New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-21
THE MUTUAL UNIONS COMPLAINT
AN EXPLANATION BY ERAeTUS WIMAN.
WHAT GAVE RISE TO THE CHARGE OF BRIBERY
AGAINST THE WESTERN UNION.

AGAINST THE WESTERN UNION.
Officers of the Western Union Telegraph Company
were asked by a TRIBUNE reporter yesterday II
they had any reply to MAKE to the charges Drought
against the company by the Mutual Unlon leIe
graph Company. President Green sad tha1 1 Snee
Tece wing the published letter of the Mutual Union
he had made some inquiries among lns subordinate
officers and had found no one 10 reprOach GENERA
Eckert and his assistant, ID. j. Bates, h9t reihItu
that they had nothing to say IN relation 10 me
matter: the letter written by Mr.. Wman was ther
reply. This letter is as follows:
TO me Editor Of ne Tribune
SIR; The Mutual Union Telegraph Company having
sent TO ven for publication letter embodyng charges
against rae personally, send herewith copy OF my re-
nv to which also suiOn copy OF the paper winch IS
tbe subectmatter OF the correspondence perusal OF
MS contents will least be welcome 10 all those MhOsS
funds are being expended under II, many OF whoh
know nave tried in vain get sight of it, II provides
that 600 shall be paid for construction 81 IoVuV
miles of telegraph line. being $1,000 per mile iof Wnl
cannot the contractor much more th2h one MAJ, ii,
that sum. securing profit OF about hve nioh uPas
which comes directly from the pockets OF the sGbscl
bcrs. Yours rcspectlui! .... ,r-,,,.,
Ne,o- Yorl; Ctty Oct, 20. ISL
NEw-YoRK CITY oct. 20, 1881.
Dr. NoKvIN GREEN President Western Union Telegraph
DEAn SIR: The Mutual Union Telegraph Company
has published letter to your company containing dNoI
melts in which am Involved and IN when the attempt
is made to your company with certain pcrsohd
transactions OF own l..
The simple fact is that having been for many wears IN
ter,stcd n Canadian telegraph matters, and being now
president organization which embraces an eAis
ing lines in Canada, naturally concerned AT the
| proposition of the Mutual Union Company u1uer ,ne
rltsf Of ne
number of telegraph lines in the Dominion aIrehS oi,
THAN sufficient for the wants of the public iOunualho
to believe that the proposed me was aTt -
constructed under contract of such nature tha II lS
provisions were fully aud certainly known no such SUI
scrptiOms would be made were necessary 10 ehdoie
AZ tHts tine person not connected either with the
| Mutual Union Telegraph Company OF Win US c V
tors voluntarily offered 10 procure me a copy W
tract Sucu contracts England ana Canada are puOiic
property invariably accessible To an tiDHoIlDcls w ,o
fHs oi such companies who certainly have every where
"A right to know the terms on which their none! i 10 We
paid out. the same time an owner OF STOCK III
the Mutual Union Company anu was ehl.te 49,, ,,,b
affairs Of mine, moreover VINO were dIte SUP
scibers the bonds OF that company mad IN VAN en-
deavored upon what terms the lines OF the COM
| plny being built. -, -.--
WHO had offered copy Of the contract Ur shch
copy, without inquiing as to where Dc got H. ue'G
Ia take il to Canada and ne did not denver II III
time but Just as was leaving on the Tram nc sht mo
stating his inability to denver II AT inc u, Iu
.tnctlons take It to General Eckert, aud ask nm
~ 80 for II mud hnd II until nv return was taken
a. GENERAL IL kert who simply signed without scrutiny
| a receipt handed to him with the paper. Inc pay =
| ment Was mude for my account and aiterward
reI,ad by me. In receiving and paying for the paper
General Eckeft merely did friendly act for me IN my
absence aud without any previous knowledge OF ao-
quaintance with the matter whatever .
As for Mr. Bates his connection with the affair y
smpiy this: lie was asked 10y the parry 20 5A4lle 'o
paper after had been delivered To General LtA'lt IN
lis presence He dd examine II and seeing thaI Tue
copy OF the contract failed 10 disclose sever"
ordinarily exhibited Ia such paper as Tor instance 'hc
security for It's per Ormance VINO were the cusodln'
oi the money and securities ahd lhc amount VI s'yF
ties issued, made memorandum oi these loihlH ms
information with the copy aitcrWard delivered 10
me. No paper OF the Mutual Union Telegraph g"
Is or been the possession OF J0ur Company 80 lar
~ is known me- ana none Is or hdNbctu IN ny own
noSses,l0n unless COPY of the contract which nave
can be sidercd, when hrilcNe my sell 10 u
'' ~ EKAsTus WIMAS.
The contract the paper referred to, q copy of
which aCcompa les tht foregoing 10. ter bears ddte
of AprIl H. 1881. The parties 10 It IA" TIE Mutual
Union Telegraph Company and john q. Moor and
Thomas &. Purly, partners IN business under The
maine OF John u. Moore ~ Co. Under the terms OF
this instrument. the rm agreed 10 build telegraph
lines of the aggregated length OF $4,000 mile with
AN average Of four wires IN all respects equal 10 the
telegraph lines built by the Western Union and the
American Union Telegraph COMPANIES; 10 procure
rights OF way aud all other privileges necessary to
the building OF the lines and the conduct OF the bust
ness and to procure the requisite patent rights; TO
establish and equip offices; 10 pay all expenses oil
| litigation arising IN the building of the lnes and
10 nav the interest the compauys bonds Tor three
wear from their issue not eXccc ing $500 200 aycdr
For these and other services the company agreed to
pay john e.. Moore * Co. The sum OF 9liOJO,OOO
| in the securities OF the company, TI,JDU,OUO IN
bonds bearing per cent interest, and @J,JOO,OOO
| in stock, both at par. The contract provided Tor
arbitration ~ case of any controversy between the
parties to IT, and required thai the firm should give
| a bond III $4,000 for faithful performance. The
contract was signed III behalf OF the telegraph com