Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-03-15
Ghe 6ree Press.
C. C. i Il. L. BENEDICT.
EDITORS AND PR0PRIErcRs.
FRIDAY MORNING. MARCHl5, 1867.
Corruption IN the New yorE Custom
House.

y
tom House is very clean place. Few
doubted that the Congressional committee
appointed to investigate some Of the dark
corners in it would run upon some ugly
looking messes. The rumors. after the com
mittee got well into their work. that they
had struck some rich veins # corruption.
and that their report would contain some
dIsgraceful disclosures. touching individuals
in pretty high position, consequently cle.t,l
little surprise. And all must own that tc
promise Of interesting developments has
been pretty well borne out in The rcpor cf
the committee which was PUBLISHED in the
/ New York raTus last week. it seems tiat
a portion Of the mullfarious business Of tie
/ Custom House in that great scarrti- known
as tie general order business BY the
usage Of the department, the lar-c guan'i-
ties Of merchandise arriving q. the Iert
which is not claimed on arrival. are sent q
what Is known as general order store
houses. The proVriotoTs Of these ware
houses, which are private property. are al
lowed, apparently. to charge about what
they choose for storage and clI;age, when
the owners claim their merchandise and con-
sequently are able to make a g,i thins out
Of it. So good a thing, ~ fact, l. The gcncr
al order business tha; Immediately on tic
appointment Of Collector Smythe. who sue
ceeded Preston King, certain pa-tes offered
him (Mr. Smythc) $4,000 a year Tor
share Of the business, and apparently is
would have been trade il ano,Lc- PARTY
had not offered $50. GOO for same share.
Ia pursuance Of a declaration b. had
made, on taking the office, thl, certain in
auential parties to whom Doe was under
Obligation must he taken care Of, Collector
Smythe arranged to divide bis $4,000
d. plum " about as follows: To q. F. TaJm-
son, of the coprerhead DAILY Na-s. $1,000,
.o Senator Patterson. OF Tennessee. tae Pie
.iisut's sln,in-Aw, 5000. e. q SOM
senator nooli,rle. og WISCONSIN. 5000, o.
O. certain Mrs. rcIy, known -- O. " W.-l-
Hg,yu vomau.' $1,000. and g. various
i,ss,r Iersonagcs lesser au,uu;-. Iaus
SlOO00 Ion Mr. suyti,, -s " .aai..l
fund. to be at h.s disposal vitlol, 4ay -,-
countabiiity for its use. Ne came. UNDER
take to even alluda to the mas Of ,....a9ly,
which accompanied and seems to strongly
sustain the assertions Of the Committee.
but select one li,tlc piece to give Our read
els some idea of how rlams o. ,i, dispos j
Of at Washington and New York.
Nav YORK, Jan. j., 1897.
E&rari Z. Phelps sworn and examined
BY THE CHAIRMAN.
.. Did yen Lave suy negotiation in reference
TO the general order business before or after 1lr
Smythe became collector A. les.
. State with whom it was. \. Myself and
Thos. J. Barr Of New York decided "a applying
10 the President, through a Mrs. Perry Of Cin-
natl, for the general order business from rier
/ 50, \. R., 10 the Battery
Q. Did you meet her At the Presidents house
T A l did meet her there several times TO the
months Of February and March; We went there
st one time on an appointment made by the
President; the President requested Us to call
there at six O'Clock in the evening, when Ae
would see Us alone; we went and had an inter
view with him, and be assured me that Phelps
and Barr should have the general order bust
ness, as above stated, they bringing proper tes-
timonials. He remarked that he gave this TO
I Barr and Phelps as much for the benefit Of Mrs.
/ Perry for their benefit, because he WISHED 70
help her; he said g suppose you viii make
it al right with Mrs. Perry and vent on u
state the arrangement, and be said " Never
mind-you need not tell me all that
.. Was it not then determined what portion
she was to have Of this business A. She told
Mr.. johnson the arrangement or interest she
was to have, and MIR. johnson then replied he
was satisfied if she was.
q. What was the portion she was to have.
I a. She was to have one-thirl Of the net profits.
Q. Did you produce the testimonials re-
I quirei, 4. Yes.
q. Tell the committee about the substance Of
I that interview. 4. | said to the President
I there would be great deal ofconteDtion among
| the New York politicians, who would try to get
/ this, as il was a great thing be patted me on
the shoulder aad said Never mind, young
man, will stand by you - he then remarked
to Mrs, Perry - This will be all right = we
left the matter in Mrs. Perry's hands, and she
wss to inform us when we should call again On
the President she sent word to me 10 come to
Washington agsn shortly before Mr. Smythe
was appointed, and We went and called upon
the President, and had an interview with him
alone-myself and Mrs. Perry after ne hsd
private intercourse with him he called out his
private Secretary-Col. Browning, | think his
name-and he told ne to state 10 him what l
wanted to have written down l stated to him
what | wanted, and he then wrote to the collec-
tor, TO give the general order business Of the
North River, from pier No. 80 to the Battery
to Edward Z. Phelps and Thomas J. Barr, Of
New York the President was present while the
private secretary wrote this letter, and was
talking in low tone 10 Mrs. Perry, and when
the letter was written he signed it | think
can produce that letter; l came back with the
letter, and as soon as Mr. Smythe was nomin-
sted and confirmed l presented the letter to
him; he appeared to be very much confused,
and put his hand up to his head and thought
for a mcment and tleu remarked that the
general order business was ali disposed OF he
said "It is very strange that the President
never told me to reserve this for his friends
and he also remarked that he had 70 agree 70
give portion Of the general order business to
Senator Doolittle's son, aud q portion 10
Senator Patterson, the Presidents sonin-law.
and one ether person whom | cannot now think
i OF. bS.OlS he NNull " Nt-hA 4hAs etAf s-~
then remarked, he didn't have a chance 10 spare
only a small interest IN il for himself, and be
asked US five would not take one-fourth interest
in the whole business-that perhaps be could
let US have that we felt confient We could get
what We wanted through the President, and We
declined he then asked Us to wait until the
; middle of the week in the m2ant.Es Col
: Cooper-anotner Of the Presidents private
secretaries-came on from Washington and had
I an interview with Mr.. snythe and when w
] called On Mr.. Smythe sgsin, he told US that the
+ general order business was all disposed OF VI
r then abandoned any further idea Of it.
There is plenty more Of similar evidences
calculated to open the eyes Of the innocent
; who are disposed to believe in the incorrup
tibility and purity Of the present power
>. that be = at Washington; but We have n
e room for it. 1t is fair to say that Mr. Col
a lector smythe denies that he meant TO d
le anything wrong or that he made sDytbiD