The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-05
The New York Custom House Under
Collector Smythe.

pV"IS VI ldCJS' IL seems tnat collector Snlytne,
whose nomination was very highly lauded at
the time as that of a high-toned business man,
had hardly got warm in his seat before he
farmed out the general order business of
the port at the moderate price of forty thou
sand dollars. The contemplated distribution
of this forty thousand dollars appears from
the testimony of Mr.. Smythe and other wit
nesses to have been as follows:-Ten thousand
dollars to a political fund.- of which he was
to be sole almoner; five thousand dollars to
Senator Doolittle; a like sum to Senator Pat
terson, son-in-law of President Johnson: a
like sum to Robert Johnson, the Presidents
son; three thousand dollars to Mrs Perry, a
friend of President Johnson's; and various
sums to divers other parties. Indeed the
New York Custom House seems to have been
sort Of general financial hospital for a large
number Of the Presidents friends, even such
parties as ex-Mayor Berriet, of Washington,
and Ex-Governor Pratt, of Maryland, coming
in for an occasional five hundred dollar check.
The testimony of the Collectors private Secre-
tary, Mr.. Thomas Brown, on this point is quite
interesting
q. When you say politicians" whom do you mean
by that designation? A. know that ex- Mayor Ber-
riet and Ex-Governor Pratt, OF Maryland, shared in
certain remittances from the Custom House. know
that $500 check gave to the Collector one day he
said he was going to send to Governor Pratt of Mary
q. DO you know how these gentlemen became &C.
quaned with the Collector? a. They brought u let
ter from the Private Secretary of the President, Mr..
EDWARD Cooper, commencing those gentlemen in
O. as 1t written IN behalf OF the President A. Yes
q. DO you know or have You reason to believe that
sums have been paid either directly or Indirectly 70
Mrs: Stover, by Collector Smythe? A do not know
positively that any money has eyer been paid TO hem
. O. DID the Collector ever make any remarks to you
that would leau YOU to believe that he purposed to
help the Presidents family by money or otnerwlse?
A. About fortnight ago there appeared In the New
York Times very offensive paragraph in reference
ecor Toem on SFG mornas just its
when he referred to IT, and he remarked lnaJ ne WAS
famiiy lam ST''' D''0 "''''N'D ''' VI" ''''''''
Various stories and rumors have prevailed
about the influence of female pardon-brokers
at Washington with the President. Whether
this Mrs. Perry is one of that order Of indi-
viduals or not, we have no means of knowing
The following testimony of Edward R. Phelps
will show, however, that she was a person
whom Mr.. Johnson was extremely anxious to
'provide fOr:"-
Dd ES0 T Sa p M the
q, STATE with whom that was. A. Myself and
the President through Mrs. Perry OF Cincinnati, for
the general order business Iom Pier No. SO, ~ r., to
O. Did you meet her at the Presidents house? A.
February and March, went there at one time on an
appointment maae by the P@IsdghI @ tnS ne t=res,d11' =
when he would see alone; we Went ana had an in
Barr should have the general order business as
above stated, they bringing proper tesLim9naiS He
much for the benefit Mrs Perry for their benefit.
ts e. ySn We % msRe ali G Tsht e With Mrs and
went on to state the arrangement, ana ne SAID,
Q. Was it not then determined what portion she
was 10 nave oI tnIS 49, h ,St,s 70
have, and Mr.. Johnson then replied he was satisfied
q. What was the portion She was to have? a. She
was to have one-tnird Of the net profits. -
q, Did you produce the testimonials required? A.
q, Tell the Committee about the substance of that
interview. a. sald TO the President there would
be a great Gea oi cOnieo" nv 10 9ioS i te os g IN vas %
great thing; lie patted me the shoulder and said
thIm % a nt the mater in MIS- Perrys hands and
She was TO inform us when we should call again on
the Presidents she sent word TOR me TO come to Wash
and we went and called upon the President, and had
Interview with him aionenmySet & and IN MS: RS
called out his private secreary-Colonel Browning
What wanted to have written down; stated TO him
what wanted ana ne them Tdoe 70 @ tne ar 70
rnn Pier No 5y TO the Battery, to Edward r.. Phelps
present While the private Secretary wrote this letter,
and talking ina low tone TO MIS- Ferry ana "heh
thn ipttpr written he signed it, think can pro-
duce that letter. came back with the letter and as
soon as Mr. Smythe was nominated and confirmed
PRESENTED the letter him; he appeared to be very
much confused, and put his hand no 10 his head and
General order business was all disposed OF he said
ut StFaaGs ts for % his eGds and % he also
remarked tnat he had TO agree 70 give portion OF the
CpneraI order business TO senator Doohtes SON ana
norton TO Senator Patterson the Presidents son-ln-
81 "betnre he would he confirmed. Mr. Smytne then
remarked, he didn't have GhSnSe nd m 20 scare oPy q
youd not take oneourth interest IN tne Wule Olsi-
perhaps ne coplG QUA % we Wanted t6rong6 the
PRESIDENT and declined; ne lnsu tsAeu US 10 Wlt
n ronner another OF the Presidents private Secre
taries came on from Washington anu hhd 9 an thSeI
mWthe again he told us that the General OIuer oHsl
ness was all disposed OF; we theh aoahuonoN my 'N'
ther idea OF IT,
The method by which these large sums Wer'
realized was the very simple one OF rooOihi
the merchants of New York, having good
stored under general order, by oVercharges
A snecimen of show to do it' was furnishe
in the case of Landman u Kemp, who ma
twenty cases of quinine in Johnson's ware
bouse. the legal rates and figures on Whic
would be as fOllows;-
oooeses storage 1Oc s2'
% cases labor, 1Oc. each'.''''''
90 cases carriage
Tbbe boisiiiidd iii rendered was as iollows;- .,o.
oonnSas stoTaRe soc. each,
ases labor SOC each........', io
On cases carriage, Soc each''"" ''''''''''''''' ~
ro.., '''''''''.'''''S 'SiO
rn.-. oosas weighed 80 pounds eacl