The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-08-12

dell, and Howard
Alexander s. Taylor esq, has been appointed BY the
Hon Ogden Hoffman, jr.. judge OF the southern district
Of Caiiomia clerk OF the United States district court for
the southern district of California, and United States
commissioner TO take testimony &c.
The Custom house Frauds at San Francisco.
Amongs, the documents ordered TO be printed by the
Senate at IFS special session was the report Of Gilbert
Rodman, esq, who was sent to San Francisco by Mr.
Meredith as special agent 10 investigate the frauds
alleged TO have been committed by The late collector,
James Collier esq This report dlscoses series of The
most astounding violations OF law in the fraudulent
appropriations of the public money by the collector at
San Francisco that have ever been brought TO light.
From Mr.. Rodmans frs, letter, dated August 18th.
1885, we are enabled to make the following statements:
In most Of the OF seizures of French vessels and
their cargoes for alleged violations of the navigation act
OF 1877 the vessels had been restored in obedience TO
instructions from the department; but the cagoes had
been sold, mostly private sale, by Mr. Collier prior 10
the reception OF instructions for the restoration OF the
cargoes. The books OF MIR. Collier showed no account
of these sales and he failed to furnish any Mr. Rod
man. although urged TO do Mr.. Rodman attaches to
his report a sworn statement by J. S. Rucke. from
which il appears that he purchased from Herman H.
Green, the known agent in that behalf OF the col
ieclor, all the seized and unclaimed goods and mer-
chandse in the custody OF the said collector afore
said. and that he afterwards joined with him in
the purchase one Edward Byrne; they were TO
get the goods at the lowest market price, and the
said Herman H. Gyeen 10 receius oneira of the prof
its male sail goods that the said Byrne afterwards
boxgh the interest of said Green al eight thousand
dollars in cash that the amount paid by Ruckel and
Byrnc for the goods sal 900, and that upon The sale
of them they realized profit of about S2O, 0oO From
all which appears that the collector through his agent.
Mr. Green, pocketed eight thousand dollars his share
of the speculation addition the 81 900 paid for the
goods by Messrs. Ruckel and Byrne These facts are
also verified by the statement OF Mr. Byrne which is
also attached Mr. Rodman's report MIR. Byrne says
that he knows that the proceeds Of said goods
ing TO S2l 900, "went into the use and possession OF
James Collier"
Mr. Rodman further states tina, the collector had leased
and rented out certain lots reserved for the government,
and had regularly collected the rents but showed
Of them his books; that the collector con,id-
cred himself entitled TO all fees that accrued irrespective
Of the maximum allowance prescribed by law for his an
sual compensation that the received for fees and
blanks averaged IS 900 per month, of which the coec-
tor had made return, the law required that the
collectors books showed credit for the OF the old
adobe custom house. which he had rented al ~ 900
year.
In Mr.. RodmaGs second letter, dated May 81, 1850,
be says that after notifying the collector of the object Of
his visit he concluded to postpone his examination and
count OF the moneys in the custom house until about the
time of the departure OF the steamer that. the
25th instant he accepted invitation TO 90 on an excur
sion up the bay about 80 miles, the collector being one Of
the party tina, during his absence he learned that
large amount OF money carried from OF the bank
ing houses to the cus,om-house. When he examined the
money, upon his return, he evidences that large
amounl OF money had been thus brought in but after
counting il all he found his account short 900 Mr.
Byne states, that, whilst Mr.. Rodman absent on the
pleasure excursion, hundred thousand dollars was
sent from banking house TO the custom house 10 enable
the collector to make good his accounts He says also,
that il " the town talk" that The pleasure excursion
gotten up enable the collector repenish the sub
treasury by caring over 800, 600 from the bank
In bis next letter, dated June II, 1850, Mr. Rodman
says tina, upwards of $4,000 have been loaned by
the collector to the banking house OF Wells Co, for
which n,eres, to-the amount OF $40 hiss been paid
On this subject Mr. Byrne, who cashier in the
tom-house under Mr. Collier, says that in the latter part
OF the month OF November. by the request and al the
stance OF the said James Collier he wen, into the bank
ing. house OF Wells Co TO look alter, oversee, and
pro,ec, the interests OF the said James Collier under
certain arrangement between the said James Collier and
Thomas G. Wells. the managing partner OF said banking
house. for the loan OF money to be furnished by the said
James Collier that the first depos,e OF the said James
Collier with ,ad banking house ION all OF which he
TO receive, and there passed TO bis credit nteres at
the rate Of FIVE per cent per month from Wells Co
aforesaid) fifteen thousand dollars. which made
towards the close OF the month OF November the year
last Aforesaid that when he left the employment OF said
Wells Co.. to engage the purchase and resale OF the
seized merchandise, as Aforesaid, about the third
day Of April in the year eighteen hundred and fifty there
and compound interest, the SUN OF one hundred and
thirty thousand dollars, Of which at least one hundred
thousand dollars was money belonging TO and brought
from the custom house that all OF said deposies of
money, by The said James Collier with Wells & Co,
were from the money of the United States received for
customs by the sad James Collier who delivered 10 him,
the said Edward Byrne from time 10 time the deYoshca
were made from the moneys in and al the custom house
Aforesaid the said sum Of money last aforesaid, TO be
placed 10 his credit n the banking house OF Wels Co.
an allowance Of FIVE per cent per month Aforesaid be
ing made the said James Collier therefor and The
money so deposited with them loaned out by Wells Il