The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-01-08
THE FOUR BLACK TRUNKS.
writ zHE ousr0m HOUss Pf6PLE
OWN UP?

snd the surveyor Passes u 20 Collector
Grinneii-The Latter Knows Nethins
| about IL.
New York has Collector Of the Port. A Col.
lrcior OF the Port is good thing. It is handy to
have Collector Of the Port lying around loose, you
know, because tho very name is suggestive OF one
who collects up such tribes get strsyed AWAY from
| their owners, and who. Of course, makes frsutic
hnste and nearly breaks his neck In restoring lost
things TO people We repeat, Collector is handy TO
| hayc-if lie attends 10 hrs business.
THE rouH BLACK fsuNxs.
\ We'll, week ago four blsck trunks rot strnycd
away from passenger on some incoming ship from
| somo foreign port We would be sfsd 10 DO moro
specific and less vague In this statement We shond
like to give the name Of this foreign port We
should be delighted to record tho OF the ships
and Il would give us unalloyed happiness TO clrou
Gle the name Of the individual who was 90 fortunste
| a. 10 own -four trunks, and so unfortunate 40 10
have them struy swny. But. you sec. tho Collector.
who found tlom astray and picked Thorn up, Is
afraid somebody may claim thcm who has no right
TO them, snd go he keeps mum, and gives clue by
which any sharper might Impose on his Juvenile sim
plicly. All Of which shows that tho Collector lie a
| sly dog MP to snun, and not 10 DO "come over by
any Of your playcdout lodges.
WHAT WAS IN rur TRUNKS.
But to return 70 the trunks or course trunks
stray Inquiry revealed the fact that one OF Col
Frank Howe's detectives was the helper. There was
some rreruiarlty In the baggage OF that passenger
on that ship Those trunks were said 10 contain
$500 worth OF aees and ladies' 9ne apparel, and
a. that appeared TO be more female gear thai any
one PASSENGER oosht 20 possess, Che trunks were
dpy Of last week. As Col Howe did not TO re-
main 10 possession OF so large amount OF property,
he turned II over 10 Surveyor Cornell New Years
NAMED In Sir. CornelI's custody until Monday morn.
M wien thcy we're passot to the care OF the Col
lccor who looks tondcrly after all STRAY tin2s,
WHITTIER they be appointments or trunks.
TRACKING TIE TRUNKS.
70 TAR verv rood. Bet SUN reporter visited Col.
Howe on wednesday and Obtained the particulars
surrendt red them, of he knew nothing about
them, lie mentioned in toe course Of the eO6yersa-
day, and the Collector SAID he WIS wating until re-
Port should be made before taking action in the
case. The Colonel referred he reporter to Sur
yeyor Cornell, and that gentleman, ,s stated SAID he
had passed the properly over 20 the Collector. This
into The custody Of e coSop was psea va.
Their. for him 60 wait for reportf Col. Howe and
and YET the eo wSs TsSs
report from property right under his oical nose.
IL rHR PaEsEScs OF TIE GREAT MAN.
IL was eyi lent there was but one way TO ascer-
tain about those trunks aud that was TO app TO the
collec:o OF all sues stray property To him. there
tore, In the swee, Confidence that he would and tie
way he'd There was a crowd OF individuals IN the
rr al mans room, It being between 2 and O'clock
vo Who want to help The Collector nnd stray % TuRSs
Mos Most OF ,noss Prs,sns lock- meek and b@sLnl,
rs II ashamed OF such lrroycrenee as even own
ing hat In hls presence. One individual,
apparently mteker and more broken-spirited thsn
the rest stood b. his dcsk, explaining some papers
vL,ch he held IN hrs hnnd, and which uppeard to
he re uicndations As to his fitness In the matter
imprcs cd With tic dignity Of the majesty in whose
presence he stood, AID debated scriorsly within
himself whether tie should not retire without hnnr
of the load OF questions with which he had come
Trimcd. IL seemed like q piece OF fooishness to
supp o'e there could be secrets concerning stray
trunks hidden under that guieless brow. In short,
the rerorter felt himself getting tinid. and would
have rcireated unobserved had not General \. l..
Banks entered the room just AZ this moment.
cusrcN house BUSINESS
Collector Giinncn caught sight o. the General In
On instant, and dropolng the eroken-spirited chap
IKE q not potato, e1tu:
you must excuse me; Custom House business
must DC attended TO tei,io private interests"
falcd' han, and marched into his private room,
amid crOss-aro OF " How do you do'sf' aud
"Mhcle have you brcn's -
Now. this W.. torchr, exhibition or nd city to
cmcial Outy which commanded tho repnrtorll ADM.
ration. Custom House business must be attended
TO before private interests" lsh't that sWccti IL
ever tie Collector dics-which Allah forbid-we
venture 20 suggest that sentence be inscribed on
principle H. the Collectors lie So deeply Impressed
was the reportorial mind With tins loiy aud hrh.
toned sentiment, that the reportorls body planted
room whi'ho the great man had taken lis dstin.
rtportorlai hand /, compelled 10 record thai Inc
Collector : conversation had very little 10 do with
the Custom House uusinrss nness the Collectors
stomach be regarded as custom house, for he be-
gan talking about some dinner they had eaten toge
ther somewhere at some time, aud went OF into
fush OF pleasant memories over the marvellous SOUP
which graced tho occasion.
MORE CUSTOM HousE BUSINESS
The Collector remained closely absorbed In this
sort OF Custom House business about fifteen MIN
ntes tile meek and hruk eO-epirlted chan Al desk
shifting uuoasly from one leg the other, and get
ting meekcr and more brcken-spIred every rnin-
ute. AZ length they emerged from their conference
anu the Collector moved to his seat. The waiting
man who wanted TO help hunt stray trunks made q
terrupted him with more Custom House business.
GEM %afTs ,5s ygs IT.; iSsepgnNs S SSHsr'
Agan the papers were presented, and again Gus
tom House business camelI.
where arc you going"
GNs. BAsKs-To Boston.
"Well, call and see me when you come this wsy,"
And LAYING got this we,ghty custom House bust
ness Of his mind the Collector turned 10 the srpll
cant, and to appearance through him In frst-
class STYLE for no padded Oh looking more down In
the mouth thun ever.
THE COLLECTOR AND rnH TRUNKS.
Now or n.ver was tie time. Quickly approaching
tho desk, the newspaper man said:
lam sun rporter. have called to sec about
tanning shrugged goods"
The CollectOrill brow grew dark.
- don't know ahytlnE about any trunks"
hkroETER-Col, lowe says one al has detectives
seized some trunks last Friday or Saturday,
COLLECToR-ThCn YOU 20 10 Col. Howe.
kEPORTLn-l have b. en- 10 Col. How and he SAYS
he turned them over To SIR Cornell
COLLECroR-Then go To Mr.. Cornell
REPoRTER--l have been to Mr.. Cornell, and he in
forms M he turned them over TO YOU
S0lLEcToR.iOu say you are Sun reporterf
RKPURTER-Ies, sir.
The Collector grew very red In the face redder
than any thing except the middle slice out Of very
red beet while his eyes red enough to be little
bits cut OF the tip end OF that same beet.
"Then, sir" bringing his Est down on the table
with a Whack that made all the meek and lmpsey
men In tue room straigntcn up stH as ramfods,
Then sir, have not another word 10 say to YOU"
WHO owns THE iRuNKsf
And so the reporter wendell his pensive way, besr.
ing with him the instructive lesson that Custom
House business must be attended TO-" while the
broken'splrited men looked at MIN as II they were
glsa he had got It,"
Now, It IL plain the Collector Il worried because
he can't find the owner Of those trunks and so TuE
SUN advertses Tor him gratuiousy TO help him hni
the owner, Neither Col, Howe or Mr. Cornell know
whether there were any marks upon them or not
Funny, isn't II, that people With tl6v0o Dry goods
should not have their trunks mafkedf
Ecchtcr's First Appearance In this COUNTRY.
The managers OF Nbo's Garden have unques-
tionaby secured the theatrical sensation OF the new
year In Mr. Fcchter, who opens In that establish