New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-06-17

pcCted UIsCftFHnClTS II
already stated Inever knew suspected about
them; and knew nothing about the business Of the
parties who shipped the goods in these except as
passed before me officially II they we're guilty Of
fraud In these shipments az stated In the report 1t was
not within the power Of my department to detect It,
That duty was imposed on other departments.
Thiyd will not refer TO what the Committee say
respecting my taking fees as Notary Public and as
lawyer except to say that explained that matter at
length In letter addressed to tho Secretary of he
Treasury. anu which was published in many Of the
New.York newspapers in November last. Those fees
were taken openly and the facts were well known 10 my
Official superior and many Of my official associates in The
Custom House. The matters done were entirely proper
TO be done by somebody and in the precise way that
did them. L never dreamed that was violating
any law or regulation nor do 1 now believe that
/ was. i am sure that the Treasury regu-
lation cited by the Committee on this
point, cannot be sound law for. literally construed 1t
would deprive person holding an office in Custom
House Of the right TO receive compensation for drawing
a will writing an article for newspaper or denver
ing lecture before yceu Inc regui9 y, d nnaa s
but forbid Custom House officers receiving gratuities
for performing their official duties. The services for
which | received fees as a notary were wholly aside
from my duties as Deputy Collector. They were per.
formed in good faith, and were In aid OF and not IN
opposition to the interests Of the Government
Fourth will hasten to the only remaining point 70
which / can now refer, without expanding this com.
Dunicaton to inc0nvenlent length. alinde 10 TIE
abstraction of bonds and manifests from the nies
Of the Custom. House. As to manifesto never heard
had been distracted. None Of that class OF docu'
ments were in my custody. l never knew or
suspected that any had been taken from the MES.
In fact I know nothing on the subject. As
10 bonds As 10 the report OF the Committee on that
subject IL is mild expression Of my feelings to say IL
has FLIED me with arnDeinent. True they do not ex'
pcitly say that in their opinion an guilty or am I'M
pcated in the abstraction OF bonds. But they argue.
and especially upon particular case as II they IN
s he to my :y .naas it,
asserting IL. In trying 70 Tx this charge upon
mo, 1 venture tho assertion that the Commit:
tee run counter 10 the deliberate Judgment OF
the many persons, official and unofficial. who from
time time during the past seven months have come
to knowledge Of the facts. And how do the Commit
tee arrive st their conclusions throwing out OF view
for the moment M own explicit testimony, ana the
equally explicit Testimony Of ID. Cady Stanton, the Com
mtttee make up their minds by receiving as truo the
Of O 9 an Of On seen
Qhe brukcr negotiated the several distractions IN
his behalf and received ana delivered 70 him the bonds
Now, / do not know what Conklin, the oDligor nor
Smith, the broker, testified to before the Committee
But [ do know what they testified 10 before the
Solicitor OF the Treasury this subject and hen the
whole matter thoroughly inquired into for was
present, also two VI the most respectable
lawyers In the State. Conkin testified at length.
He professed to tell all be knew upon the sub !
jcct He swore that he had never had any
communication with IN regard 70 the aDstracng vi
bonds or being obgor thereon. He testified truly on
that point. lie detailed all the negotiations with smith
those circumstances upon which the Committee dwell at
ned before the Solicitor After he was through Smith
testified. No other witness was present He was ex.
amined upon all the matters sworn to by Conklin He
declared That he had never had word OF communi
cation with me- direct Indirect the subject Of the
abstraction Of bonds nor upon any matter relating
the etc. nor npon the subject OF Conkln being surety
on any bond nor on any matter connected Herewith
Ha testified truly those points. lie also testified
that all those pretended negotiations with me,
from tiIno TO time and which he had detailed
to Conklin, were mere pretenses 50 fur / was
concerned.
In my room any such errands rs he pretended
TO be doing for Conkln, aud that In all those mat
lers he deceived Conkln. That he had never
paid any money, agreed TO pay any. nor had
had any arrangement or understanding with me. direct
Indirect the subject Of money. In word 80 far
rs concerned, his testimony acquitted mc OF all
completely in the transactions about hich Conk had
testified On all these points Smith tod the truth. He
swore also that all bis negotiations vere with d. Cady
Stanton and that lie believed that neither knew
suspected that any such transactions were going on
thai pains taken ~ conduct the matter that
should know OF suspect them. lie said further
that he stated TO Conkn that the negotiations were
going on with Stanton" and that the money was TO
be paid Stanton" &c, leaving the impression
On Conklins mind who probably knew Gas he SAID OF
.xoept inc, that sas the person With whom be was
dealing He sworr alao that many Of the negotiations
we're not had even with d. Cady stanionin fact were
not had with anybody. Smith further said that
he never received any Of these bonds
from but person. and that he always paid him s25
for each bond and that all the money he received from
Conslin beyond tha, sum ho kept himself though pre-
tending ~ Conkn that be paid i AL over And this
brings the consideration Of the bond for eSi COO
for the abstraction Of which Conkn that he paid
Smith $780, This is the particular case strongly and
deliberately dwclt upon by the COMMITTEE Before the
solicitor Smith testified that he received this eco;
III 1t he paid to tho clerk only SIS and kept the
balance himself This Is the flst bond that all
strnetd In this Conkln case Culkln made his state
mont before tho Solicitor In regard Ia the negotiations
nh Smith respecting the IN which he 10 be
examined surety on this bond. Smith, On that point
,woro that no never communicated with mo on the
subject nor indeed with anybody else that he knew
nv course Of business, and that when was much
pressed had to DO up the matter In hand with great
rapidity; that in pretending TO Conkiin that he
had made au arrangement with me, he "took his
Chances Aud he then declared while under oath be.
ore Solicitor that though he did pretend TO Conkn
regard TO his being taken surety on This s6ioVbond
and did In order 10 make IL plausible pass from
conn back and forth in the direction Of my Office and
round other parts VI the Custom House, yet that he
lever said word 10 the subject and that II there
happened be any similarity identity between what
subsequently done by LIE and what re hsd previously
said would be- done 1t the good fortune of war
50 much for this particular bond One Sord on another
point smith sworc before the solicitor that had never
lad any communication direct OF indirect with him
.ince these transactions TO light He swore truly
citing under the advice OF wise friends l took my
chances Of his telling the truth. though having
grossly and repeatedly deceived HIS employer
'Conklin) he under a strong temptation TO swear
Il through Nor have 4 ever had any communication
with him or ConklIn direct or indirect, 81 this day
have preferred 10 Iey upon my conscious Innocence Oh
any cumplicity In these transactions. few words on
another pon. under this head. The Committee say
Conklin testified before them that certain occasion
he looked through glrss door opening INTO my room
nud saw Sg.,h leaning the desk taking 10 Mr..
stanton" when before the Committee was qucs'
toned upon the point whether could look through
that glass door and sec person at my desk was
wholly unaware OF what the questions 81 me implied,
not knowing anything OF the testimony. This glass
ground or painted answered the 'ommittoe that my
'trong belief was that person could not look through
that glass and u mon ~ my desk The next day L