Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-06-14
TILDEN's TREacHERY.
Possessed OF the Knowledge Of the Star Route
Fraud He Lets Hancock 80 II Alone.


New York Special:--In an interview
with ex-Gov. Hendricks of Indiana, pub
lished yesterday, he is reported as say
ing in regard to Mr.. .Tilden: .He has liv-
ed down every calumny, every SANDER
awakened by the prosecution Of that
fellow, Bliss Col. George Bliss, who
is the '.fellow" referred to in the above,
and who brought suit as United States
district attorney to recover from Mr..
Tilden a large amount of money. of
which it is claimed, he had defrauded
the government by making false re-
turns of his income to the internal rev.
enue collectors, was in the city to-day,
and was asked what truth there was
in the implied accusation that he had
sued Mr.. Tilded for political effect and
had withdrawn the suit as soon as its
political end was served. Mr.. Bliss
said: ''This is pure drivel. 1t is
true that began the prosecution
against Gov. Tilden for failing to prop
erly account for his income, and to paw
to the government the income tax
which he justly owed to it, and that l
collected large portion of the evidence
upon which the prosecution of the suit
was based. Before Mr.. Tilden became
the democratic candidate for the presi-
dency | had been investigating the
matter, and | became satisfied that Mr..
Tilden was justly indebted to the gov
eminent in a large amount. About
the time when my examination of the
matter was completed my term of office
expired, and Stewart l.. Woodford was
appointed. The papers in the suit had
all been prepared. but had not been
served. Mr.. Woodford decided that it
would be better for me to begin the
prosecution, and accordingly l did so.
do not know accurately what was
done in the case after | left the office,
but understand that Mr.. Tilden for
long time fought the suit on technical
and dilatory grounds, and that he was
finally defeated on these grounds. The
case dragged along until something less
than year ago, when Mr.. Tilden's
counsel made proposal to pay the
fees OF the government counsel as a
compromise provided the action was dis
continued, Secretary Folger declined but
subsequently the case was discontinued
and, | suppose without any payment.
l see," continued Col. Bliss, shat Gov.
Hendricks refers to my connection
with the star route prosecution, and
seems rather to suggest that there is no
more ground for the prosecution of the
postoffice thieves than he thinks that
there was for the suit against Mr.. Til
den. Now, if Mr.. Hendricks is really
preparing to fly again as the tail to
Iilden's kite he ought to get himself in
formal agreement with Tilden. MIR.
Tilden had for three years in his en-
secret agent in the post
office department who obtained for him
the first knowledge of the star route
frauds, and placed it at his disposal be-
fore it was known to be suspected by
either the public or the government.
He had procured mass of informa-
ton, and, undoubtedly. if he had been
instead of Gen. Hancock.
he intended to make his campaign on
the basis of an attack on the republican
party founded on these frauds, jast as
he made his campaign for the presi-
dency, on the frauds of the canal ring.
When he was defeated as candidate,
his regard for the success of the demo-
cratic party did not, as | remember,
lead him to turn over to Gen. Hancock
MS evidence and his issue, hut instead
nc quietly suppressed il and left poor
Hancock 10 run alcre on the local
issue OF q tariff