Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-07-22
Tilden the Author of Credit MODll-

|
The great Reformer, who few days
ago said TO Committee in New York,
II have had much experience and labor
| in Reform" turns out to have been the
man who devised the cunning expedent
of the Credit obilier fraud. 1t will be
remembered that the CAKES AMEs organ
ization of the Credit Mobilier was cor
poration within the Pacific Railroad Com
pany; that it stole $50 800, 600. and stole
the capital stock of the Company, corrupt
ed a great many people, and demoraiized
public sentiment. 1t now turns out that
the ingenious gentleman who managed
this business. and declared it to be emil
nently proper and legal, was the eminent
SAM TILpEN, who is insisting on person
ally reforming" things. In the official
report of the investigation Of the Credit
Mobilier business before the Congression-
al Committee (Wilson's), page 292, we
have the testimony Of Oliver Ames, the
brother and partner of Oakes AmcS, who
was present anu dHNtHttHs9' -Ai'N' 40
planning how the two companies were
worked by the sane men,-.he Credit
Mobiler swallowing up tie o;her,--ihe
testimony reads:
BY Mr. HoAR-Were you not informed By the
counsel who drew the contract tAat thls was WE
olaton of law?
AMEs-Wc were informed by counsel whom we
consulted that this issuing of stock Ito the Z. Nj
as payment upon the contract for buhdius the
road was in entire compliance with the law
Q-Who were the counsel that gave you that
advice AIR. SAMUEL J. TILDEN, MIR.
CHARLES TRACY, and Judge ALLEN.
Q.-Alt of New York ALL of New York
On page 1928, JOHN B. ALLEY, another of the
Credit Mobiiier operators, was questioned ON the
same subject, with the result as follows:
Q-And further, understood you to say that
YOU we're instructed by eminent counsel, upon
whose advice you relied, that the course you took
was compliance with the law AYES, sir.
Q-IIave you ever seen, or do you know wheth-
er that opinion of eminent couse is in existence
now, in writing! Al do not not know. l do
not know whether it was given in writing.
Q.-Was it given to you by these eminent coun-
SELF AIR. TILDEN, know, told me that he
regal ded it as . compliance with the law.
Mr.. CORNELIUS S. BUSHNELL, another
of the principal Credit-M obilier managers.
gave testimony page 81 of the lawyers
who had been consulted by the Credit-Mo-
bilier Company, AMI names SAM j. TIL
DEN.
The same witness, at pages 900 and
SOC, is recorded as testifying:
Q.-I will ask you question which asked Mr.
ALLEY. Do you know Of any legal advice having
been taken by the gentlemen engaged IN this trans
action in reference to the question whether these
contracts and the taking OF stock under them, was
substantial compliance with the provisions OF the
law recurring the capital to be paid in cash A.
can answer that we were informed by the best
legal talent, as we supposed, that we could do so,
and that were complying with the terms OF the
law.
Q-Can you furnish 10 the committee testimony
of any ounsel of eminence TO the fact that, at
the time of these transactions, he gave you any
such advices Alt is my opinion that can.
+. Mr.. HoAR-You may or may not. as you please
name the counsel whom you have in your mind as
having given you that opinion.
WITNEss-I will name several gentlemen, who,
am prepared to say, advised us that the course
which we Credit Mobiler) were taking was legal
and a safe course for to adopt. l will name
TRACY. OLMsTEAD 4 Co.. OF New York. 1t Is
my opinion that gentleman who is now Judge
of the Court of Appeals in New York, WILLIAM
+. ALLEN, advised us also to that effect. think
that Judge JERE BLACK also advised us; and MIR.
SAMUEL J. TILDEN.
This is the great Reformer. When the
Credit Mobiier wanted legal advice as to
how to perpetrate their enormous robbery,
they got the advice from Tilden how to do
it, Eeach of the three witnesses names
TuDEN as the man who advised them to
do it, and how to do it.