The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-09-01

An ex-officer of leading railway which once
retained Tilden as its counsel gave to Times
reporter yesterday the following statement in
reference to the income and general wealth of
the reform" candidate during the war and
the years Immediately succeeding it. He said,
''Of all the railway lawyers ever knew, MIR.
Tilden was certainly the richest and the most
grsspiDg. From 1860 to 1870 his income from
the various corporations that employed him
could not be less than $4,000 per year and was
probably nearer 100000. This, of course, is
aside from his receipts from private invest
meets. such as real estate, bonds and mort
cages Why, his bills for the company with
which I was connected, the Chicago and North
western. were OF such an exorbitant charac-
ter that the directors were often opposed to
paying them, aud threatened to cut than down
very largely before permitting them to pass,
In 1866 or 1867, am not sure which, he put 10
bill of 900 for services performed during
q period of twenty months preceding. This
sum was so grossly out of proportion to the
work done that the directors refused for long
time to pay it. But Tilden could wait-in fact
he was one of the most patient as we'll as the
most cunning men l ever knew-and finally
WQ60 Ut RVG u new Dudfu COmpOSt u OF more
pliable material he brought it up again. The
bill was finally referred to a committee, ami
after infinite log-rolling on his part be got II
allowed aod paid in full. His charges were
always heavy. but, let them be as big as they
might he always had way Of getting them
paid in full.
Not content however with taking the largest
possible fees, he was always complaining about
the smallness of the compensation compared
with what he received elsewhere Although
hor wnfQ md <i,,,nc 81
he drew mortgage, and was paid for other
services at similar ratio, he repeatedly said
that we took up too much of his time consider
ing the price we paid for it.
1 remember on one occasion, when / took
him package of 81 900 bonds to receive his
signature, he broke out into fresh complaints
against the company. should think it took
him about twenty minutes to sign those 100
bonds, and as he received for this trifling SER
vice, in addition to his other fees and charges,
500 for each bond signed, could not but be
struck by the monetary value of the mans
time who considers $4,000 per hour beneath his
notice.
Between 1866 and 1871 he was the owner and
proprietor of the New York Mining Company,
in Northern Michigan, from which his income
was not less than one hundred thousand dol
lars year. The mine was reputed to be worth
over one million dollars, and Tilden owned
almost all the stock. This mine is still
in his possession, and forms a portion of his
vast estate. In the Iron Cliffs Mining Compa-
ny, in which he was one of the largest stock
holders, the laborers were defraudsd out of
twenty to thirty per cent. of their pay in the
manner already described by the Times.
But what has rendered Tilden's record par
ticularly odious to decent business men is his
abominable swindling of the Government in
the matter OF the income tax. I know that in
1862, when his professional income alone was
not less than six times mine, was paying in
come tax on considerably more than 81, Ills, and
within the last few days have heard the same
thing said by other business men. If Mr.. Til
den thinks that the business men Of New York
are prepared to wink over his lodging of the
income tax in this manner he is mistaken.
The overwhelming majority of our merchants
and citizens paid that tax cheerfully to su D.
port the Government which was protecting
their lives and property, paid not only their
own rightful share, but now it appears. Mr..
Tllden's also.
As to MI. Hewitt's declaration that Tiden
lent his influence and money to raising troops
for the suppression of the rebellion, it is too
ridiculous to be entertained by any man in his
right mind. know Mr.. Tlden aud was init
mately associated with him during the war
and afterwards, and know that no more Bit
ter coppeIhead, no more pronounced opponent
of the Government, and of every measure
necessary to carry on the war existed anywhere
In the entire North. 1 have heard him time
and again during those days attack the Ma.
ti0nal Government in the bitterest terms, but
never once utter word in its Defense"