The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-10
IMPORTANT PROCEEDINGS YESTERDAY.
The Alleged Custom House
Fraud Case.
The American Merchants Union
Express War.
important Discussion in the Case Of the Ha0eaS
Corpus Of Pratt, Charged with Muir.
der ard Treason in Texas.
UNITED STATES COMMISSIONERS COURT.

utr uLu lTtuSUu Ill ltAuS'
UNITED STATES COMMISSIONERS COURT.
The Alleged Fraudulent Pay Roll Case-COn-
tinuntion of the Examination of General
Thomas w. Engnn.
Before Commissioner Osborn.
The examination IN this case was resumed yester-
day morning at nine O'Clock. The government
was represented by Mr.. Jackson, Assistant United
States District Attorney and the defendant by Mr..
Ethan Allen The following evidence was taken:-
TESTIMONY.
Edward Wilkes assistant foreman recalled, testi-
fied-Captain WEBB applied to me for my true ac-
counts Of time last Saturday week. July 81; 1t was
the day after the issuing Of the warrant for Eagans
keep them myself; General Eagan spoke to me about
them that same evening. (Ar Alien objected TO 70
rolls / told him 1t did; he SAID that Cap
has s ap n ny lSsI sd ne s ne
personal feeling against HIM; told him had none;
he then said that there would be no difficulty about
this NATTER he (Eagan) knew nothing at all about
1t; 1t was all done by Captain webb; he said there
would be no trouble If 1t was not for this Id
that he was at my house; thus repeated several
times; he SAID then .'Mr. Wilkes, do not know
cannot say anything to me-ln fact do not know
what you can say;" that was also repeated several
times he said he didn't care anything for the office
Of wesher, except he accepted il for the benefit Of
CAPTAIN Webb; attempted to get back some oil the
money, which was the difference between the pay
rolls kept and those sent TO the department.
CROSS-EXAMINATION.
knew General Eagan before was employed in
this district lie then in the district below; that
was IN March last; Will not be positive about the
months or the dates he was think, two and
half months IN the other district; was employed by
Captain Webb in that district; that was my first ac
Quaintance with General Eagan IN that district; IN
never mad much to do win General Eagan in the
first district, but good deal in the last III different
capacities; the General would talk to me about the
business; ask me to put on the men, how many ships
were dlscharging, &C.; during the month OF July he
was there every day; he would stay couple OF
hours in the morning and In the afternoon would
come and stay until the office was closed; the last
week he was not there at all; from the 11lh
l live IN the district yet; Captain Webb is not
there now; have not seen him since last Saturday
week; don't know where he is; can't tell where he
can De found; j consider that was managing man
that district; had the supervision OF all the WORK
that was done in the district; the result of my abors
/ reported 10 the Custom House; made up the orig
inal rolls; the rolls that went 10 the custom House
were made up by Captain Webb at his house; my
rolls from which he made his, were given to Captain
Wepb; the time Of the men reported to Mr.. Webb
on every Thursday night; don't think ever did
all except make up the pay rolls the superintend-
ing OF the laborers which did, and the making OF the
pay rolls constituted the whole duties OF that office;
/ had once occasion to examine one of the pay rolls
after they were made up by Mr.. Webb; 1t was the
of the ONCE; never took the roll down Tor General
Eagan to sign except in one instance; received the
money from Captain Webb to pay the Off;
the money was gwen to me In small envelopes hav-
ing the name OF eacn man on the outside, together
with the amount and the number OF hours work;
never paid jenkins; never saw him paid General
Eagan had something to do with paying the men;
remember once that ne SAID he wanted the men to
sign the duplicate pay rolls when they received the
money; the first rolls were signed IN blank on Thurs
day; the duplicate roll was signed in blank on Sat
SAID that the rolls ought not to be signed until the
money pad; he didn't order this, however, and
] didn't do 1t as he SAID il ought to be done; when
took the pay roll Of July TO General Eagan to sign
gave HIM letter from Captain Webb, which he
OF Naire and Jenkins; handed him the roll then Of
July made up by Captain Webb; Eagan didn't I'LL
IN the name Of Naire handed Eagan the roll
names OF jenkins and Nare; when handed the roll
and the letter TO General Eagan he looked at the
couldn't say what General Eagan did then; he Kept
the roll; the names OF Morrsey, Mentz, Halpin.
signed only the two last; the other names were on 1t
when got them from Webb; had no further con-
when handed 1t 10 General Eagan; lett him just
as l have stated; a part OF the swlndle was
OF the swindle; didn't know altogether what was
going on with regard TO these pay rolls; saw
men standing around the Office waiting for their
money whom ] was introduced to as NaiN
and Costello and Hovey who never worked
in the district to my knowledge; never told Gen.
eral Eagan that had seen these men hanging around
the office: suppose that these men got their money
as they were there just like all the others when wait
ing for their money; from June until June % MIR.
Burns was In charge OF the district; Webb and
were there: when General Eagan came in webb and
made no change whatever In our practice; was
introduced TO Mr. James by Mr.. Eagan about July l,
and have had an interview with Mr. james with re-
gard to Mr. Eagans affairs; have hau several inter.
views with him. gave him the facts have given
here Mr. James promised to DO nothing for
me; / told General Eagan that l had my
wife and family to take care or; i never
said to anybody else that l must protect
myself on the witness stand, ana never used words
to that efiect never told Mr.. Webb that II General
Eagan would treat me right would not produce my
private pay rolls to the government or ANYBODY else;
] never said to any one that General Eugan was
Id Irish son OF a bh and Id copperhead
and would get square with him. nor dld ever use
words TO that effect; before was employed here |
was dry goods merchant al No. 69l Broadway;
learned my trade Us printer Ia the ONCE OF the
Eyening Journal; Webb cut Nalre's name out OF one
roll and cut II out OF the other; cut The name or
Costello out on the day General EagaD was arrested;
General Eagan had not yet seen that rol Mr.. Webb
asked me to cut out the name and he altered the
foOtings.
To the Commissloner-It was 21ter we had heard
OF Eagan's arrest that cut out Costell0's name.
To the District Attorney-I was employed by
Webb, and l did as he told me to; obeyed what
time to time gave me orders; my part OF the bust.
ness was to execute their orders; after General
Eagan had SAID that the pay rolls should not be
signed until the men had received their money he
was present on one occasion when the men were
paid, when the men signed the roll in blank; Webb
this money; Mr.. Webb introduced Naire, Costello
and HOvey to me.
TO the Commissioner cannot say whether the
amount paid the men on saturday correspOnded
with the amount Oh my original time roll; think
there were working In that district that General
Eagan knew nothing ABOUT and could not have
known anything about.
Adjourned to Friday, at two O'Clock.