Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-02-21
LATEST NEWS.
BY TELEta IsAPTG
TO THE WORCESTER DAILY SPY.
THIRrY-sEvENTm CONGRESS-.
WAsHINGToN, Feb. 20.

was received from the secretary of the treasu-
ny, in answer to the inquiry as to the steps ia
ken in regard to frauds in the New York Gus
tom house.
Mr.. WADE, from the committee on terrific
res, reported back bill to allow the people of
Nevada to take steps toward being admitted
into the Union, and asked to be discharged
from further consideration Of the resolution
inquiring into the expediency of admitting
New Mexico as a state.
Mr.. WILSON of Mass, from the military
committee, reported back a joint resolution
to facilitate the payment of sick and wound
ed soldiers, directing them to be paid in sixty
days; twas passed.
Mr.. WILKINSON from the committee on ter
rtories reported blllto enable the people of
Nebraska to take preparatory steps to be re-
admitted into the Union as a state. MT. LANE
OF Kansas reported a similar bill in relation to
Colorado.
Mr.. TRuMBULL from the committee of the
Judiciary, reported adversely on the bill to
amend the act of admitting the state of West
Virginia:
Mr.. CoLLAMER from the post office com.
mittee, reported the bill providing for bridge
across the Ohio. The annual post route bill
was taken up, amended and passed.
The bill to appoint an assistant treasurer at
a salary OF $4,000, and additional clerks, and
| increasing the compensation of the treasurer
to $4,000, was considered
The bill was amended so as to make the sal
airy of the treasurer $4,000 instead OF $4,000,
and the salary of the assistant treasurer S2500
instead of $3000 and passed.
The bill recognizing the courts in the dis
trict of Columbia was taken up.
An amendment was adopted restricting the
use of the ranking privilege by departments
and by postmasters to official business. An
amendment was adopted establishinga money
order system; for one and not exceeding ten
dollars, five cents; over ten and not exceed
ing twenty dollars, ten cents; every addition
al sum of ten dollars or less, five cents.
Mr.. DAVIS moved to strike out the first sec
ton providing for the removal of judges.
Mr.. WILSON moved an amendment So as to
add two judges; accepted.
HOUSE.
On motion of Mr.. SHELLABARGER, the mill
tary committee were instructed to inquire
whether additional legislation is necessary for
an explanatory act to secure payment Tor the
soldiers from the time their companies were
mustered.
The national currency bill was taken up.
Mr.. FENToN concluded Ills remarks in its IA
vor. Mr.. BAKER opposed the bill Mr..
NOEL asked its reference to the judiciary
committee, to inquire how far it deprives the
states of the right to regulate their own fiuan-
cial concerns under valid laws.
Mr. HOOPER moved the previous question,
and the house, IS against 10, ordered the
main question to be put. The house refused
to table the bill, 81 against SO. The bill was
then put on its third reading, So to 81.
Roscoe CoNKLING called for its entire
reading. Mr.. WAsHBURNE raised the point,
that the bill had been entirely read once, and
the house could dispense with second read
ing. The speaker overruled the point, decid-
ing that any member had right to call for
the reading Of a bill at any stage of its pas
| sage. The bill finally passed, IS to 81.
---zE--
| New York Customs Frauds.
communicates to the senate, in answer to Il
resolution, statement of the solicitor of the
treasury relative to the frauds in the New
Y ork custom house, showing that frauds upon
the revenue had been committed for at least
six years past. They have been effected by
making out false invoices representing different
descriptions and lower prices Of goods than
were actually imported, and then securing the
| passage OF such invoices, by various devices,
| through the custom house. In some cases Il
| portion OF the goods were correctly invoiced,
| and these particular packages examined. In
voices were sometimes made in fictitious
names, and sometimes the goods of one per.
son were entered in the name of another. In
some instances the importer was cognizant of
the fraud. In others his broker was response
bic alone. Entrees and invoices when COM
pleted were sometimes destroyed and oblit-
Grated.
About $4,000 have been recovered by
seizures of goods belonging to parties impli-
| f,atp6 A hnut ono hundred traud,,Iont ontr,oo
| by Junius r. Van Vechten, Marcellus BELLS,
and b. Griggs, have been discovered. The
| first has been dismissed and placed under
| bonds. The others are all suspended, and
the district attorney has been requested to in
| dict them. Henry Calhoun, the deputy, is
censured for want of vigilance. VIM. A. Let
| tingwel and the clerks i'll the record bureau
are dee ned culpable and careless.
| He is confident that frauds in importation
were constantly and Systematically practiced
in jewelry, faces, and silks and other costly
goods, by false invoices. Facts show that
money in large sums has been received by
officials Tor fraudulent acts or connivance, and
belief is stated, that nearly all the officers
are i'll the habitual receipt Of emoluments
from importers and their agents. One law
yer says he has in fifteen months paid SIS, 800
TO one record clerk. Van Vechten admits
having received $25, 200 per annum. A bond
clerk on salary of $1,000, in eight years ac-
culnuated 100000.
The solicitor recommends, first, the desig-
nation of an officer at Washington charged
with the prevention and detection of frauds on
the revenue; second, new regulations con-
corning invoices and entries of foreign mer-
chandise; third, the criminal punishment of
the guilty; fourth, the prohibition of all
emoluments from importers; fifth, provision
for securing proof against such frauds.