The New York herald., 1871-12-29
THE HONEST HARBOR MASTERS.
Official Investigation Into the Hart Case-Law-
yers at Loggsrheads-A Storm in Teapot
How WharAngers Work the Oracle.

Tne court convened 10 Inquire lutu tic ChotBcS
against the HarDor Masters OF the port OF New York;
lately brought to the notice OF Governor Hoffman
by o number OF merchants who considered them
selves aggrieved was opened yesterday forenoon by
Captain James E. JONES' the Port Captain OF New
York, at ms Office, near the junction OF Pearl and
Wall streets. A number OF prominent shipowners
and merchants were present. and took lively
interest in the proceedings.
THE FIRST WITNESS
called was Mr.. Parrish OF the firm OF f w. Coleman
a Co.. whose representations to the Governor OF the
State conduced TO the present inquiry. In answer
10 the interrogatons Of Mr. Lyon the witness stated
that he was not personally acquainted with MI.
Hart, the Harb0r Master, though he knew him 10 he
then present All that he knew personally about
Hart having stored some nour consigned to their
firm was that 1t was taken from the dock
and stored in a warehouse and that the
warehouseman rendered the bill Of charges made
out under the caption, 'HarDor Masters Account
OF Whom 1t May Concerns" his further knowledge
he had gained by hearsay by the testimony OF his
EMPLOYERS, one of whom had an interview with the
Harbor Master; the -four was landed upon pier No.
East River, ana there were two lots-rne first
stored on July &C. the second November Is; 1t
was stored in both instances in warehouses ut
Nos 46 ami As Water street; witness did not remem
Der having seen the -four while IL was on the dock
had q conversation with the storeKeeper regarding
IL while II was In the aters pOssession the current
rates for storage differ at certain seasons Of the
year, though they have varied but little during the
present one; in July last the rates were:-Cartage
four cents barrel labor, three cents barrel and
three cents per barrel per mensem for storagc the
insurance was ten cents per sioe per month.
Counsellor DAVIS (f0r Mr.. HarU-In your letter
you say ''tne nour was stored by the orders of
warehouseman named Gardiner, who was appa.
renily acting Haroor Master in the matter.' How
do you arrive at that conclusions
WITNEss-From GARDENERS statement to Inc ana
not from any Information derived from Hart; pro-
duce the original bill OF storage for July and copy
OF the November one; do not know whether Hart
had any orders or request TO store the -four from
any one.
BY the Tort CApTAIN-we were never notified to
remove the -four. No notice could have been given
our nrm without my knowledge.
WARM DISCUSSION.
At this stage OF the proceedings Mr.. DAVIS inter.
Captain Jones' stating that the next could pro-
ceed untl the other witnesses In me present case
MsI' ne s took ana
that inc prosecniors, Or prosecutors q
they were unable to sustain or substantate. an
thai, formal Court having been opened, 1t was
out OF the customary method OF taking evidence.
Mr.. Brett urged that ne came with his colleagues as
ar not as na to
the harb0r masters. The discussion waXed warm,
and there was some danger OF there being an expo-
sion IN The court room, which Is small as the galley
aboard first class canal boat.
The Captain Of the Port at length restored order,
taking firm stand and asserting that he was
utterly unbiased IN the matter, but was fully deter
mined TO ferret out the truth OF the allegations, as
would listen parientIy to all tho evidence rendered
either side, vet would render no verdict until 1t
was all given IN every case. II order to admit OF
fhn MN nrn .1n " N a Y
case, the Court would take recess until hall past
one O'Clock.
Puncfually at the hour appointed the Captain Of
the Port resumed his Judicial seat and called the
a o. a iss agaSs % Maer
ants idea, ana obtained counsel in the person Of
Counsellor Benedict to conduct their case.
Archibald 7. Haney was the witness called, and,
after swearing to the truth OF the contents Of an am
Mr.. Davis commenced 10 cross examine HIM. After
testIiying that he belonged to the firm OF Hanev
Parker, wllicn does business at No. 25 Coenties slip.
and that to his knowedge Hart had been Harbor
Master Of the district IN which their house Is situ
ated ior a about bout year. ne was @ askea y whether he
ana replied in the negative.
Mr.. DAyIs.Did you apply to any one'
w. ,,n ,e " aa =; naeg ragrs ~ ,ag wharl Ma a.
to be towed from Brooklyn to per No. g. East River,
for $40 10 include towage and berth; that was
Mr.. DAyIS-Was $40 fair and reasonable charge
for towing the Torryborne to tnat berthg
MnNEss-No; should say $l2, at the outside,
Mr. DAyIs-What were you to pay him the balance
fOrg
WIrNEss-Por the berth.
Mr. DAvIs-was that the amount Of legal wharf.
age on the vessel?
WITNEss-lt mad nothing to do with II; we ex-
pected to pay that beses Niyers did not represent
to me that he was u harbOr master or tnat he hal
anv authority to act for one; did not 90 TO lhe
Harbor Master and ask him to assign me q berth in
order to avoid paying the cxtortonate charge; did
not consider ., had any occasion to do so
Mr nj N N in
your affidavit as 'the first instancefr
WIrNEss-l alludc TO the case Of the schooner
Leading Star on November 2s, 1870; did not apply
to the ilarbor Master on that occasion for berth
Tor that vessel; agreed TO pay SIS for berth and
iowaae TO the wharlinger, whose name ! 40 not
know.
Mr. DAvIs-what was the towage fairly WORTH
WITNEss-I have paid for that towagc SO; |
have never applied TO Hart for a berth; had no
communication with him in reference TO either OF
the vessels in question until they were fast to tue
Mr.. DAvIs-Did you ever apply to him 10 allow
those vessels 10 remain
WITNESS i did, and the reason he gave me for
the removal OF the Torryborne was that the law
prohibited him to allow her to remain.
Mr.. DAVIS Have you ever heard hat Hart was
endeavCring prevent the wharfinQers In his dis
trict rom cxact,ng Illegal fees and that he nad sand
no vessel should occupy berth for which Illegal
fees had been paiif
wITNrss-I have heard that Mr.. Hart has received
brlpes ana illegal fees himself.
ANOTHER coaMOTIoy.
This was the signal for general commotion az
Mr DAVIS strenuousy objected TO the witness pelng
allowed TO answer In such 4 manner. Mr.. Benedict
assumed he had, and the Port Captain was
nugatory until 1t became incumbent upon him to
request the gentlemen present 10 "behavc az sch -
Both Mr. DAVIS and the witness Haney possess
fluent tongues, and wonderful amount OF recrin.
nation was the result OF their strife AT length the
storm slbsdcd. and Mr.. Benedict proceeded 10 ex-
anime Hancy. The 1rst question ne asked was why
the witness applied 10 the wharfnger for berth
for the bark T0rryborne Deendant's counsel
objected 10 the question: but was overruled by the
Court.
WITNESS Il applied to him because II has been
| always customary TO do so IN That district
| Mr. BESEDICr-WIll y0u state the clrcr rme,anccs
IN the Leading Star case? tObjecte1 10, but over.
ruled By the Conri)
| WITNFss--I applied to the wharnnger at pier :
for berth for her and towagc from Twcnty-fourth
street, North River to load In our llne or 81. johns:
think the price was ~ pay tor berth and towage
| was SIS: the wharIngcr sent his boat and towed
the schooner to the end OF pier I, on the dock OF
| which we had cargo lying ready for shipment; the
captain came anil told me Hart had ordered him 10
shit the vessel. tMr. DAVIS here objected, ON the
| ground tnat hearsay cvidence was mad.