The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-01
MAHONE'S DUPllCiTY.
His "Di~intere-ted f2l tn-eifshheSa III
Behalf of His Railroad Employees Again
Exposed.
For the Tines !

I'm regard 10 General Mahone's connection
with the \. VI. and -. Railroad Affairs,
there are one or two material facts 10 Which
attention has not yet been called.
IL is well known 10 every one familiar
with the affairs of the railroad under his
management;
l,t. That General Mahone demanded pay
on account Of salary while the road was III
n hands Of the receiver.
2l. That the purchasers agreed 10 pay the
labor and supply claims at % cents on the
dollar and - cents in stock; and that ten
eral Malone claimed this as great favor
obtained by him. and that he urged the
claimant, 10 accept this offer ia lS-j 1881.
ID. That the purchasers had arranged
that a certain sum should be- used IN salts
f,ing all OF the claimants, labor ana sup
ply; and General Malone, who received
himself afterwards enormous sums on ac-
count of his bogus claim for salary and
stock. for which he paid nothing.
But no one ~ Vet has called any atten-
tion To the fact that thi. kind consideration
for the poor labor and supply men was not
accompanied by any suggestion mat tbe
supreme Court Of the United states had d''-
cided at the October term. 1875, the very
question IN two different cases.
The first case was FOsdick against -chall,
% L. :. page -, in which Chief Justice
Waite delivered the opinion OF the court.
from which there was no dissent by any
member of the court. He announced the
doctrine. never questioned since in state on
! Federal courts. that the claims for labor
and supplies. current expenses, Ac., fur-
ni.hed and employed for transportation eN'
penses. should be paid by the courts before
| and ahead Of the debt secured by the mort
cages on the railroad. 80
| I'm Hale against Frost, ~ |. =. page -
the learned Chief Justice again delivered
the unanimous decision Of the court approx
ing the principles a. laid down III fosdics
against >chall.
In the face Of these decisions. no one cOulo
entertain any doubt about The decision o.
the same question in the United states CIR
cuit Court. bound ~ il was by the decisions
Of the supreme Court, and being IN justice
Waite's circuit.
Were these decisions unknown 10 Genera
Malone and his astute counsel: lney wer
duly published in the various laws journal
and reporfei-s shortly after they. were rem
dered. and the volume quoted was publishe'
i'm 1879.
General MahOne as Il friend Of the labo
man. so kfadiy secured an arrangement
which he urged the labor men 10 accept. IL
cause thereby they would gel % cents o
the dollar on claims which he Insisted wef
worthless and would never be paid; had
legal standing in court.
Did General Malone give the poor labt
men such advice because he did not kno'
any better. No one has ever charged
proyed that he or Ben. Butler were fools.
, At any rates the purchase oi the railroa
, strongly and municifently rewarded h
ldisipterested Kindness in trying 10 persuat
tho claimants. whose debts were as good
gold. 10 accept fifty cents on the dollar.
History has shown why his devotion
Hancock was rewarded by the Cartel
; Arthur administration. Was not this ra
i road arrangement another instance
(. which he tried 10 deceive his Virgin
2 {, lends for consideration to be pail
o Northern allies.
: Very respectfully,
WILLIS b. SMITH.