Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-02-01

HumDeF mduo ny Uil0 laSG Leg lSlaJuTo. n
vacancy occurred in the treasurership OF
Augusta, and this judge selected this MI
Hamilton. who turns out to be the BROTH
erin,law of Mr.. s. Brown Allen.
Now. let us look at the motive for nam
/ ing this Mr.. Hamilton for the fat ] b OF
gouging the Common wealth ont of 20 per
| cent of the Chesapeake and Ohio railway
! taxes. That company has large shops IN
! Richmond and vast amount OF rolling
i stock. WHY WASH t the Treasurer of Rich
mond designated to collect these taxes
Mr.. Hamilton didn't hold that office in
Richmond.
Mr. Allen ordered the levy in Augusta
county and without notice This 'llec-
tor was appointed March 20. The levy
was made March % The levy was tele-
graphed lit was the first notice the compa-
ny had) from its agent in StauntOn. I'M
medsately the vice-president went to the
Auditors office to pay the taxes Of which
| he had received no notification except the
message of levy. Mr.. Allen said he could
rot receive the tax but would send for his
hrother-in-law and the money must be
paid to the Mr.. Hamilton. &c that this
kinsman might toll it to the tune Of TWEEN
ty per cent as it went into the treasury
| of the State.
| Hamilton was brought here by a tele-
| gram. He took the tax from the compa-
ny. got his twenty per cent. and went
| home, perhaps that afternoon with a
handsome for une in his packets for a
days work.
| In the examination of s. Brown Allen,
he was asked if other railroads were not
in default and when they paid? l. turned
out that the Alex. W. and q r. r didn' i
pay till IA h of June. WHY wasn't there a
81 ecial commissioner appointed for that
| line? All, sir. there was no brOther-in-
law to be appointed in that section. The
Charlottesville and Rapidan paid April
ID, bnt no levy-no brother-in-Iaw there
ahouts to get 20 per cent. The D. and
N R. R. didn't pay till April. E and N.
row Gauge, April 9. And numerous 9TH
er roads didn't pay till after the g. and
| O.; yet no levy-nO brother -in-laW.
| Now, sir, 1t is clear there was cOllusion
between these two officers to the detriment
| and defrauding of the State. 1t is preg-
I nant fact that Auditor Allen never placed
| these deferred railroad taxes in the bands
of any other collectors. He knew they
we're wrong assessments. And that only
p per cent. was all that should be paid a
| cole ctOr.
Mr.. s. Brown Allen pretended that the
reason be allowed the excessive 20 per
and suits against this collector to test the
Coupon Killer No 2. But when | asked
| him, Did y"u not name man collector
before the suits arose, he had to say yes.
In his sa orn answer in the Circuit Court
of the United States for the Western dis
trict the records show these Other rail-
roads were not in default. 1 will read;
When in fact the record in the Auditor 8
flee show none had paid, and especially
those above mentioned.
l desire to deal fairly with this man.
! Was this the act of collector or treas
urer ? call to the stand John E Hamil-
ton, who received the 20 per cent. l hold
in my hand the warrant upon which he
drew the money his commission on the
| Chesapeake and Ohio tax. And Hamilton
signs himself 'streasurer " hold another
warrant, on which was paid bis per cent.
| on the Shenandoah Valley railroad. and
that is signed John E Hamilton treas
urer,, and spt cal collector. lie was try
ing to get on b 18th sides. And thus 10y
nepotism and IN violation of law he put
his hand into the Golfers of the Common
wealth aud took away the hard earned
| money Of honest people. This s Brown
Allen paid this brother-in-law 81 500. to
which he had no title. And this man AL
len and his sureties must be made to re-
turn it. The "brother-in-law.' Hamilton.
must disgorge. This General Assembly.
standing for he people, will decree that
this money must be refunded. Is it I'M
reasonable that counsel should bP employ
ed and suits instituted to bring back this
large sum to the Treasury
The resolution directs additional coun-
sci to be associated with the Attorney
General. The Attorney General appeared
BE- lyT,
that in his daily intercourse with these
brothers-ln-law he knew what they were
doing. Whether there Was collision. or
whether it can be proven. | need not stop
| to inquire. The facts justified the Com
| mittee on Courts of Justice IN asking for
special counsel to prosecute this late Au-
dltor.
MIR. Mccormick: Did the Attorney
/ General appear before the committee In
obedience to any process or at the lnstlga-
tion of Allen
| Mr.. Atkinson. No process at all. He
was not invited. He came as defender
| from his statement the inference of collu-
sion is inevitable. He was not the man
under the circumstances to stand up in
the courts in The name of the people and
prosecute the men who had wrongfully
taken this money.
1t NAV BIZ Brown Allen did this in igno
rance, not meaning to defraud. Perhaps
he didn t know the law. If he had stayed
in this basement and studied the law, in
| 4tead of rampagIDg over the State; II ne
| had attended to his business here. be
might have found out that the law forbade
him to lay his hand upon the sacred fund
| of the g, mmOnWeaith.
Let the people know all the facts. Let
trem know this money has been misap-
piled and squaDdered, and by the men who
have crit i OCT for low taxes aud relief OF
the poor tax payer.
1t is our duty to denounce this wrong
outrage and fraud. And by curious co
incidence, perhaps at this very hour,
| when the Senate is endeaVOring to get
| back the peoples money from these plum
+, dele~s one of this mans securities is vii
| litying in Cong ress iheGe robbed citizens
of Virginia.
Let US so mete cut Justice to these Of
fepdels that succeeding generations may
honor the fidelity that allowed mo guilty
man to escape"
BAR. Wingfiold, of Albemarle, pronounc.
ed the act OF ailtn in this matter as onf
of the grossesl nepotisri AMI corruption
| He denounced the whole affair in severe
| language.
Mr.. Berry explained the report and
urged its adoption. holding that Allen
had violated a p.biic trust anu perprtrated
an unjust and unlawful act. That in APP
pnintii his brother-ln-law special com
mission er for work that could have beer
better done by the treasurers of the sew
eral conntie2 and cities where the proper
ty was, and allowing him 20 per cent
commissions instead of 2s as provided 81
law. he exceeded his authority. and mus
be held responsible for the loss to tht
State-about 81 500.
sENAToR BAILEY's REPLY.
Mr. Bailey pTaeented minority report