New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-20

and their business was tied up for five weeks
while tho infOrmcrs were searching for EVIL
dence of fraud that never was committed.
The books of Mcssrs. Iieineman a. ray
son were carried off and retained three
months, because there was a small discrepancy
between tho Custom-hOuse weight and the In
voice weight of cargo Of wool. The firm
was invited TO compromise" with the Treas
ury for $4,000, but refused to pay anything
and the case was abandoned. IL turned OUT
afterward that tho Custom house weigher naa
never weighed the wool at all! If not actual
proof, there is at least strong reason
TO believe that importers UNCONSCIOUS OIL
any fraud or irregularity are sometimes IN
duced to compromise because it IL cheaper TO
submit TO the special agents demands than to
oppose them. That proposals OF this nature
are frequently made by the officers admits OF
10 question and Deputy Collector CLARK con-
fcsses as much in the following delicate Ian
guage: al have heard remarks that might lead
emo to believe that in some small cases there
"would be something said which would show
ga readiness on the part Of subordinate OIL
"cers to compromise small cases" Really, we
think black beetle might be convicted on
such evidence as that.
But the Government suffers as much as the
merchants. James Elliott testified to the com
mon practice of running cargOes," or dis
charging them without weighing, by which
there was always loss to the revenue. Mr.
Lake knew from his own experience that In
tho Weighcr's Department alone there was an
expenditure of $4,000 or 100000 year by the
appointment of men for whom there was no
work,-especially if goods are not weighed.
Employees of the Custom house weiShers con-
tribute 81 week each TO bride the port
officials to berth vessels in their district,
so that they can have tho profit
able job of running the cargoes"
Gen. Palmer showed how valuable officers
were discharged for political causes, and dis
honest ones retained because they were use
full in the primary elections. James NJ
THOMPSON, who seems to have been the leader
of gang known as "ThOmpson's Roughs"
WINS reported to Secretary Boutwell, as having
made corrupt proposal to Appraiser Palmer
to Join him in swindling the Govern
meut. Collector Murphy appointed him
veieher, and when tho fact of this
proposal was brought TO his notice by
the Secretary, his reply was 81 have myself
"ber of years. He has always been a radical
"active Republican" SO Thompsons APP
pointment was confirmed. sampler was dis
charged from the Appraisers Department for
stealing liquor, and appointed to another office
by Mr.. Murphy after the circumstances had been
notified TO him. Lcet was allowed to hold
position in the War Department for whole
year while he was carrying on the General
Order business under the name of Bixby; and
at this very time Gen. Porter (who had been
strangely busy in getting the General Order
privilege for LeeD went ont of his way to
assure Mr.. Mudgett that neither himself, nor
Babcock, nor Leet had any interest what
ever in anything connected with the New
g." York CustOm-bouse."
AS for the system of patronage, the evidence
ia overwhelming. The Corrigan case will not
soon be forgotten. COrrigan was a labOrcr
whom the Appraiser removed for good cause,
and was obliged to reappoint because, accord
ing to Mr.. Murphy, the President was "tak-
81 ing quite an interest" in NewYOrk
factional politics. and thought COrrigan
could be useful. Two highly important,
capable, and experienced officers, Messrs.
Forbes and Coutant, and labOrer named
Nash, were warned by one Of the Presidents
friends that they must vote "a Mr.. Murphy
desired in certain primary. They did not
obey, and were turned out the next day.
De Camp, ON entry clerk in tho
Naval office, was turned out for SINH
lar cause by an order either from the
President or the Secretary of the Treas
ury. Astonishing to say, Mr.. Murphy's power
extended even to the Brooklyn Navy Yard
He endeavored to make bargain with Mr.
Van Cleft, the Civil Engineer at the Yard, to
control certain primaries in this city, repre-
senting that he stood for the Administration,
and must be consulted in the affairs of the
party. Failing In this, he threatened to have
Mr.. Van Cleft removed before the week was
out,-and Mr.. Van Cleft was removed And
then came some evidence, partly hearsay,
which we give in Mr.. Van Clefts own words {:
"brr Murphy and Cen. Arthur both in the
that evening Of the primary and Mr. Murphy stepped up
TO one Of the Isspectors MT. Josiah W. Thomson and
had some conversation with him, which Mr.. Thomson
told me- He informed him that 1t was worth great
deal 10 him 10 carry that primary that evenings subso
quently learned from gentleman that Mr.. Murphy had
authorized him 20 give Mr. Thomson $500 TO throw that
primary that evening" be had authorized Major Willard
Billiard Offer Mr.. Thomson $500 to do what he could
toward giving him that primary"
Mr.. Pullman testified how great crowd Of
Federal officials fraudulently and fOrcibly car
ried primary election in the XVIIIth Assem-
bly, District in the Fall Of 1870 Mr.. Murphy
being present. Mr.. Surveyor Cornell, strange
to say, was as ignorant as an idiot about Gus
tom-bouse interference In local politics, and
was not even aware that any dissensions ex-
listed IN the Republican party in this State;
but Mr.. Charles S. Spencer, who is certainly
cnmnetenf witness ON all dirty thinps if INV