Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-03-14
AREN'T s. DIX PrYsrrh swoxsA. WITNESS.
Examined BY Mr.. Wise.

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AREN'T 5. DIX PEYsrrs SWORN As A WITNESS.
Examined BY Mr.. WISE.
Ques,oh' Whilst YOU were connected with the
custom house, do You know whether or moi tho Off
ce', OF the customs were called upon TO pay any art
oil their salaries. or any assessment or tax thereon
ior party or political purposes7 IL yea state whether
you have ever, and when you have made any such
payment, and state the motrc upon hich such pay
nents were made.
Mr.. Wagner objected to the propounding OF
this interrogatory, and called for the yeas and
nays.
The committee decided that the in,errogs,ory
should be propounded, Yeds-Messs. Curtis.
Dawson. Harlan Smith, Wise-5. Nay-Mr. Wa
eener
The ntenoeatory was then propounded aud the
witness gave the following.
Answer. The Wcighers were called on TO pay
Sl5 each FOR the support of the election, aud when
declined, Mr.. Vandeipoel, tho Deputy Surveyor,
observed that ought TO consider whether my ~,
500 per annnm were not worth paying SIS for. I'm
der The impression that IL was the price FOR my sit
uatIon, paldt The above occurred during the
last spring election for charter officers. During my
holding office for about five years was occasionally
called on, but always declined until within the
last two years.
Question. Is the Office Of Weigher. which you
held, regarded rs one under the United States. and
the salary of which was paid out OF the Treasury OF
the United States
Answer. Laterly paid out of the Treasury; for
merry commission was allowed on the amount Of
goods weighed. The Office is one held from the
United States.
QUESTION. Do you know whether other snbord-
nate officers besides yourself IN tho custom. house
were called ON aud required to pay such tax
scssment upon their salaries for the use OF party
and political purposes
Answer. Only by hear-say. ss it regards The o.
ther officers, but many OF the weighers pay the
tax Of Sl5
Question. Was the money thus collected from
you and others TO be used for political purposes II
yea. for which ofthe then aud present political par
ties
Answer. II was intended to be used to support
the election Of persons attached to the present Ad-
min istraiion.
Question. Who collected the tax from the
Weighersl
Answer. Mr.. Vanderpoel.
Question. What Office does Mr. Vandcrpoc
hold in the custom house, and what his salary
Answer. At that time he held Office of the the De-
putty Surveyor. | do not recollect the amount Of
his salary. ! believe he now holds the Office Of
Appraiser.
Question. Had he book of the names Of the
officers from whom he coll ected or had he isl Of
them!
Answer. A list.
Examined by Mr. Harlan.
Question. Arc You acqu,aned with William NJ.
Pnce, late District Attorney Oh the United states
II yea please to state whether he regarded, be-
fore and after his appointment, asa man worthy to
be entrusted with The collection of large sums OF
money.
Answer. am acquainted with William NJ. Price,
late District Attorney, and answer the question in
the negative.
Qucsuon. Was The last payment Of sl5. refer
red TO by you in your to the third question,
paid before since the present Collector Mr. Hoy)
came into office
Answer. Since the last Collector came into Of.
fee.
QUESTION. Were you removed from Office by the
present Collectorl yea, state when. and whether
any reasons were assigned therefor, and what they
were.
Answer. | was removed by Mr. Hoyt, Uhe pre-
sent coecior,) but have never condesceDded 10 ask
the reasons, and must, therefore be under The ne
cessiy OF referring TO the Collector, who is now pre-
sent.
The examination Of Mr.. Lyon, continued by Mr..
Wise.
Question. Whilst you were Deputy Collector at
the port of New York, were you ever called on as an
officer Of tho custom house TO contribute any sum
suns OF money party political Objects il so, what
amount was such amount, from you, called for in
onsderation Of your salary from Government what
did bear TO your salary did you pay II
If not, why not who called for such contributions
were other bordinAtes the cnslom-house to your
knowledge called on To contribute IN like manner
for The support of what party were these conrlbu-
tons called lorl was any menace, directly or ind-
reclly for removal held over these officers or your
self for failures to grant such contributions
Mr.. Owens objected to the interrogatory.
The question, shall the interrogatory be PROFOUND
ed 7 was put. and decided in the affirmative. the
yeas and nays having been called by Mr. Ow-
ems. Yeas--Messrs. Curtis. Dawson, Harlan,
Smith, Wse-5. Ndys-Messrs. Owens, Wagon
er-2.
Answer. / have frequently been called on to cor
tribute to political objects while was deputy Col
Iector rs an officer OF the custoin-house. The a
mount was from twenty dollars to one hundred dol
lars The tax was pro rata according to salary. IL
bore proportion OF from one to SIX per cent.
frequently paid part Of the amount when It was
TOO high, and more than | could afford, l urged
them to reduce it, in one instance, where was as
sessed for twenty dollars. Mr.. Swarwout told the
collector Of the tax that ten dollars enough for
me TO pay. For a few years back have not paid
an, thing 10 the General Commiltce, because cond
not conscentiously longer sustain the party. The
collectors The Tamnany Hall General Commit
tee, one of whom was Johu Becker, called on me
several times. William Tyack once or twice called
on me to collect the amount with winch was as
sessed he was not the regular collector but was one
of the General Committee. believe that neatly all
the officers of the custom house, in doors and out
and the clerks, similarly taxed, and generally
paid what they were assessed. 1t WAS assessed ny
the General Committee Of Tammay Hall. and for
The support of the parry denomInated the TammaDy
Hall party. II the individual did not pay the IL
mount he was taxed with, the Collector would re-
mark, you will be reported to the General Com
mite; and every body understood that prescription
would follow. The Collector OF the General Com
mltee has an alphabetical book, which contains the
names Of persons taxed and the amount each indi-
vdual is required 10 pay.