New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-10

REMOVING OffENDtito-HOW AffOlNIMENI5
SHOULD BE MADE
The following testimony, taken before the
Select Congress Committee, in relation to the Custom
House. will be found of interest connection with that
published in THE TRIBUNE the 9TH inst:
TESTIMONY OF SURVEYOR CORNELL.
ALoSzo Is: CORNELL sworn am Surveyor Of the Port
had before IA have confessed under oath that they have
been in the habit Of taking brides Of the agents OF the
steamship companies and in some instances from the
merchants, 10 expedite their business do you think
that fact Ia true A. suppose ii ia true that the steam
ship companies in the habit Of paying money TO the
officers either directly orindirecy, to very considers
bic extent have always talked against IL Ia the Off
GERS and have personally warned the steamship coma-
MES with regard 10 II, aud wherever have had an OPP
portunity have tried to prevent u but 1t seems TO be
very difficult 10 prevent II without prosecuting the
steamship company; think that Is the only way in
which 1t be prevented think the steamship compa-
pes should be prosecuted for paying the money 70 the
officers suppose it would be the duty OF the Collector
to make the complaint
O. Is the reason why this has not been done because
they have not had sufficient evidence to Justify proseeu
tom suppose that the evidence can be obtained
at any time from the Officers; the evidence OF cOuIss
IN the possession OF the two parties the one giving ana
the other receiving the money and IL must be obtained
times that the officers should be used witnesses against
the steamship companies; think the steamship eompa,
should he punished for aiding what they know Il wrong
and what they have been specially warned not To do,
O. Is this practice of long standngl A. think II ~
q What is the motive with the steamship companies
O. II they required TO keep their goods on ship
board for AS hours and night permits We're forbidden 20
these men A. II would, In measures theysare running
their ships very short time table; think they
the agents that they not giving their ships proper
length Of time for their trips the Cunard Company give
their vessels 10 days between sailing day from Liverpool
and sailing day from NewIork. while the InInan me,
which Is slower Inc on the ayerage give insr sp
day in NowYork; they give them the ZANE
length OF time SUMNER the While Msner '" requires
two or three days for Winter trip than for
summer trim If they had longer time to remain In
| he
Guilty in their dscharging in their regular unc Tue
steamers require TO- - H. or Is days OF tine ~ thef
allow themselves to make their trip here and there Is
only two three days of the time eit; II thelr Ile
table was 30 arranged that four or five days would be
assured for their discharge il would be less difficult To
discharge them aud there would not be the Temptation
to brbe the officers into their Interest by not Allowing
the steamers to discharge until IS hours after they cae
into port would necessitate the enghemng o, tn i
tme-tabes that would reduce the number OF Irlps
which Il sh could make In each year; thelr contracts
with the Government to carry the mails are based on
their time tables, and II they shoud lenghen helf Le
tables so to add week TO their trip II would not
affect the carrying of the mails it would simply change
O. Do the inspectors take oath each week when
they their that they have not received any
money improperly a. They take an OATH when Tas
prescribed by Congress some years ago. ON ther monthly
payroll that they nave received nothing from any otncf
sources directly indirectly. so that In every IN
stance they have taken this money, they commit per
jury. - - u
O. Do YOU think that what has been said "A to the eH-
cessiye numbers OF men on the Weighers division Is
strictly truei think the weghers are all the while EN-
blowing more than they should employ; cannot say
how many, have talked with them great deal about be
ing careful in the employment Of men, that they should
employ men Though they were DONG business Tor
beu.clye. The ystem of appointing forcmen and clerks
by The Collector l. which was adopted during me
administration of Mr.. Grinnell; think II j. al wrong
and have said 80 repeatedly 10 him whenever have
had occasion 10 speak him Of IT, think The Weighers
shoud employ their assistants and be heid IslOh
sbe for them; do not believe in dividing responsibility
Mr. Grnne also gave directions that the clerk aud fore
man should De paid fun time, oNefrunng my protest th,
they should only be paid for the time they were actaI{
emloyed the foreman and the clerk do the work when
the Wcigher himself ought 10 do ,,,,
Q. DO they do what the Wegher formerly dd 40 A.
| douht in Weigher. have done much work a. they
should do the nature OF their work II such that pOs
sibc 90 obtain exact responsibility; Their WORK j. seat
tered over district over two, thee, more piers. ana
they leave their work pretending to go TO me Gus
tou-House. and have no doubt many times go on son'
where else. that II Is Impossible 70 secure from tneh
proper degree responsibility; II they had no clerk or
they would lie required to attend more surety
TO the duties of their district -.
g.. They have gangs OF men, III instances rs hlgh as
five, and the men on theSe gangs are pau 80 Ia,
while employed do you not suppose that th0se
sometimes paid for work which ihey d9 MOI 40
for hours when they not empOyedt A. That Is
matter entirely in the discretion Of the Welgher II ne
course it may he impossible for him to cOnne Their pay
To the amount Of labor performed the NelShers MAKE
The pay -ro sworn TO- and are brought to my office,
and after looking them over, We approve mem II We
can or as We frequently do. object To them, and require
T J w. ~ "ttcn and bald by the collector; do not
think Is in the power OF the payma,ter To correct NE
rolls; the rolls are placed In ms hand Win tht
amount set opposite the name of rach man, ana u
is h- business u find the and pay him the amount
se ounosjte his name do not see how ne could deter
mine as To the amount Of work which done by these
pnoplc because The work for the week preceding
The payment; have reason 10 believe that frauds are
cHmmitted ON the Government by these Weighers or
their shordinaes in the weighing of merchandise; how
10 remedy them Is difficult question 10 solNe
think the first step towards IL would be 10 require the
Weigers toattend personally 10 the details Of the weigh
lug which would get rid Of much of this machinery Of
gangs and irresponsible people think II would DE
much better abolish the present system of weighing
entirely ana increase the number OF inspectors; have an
inspector 90 with gang Of men and have Responsible
man weigh person each article Of merchandise think
it would probably be saving IN expense 10 the Govern
O. How are these frauds generally committed in the
Weighers' districts A. Sometimes by making the
weights too small sometimes by allowing too much tare,
O. And men in such instances are corrupted by
chantsl A. Yes Sir. by somebody in their interest;
we have found some instances where the goods nave
been properly weighed and the dOckb0Ok taken posses
sion Of by the Weigher who has made bargain with the
merchant for reducing the weights we have discovered
frauds the weights Of several eXWeghers In one IN
stance discovered fraud the weight OF of the
present Weghers, and upon representations TO the Col
amer a long examination by the collector he re-
stored TO duty think he ought not 10 have been. ~
o. He was not restored with your consentf A. SIT;
the first information had from the Collector was tina, he
did not see how he could De restored te mex t ma
ences brought bear the Collector to overlook the
fault. .-....,, -.
ltca partiesi A. should suppose would he political
Influences this refers to the late Collector Grihhei
o. l. Burns now in service I "A. Yes, SIR .
q Can you state the particulars OF the iraudt A.
OF pepper the firm of Recnage Co.; another fraud
was in the weighing of invoice of walnus; these were
the two cases which he was suspended $500
O. Have there been other cases similar To TINS WITHIN
your knowledge A. not among the present Weighers;
There have been in the past We found very con
siderable frauds In the weighing of eX Weighers Doohte
and cannot think OF any Others though there are
"A number. --- , -.,.-
O. Have you reason 10 believe that names OF parties
have been put the rolls OF the Weigners who have not
been employed A. Yes, Sir caused the Institution Of
several suits against Wcghers In 1869 ON such charge,
and although able To prove the facts ol the
fraud i'm the pay-ros the eXWeichers were discharged
by the Commissioner the ground that we had failed to
move the intent deraud they required Us 10 prove
- well that they intended Ia defraud as that they aid de
fraud and the men therefore were not held for tral;
snnnosed this a very unfair and unfatbfu decision on
LL-.--- I'M ..Il.