The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-01-29
am WAN Sicht ic~peS',
Your obedent servant,
JAMES PARKER.
f." The Hon. LEVI WOODBURY.,

Treasury DEPARTMENT May 80 1885.
Sir: herewith return to you the evidence for
rded by you 10 The Departmen in relation 10 the
complaints made against you. II appears that this
evidence taken without having given (as
required) notice othe complainant il therefore can.
not be received. ! request that you give notice Of
the time and place Of taking any testimony intended
rebu the charges against you, 10 the complainant,
allowing sufficient time 10 attend. ,..
!" As you have referred TO the New York custom
house as precedent for your justification for part
of your conduct it is proper that the evidence OF the
Collector Al New York, and some of the other Off
GERS of the customs should be taken on that point,
after due notice TO the complainans.
1t is very desirable that you should very promptly
taken By you the Department after it as
possibe the case having been pending 50 long, and
the compliments being impatient for decision.
am very respectfully,
LEVI WOODBURY.,
" Secretary of the Treasury.
ITO J. w. RECKLESS Esq.
Collector Perth An boy, n j."
July the 10Th, 1885, G. Wood, Reckless counsel,
sent i, Woodbury. long deposition Of J. w. Reck-
less Jr. the OF the accused Of DHvid S. Lyon,
first deputy collector of New York, and sundry pa
pers explaining the defence ni Reckless &c.
July Dc, 1888, MIR. Parker again addressed the
Secretary the following letter:
PERTH AMBoY, July %, 1885
SR After a lapse of nearly four months since tes-
tmony taken here in support of The charges made
against Joseph W. Reckless the collector OF the Gus
toms at this port, he has attempted to furnish es
m1ny TO exculpate himself, which is now in your
hands.
+" II seems 10 be almost unnecessary for me to make
any observations upon The nature of this defence (f
such it may be calied) which goes, BY the testimony
| OF The witness adduced by Reckless ii he proves any
thing, 10 establish the guilt Of the collector, and
corroborae every part OF the testimony produced in
support Of the charges.
AS to the first charge, viz the wilful suppression
j no cd Statpc # cd
for tonnage OF the schooner Pacific, nothing has
been shown or attempted to be proved TO contradict
the direc' testimony of Mr.. Brinley and others, and
the written evidence, under Reckless's own hand
proving the facts charged, and DESTROYING all pre-
fence Of apology on his part. You will observe as
regards the testimony in this charge, that although
the district attorney attended as counsel for the ac-
cuSed, he did not think it expedenl TO crosse xamne
any one Of the witnesses BY whom the charge 50
fully proved, and the excuse of Reckless SO fully
shown to be false and nniounded in fact.
:" The first charge then that the collector in July
1888 received the sum of l41 dolls. for tonnage mo-
ney of the schooner Pacific, and wilfully refused 10
credit the amount 10 the United States, is proved be-
yond Il question.
As to the second charge, the collector admits,
and the fact is unqueStionably proved that raudu-
lent receipts signed by the revenue boamen for an
amount OF money far exceeding the sums actually
paid them Tor that service, for four successive QUAR-.
tiers, have been exhibited evidence of uisburSe-
mens chargeable 10 the revenue and charged in his
general acc INT with the United States. The testi-
mony OF The son OF the collector, YOU will observe
corroborateS precisely the testimony of Mr. Brinley
as to the sums actually paid these men, which as l
have before stated exceeds the amount of their wa
geS 332 dolls. the sum charged being l41 dolls and
the amount aid only lis dolls. The witnesses on
both sides established tins fact
stated in my former communication TO you Of
the 9th Of April last that the difference 1872 dollars
thus fraudulently obtained from the Government if
expended, for the private use of the collec-
tor. ! ask your attention to the affidavit of Young
Reckless and the accounts accompanying it, and re.
terred 10 therein To prove this fact
The collector Is required to render quarterly an
account of the fees and emolumentS OF his office and
10 stale, in the same account his expenses for fuel
stationery, oiicc-rent, and other incidental expenses
These expenses you we'll know are charge uron
the collectors official emoumentS; they are stated
as such. The collector there was arpfized of The
law, and rendered his account accordingly
BY an examination oil his account of salary fees
YOU will find charged tor expenses, in the quarter
ending The 30 OF June, 1882, Si3 o; and ior the
quarter ending 30h September 1893, $50 20 of
which last SIS was for office rent, and IS cents for
quilts
By looking at his general acc unit for the quarter
sums also charged 10 the United States in that ac-
count.
" In letter from the Comptroller Of the Treasury
Ia the collector dated 18th December 1888, stating
the settlement OF his account for the quarter ending
| 3Oh September 1888, he adds TO the balance stated
BY The collector
Amount improperly charged for Office rent
! the same being charseable in your account
| Of official mulumenls Is 10
Amount charged in contingent account 2d
quarter, suspended for want Of vouchers
and receipts 10 95
a part Of the sum OF s35 70 charged, beirg for