National Republican., 1884-05-15
now T1LpEN pECAN1E R1CH.
Some OF the Schemes That Gave Him the
sobriquet OF " slippery Samuel"
Mornfn1 journal.

Morning journal.
On bright afternoons q gentleman OF me-
dium stature, slightly bent by inRrmity and
age, and whose facial expression appears to
betoken sudden muscular contraction, can
be seen strolling in the vicinity of Gramercy
park, in this city A man servant follows at
q respectful distance. The gentlcman's attire
is plain almost TO severity, but his ensemble
is one of exquisite neatness. When in re-
pose, his countcnance is certainly clerical in
its aspect. With his hands crossed behind
head bent forward as IL in deep meditation,
and almost shuflling gait, he wandors about
Occasionally ho will pause, elevate his head
as IT to drink in the merry chirping of the
birds which frequent tho neighborhood, and
thon resume his stroll.
That tho gentleman is known to the
habitues Of surrounding mansions is q matter
of course, but to those who have occasion in
cidentally to visit the neighborhood in that
bowed and almost decrepit figure few would
recognize tho Hon. Samuel j. Tilden, the
sage of Greystono, and the most powerful po-
litical leader since the days of Silas Wright,
William J.. Marcy, and Thomas II. Benton.
Strangers pass him by daily unacquainted
with the fact that the inhrm old gentleman
whose coat sleeve they have just brushed was
the powerful reform governor of this state in
ls75-6, and year later came within one
electoral vote of the presidential chair.
Samuel Jones Tildon was born in the little
hamlet of New Lebanon, N. Y, in 1911, and
therefor has now reached the biblical allot-
ment of three score years and ten. Young
Tilden had anything but sunny weather
during his juvenile days; his parents were
farming folk, and were by no means richly
endowed with this worlds goods. lie carly
determined TO secure an education. lie went
to the village school during tho winter
months; he developed q burning thirst for
L.. Id. ~. Ia
compelled to return to his daily task on his
fathers farm. The labors there were not
congenial to him, aud with the little money
which by months and years of persistent
saving no had accumulated he came to this
city and entered the University of New York.
He was graduated from that institution 10
1871, and was admitted TO the bar in the same
year.
He Immediately developed leaning toward
politics; he was charmed by tho astutonoss
necessary to become q successful politician,
and SO manifest were these traits in his own
| character that in 1915 he was elected to
the state legislature and year later to the
constitutional convention.
Mr.. Tilden found politics an expensive in
vestment and soon returned to his legitimate
calling. In 1857 when many of the wealthiest
concerns in this country went down before
the blast of financial panic, and when the
entire railroad system was involved in mex
picable difficulties, Mr.. Tilden came to the
front as railroad lawyer.
He Joined hands with J.. II. Meyer, and
many of the railroads went through vigor-
GUS reorganization. Tho methods then
adopted to bring about this end have since
been severely criticised. 1t was known as
the "annihilation" policy, or one that COM
pletely wiped out the Junior securities and
the stock and left the original holders of the
property in the lurch. 1t was on the reorgan-
ization of these roads, and the now issuance
of stock and bonds, that Mr.. Tilden made his
first step toward his now colossal fortune.
He then also acquired the reputation of a
| profound railroad lawyer.
Wall street banker in alluding to Mr..
| Tilden's career at that time said: "When Mr..
Meyer undertook tho negotiation of tho now
| securities Of the reorganized roads through
| his German friends. and when Investigations
were demanded by them as to the legality Of
| the new chromos, they were referred to Mr..
| Tilden. He demanded enormous fees; larger
| than any that had ever been paid, and he is
justly entitled to be considered the father Of
the present exorbitant fees paid to ex-senator
| Conkling. William NJ. Evarts, and other great
| lawyers. Mr.. Tilden, however, Is deserving
Of great credit in his reorganization of the
| Chicago and Alton railroad"
| During tho rebellion Mr.. Tilden made great
strides in his upward path to n prncely for
tune, and SO successful were his efforts that
in 1865 he was reputed to be tho pOssessor of
| $300O,000 in railroad bonds, stocks, mortgages
| real estate, and government securities. Pos
sessed of great wealth and occupying u
| position which precluded all fears of financial
disaster, he returned to his first and only
| love--pOlitics IIe was chosen chairman of
the state democratic committee in 1866, and
| year later no was member of the consLitu-
| tional convention. In 1871 he was prominent
| in detecting important frauds in the municipal
affairs of this city, and in 1872 he was elected
TO tho assembly on tho reform ticket. In
1856 he was what was then known as the
reform governor. In 1876 he was the demo-
cratic candidate for president with Thomas
A. Hendricks. About 42S4,000 votes were
cast for them, and 4,033000 for Hayes and
| Wheeler. On March 2, 1877, congress declared
| that Hayes and Wheeler had received 1856
electoral votes and Tilden and Hendricks
| 1Si.
| Mr.. Tildcn about ton years ago became
largely Interested In the elevated railroad
| system. He with Mr.. Cyrus w. Field, was
tho originator of the scheme, and they con-
| trolled most of tho stock of tho New York
company. They were favored by successful
legislation, and many prominent investors
and spectators, including Mr.. Gould, became
interested. The stock was rapidly forced up,
and at ono time touched 125. At that time
Mr.. Field much prostrated by his cXertons,
thought that European trip would greatly
benefit him. He sailed one bright morning,
and when the steamer was hull down in the
narrows MIR. Tilden flooded Wall street with
his elevated stocks aud reaped between
| S2,000,0OO and $3OOO,O0O by his course. The
stock was greatly depressed and Mr.. Field
was "out" about as much as Mr.. Tilden gained.
| Mr. Field declared that Mr. Tilden's action
was the vilest treachery, and current gossip
| is to the effect that all relations have ceased
| between them.
Mr.. Tildens country seat is at Greystone-
on-the-Hudson. He values it and its posses
sions Mt 81 100000; so that, even though miss.
ing the presidency, he has still solid comfort
| in his "b arl of cash"