The Cortland Democrat, Friday, October
30, 1891.
ISN'T THIS A SHAME?
Mr. Peck is a Rich Man, but His Taxes are
Low.
(From the
Syracuse Herald, October 28.)
A good
deal has been said about Rufus T. Peck in this campaign as a taxpayer, and
there is more to be said that if he had his way about it, would never see the
light of day in print. The affidavit printed below explains itself. In the face
of it what becomes of the claim made by Mr. Peck that he is "a
large taxpayer"' in both the counties composing this Senatorial district?
What will such a claim be worth to the thousands of voters here and in Cortland
who believe honestly in a personal tax and who are demanding a reform in the
present methods of taxation? Mr. Peck is reputed to be worth $300,000. That is
the figure at which his wealth has been placed all through this campaign, and
neither he nor any of his friends has ever disputed its substantial accuracy.
And yet
Mr. Peck pays taxes in Cortland county on just $2,625 worth of property, his
tax being the paltry sum of $40.52. He owns a farm of 180 acres in the town of
Solon, and is assessed at $2,300, but the tax on it, amounting to $26.47, is
paid by the tenant, Patrick Caffrey.
In the
National bank of Cortland Mr. Peck holds forty six $100 shares. The assessment put
on his stock is $3,265, but he has sworn it all away. The rest of his property,
that goes to make his estimated wealth of $300,000, does not appear upon the
tax books at all.
Mr. Peck
is the duly appointed committee of the person and estate of a Cortland lunatic
named Chester Davis. The lunatic is assessed on personal property for $2,000.
Poor, unfortunate that he is, he could not swear the tax off himself, and Mr.
Peck has never done it for him. The lunatic is confined in a cage in Solon, Mr.
Peck's native town, but the assessment on his personal property is annually
paid into the treasury of Cortland county. Facts are stubborn things.
The
affidavit referred to follows:
STATE OF
NEW YORK,
CORTLAND
COUNTY. ss.
R. T.
Peck, being duly sworn, deposes and says: That the just debts, due and owing by
deponent, amount to the sum of $3,500. That he is a stockholder in the National
bank of Cortland, N. Y.
That he
has not claimed the benefit of said indebtedness in any other town or village for
the purpose of reducing his assessment therein.
That he
claims the benefit of said indebtedness to reduce his personal assessment in
the village of Cortland. R. T. PECK.
Subscribed
and sworn before me this 18th day of June, 1891.
F. J. PECK,
Notary Public.
I hereby
certify that the foregoing is a true copy of an affidavit filed in the office the
Clerk of the village of Cortland on the 1st day of July, 1891.
FRED
HATCH, Clerk.
PECK'S WAR RECORD.
Says He was too Young to Make One—But He
was Twenty-four Years old, and All Able-bodied Men Between Eighteen and
Forty-Five Years Except Idiots and Lunatics Could Go.
(From the
Syracuse Herald.)
CORTLAND,
Oct. 22.—So much has been said during the last week concerning Rufus T. Peck's
war record, or, rather, his failure to make a war record, that the Herald correspondent has taken the pains to
ascertain a few facts concerning Mr. Peck's actions during the time that all able-bodied
and patriotic citizens were called upon to take up arms for the defense of the
country. It is a fact well known to every veteran of Cortland county that Mr.
Peck in an address to the old soldiers which was delivered at a camp fire held
in December, 1889, said in substance that his heart was with them and that the only
reason that he was not one of them was because he was not old enough.
The question
of age can be easily settled. In the sketch of his life given to a Herald reporter
on the day of the convention which nominated him, Mr. Peck said that he was born
in the town of Solon, Cortland county, December 24th, 1836. Taking Mr. Peck's
word for his age, he would have been twenty-four years and four months old at
the beginning of the war, and as the regulations prescribed for the drafting of
men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years, it can readily be seen
that Young Rufus would not have been refused admission to the army on account of
his tender years. But he did not enlist; neither did he enter the country's service
two years later when the first draft was made although his name was on the enrolment
[sic] book.
Mr. Peck
says that he went to Canada in 1855, six years before the opening of the war.
He further claims that he took no oath which would prevent him from returning
to full American citizenship, but the poll books for the town of Solon show that
he did not exercise his right of franchise at any of the elections during the war.
When the memorable Presidential election occurred in 1864, many a citizen of
the United States came from foreign countries across the ocean to cast his
vote, but the records show that Mr. Peck did not cross the Canadian line for
that purpose. In 1860, before the war trumpet had sounded, Mr. Peck was at his
home in Solon electioneering in the interests of Mr. Pierce of Truxton, who was
a candidate for School Commissioner.
But to
return to the records. Copies of old enrolment books of 1862 and 1864 are still
on file with the Town Clerk of Solon. They are simple affairs. Each page is
divided into four columns, headed "Name," "Age,"
"Occupation" and "Remarks." The following instructions are
printed on the first page of the book: "Three copies of this enrolment are
to be made; one for the use of the persons making the enrolment and to be filed
in the Town Clerk's office after the draft has been made; one copy to be
delivered to and tiled, with the Sheriff of the county and the other to be filed
in the office of the Adjutant General of the State.
"The
enrolment is to be made out alphabetically and the name of each person must be
plainly written out in full. All persons residing in the county, who appear to
be able-bodied, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years, except idiots
and lunatics are to be enrolled by the persons appointed to make this
enrolment. Under the head of 'remarks' shall be stated whether such person is
in the employ of the United States and in what capacity; or is he exempt for
some other reason, stating the cause thereof, as 'Justice of the Peace,'
'Sheriff,' 'teacher in common schools,' etc. These remarks will be for the
information of the Commissioner of the county. Every person claiming the benefit
of exemption must apply to such Commissioner, as provided in general orders No.
67."
These
instructions were specific enough, and naturally if Mr. Peck claimed non-citizenship
or any other excuse which would entitle him to exemption from military duty it
would appear under the head of "Remarks" on the enrolment book; but
when the Herald correspondent examined the first enrolment book he found
that one page had been torn out, and this page contained the names beginning
with the letter "P." In the second enrolment book, which contained
the names of persons liable to military duty in Company I, Seventy-sixth
Regiment, the pages from "M" to "Q" are missing. For
several years after the war these books were kept in the store of Rufus T.
Peck, who was Town Clerk, and this may have some significance. Uri Pritchard,
the present Town Clerk of Solon, says that the leaves have not been removed
from the books since they came into his possession and he has no idea who
tampered with the records.
All the
members of the enrolment board of 1862 are now dead and it is impossible to
ascertain just what did appear under the head of "Remarks" in the
enrolment book. Earl Palmer, who was Town Clerk of Solon at the time the enrolment
was made now lives at Moravia. He remembers most of the circumstances connected
with the enrolment and his impression is that non-citizenship was alleged by
Mr. Peck's father to secure exemption for his son.
Rufus T. Peck, find a grave:
Items.
James H.
Tripp is president of the Marathon National Bank and a director of the Homer
National Bank. He lets his money at 6 per cent interest and as much more as he
can obtain. Peter D. Muller is a farmer and like some other farmers owns a
little stock in the National Bank of Cortland. He has some means to spare and
this he loans on bond and mortgage to the farmers at 5 per cent interest.
Farmers can take their choice.
Tammany
Hall is a large political club similar to the Silk Stocking club of this place, with this difference: Its principals
are broader and better, its membership is larger and as an organization it is not
quite so wicked. It does not debauch the poor people by purchasing their votes at
caucuses as the Silk Stocking club did when it elected Peck delegates to the
Senatorial Convention and instead of being organized for the purpose of
gobbling the spoils it is engaged in the laudable work of reducing taxation in
that city.
 |
| St. Mary's Cemetery. |
Impressive Ceremonies at St. Mary's Church.
Rt. Rev.
Bishop Ludden visited St. Mary's on Sunday and consecrated the cemetery lately
purchased by the congregation. At 8:30 A. M., the Bishop said Mass, at which a
large number of people received Holy Communion.
At 10:30
A. M., Solemn Mass Coram Episcopo was celebrated by very Rev. Vicar
General Kennedy of St. Lucy's church Syracuse. Long before the hour appointed
the church was crowded to the doors. Rev. P. F. McEvoy, Chancellor of
the Diocese, preached a powerful and instructive sermon on the gospel of
the day.
After
Mass the large congregation went in procession to the cemetery to witness a very
solemn ceremony. The Bishop in Pontifical robes blessed the clay in which will
rest the bodies of those who in future pass away in death from among St. Mary's
people. Very Rev. J. J. Kennedy and Rev. Fathers McLoghlin, McEvoy, Herrick and
Joyce, assisted the Bishop. More than a thousand people were present and seemed
to be deeply affected as they gazed upon their last earthly home. The C. M. B.
A. over one hundred strong marched in a body and kept watch and ward around the
cross planted on the side hill for that solemn and happy occasion. The sun's rays
falling upon the Golden Mitre, Jeweled Crozier, lace clad priests and altar
boys, presented a gorgeous and never to be for gotten spectacle, and added
greatly to the impressiveness and solemnity of the ceremony.
Much
credit is due to the zealous pastor Father McLoghlin, or as he is familiarly called,
Father John, for the excellent preparations which were made for the occasion,
and for the very satisfactory manner in which the services were conducted.
Solemn
Vespers were sung by the Vicar General at 7:30 P. M. The choir were assisted in
both \morning and evening services by Mrs. Marie Sullivan Barry, of
Syracuse, and accompanied by a full orchestra under the leadership of Mr. J. H.
Fischer of Auburn, formerly of Cortland.
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