The national Republican., 1867-02-12

Washington, the 22d Of April. 1865, that though
long and containing some extracts in foreign
language, IL has been thought we'll should preface
the evidence subjoinsd In this report This seoond
letter. which Immediately follows the hrs. in the
report, was written only seventeen days after the
hrst, commences with the announcement that the
writer has received from Msssrs. Williams an offer
Of $780, 900 TO settle the amount Of this fraud and
declares his deliberate judgment to be that public
interest will be best promoted, In all respects, BY
an acceptance Of this proposition BY the Govern.
ment.
He then snumerates several reasons for this rec
ommsndation, not one Of which were not just IS
patent and potent on the 9th as on the 22d day Of
April.
The last letter purports to have been written at
Washington. Why should change from Boston
to Washington have nseesstatsd such an entire ro-
adjustment Of Judgment" to public INTEREST,""
On the receipt Of these two lsttsrspro JOrma, ad-
dressed to the Solicitor Of tho Treasury the secrs
tary Of the Treasury directed Mr. Edward Jordan,
the Solicitor, to repair to Boston and investigate
the facts, for tho purpose Of being able to advise
the Department, 10. Mr.. Jordan went TO Boston
the last Of April. On consultation with the Gus
tom.house officers II was agreed TO offer to accept
from the Messrs. Williams $3.50, 900 In full salts
faction Of fOrfsitures fines duties etc. This being
declined, II was agreed to make no further effort
at a compromise, and that suits should at once be
commenced.
Thereupon Mr. Jordan ieft Boston. The day
following Mr.. Fsrwell made known to the custom.
house officials that Msssrs. Williams counsel had
discovered that by the nonrepeal Of statute Of
limitations Heretofore overlooked by the solicitor
counsel, 10, the amount Of the Government claims
against Msssrs. Williams which could be legally
enforced would be largely reduced.
Thereupon the various calculations Of duties,
forfeiturss, interest, &c., were revised and read
justsd by Messrs. Fsrwel and French, resulting in
conclusion to accept tho 800, 900 offer; Mr..
Goodrich reluctantly acquiescing. Mr. Farwell
left 10 communicate on the subject with Mr.. Jor-
dan In New York.
The Solicitor consented TO recommend to the
Secretary Of the Treasury the acceptance Of the
800, 900. Mr.. Goodrich withdrew his assent, but
upon being again visited by Mr. Farwell, yielded
his scruples, and on tho 9th Of May Mr.. Jordan
made his recommsndatory report to the Secretary
Of the Treasury.
On the same day, as ho testihes, the Solicitor
tary. On the same day also Mr.. Farwell tele.
grAphed Mr.. Jordan, please make authority for
settlement full and conclusive, and let me hear
from you by telegraph as early as possible" The
7th was the Sabbath. Tho Sth, Mr. Farwell tele-
graphs Mr.. Jordan, civilians matter settled
money pAid-Mr. Tuck leaves for Washington to-
night or tomorrow morning"
One half of the 500, 900, paid in gresnbaeks
won't into the United States Treasury Of the 70.
naming moiety, Mr.. Farwoll as informer, claimed
half the remainder, being one fourth of the
original sum Of 800, 900, was equally divided be-.
tween Mr.. Goodrich, Mr.. Tuck and Mr.. Phelps.
In this settlement 1t cannot escape notice that,
with Ave Government officials charged with the
taking Of the interests Of the Government the
Treasury did not get, at q gold valuation, one
third Of the duties which It was alleged the vii.
liams firm had, from time to time, fraudulently
withheld.
The law prohibiting an officer Of the customs
from being an informer, In the Sherry Williams
case Mr.. Farwell did not claim; but he was paid
by the Custom House officials S. 000 in eonsidera-
tion Of services rendered by him In that case
April II, 1865, these same officials agreed in
writing TO give him ten per cent Of the amount re-
ceived by them for forfeitures, &c., in the cham
paguc cases. On the 5th Of May, on Mr.. FGrwelrs
return from his interview with Mr.. Jordan in New
| York, he gave Collector Goodrich written notice
that be should claim as informer In tho champagne
case that he should not retain his whole share, but
should give the custom. house officers something for
what they lost by his interpOsing such claim. Ac-
cordnsly, on receiving his s25, 900 share, he paid
to Msssrs Goodrich and Tuck each 81, 222j to Mr..
phalns tha and nf tha ti.at 10 h.
ten per cent agreement, he gave nothing
1t Is admitted, and It Is proven by Mr. Farwell,
that a, 900 of the Williams compromise money,
through Mr.. Farwell went into the hands Of Mr.
Jordan. Early in the investigation the committee
invited Mr.. Jordan to come before them, and
allowed him tho fullest latitude of explcation
His testimony contains his own views and version
Of the untoward transaction. Mr.. Farwell, too,
when under examination had, in this particular,
the amplest verge and space allowed to him to
explain his purpose, his object, and his motive in
giving Mr. Jordan the four thousand dollars
It seems from these statements that on the cars,
forty or dfty miles out Of Boston, when by direc.
tion Of the Secretary Mr. Jordan was on his way to
Boston to investigate and report upon the Williams
case, he was met by Mr., Farwell, and in the course
Of the evenings conversation was informed by him
that he intended to show him Jordan, before the
acquaintance ended, that he recollected Mr.. Jor-
dams friendship, and that he would lose nothing
by 1t, &c. The subject was renewed the same eve.
ming in Boston, in the presence of Mr.. Tuck, with
the superadded information that Mr.. Jordan had
acted very disinterestsdy in regard to the entire
matter, and that all that resulted to any one Of
them came originally through his action, and Mr..
Farwell thought it would be no more than decent
to make Mr.. Jordan some sort Of acknowledgment.
In all this Mr.. Tuck concurred, as did Mr.. Good.
rich, when the matter was the next morning sug.
gested to him.
Mr. Tuck thought that Eve per cent of what
came to them was as little as they could decently
offer Mr.. Jordan. The committee forbear all com.
ment on the preliminary consultations and arrange
| ments.
Perhaps it should be noted in this connection,
that when Mr.. Farwel left Boston, after q renewal
of the compromise endeavor, to see and consult Mr.
Jordan respecting its acceptance, he bore a note
addressed to Mr. Jordan by Mr.. Tuck, dated May
3, 1865, urging prompt acceptance of Messrs Will.
liams' 100000 offer, and closing with this para.
graph-"Mr Farwell will state to you some con.
sderations, not entered into while you were here /"
What these considerations " were Mr. Tuck did