Crno, - in
defense of this policy and in opposition to
| the Wings, and 10 October, 1910, delivered
at New Lebanon an elaborate speech to
the same effect. He also wrote q review of
the United States bank project, attacking
all the arguments which had been urged in
favor of that institution.
| In 1914, Tilden, in conjunction with an
other, founded the Doiy Ners, campaign
newspaper intended to further the election
of Polk to the presidency and Silas Wright
| to the governorshlp of New York. In 1915
he was elected to the assembly, and while
serving as a member was elected to the
constitutional convention which gave it
the present state constitution. The defeat
of Sias Wright in the following year, and
a general unfavorabe turn for the political
faction with which Mr.. Tllden was associ-
ated, caused that gentleman to wi'hdiw
from the political field and devote himself
exclusively to the duties of his profession.
| Up to this time he had been known, SO far
as he was known at all more as a politician
than lawyer, and his legal practice had
not been remunerative.
The first case that brought him int
| prominence as lawyer was that of Giles
against Fagg. In November, 1855, Azar-
lah G. Flagg was the democratic candid it
for city controller. His opponents put up
| Giles, who ran on the kuow-nolbing, Oh
native American ticket. The returns gave
Flagg 90 3l3 votes, against 20 1874 fol
| Giles. The certificates of election were
given to Flagg, and his defeated opponent
contested the Office by quo warranlo. Al
the evidence appeared to be in favor OF lht
relator, who alleged that votes had beer
fraudulently transferred from himself Il
Flagg, and it was thought that he ha(
made out an impregnatle case. Mr.. Tilden
who was counsel for Flagg, demolished ii,
whole structure in his opening address, anC
won the case. The mastery way in which
he constructed his theory of defense iron
a slender basis of testimony, requiring thu
keenest analytical lowers, gave the sue
cessful lawyer an imme diate and wild,
reputation. Two years after this, he ap
peared as counsel for the heirs of Doctol
Burdell against Mrs. Cunningham, in th,
celebrated case of her application for let
tiers of administration and a widows third
on the ground of a private marriage viii
Burdell shortly before lis death. Tn
case was tried before Surrogate Bradford
all the affirmative testimony WAS on thu
side of the applicant, and cloud of wit
nesses were produced who gave evidenc
in favor of the alleged marriage. On tin
side of the defense there was no sfii naiiv
testimony Whatever; but Mr.. Tilden brok
down the case of the alleged widow BY
full and laborious INSTRUMENTATION. whicl
developed q series of facts and circum
stances utterly inconsistent with the theor'
that this presumed marriage had takel
place. The surrogate refused the appllcl
ton for letters of administration. The cas-
made prof ,und impression on the public
for it removed all doubt about the actua
participation of Mrs. Cunningham in til
murder of Burdell.
From this period down to the time whe
MIR. Tilden again appeared before the pub
lie, in connection with the ring suits, h
was almost forgotten except by the railroa
corporations of the country. Mr.. Tiden'
career as RAILROAD lawyer" began in III
year 1858, and it continued until 1872
when he dropped the business and began I,
work for political honors. In this perio
of fourteen years, as counsel, trustee, III
rector, referee, arbitrator, committeeman
, or in some other like capacity in connec
/, ton with various railroad corporations al
over the country, though principally in til
, west, MIR. Tilden amused colossal for
, tune. The means by which he did ihi
will, it is safe to assume, be very thor
, oughly inquired into between now an
next November, for unless he has bee
more grossly mallgned than any other ma
, who ever occupied conspicuous positlo
, In this country, Mr.. Tildens career as
, railroad lawyer is a record of intrigue, III
! scrupulousness, and the perversion of gres
abilities to selfish and unworthy ends. A
necessity to the completeness of thi
sketch of his life, il will be well to mento
the first great corporation case which h
undertook, because his success in this e.
Q tablished his reputation as railroad law
: yer. 1t Is generally known as the Gun
berland coal case, and was heard in tn
state of Maryland in the year 1858.
! was suit by the company against its d
Y rectors, and was an application to Sc
Q aside purchase made by the directors o
3 their own account of property connded t
them for sale by the company. MIR. I'll
| den, in that case, applied for the first tim
= to the directors of corporations the iamila