The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-08-28


The Courier and Emqvirv, In a specious article,
yesterday, makes an attempt to justify Prescott
Hall, the newly appointed District Attorney, and to
defend the practices of his Office in regard to en-
forcing an antiquated law, passed in 1892, concern
ing the manner in which the names of vessels are
to be painted ON their sterns-but, in our opinion
with but very little success. If this crusade against
the owners Of steamboats, class of vessels that
not in existence, or dreamt of, at the time when
that law was passed-did not receive the sanction of
the District Attorney or If he had sent circular to
the owners OF all steamboats, or other vessels, in
forming them that the old law of 1892 was ope-
rative still-that crusade was about to be COM
menced against all who had not complied with its
provlsions-so that the parties would be informed
of their unntentiOnal error assuming that the law
APPLIES to steamboats), then the Courier and En-
quirer might, with some show of reason, under
take to defend Mr. Hall, and to clear his office Of
the suspicious which are entertained concerning it,
But, when we see that one Of the nformers-if not
the only one-is United States officer, attached
to the United States Marshal's office, and another
an atache to his own office; and that, so far from
Mr.. Halls putting the owners and captains of YES
sells on their guard, and informing them of the ne
cessity of complying with the old law in question,
we see him helping the informers and his attachf
in their crusade against those persons, the conclu
sion to which we have already arrived in the mat
ter seems irresistible.
So far from this course being pursued, quite
different policy was adopted. The first step taken
was the sending Of letter from his Office, of which
the following is sampler
SOUTHERN DISTRICT New YORK.,
u. s. DIsrnIcr ATTORNEYS OFFICE, :
August IA, 1Sa9
To THE OWENS OF THE BARGE DUrcHrss CoUSrY:-
Information has been lodged In this onice against
YOU for violation of the 80 section of the act OF Con-
gress of Dec 3ls 1892 and in order that you may not
be put to the expense Of costs suit has yet been
con mepced and have to request that you WILL with
out delay call at this office and pay the amount OF Pc
Lalty prescribed by said act
Very respectfully, yours, &c.
J. PRESCOTT HALL, L. 8. Attorney.
In order, we suppose, to give variety to the pro-
ceedings, and to lull Suspicion, Mr.. IN. Van Ho-
venbergh, Attorney at Law" an atach( to Mr.
Halls office, would commence the black-mai
process by sending note, of one Of which the fol-
lowing NJ copy
LAW OFFICE, IA Chambers st.
SIN -
information has been given to me, that you have ne
elected to comply with an act Of Congress- which i'm.
name painted the stern with white letters and
black ground 1t will be to your advantage to call
~ H. VASS'HovENDERGH,
To Captain Wilcox, steamboat r. L. Stevens
The course pursued by the parties thus notified,
is seen by the following affidavit -
City and County of Nc,o York, ss
hiram Williamson, Of said city and county, being
duly sworn doth depofe and say that ON Wednesday,
the 10Th day Of August instant at the request Of L.
Tyler master Of the barge Dutchess County called at
the ofce of the United States District Attorney
no. tk. t..t.
how the said vessel had violated the laws and the
ture Of the information lodged against said vessel
informed that said vessel had incurred penalty OF
$50 by not having her name painted on her stern In
white letters On a black ground was also informed
that a settlement Of the demand with the informer
would be legal and hnal and requested the iuformer
MIR. CEss A Rnkelewtz to call the master Of said
vessel at my Office. The inforlner called at my Office
the afternoon and state to the master Of said barge
Dutchess County, that unless the aforesaid fine Of fifty
dollars paid settled that day that he would
in medateiy make his affidavit, together with four
bill Of costs Of So and that tie said barge should be
seized upon her arrival In port and officers placed on
b. ard which would prohibit the landing of any goods
however trifing until the suit should be decided And
the said 7. l.: Tyler master of the barge Dutchess
Rsssiswits United States oleef attached to the Uni
ted States karshals Once the Of twenty dollars,
as Communication Of the hne Of $50, incurred as
said bal Re Dutchess County.
The sum of twenty dollars, as q Communication Of
the fine, having been paid-this piece of back-mail
having been secured through the ustrmentality Of
the District Attorney, the next step was to with
draw the suit This was done by the informer,
Chas. A. Rakielewtz, United States officer in the
office of the United States Marshal, by his writing
the following brief document, which we publish
rrJdtini ct ht0atiBu, as one Of the curiosiics of
modern literature =
The Suite CT Barge Dutchess County is Withdrawn
by my. CHS A. RARIELEWIrZ.
The additional sum oftwen,y dollars IN black mail
having been levied and pocketed, the parties cast
their eyes around for another victim, and the
steamboat Manhattan, not having the name paint
cd on the stern, is pounced upon, and twenty dol
lars more are pockcted from that quarter. The
operation was performed in this way. The Dis
trct Attorney sent letter TO the owner or captain,
similar to the one sent to the barge Duchess Coun-
ty. The following affidavit tells the remainder of
the story
City aud County Of Eeir York, IS.
!, William d Nelson, master Of the steamboat Man
haitian being duly sworn. doth depose and say That
wtdne day, the 18th day Of August inst receiv-
ed notice from j. Prescott Hall, Esq United States
District Attorney, stating that Information had been
lodged In said Office against fad boat and owners, for
violation Of the Sd section Of the act of Congress Of
December 81 lIt2 Immediately called at the Office
Of the said United States District Attorney, TO
tain the nature Of said violation and informed that
IL was in consequence Ct not having the name Of said
ground; and that taid had incurred penalty
Of nfty dollars. by violating said act inquired II
there could not be commuaton and Informed that
nothing less than ffty dollars would be taken and
paid 10 the said Office nifty dollars for which have the
receipt
Two dsys after, received a request to call at the
said Office and upon doing, paid thirty dollars
charge having asccrtained that the fnc
twenty instead OF nifty dollars which twenty dollars IL
sill retained by the said United States District Atto-
Ley's Office.
Another vessel is levied upon, and another, and
another, while all thus time, when such levyIng Of
black mail was being PerPetrated, the United States
District Attorney could, at any moment, have stop
ped the ullsnous business; but instead OF doing
so, he lent his office ard his position to the in
formers, TO the detriment and annoyance Of our
steamboat and shipping interest Notwithstanding
all this the Courier and Enquirer attempts to JUS
tify the District Attorney in the course which he
pursued. We hore that the whole subject will be