The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-03-22

1t seems that the UmOn railroeu anu
transportation company was indebted to the
commonwealth at the time Of its dissolution,
for tax on special dividend, in the sum Of
s20l 900. In October last, while Auditor
General Temple was absent FROM the city,
Messrs. Simonton and Olmsted suggested to
State Treasurer Rawle that they thought they
could collect some corporation taxes due the
state concerning which, as they claimed, they
| alone had information. Upon their represen-
| tation an agreement was entered into between |
State Treasurer Rawle and Chief Clerk War
den, of the Auditor Generals office, on the
part of the commonwealth, and the afol esaid |
Simonton aud Olmsted, by which the latter |
we're authorized to proceed with the collec-
ton Of the moneys they stated they believed
were due the commonwealth, their fee to be
ten per cent. of the amount which they
might succeed in collecting. Auditor General
Temple, on his return to this city, ratified
the action of his chief clerk, and gives as his
reason for so doing hat it was represented to
him that the sum to be collected would not
likely exceed $4,000 or $50, 900 and that the
attorney general had approved the matter
Messrs, Simonton and Olmsted went to their
work under this agreement and when they re-
ported the result Of their operations to the
treasury it appeared that they had collected
Sl9l ,053.97 and that the corporation which
had disgorged was the Union railroad and
, transportation company. They claimed their
fee of ten per cent. of the sum collected,
| 4. xya
made at the treasury to the largeness of the
fee but Attorney General Lear gave an opin-
=, ion that it was not exorbitant and warrant
!, was drawn in favor of the attorneys for the en-
tire sum claimed by them. 1t seems that an
abatement of some 5000 was allowed the
c delinquent corporation in the settlement OF
10 the matter"
& The case is made the more interesting by
the following in Wednesdays Patriot:
ANOTHER BIG FEE.
"The senate investigating committee met
v last evening at half past seven o'clock. Mr..
ID Warden, chief clerk of the auditor general S
lc department was the first witness. No new
lie facts we're obtained from his testimony. He
? was followed by NJ. +. Omsted, who startled
i'd the committee and the auditors by giving q
IN statement of refreshing newness. Senator
Peale asked the witness whether the $19l ,0OC
received by him from the Union railroad anc
n transportation company was all they paid t(
lie him, to which the answer was made that ar
ob officer of the company at the same time hand
I'D ed him q check for 50, 900 drawn to the orde
or of Attorney General Lear. In response tt
In an inquiry of Senator Peae as to whether th'
1t money was paid into the treasury Mr.. Ohm
es sted said not to his knowledge. Witness ex
planned how he came to receive the $500
check for the attorney general. Before eav
ing for Pittsburg to collect the $l9l 900 Dep
N uty Attorney General Gilbert handed him
of letter demanding of the Union line $500
lis for commission, which was enclosed with tn
ty certificate of the amount due for taxes. u
n his return he handed the attorney general til
he check"
i'll All this is refreshing, especially in con
IA nection with facts known to the Lancaste
ty HteHigencer, Patriot, Record of the Time
I'd, and other leading journals. The facts in tn
above case were developed in 1872 by Leg
islative commission, which found that up
wards of SS,OOO,OOO was due the State fror
certain corporations, and Gov. Hsrtrani
A. was then Auditor General and this sam
he iSimonton was attorney for defaulting corpo,
th alton that paid in at once over $50, 900, an
i'd Don Cameron a Ditness,
We would also call the attention of ou
lite contemporaries to the following resolution
ce. offered by Mr.. Brockway and adopted by tn
'se Legislature
Is Resolred That the Auditor General be re
he quested to furnish the House promptly
nd detailed statement of all taxes now due tn
"a Commonwealth from the different canal ant
railroad and telegraph companies now oper
ating in this State, or that have been doinj
business herein, for the past eight years
specifying particularly the nature of tn
tax, and the amount, to the date when it be
IN came due Also, whether all of the sait
In companies or corporations, during the pas
"a. eight years. have made the full returns (,
=, the Auditor Generals Office required by ex
iai isting laws or the rules of the Auditor Gen
tly erals Office, with the names ofthe companie
ks, if any, that have so refused or neglected ,th
of causes therefor and the particulars wherein
70 they have failed. ...
os. In answer to Speaker Elliott's objection
ate Mr.. Brockway said
ass / think this whole question can be mad
lly plain to the gentleman from Philsdelphii
81 Mr.. Elliott if he will listen one moment
81 and that all objections to the resolution Cal
an be removed. Under an act of Assembly tn,
he Auditor General is required to send to thi
body, each year, an account of all the out
standing claims due the Commonwealth
This has not been done and / presume 70
the reason that he is ill-he is at his home
The reason why the Judiciary General Com
ar. mittee are not informed, is that they hav
not the power to send for persons and paper
os or to go into the office and make an examina
" tion. Even if they did go, one unacquainte,
rn' with the books could not know how to max
il. The clerks of the department are re
) a quested by this resolution to furnish from
70, the records, the corporations that are in de
fault under the law
ess The Attorney General, it is true, is tn
ins only officer that can bring suit-he is tn
nd proper person to take charge of it. If thi
tv law is onerous it is proper for this body to =
amend or alter it as to make it constitutions
Ied and impose taxation that can be collected
an if they are too high they can be lowered
pie Both the auditor General (Hartranft) an
on the State Treasurer bob Msckey) refuse
len to respond to the resolution.
ing
900 10 Of 0. y.
led