The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-05
GEORGE BLISS.
His Reply to MIR. Hendrickss Criticism-Til-
den and the Star Routes.

His Reply to MIR. Hendricks's Criticism-Til-
den and the Star Routes.
New York Special to Chicago Tribune.
Mr.. Hendricks is reported as saying that
Mr. Tilden had "lived down every calumny.
Every slander awakened by the prosecution
of that fellow Bliss, and dismissed as soon as
they ceased to be of any political benefit
would add to his strength at this time"
Mr.. Bliss was asked what truth there was
in the implied accusation that he had, as
United States District Attorney for New
York, sued Mr.. Tilden lin the income-tax
SUITS for political effect, and he responded
'This is pure drivel on the part of Gov.
Hendricks. 1t is true that l began the pros
ecution against Gov. Tilden for falling to
properly account for his income, and to pay
to tke government the income tax which he
justly owed to it, and that collected a large
portion of the evidence upon which the prose-
cution of the suit was based. l was district at
torney of the United States in this district at
the time, and for some time before Mr.. Tilden
became the Democratic candidate for the
presidency l had been investigating the mat
ter upon information which had been filed
with me- and | became satisfied that Mr.
Tilden was justly indebted to the government
i'll large amount. About the time when
my examination of the matter was complete
my term of Office expired, and Stewart L.
Woodford was appointed to the position of
had all been prepared, but had not
been served, when | was about
surrendering my office to Mr.. Woodford and
left it for him to say whether L should be-
gin the suit, acce ptlng the criticism which
knew would come from political opponents
or whether he should begin it, Mr.. Wood
ford decided that it would better for me to
begin the prosecution, and accordingly 1 did
so. believed then and l believe now that
the case was good one, and that Mr. Tilden
owed the government large amount of
money due on his income tax. 1t was a case
involving a vast amount of detail and re-
quiring great deal of care in its prepara-
ton. Of course, l do not know accurately
what was done in the case after left the office
of district attorney, but | understand that
Mr.. Mlden for long time fought the suit on
technical and dilatory grounds and that he
was finally defeated on these grounds"
why was not the case brought to trial
after the technical points had been over
ruled@'
That cannot answer with any certain
ty," was the response, but of course all
these preliminary proceedings had occupied
some considerable time, and | can imagine
that some of the evidence which l had col
lected had ceased, in process of time, to be
available. The case dragged along until
something less than year ago, when Mr..
Tilden's counsel made a proposal to pay the
fees of the government counsel as a com
promise, provided the action was discon-
tinued. Secretary Folger declined to enter
tain this proposition on the ground that Mr..
Tilden either owed the money and the gov
ernment had good case against him or the
government had no case. In either event
the Secretary said to compromise was inn
proper Subsequently the case was discon-
tinued, and, [ suppose, without any pay
Or 10
feet on the gentleman who succeeded me in
the management of the case. | can only
say that in my opinion, with the evidence
available when | ceased to be connected with
it, believed, and [ still do believe, that it
was a good case for the governments and
that Judgment would have been promptly
obtained against any man occupying a less
prominent position than that held by Mr..
Tlden.
THE statement of Governor Hendricks
that the suit was discontinued as soon as it
ceased to be of benefit politically falls utterly
TO the ground in the light of the fact that
Mr.. Mlden has declared himself out of poll
tics, at least since the Cincinnati convention
of 1880, and the suit was still dragging along
wearily as late as last year."
II see, by the way" continued Colonel
Bliss that Governor Hendricks refers to my
connection with the starroute prosecutions,
and seems rather to suggest that
there is no more grounds for the
prosecution of the postoffice thieves
than he thinks there was for the suit
against Mr.. Tilden. Now if Mr.. Hendricks
is really preparing to fly again as the tail to
Tilden's kite he ought at least to get him
self at once in formal agreement with Tilden.
For it will not be denied that Mr. Tilden mad
for three years in his employment a secret
agent in the Postoffice Department, who OBJ
tanned for him the first knowledge of the
star-route frauds and placed it at his disposal
before it was known to be suspected by either
the public or the government He had pro-
cured a mass of information on the subject,
IL, Il,,, 10 hnA Tod