The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-09-22
TILDEN'S TAXES.
His Friends get Tired Of Waiting and Ex-
plain on their own hook,

charges against Governor Tilden in rc'a-
ton to his income tax was given to the
press Wednesday night, in the form of
letter, dated New York, September 90
1876, by Judge James p Scnnott, address
ed to Abram S. Hewitt, chairman of the
national democratic committee. The ex-
PLANTATION is accompanied by card TO the
public by Mr.. Hewitt, in which 10 contain.
ed all essential points in the letter. He re-
fcrs to the attacks of the New York Times |
charges of Tilden having made false state |
ments of his income in 1862, and says he |
tried, but failed, to obtain from the secre-
tsry of the treasury certified copies Of the
for that year. He then addressed note to
Judge Sennott, who was confidential law
clerk of Governor Tilden during the whole
period in which the law imposing income
tax was in force, asking him to examine
the pretended account of Tildens income
during 1862, published by the Times, and
furnish him (lIewit) with an explanation
which his familiarity with the details would
enable him to supply. Sennotts answer
shows that out of thirteen pretended
items of income amounting TO $4,000,
eleven items amounting to $4,000, are
wholly fictitious, while of the other two,
only one of LOCO is entirely true, and the
second, of S25, 900, is only partially true.
There is therefore, no ground for the as
scr;ion that the sworn return was not a
Just and accurate statement of the net in
come of Governor Tilden, after making
such deductions for losses. interest paid and
other charges, az the law authorized him to
make. II exception be taken to Sennotts
letter, on the ground that it does not con-
tain detailed statement of the several
items upon which the return OF 1869 was
made, it is proper to state that the regula-
tons of the department did not require
| such detailed statements, and very few pro-
fessional men made such statements, or
could now recall the items, or have kept
the memoranda upon which their returns
were made.
In his letter Judge Sennot. says he was
in Tlden's law office during the whole pc
Rod covered by the allegations of the
| Times, and was more familiar than any
other person, even Tilden himself, with his
professional services and the earnings of
his office, it being his duty, among others,
to keep such record az was preserved. He
declares the Times statement fal.e in every
| ;p,,N apt ,Aov,inilor No tul.po in, Il
all the Times statement which charges
Tilden with frauduleuIly concealng $751;
SS2 of his income, and declares that the
first seven items which he particularlzes
were mostly fees for mortgage deeds, rail
road services, ETC., amounting to S29, COO;
| no such charges or fees were ever made,
rendered or collected by Tildcn.
The eighth item for service TO the second
mortgage bondholders of the st. Louis
Alton and Terre Baute railroad company,
$40, 900, he Gays no bill was ever rendered
IN form as stated by the Times, but the
money was paid for services running
through five years anterior TO 1862, Tilden
having during that time been counsel for
the bondholders of the road. No apprecia-
BILE part, if any, of this item can therefore
be apportoned to the year 1862.
The ninth item. which, with the eighth,
furnish the only basis for the Iimes'S
charges, is for services 10 the first mort
gage bondholders of the st. Louis, Alton
and Terre Haute railroad company. The
So 200, he saya, was for services rendered
in the foreclosure proceedings in 1858, 1859,
1860 and 1861 and decree was rendered
in August, 1861, so that no considerable
part of these service, belong to the year
1862.
The tenth item, for fees during the year
1862 from the Chicago and Northwestern
railroad company. $4,000, he pronounces
totally false. Tilden received no compen-
sation or fees from that railroad in 1862.
The eleventh item, for fees during 1862
from the Toledo aud Wabash railroad com.
pany, $4,000, he pronounces false, for
the road never was client Of Tilden'e, and
he never at any time received any fees oil
rendered any compensation to that corpo
| ration.
Regarding the twelfth item, for share
OF bonds retained for services during the
| year connected with reconstruction of tho
Chicago and Alton railroad company, $25,,
900, he says no bonds were retained or re
ceived for such services i'll 1862, nor was
so large an amount ever received, includ
ing expenses and disbursements. Services
were rendered and no doubt taken into &C
count in computing the gross earnings o.
that year.
The thirteenth item for salary as trustee
and president of the Balance Dock com
pany, $1,000, he says is correct, and is thu
only one of the thirteen of which that car
be said. He also says, regarding the charg,
that Tilden in 1869 received from st
T Louis, Alton and Terre Haute RAILROAD
company S33, 900 in first mortgage bond
is unqualihedly false. In conclusion, 1t
says; 1t eeems proper to say that the re
i | turn made under oath must be assumed I,
be correct unless it can be shown to b
, false. This attempt has been made by tn
Times and. growing holder from day t
day, its efforts have finally eliminated il
the specification of thirteen items, lively
of which are wholly or mainly fictitious
While the Times was thus making excur
| sions into the regions of fiction, it seem
p | to have found it convenient to overlook tn
possibilities of lawful deductions, such a
: expenses, rent, interest and lostc'. Tn
q | simple fact is, the amounts returned wer
= | the net result Of his income after takin
r out lawful deductions. For me it onl
remains to assert that every fact with
; in my knowledge confirms the goo,
q faith and adequacy of the returns whc
4 were verified by the affidavit, of one, who
4 for more than half generation, had live
life SO pure and blamcless that the breat
of calumny had failed to touch hin
: until, by the general voice OF the grea
party, he had become their candidate fo
. highest office in the gift of the people.
y respect to the Allegation that after two
I years of income tax Mr.. Tiiden made Il
s return, but left that portion Of bis tn
q which was in excess of payments for hi
account made by the corporations who's
A. toaI IA Ia 81 4. 4
e the law by the estimate Of public officer
i the answer is simple; the statute gave tn
q taxpayer option to take that course, an
good and honorable reasons existed why
scrupulous man should accept that option
f Mr.. IIlden received no favor from the gov
eminent officers, and sought none; he di
, nothing but pay all they imposed on hin
d Nearly all his income from investment
y paid tax through the corporations who's
ponds and stocks he held, without allow
= nee for lawful deductions on the res