The New York herald., 1870-09-18
The Captain Of the Orig FL. G. Berry
Dead fr' I'm Cholera.
The corpse, '.mily Detayed, Found Concealed
in the Cargo Of Sugar.
Ihf4 Vessel at Sandy Hook Trying TO Evade
the Quarantine Of the rOrt-The
Health officer OF New York
and Safety VS.. Perth
Amboy ard Disease.

the unrenecting portion Of the community who
have been disposed to accept the er parts state
ments Of few merchants and shipowners interested
IN trade with ports infected with contagious dis.
eases. and who had been inclined 10 sympathize
with them in their alleged grievances at the hands
OF the Quarantine authorities, can scarcely under
stand the fearful risks to which New York has been
exposed by the determined Efforts OF Il lew men to
evade tie law and place It's oicers at defiance For
some weeks past rumors have existed or the pres
cnceof yellow fever in this city; but fortunately,
until the past few days OF the dread disease
has been discovered. 1t now appears, from
the Investigations OF the health authorities, that
there were grounds for these reports ana that
the lateness OF the season will probably alone save
us from an epidemic OF yellow fever which few
unprincipled men would seem to have taken special
pains TO introduce in our midst. The disease, SO
far, is confined to few sporadic cases, particu-
lar part OF the city; but who can say what would
have been the result had 1t made its appearance
during the late heated term, when it would have
been next TO impossible to
RESTRICT ITS RAvAGEs,
or what would occur il it should still visit us In the
warm days Of Indian summer now almost upon US !?
AS 1t was asserted that the disease had been
brought TO New York from staten Island, Its princ-
pal sections, comprising quarantine and the villages
adjacent thereto the shore or the bay, were
visited Friday to ascertain il such the fact;
but the most dllgent inquiries at Quarantine and Of
she different doctors In that neghborhood failed to
discover that any Of yellow fever mad occurred
ON that section Of the island. These gentlemen
were positive that neither this nor any epidemic
disease had recently existed among them, but ad-
mitted that the fear had long been uppermost in the
public mind that yellow fever or some equally
fatal epidemic would md Its way TO their
ne
dangerous to the health OF our commercial empo.
rium-Perth Amboy-should be edectually closed,
and merchants and shipowners taught to under
stand that lives are OF greater consideration than
paltry dollars and cents.
But what that tour along the dusty roads of
Tompknsville and Stapleton failed to accomplish in
the matter OF asceraining the source Of the inlec.
ton, the
LYNx-EYED OFFICERS
of the United States Revenue Department have at
least discovereda tangible clue to the mysterious
outbreak OF yellow fever this city, which WILL no
doubt convince the public that disease as well as
goods may be smuggled from abroad unless the
health authorities sustained their Efforts to en-
force the laws.
For some time past the Revenue Department have
had reason to suspect that the number OF vessels
anxious to make Perth Amboy o port to discharge
their cargoes had some other object than merely to
evade the quarantine laws, as in several instances
vessels which would not have been quarantined at
this port have sought new base OF operations In
the quiet hooks Astounding the north side OF
Staten Island and the jersey shore The appear
ance OF an unlimited supply Of choice liquors ana
cigars the saloons OF the old Jersey village
OF Perth Ampoy could not fail to attract attention,
as genuine Paragas and the best brands OF Hennes-
sey and Martel were heretofore luxuries to which
the widest aspiration or the unsophsricaJed DEM
zens Of that region had never contemplated Even
the drowsy loges OF the village custom house must
have been recently aStonished at the improvement
In the beverages dealt out at their accustomed re-
sors. The day OF Jersey lightnlngn ana "hard
cder' seemed to have passed, and were 1t not for
the interference Of the authorities at Washington
these popular tippe5 would have been numbered
with the things that were. To what extent these
SMUGGLING OPERATIONS
have been carried on IL Is Impossible to ascertain
but there is no doubt that immense guam.
titles OF valuable merchandise have been
landed of different points The Jersey
shore since Tue beginning OF the present quarantine
foows:-A vessel arriving from Rio Janero or one OF
The West India ports would anchor inside OF Sandy
Hook ostensDly with the intention OF going to Perth
Amboy, aud there remain for several days. As she
was not within the jurisdiction OF the revenue
thortles Of Perth Amboy, and claimed not TO be
GERS OF the customs were by this subteruge avoded
and thus ample opportunities were afforded for the
landing and secreting Of illlch importati0ns The
vessels which In this manner have attempted to
hoodwlnk the authorities within the past
months nave been so numerous the ROV-
crnment found it necessary TO take some
decisive steps bring the Offenders to justice
prevent the repetition OF these wholesale frauds
upon the revenue. Within the past lew days several
special officers have been detailed for this service
and on Friday last visited the lower bay IN the
course OF their Investigations, and among other YES
sells went on board of the brig II. G. Berry,
consigned to James L. Ward & Co., which
mad arrived the previous evening from HayAna and
anchored in the Horse shoe, near Sandy Hook with
the avowed Intention or proceeding to Perth Amboy
to discharge her cargo. Although OF minor impor-
IN lllA ttpn nrlZ n CFu1
this visit has been the means CT bringing to light
one OF the most
GLARING ouTRAGEs
which could possibly be perpetrated upon any COM
munity. Upon going alongside OF the vessel the
that they perceived q peculiar smell, which they
first attributed TO the oGal f0atng upon The bay,
but were soon convinced That it proceeded from the
vessel itself, aud as 1t Instantly flashed their
minds tnat the brig came rom an infected port,
visions OF cholera yellow fever and score OF other
moment they hesltated TO go board. But recover
ing their sang roid rs sensible officers should they
OF their visit to the solitary officer on duty asked to
sec the captain. THIS individual grufiiy informed
them that the captain, with the pilot anu four OF the
crew, had
four hours previously and had not returned. This
circumstance aroused officer Fldeau's suspicious.
and he immediatey asked 70 see the vessels mani
fest. This the mate refused 10 show him. alleging
as reason tlet u was locked up Ia the captains
Further inquiries led TO tine startling discovery that
tour OF the crew ba5 been attacked with yellow
fever az Havana, and one had died. ana that the
late master OF the brig stephen Paine, had died in
that port OF Asiatc cholera, and that 1t was
HIS DECUNf0SlEG CORPSE,
slowed away in the cargo OF sugar IN the lower
hold that was emitting tue horrible eilluyia which
Dervaded the vessel.
This disclosure seemed almost Incredible to the
visiting officers who at 1Tst were inclined TO sus-
pect that this was merely ruse 10 prevent them
from searching the hold. II proved, however, to be
too true as when they went below among the sugar
boxes they found the containing The remains 81
the captain in contact with the cargo.
Oilicer Fideau and his aids, when positive that
there were men SO base as TO thus Hazard the
health OF q million people by attempting, IN q two
let the snip and notified the proper authorities OF
the coudlrion OF the vessel. and his unyarnshed
story which contains IN nutshell the story OF tale
horrible attempt to evade the quarantine laws OF
iIe mort and poison community, will be found in
tne accompanying anldavit:--
r. l. Sent e. 1870