The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-26
MINISTER LOrBEOp's OPEN LETTER.

MINISTER LOrBEOP's OPEN LETTER.
The New Appointes to Russia Replies to
the Trfbune's scaDdalous Charges.
The Detroit Free Press publishes the fol-
lowing letter from Minister Lothrop.
81 am informed that the New York Tri-
bune has published the opinion of Judge
Potter in the case Of the State of Michigan
VS.. the Phoenix Bank, in the New York Court
OF Appeals, be an impeachment OF my per-
soDal character. Ia my present position my
character is the fair subject of public
scrutiny, bu; this opinion, perhaps un-
Intentionally, does me cruel wrong.
which / am cure the author, il he knew
me, would be the first 10 redress The wrong
consists in this-tbat by implication, Ct
least, am involved in certain concealments
made by the bank. of which | never had the
slightest knowledge. / will, as briefly as
possible, state the case as presented to me:
In 1888 the Pbmnix Bank advanced To John
Norton, Fiscal Agent of Michigan, for the
use OF the State about SIG 500. in two drafts
one on the Farmers and Mechanics Bank
OF Michigan and one on tue River Raisin
Bank. The State fell into great financial
embarrassment and the money was not re-
paid. The question was also raised
whether Norton had any author
iiy TO make the loan for the STATE,
end whether fhe etste had tie benefit
of ii. The Ph@nix Bank pat the claim into
the hands OF Mr. Charles II. Stewart. al a..
torney OF Detroit Tor collection, who seems
TO have had possession of it from about 1910
to 1S4S, when he Left the State, aud afterward
returned the papers TO the PDWnix Bank.
The actien OF Mr.. Stewart while he had
charge of the claim, bscsme. as &c will be
seen, OF the utmost Importance.
I'm 1855, Mr.. Tilesson, OF the then emf
nent firm Of Spoif)rd d Tileston and Presl-
dent OF the Phosnix Bank, came Co Detroit
and put the claim into the hands Of Loshrop
Duifeld, then comparatively Young law.
yers for collection against the safe. This
was the first that 4 had ever heard OF
the claim. lie told nae explicitly that not
one cent had ever been paid Among the
papers was deed of the state Bank to gtew.
srt. mnde III 1910, OF a quantity OF Wild laud
In Saginaw County. in trust for the Phoair
Bank of the city OF New York, or for the
Auditor Ger er ! OF the Stats of Michigan,
whichever shall assume the debt hereby set
tied by the party the party Of the frat part
AID subssqu deed by Stewart OF these
lands 10 the bank Mr.. Tieston toly me
that Mr.; Stewart tent the bank three deeds
Ia package with other papers In the case.
but he told me that his bank wholly refused
10 acc ept the deede and taat their claim was
againtt the State and not against any
bank. Under these instructions / pre-
pared the osss for pfesentstion
and In May, 1854. after notice 10 tha At.
torney General, | presented the case 10 the
full board IN public session, and argped it
earnestly, both orally and in writing /
argued AZ Ia tho utmost good faith, fully be.
lievlng IL TO be an equitable claim. | slated
iruihiully, 80 far ss ! then know, not only
the grounds on which reeted the claims,
but ato all the objections had ever heard
tgsinst the claim. With this argument my
agency IN the case wholly ceased. TIE
board had the care under ndvisement over
elk months, when they awarded the bank It's
entire claim, bsipg about $50 600, soon
aiterwafd IL appeared that thert we're facts
that had not been disclosed 10 the
board. Mr.. Stewart, IL Is taid, under
the authority Ct lettsr from the
fh"nfx Bank, had made fall settle
ment with the River Raisin Bank o. that
part OF the clam. | never heard lisp OF
THE until long after the award, and thoagh-
do not know, have always suppoHeH AR.
Tileston was equally ignorant, as he Was not
President CT the pank IA 1870 and arm not
aware that IL IL claimed Mr. Tileston bad
any knowledge OF Sic warts dealing VITA the
State Bank other than what have given
above. Upon The ground OF THE corceal-
mept by the bank OF the ssttlsment made by
Stewart with the Riv,r Raliin BsDk, OF
which, repeat. | never had the slightest
knowledge, the Court OF Appeals held that
the State could recover back 30 much OF the
esim IS had been settled with the Rlver
Raisin Bank, but could not recover back the
rssidue, the State having had the bEneft
OF IL.
I'm this conceslment had no part, nor
lot except that was the attorney o; the
bark and Did not disclose what ! Aever
knew or suspected. | should add that bad
no interest In this claim. | dealt with IL al
have always dealt with professional mat
ters, with zeal and fidelity. bat careful ae
far as | knew to be right. For the recovery
OF this large sum Lothorp & Oufield chc-ged
aud received only 81 600. When these facts
~ere first disclosed. this whole III after; Was
thoroughly discussed. examined aad se,tled
here IN Michigan. IL was then bafied! out
OF sight. It Ia now exhumed, nof at
home, hut ablo ID. who're | am not
we'll known. IL certainly wounds me- not
for myeelf, for that is settled hat IL Is de-
signed 10 mbarrats those who. In the srust
OF n high appointment. have repose1 conf
6ence In me. Would IL not have been more
lust bad the Tribune first ascertdined
whether there was re equitable msu In Mlchi
gan who would endorse this exploded scan
del. In q lopg and busy life am not s.ware
that any other slur was ever cast upof my
character speak OF this reluctantly aud
only in deferse. How am esteemed where
best known, is best shown by the multipli
public and unqualified concentrations
which, ifresgectiye OF party or class, from
sl over Michigan. greeted President Cleve-
lsrd's arpOintmentn