New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-04
ray rrLyGpApH TO THE rRIBUYEI

STORY.
10y TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON, April ga special meeting OF
the Custom-house Investigating Committee was called
to-day for the purpose Of listening to statement OF
Col. Goureaud whose personal and official character
was attacked in the testimony Of Brush, one or COL
Howes special agents, last week. Goureaud
said that having seen In tho newspapers
report Of Brushs testimony, nc had "rltteh
10 tho Chairman Of this Committee, asking
nermission TO appear and reply. He then gave an ac
count of his connection with the Appraisers Department
at the Port Of NewYor and followed with full ex
panaton Of his subsequent connection WIN the mousse
Of Nayor Co. He said that he was appointed ASSIST
ant Appraiser at NewYork in the Fall OF 1862 and was
assigned to the division having charge OF. hardware,
&C. After spending considerable time in preparing
himself for the position he entered upon the duties Oh
his office and continued to discharge them Tor aDout
months. AT the end OF this time he received an
order from the Secretary Of the Treasury directing nun
to proceed to Sheffield in company with Gen starring,
for the purpose OF making an investigaton ~ ,t
the long lpending bar steel controversy. HaNng pei
formed this duty and prepared his report ne
the duties OF his Office few months laer, ne
from the Secretary OF the Treasury Six ss This
granted and before the expiration OF Tue . Pnr
resigned his commission as Assistant Apprss steel fsh
plates were imported by Naylor Co.., ana these
were in such quantities that Gauread does not re-
member the circumstances attending single one OF
them, aud he submitted documentary evidence o. tb ,
had been passing through the division OF which ne was
chief at the equivalent rates for three years
previous 10 his appOn to office and continued 10 90
20 FOR nearly year after his resignation; ana aso tat
those invoices which chad upon them hls official sigma
in which they were appraised He had in no sense
passed the invoices In the technical sense OF thas
term Brush in his statement, said that at the tlne
some of the Fish plates passed through the Custom;
house, Gouread was the Assistant ana Pased
MAYOR CO. had really been invoicing them at less IMAM
their real value, Goureaud must have been IN cousoh
Goureaud also replied to Mr. Brushs criticisms on the
character OF MeMuen the examiner Who p%sseqh eee e
in the Appraisers Department. for 20 years ana Win
G that oc Office When Mr. cnc6 does to the office Of Collector
OF the Port He is man above suspicion ana an ac
deparnent Although a. Democrat, his services have
been so valuable that Republican Appraiser has ever
Goareand next explained at length his connection
with Nayior Co. AT the time the books were seized
he was nf 6 soL lyndon Eoue teaphed to him
quesns that should ca at their place 81 business In
hsad o. anG s whf& asked
to- explain When walking ,D into has earned earned
by telegraph tIat the books and papers OF their New
York house had been seized by the Government
and their business entirely suspended Gouieaud mace
inquiries as to the charges tod w sa th the secns
ton was INTERPRETATION in the invoices. Alter
he had inquired as od to on the he o Mr. BsnHon
that if what said true he thought he need have
nofp fear
toriIv exnained some time later Goureaud again
called to London aud invited to take sge geo o. te vase
that that he should have full access to .,ot the
and Of ,h the t a ana mad Sn Seea
rs roeg o or rreguar in their transactions
this Examination occupied than week. and in
cded not only an inspection Of the books papers and
invoices OF that firm but also partial examination OF
the books OF Sir John Brown Co., from whom tne
nation was to prove that Naylor had invar,Dy nyoced
their goods at exact cost without reduction OF Ie9sse
rails of Sir John Brown Co. at lower prices than those
paid by the MAYORS Having obtained TINS ~ %
fore the proper officers He denies that Brush was the
ono to first inform DistretAtorney Davis Oh ms
as lie had done it himself in previous intervene anu
used tee fact as one Of MS @ ns affirmation a
changed the DistrctAtorneys opinion OF him, must be
unfounded
A cusToM-HoUsE RoUGH's STORY DENIED.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: In relation to the evidence given be-
fore the Customhouse Investigation Committee at WASH
,ngtou by Mr. Peterkin, would like to say that the
iv truth stated is that after Peterkns earnest desire
IN the Syracuse Convention, procured ticket
for him and paid expenses while there, hoping as he
hims, II expressed it. that his attendance would help
him In his application for appointment In some puohc
oace He had been appointed to position % Assistant
Inspector in the Health Department but was renewed
berorc the assembling Of the Convention Commissioner
Mncrre did not request him to go Syracuse nor was
peterkin 40 informed The statement about my desiring
auy rowdysm there false in every particular Neither
dd hear either at York, Syracuse or elsewhere
anything said about breaking up the Conversion.
have taken steps to appear before the COMMITTEES ~
Wasbingon 10 contradict the wholesale ISLANDERS mado
| by an usscru, GUS applicant for Office
| New- York, Ap.u ., 1879. JAMES L. hAsr'E
| COMMISSIONER MANIERREs STATEMENT
| Commissioner Manerre, in conversation yesterday
with a report Of TIE TRIBUNE, referring TO the
statements made BY Petern before the Investigating
| Committee. de- most emphatically that he was In
any way concer, In cndcavor to break up the Re-
pubican Convention held last year at Syracuse He had
no knowledge that such attempt was meditatcd nor
did he believe that Mr. HASTE was In any way con.
cerned I'm such an affair Mir. Manerro said he did not
even know that Peterkin was in sylaeusf ana no GER
tany was not in the employ Of the Board or ean ~
tho time the Convention was held lie only scrveh hve
ar Ak months In the office of tho CITY Sanitary ihspee
tor and with oters discharged b''n"se there waS
| no niger need for his services