, 1876-03-26
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

| The TRIBUNE having stated in recent Issue
| that LIT ia non understood that Mr.. D. i. GAGE
| had withdrawn some $4,000 for his own use
| during his first term," the Inter Ocean desires
to interview the editor Of TIE TRIBUNE as to bis
source Of information and tbs date thereof, and
! other matters in connection Herewith. The
latter consents to be " intarvieHed,~ and the
| following are che questions propoundea and the
answers thereto:
Question" How is 1t now understood that Mr. GAGE
tiefaulter in 1871. previous ks reelection
| the ticket With Mr. JosEP1 MxD1LL"2
Anawsr-The information ie derived from the
ex-Comptroller, BuRLHY, who stated to us not
long since that Mr.. D. A. GAGE had told him he
| had invested about $4,000 in Rivarsids bonds
before the expiration Of his first term
Q-Mr II. admits ~ that he {GAoE} = defaultex
! to the amount Of sl4o,ooo. DID he know this facs
then7
A--No !: be had never heard = breath OF sus-
picion against the official OF personal integrity
Of Mr.. GAGE then or afterwards, until his dere-
LECTION WAS 1nada public in the fall Of 1879. We
supposed Mr. GAGE to be not only IN honest and
upright, but wealthy man, and that he had
given tho city bond which VAS deemed abun-
dautly good for sll the moneys he would b. called
upon to account for.
that tho defalcation amounted betveen $500 COO and
$4eo,oo0. DID Mr.. MEp1L1 hear thoss rumors, and
did he or not hateve them 2
A-There were no such ruuors In circulation
to his knowledge; he never hoard word Of the
sort This Abatement in the 10 ia the first in
timation Of the kind he has ever seen OF heard.
Q.-Wtre the books Of the Comptroer's Office, upon
MKD11L, "manipuatcd or liked that the credits
to 3lr. GAGE Treasurer, were made nut from official
documonts, but from memory md guess work :"
Did Mr.. AzD1L1 know Of snd consent to khis "Guess
work in accounts7
A.-TEe Ere occurred nearly two months prior
to the time Mr. II. entered upon the discharge
OF his official duties. During this period, from
Oct. until Dec. l. Mr. GEonoE TAYLOR Was
Comptroller, aud made up new set OF books
from tho most accurate records and evidences
then in existence. He Was assisted by the old
clerks and booEkeepers, who were perfectly
familiar with the accounts between the city and
Mr. GAGE llr. TAYLOR had also the assistance
of Mayor MASON and the Council Finance Com
rnitteo the City Clerks Office, and OF all other
city officials having any information or knowledge
on the subject. Comptroller TAILon Was co.,
timed in charge Of the books aud accounts Of
the city until February. 1872. We have every
reason to believe that the books he left to his
succassor, hIr. BuRLKE, contained correct state
ment Of the cty's accounts with Ms. D. 4 GAGE,
City Treasurer. We mover hoard their ACCURACY
called in question.
Q.-Dd not moro than editor in this city know
At the II GAGEa election that ho already
In defauit to large amount7 Did they not still not
reelection 7 Was not the stor of raE rR1o Gle
Of the number possessing Lis nowledge7
A-0nr belief is. that no editor in this city
know suspected it. or even imagined such
thing possible. Pretty nearly eli the editors IN
Chicago at that time supported Mr. GAoE's re-
election having implicit confdence!th he was
al honest and responsible man. The lass qnes-
tion has already been answered in the negative.
Q.-was not Mz. blko-L1. notified, just previous to
h!s acceptance Of tue nomination to the HaJosaltJ,
that Mr.. GAaR wss defaul::s. aad that - was put
upun the :.cket because ho defauiter Titn ths
view Of enabling h.1o to cover bis defalcatiou:
A.-This question looks as II it we're intended
~ u insult. The reply to it. however, Ii tina. II
any one ever told the editor Of the 10. any,
thing on which to base such question, be has
cur permission, and ia hereby requested, 10 tell
that individual be is q liar and slanderer.
Passing two or three malicious and false &a-
sumps;ons in the form Of questions, Nc eoms to
the last one:
Q.-Was Mr. MEo11L's hssty seaignaaon of sns Office
Of Mayor and departure idt Europe consequences Ut
hia knowledge tuat MI GA0H stlll defau!teF.
that exposure must souow nlH defeat fot thltd reTn
Malignant persous who have not sense enough
to perceive tka absurdltJ Of ths innuendo have
giveD currency to it IN var1ona forms. aud il u
therefore not aurpr1slpg that it turns up IL the
columns OF tba 10. under the sneak1ng guiss
Of an interrogato1y. But VI shall Answer it.
In the first pacs the editor Of The TRIBUNE
resigned tho Mayoralty in August 1873 and
L
previously formed. Tho important Sud essen-
tial duties which he had undertaken 10 discharge
had been accomplished; there seenod nothing
left to be done during the brisf residue Of his
term except routine bn1insaA uA1ch another
un1