The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-17
THE CUSTOM HOUSE FRAUDS.
Who were the Partners In the Conspiracy
The Robberies Perpetrated Under the Col
lector's Nose Latest Disclosures.

lector,s Nose Latest Disclosures.
The N Y. sun OF this morning says:
The examination into the charges against Samuel
r. Blatchford and others Of completely in the Custom
House drawback frauds was continued yesterday
before United States Commissioner Osborn. VIM,
j. Korn, agent for the Custom House, and clerk in
the ofice of Caldwell Brothers, testified that
Samuel I. Batchford received 10 per cent. of the
to a total of S25,OO0 Francis A. Howard,
who attended to matters in Washington, and
was an agent in the Custom House, was given the
same percentage, so that his share was likewise
825,000 The Caldwells, who were the brokers, and
put the claims into proper form, took 40 per cent
as their portion and the remaining 30 per cent went
to the persons who made up the false certificates.
The most prominent OF these were Squres and
Wildwood. Korn swOre that he saw money paid to
Blatchford at the Caldwells, and saw Howards nor
ton sent in envelopes directed to him at Washington
The following are the material features Of Korn's
These three cheeks shown me were given Howard
for passing drawback claims; Howard at the time
was an agent In the Custom House; part of the
money paid March was for the Fisher claims:
they were fraudulent; Howard knew this TO be the
case, because when the claims were pretented he
head as if he was well acquainted with the frauds
While Howard was in the service OF the Internal
Revenue Department in Washington, letters sent to
him were directed to private box sos q think); eX
amined the books and found that had passed
in claims to Caldwell CO.; & o66 Howard n received 10
distributed as follows:-Howard received 10 per
cent Blatchford, 10 per cent; Caldwell Co., 40
per cent; and the man who produced the certid-
Gates, 40 per cent Mr.. Squires and Mr.. Winsiow
were the men who produced the certificates; Mr..
Weller also Batchford was in the Custom House;
Howard in Washington; am at present clerk In
No. 1O7 Nassau street, settling up books, ETC. have
been there since February last; was arrested in a
case in Brooklyn last January, and gave $40 600 bail
have not been rearrested was indicted not vet
tried went into the employ OF Caldwell q Co. in
the fall OF 1865; was Custom House clerk, and re-
ceived salary of 5000 a year, remained there
until the beginning OF 1867 first saw Howard at No.
22O Pearl street in 1866; knew his position TO be
chief clerk under Rollins in the Internal Reve-
nue. Department, when Howard came 10 Cald-
wells once he was received well; went into pri-
vate Ofice and shut the door did not hear what was
said there; when they came out Howard showed
Caldwell how to make up the claims; know that the
claims were fraudulent; know the Fisher claim was
fictitious; know that there was no such man in New
York as the one who professed TO ship the goods;
Blatchford was paid at stated times; have seen
Blatchford receive his pay; have been instrumental
In passing fraudulent claims.
The hearing was adjourned until p. NJ on Friday