Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-09-24
I,ILDEN AND FIELD.


TILDEN And. FIELD.
Mr.. T4ldss Replies to the Accusations Nude
by Mr.. Field.
Samuel J. Tilden, the other day, granted
an extended interview to Times reporter.
The greater part related to his transactions
with Cyrus w. Field, and is his first answer
to Mr.. Fields second and most serious batch
of charges. Speaking Of these charges Mr..
Tilden said he had neither time nor taste to
notice the malignant fictions which make up
most Of the two and half columns, hut are !
in no wise pertinent TO the question Of the
pretended grievance. He continued:
t:It would be convenient if Mr.. Field had
made up his mind what is the exact nature
of his grievances. It is difficult to follow
him through his incoherent and contradict
tory statements. Every one of his forms of
complaint is totally without foundation,
either in truth or right. The noble faculty
of memory sometimes fails in good men,
and distorts or discolors the truth; but Mr..
Fields memory has reached that last stage
Of infirmity in which it remembers
WHAT NEVER HAPPENED.
The statement that promised to keep the
elevated stock up is absolutely devoid Of
truth Mr.. Field, president Of the company,
was on the steamer for Europe contemplate
ing the benefaction of the lords Of England
by sparing them most Of his stock. Mr..
Bishop, chairman of the controlling COM
mittee, had already sold more than three
quarters of his stock. Mr.. Mills, who had
taken the share allotted to Field in excess of
what heIwas willing to subscribe for, had
sold most of his. Mr.. Brewster, the lead
ing committeeman, in active management of
the company, conservative man, weary with
resisting the wild measures, had already sold
alEsave 100 of his IL per cent. shares. Mr..
Fisk, chairman of the finance committee,
sold q quarter Of his. David BOWS had sold
nearly one third Of his. Mr.. Lindley, SON
in-law of Mr.. Field, had sold six tenths of
his. E.. M. Field, son of Mr.. Field, had
also sold six-tenths of his. This was "a
.gs THE STATE OF THINGS 20; -
the day Mr.. Field sailed. I, did not then
know the selling by the officers and direc-
tors had become SO epidemic. But I did
know Bishop, Mills and Brewster had sold
largely. I had heard Field speak of their
sales with superb indifference, and with
lofty consciousness of superior Judgment.
David Dows had some days before told me
that at meeting of the directors, Field said
he was about to 60 to England, and, If he
found favorable market, he intended to
sell portion of his stock; that he could sell
o1 ~ f1>okk $1oo,,
invited each director, if they wished to sell,
to write him letter. putting with his stock
such portions of their stock as they wished
to sell. Mr.. Davis also informed me that
the directors had all
REFUSED Oh OMITTED TO ACCEPT THIS 1Nv1-
SO TATIoN - ~
on the ground that they were unwilling to
tie up their stock. Field did not ask any
body's consent to the sale of his stock. H6
did not think it was necessary for him to
consult anybody as to the quantity, time, or
price at which he should SELL Under such
circumstances, to have myself engaged 80
keep up the stock or to have abridged in any
manner or degree my absolute discretion to
deal with the mass of my stock according to
my own Judgment of events from day to day
would have been insanity" ag.td;&
Mr.. Tilden said his cash investment in the
stock he bought of Field was less than
$50 900, and that he had the opportunity to
buy the elevated stock before Field himself
had. Tilden subsequently paid in cash to
the company for stock at par nearly $780,.
600, and had lately taken from the COMPANY
at par about $35O,OO0 in stock and bonds.
Two years had elapsed. The enterprise had
been completed. The idea that Field had
any claim to control him in the disposal OF
that large investment was simply ridiculous,
Tilden then showed from Her0M inter.
views with Field after his return from
Europe that Field said he was pleased to
know Tilden had sold, and thought he acted
wisely, as his political opponents were going
to make
MATTERS UNPLEASANT FOR HIM;
also expressed his faith in the investment