New-York tribune., 1871-09-26
TIE sHoDDY CONTRACTOR
wrrRpHY's DEFENSE" FINISHED.

MrRPHY'S "DEFENSE" rAloii u,,Y
.c,.p FROM A MEMBER OF THE DIX xsn
COMMISsION-COL. oLCOTr sUsiA
70 ne Bditor OF The Tr.o',..,or To the
sIR: I have read the facts In !es. ~ .hs napers;
Murphy g. Griswod case as puoliSne,u, =, rommission,
and. as member of the DIX ovOo... ..,.nts made by
think it my duty to say that the ..9 commission,
Col OlCott as 70 'nu I .rs duaply called upon 70
s,S:.ho, the hats and caps oeA'o - tho
u00.uo - ths 6Im in question wero etu~ -
0onuao'' =. - Col. Olcott called nunv
stsndau 0"hpes -. on behalf Of the uoverninonV
reSpeS'~o,o .h.v were not and Mr. EVar.S' on Sno
10 prove 'n~s a.. csIed others to prove Ina' ''oy
part Oi Sno 4.-timouy was very connlc'ne' Du'
were l"0 60 seemed to be In favor OF the ue-
the prepvuu .ccordngly 80 reported TO the oecre-
Tense snu "" ws were in no sense court nor hao
tAry y, .hs attributes of military or cvh tribunal
sny - found that the articles were INFERIOR 70 Ine
wU n' .nT renort would have been simply taken as
sAsp 'o~. ,-anaut for the Department to bring the
hS,o,a court In the regular way In the lnter-
s.. of truth should add that report which much
90 stronely exonerated the contractors was hrst
'.".artsd to me but refused to sign 1t, and new
".. thsn drawn in the form now published, and
Aligned BY sll the members
gLsacy tGe stondard samples produced before as
lad ksm changed WhethT any uttnesSes o" e'ther
Ia, lad bon s4borred or pketAer any one WhO should
lace come scard Were absent We did not knot0, nor
o,uH NJ Nor was the question Of the honesty
of all Of Murphy & Griswold's dealings with the
Government considered by us at all.
Ihsve said this much because thought 1t due to
nv associates and myself to remove any apprehen-
siou that may have seemed warranted by Mr.. Muir
pbys Arst card that we had either the intention or
The right to pronounce upon the character of these
contractors Respectfully yours,
ROBERT NJ. STREBEIGH.
No. Edst Forty1fJrh-st Ne0- York, Sept. 25, 1871.
Mr. THOMAS MURPHY FROM ANOTHER POINT
OF OBSERVATION.
TO ne EDITOR Of The Tribune.
SIR: About year ago Mr.. Thomas Murphy
levied tax on the salaries OF the CustomHouse clerks
and collected from $4,000 to $4,000 for political purposes
Every clerk to the number Of 1000 more, paid one
Quarter OF his monthly salary into the fund No one
dared to refuse for fear Of removal. few at first de-
INJURED but Mr.. Murphy and his Secretary Mr.. Terwi
lse< easily conquered the little opposition that was
bold enough to assert itself. The impression was every
where conveyed and received that failure to pay the
assessment would be followed by removal The e1tor
ton excited general indignation, but was quietly sub
mtted TO for fear Of consequences. ~
when Senator Patterson and his associates Of the Con-
Rres Committee investigated the affairs Of the NewYOrk
Custom House, last Winter, they put Mr. Thomas Muir
ply stand, and he gave the following testimony
WNdr oath:
O Do you know Of any assessment Of money on the
clerks in the New-York CustomHo for political or
election purposes since you have been Collector
A. There has never been any assessment on the
Custom House clerks except a volunteer one.
Q Was that percentage upon salariesf
1t was regulated in that respect and optional with
every person whether he should pay or not
Such we're the answers to as true given by Mr.
Murphy TO two questions which would have ELECTED just
the contrary testimony from thousand other witnesses,
clerks in the House, had they been summoned
They exhibit either great ignorance the part Of Mt
Murphy exceptional views Of the obligation OF an oath
the public will not be slow determine which shall
be mistaken they do not come TO the conclusion that
Nj Nurphys testimony under oath is just as reliable
A. hs recent communications TO THE TRIBUNE, and no
Eso- York. Sept. %, 1871.
THE above comes from a responsible source; and
tho evidence it quotes has been officially published.
-Ml
WHAT SAID OF THE TRIBUNES EXPOSURE.
The letter Of RObt. Murray, ex-United States
AArshA which appeared in THE TRIBUNE Of yesterday
excited universal comment in wallet Even in the
Custom House itself groups were seen In the corridors
Feadns the ,scathng rebuke and commenting upon IT.
BOme argued that there way left for MI Murphy
but to resign In the banks the opinion was that the
thanks Of an honest merchants to TIE TRIBUNE
for shovinR mn man who was "blister upon the Re-
publican party" Taken as o whole, the expression OF
opnon down town was that Of decided approval OF the
course taken by The TRIBUNE.
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PERSONAL