New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-11-04

wears the case has now been running Has
seemed to indicate different line OF acton
we take it for granted either that the lawyers
have so acted without Mr.. Tiden's knowledge
or that the purpose Of the delay has only Deeh
to enable Mr.. Tilden to go more care'uiis
over his accounts and to make mp balance
sheet that shall forever confound his enemies
At the same time it is very unfortunate that
Mr.. Colgate has such bad memory ana such
n violent enupnonce-conseientious we are
sure-to looking Mt his books. IL he were
embarrassed Inv an agents laudable desire to
keep the secrets of his principal that Is
difficulty from which Mr.. Tllden couid rcIe'e
him nv n word. But the trouble cannot spring
from any such cause that, because IL "uS'
be presumed that Mr.. Tilden would not suier
an obstacle he could easily remove TO stanu
in the way of his immediate vindlcatlon. LII
hardly admits of question that Mr. colgate
il octu,llv unable to remember the slightest
particulars of his stock transactions WIN MI
T,lden. that he has literally exhausted his
knowledge of the case when he replies 10 'hc
Assistant District-Attorney, 1--WE had trans
factions with Mr. Tilden, the nature ana ln-
80 tent of which | don't IecOllect." Mr.. Coi-
gate is going to Europe. He may be gone Il
long time. Meanwhile the defendant III TINS
suit is obliged TO stagger along under Il ioau
of suspicion. The doubtful Democrats VINO
would like to vote for him-Or for Governor
Robinson. which amounts to the same thing
but who dare not do on account OF the
cloud brought upon his name by the uncer-
tainty as to the income returns, will have to
give their ballots to Mr.. Cornell or Mr.. Kelly
And if Mr. Tilden survives election day he
IL, nr.afO
under all the disadvantages OF doubtful
reputation. What can be more awful than for
an old man to feel the entire responsibility or
unfolding the Largest and Hottest Interests
of Humanity while community of scoifers
are accusing him of cheating the tax-gatherer
This is not the first time Mr.. Tilden has
been betrayed by the forgetfulness of an agent.
At the time of the Cipher Investigation the
coparceners were getting along splendldly IN
their effort to save their chief when they sud-
denly came to grief through the bad memory
of Mr. Manton Marble. Weed, COyle and
other agents were able to swear that they did
not let Mr. Tllden know what they were doing,
their business having been transacted with
Colonel Pelton. But with Marble the case
was different. He had been in direct COM
| munication with Mr.. Tiden, sending cipher
| messages to him by name, and the last dis
patch from him, written after the failure OF
the attempt to buy the Florida Returning Board'
was expressly intended for Mr.. Tilden's enlight-
enment. bolivia Laura" wrote MIR. Marble
when the plot fell through: "Tell Tilden to sad
ode Blackstone" Now Marble had answered
most of the questions of the Investigating
Committee up to this point with, at least. con.
siderable composure and assurance But 1t is Il
remarkable fact that when he came to the tel
egram which seemed to contain the proof OF
| his own completely in the scheme of bribery
and of Mr.. Tllden's knowledge of 1t. his MEM
ory suddenly broke down. He had not the
least idea what the dispatch meant lie
could not translate Bolivia Laura" lie
could give no rational explanation of his adj
vising Mr.. Tilden, by telegraph from ITALIA
hassee, to go out for a ride. The spectators
in the committee-room jeered him with in
credulous laughter but although he remem-
bercd matters of little Importance he rcmem-
bered nothing about this and naturally the
| public drew the worst differences from his for
| getfuness Hardly anything In the course of
the investigation did so much injury to Mr.
Tilden ms the forgetfulness of his best friend.
And now the unfortunate gentleman has been
damaged, perhaps irreparably, by the forget
fulness of his confidential broker 1t is really
| too bad.