New-York tribune., 1872-01-17
TWELFTH DAYS PROCEEDINGS.
TESTIMONY OF III. n. CLAFLIN,


The Chairman-I understand you reside il
the city. A. do business here; live in Brooklyn.
O. How long have you been in business bercf A.
twenty-five TO twenty-six years.
o. You are an mpoTteri A. Yes Sir.
O. Will you give any statement in regard 30 your bns'
Gs wh oer SSsnes %ether t is conduetsd in such
as TO facilitate your business or whether ye
experience embarrassnentf A am not very famil.
lar with that have always two OF three men who at
O. Has it been conducted in a to give you
raj satisfaction far as reports have been made 10 You"
complaints come me- perhaps all the complaints d" not
reach me- because they are aware know nothing aout
it; always tell them to go TO the Collector. aud get
dress wherever they
Q. Have you known instances where complaints havo
redressi A. do remember any particular instance.
A. How ia it about charges at the General Order store
sometimes 1 think | was shown some when got this
subpoena yesterday for Mr. Downs, and he brought
me some bills that thought were large.
@. Are they larger In your ludg nent than thoSe OF
other store-housest A. don't know, sr tnat nay br;
ought to say have great many goods, ana ! tn"4
my man makes an arrangement OF so much a case I
think goods generally entered under particular
arrangement, 81 the charges cannot oe e1cess'' eeh
ally. b. .,,,..o,
of books pa pers OF importers have your books anu
papers ever been seizedi A. No, Sir.
that YOUR Invoices were TOO low A. don't think have;
don't remember OF any Instance
books and papers for the purpose OF seeItang whether
there is attempt at frand as affecting IN any way 'h'
merchant A. Well Sir, il never las effected me at AL.
because my papers have never been seized have he"
asked to remonstrate frequently, asinst TINS tI1csr'
told gentleman who asked me to Sign sllch pctli"h
two or three as gS aa' sa SSose Te M thew S ho
come and take your bOOksf said that was proper anu
should make every attempt 10 show that everything
was right aud thought should get out OF the trouble
very quick thought this power prevented great deal
of fraudulent business do know whether am rieat
about that; do not know what my Custom house young
would think OF IL.
CUSTOM HOUSE LOSSES.
O. We have received communication in reference 10
the loss OF dozen scarfs from package Of yours aud
have three aldavits from in theAppraIseIs Depart
ment that they were not in the when at
that department. A. knew nothing Of this until
ing asked Mr. Downs about IL the next morning. and
he brought me the box from which they taken IL
ia quite evident they distracted from the box the
box appeared the person had had trouble 10 Open IT.
my Cstomh house can give you all the pal ficulars
about IL the package was marked In good ORDER when
O. Have you known of being sustained by your
firm the ship and the delivery or goods the
public stores 4. have known of losses IN the pun
store; lost s2 600 or $4,000 worth OF silks tnis Fail ia
q. Who sustained that loss A. We do, suppose
could not find any body else TO bear 1t.
Senator Bayard-I find the OF your house signed
In October 1870 10 communication 10 Mr. Murphy, then
Collector In reference TO the withdrawal OF the General
side of the river and placing 1t In the hands of the per
who hold 1t now on this side OF the river IN two
Mr.. Bayard read the communication, which expressed
the qualification Of Mr. Clafn's house and others at
being apprsed lin their communication 10 the
Coeco by official letters OF the Secretary OF the Treas
ury under date OF June and June o. 1870 that their
Hoboken and Jersey City stores was not nconsisens
with security to the Government and renewing their
quest and relying upon Immediate restoration tho
this port OF this essential feature OF conye
O. Do You continue Of the same opinion stni A. Yes,
Sir
THE PRESENT GENERAL ORDER SYSTEM CONDEMNED.
O. Your experience Is that the restoration OF the
tenn which preceded the present system is essential TO
the convenience and economy OF the merchants who do
business ut this port A. believe that ~ he
Senator Pratt-Your house imports dry goods A Yes.
Sir.
O. What ia the amount OF your mportatiops a yesrt
A. 1 not certain; think last year II Was about
81 100000 or q, 9,000,0O0, currency.
O. You expressed opinion TO Senator Bayard that
the General Order business should be restored to the Gu
nard. Bremen, and Hamburg lines ask yoa 10 state, II
done whether the General Order business should
not be given out without any discrimination TO all the
European lines importing merchandise at this portf A.
Senator Bayard-Might say there Is apparently q
misapprehenson OF my question: 10 never has been my
personal view Judging from the testimony we have hsd
aide Of the North River or the East River; I
theenerai Order business should not be - given 70 any
one who had bonded warehouse In u convenient 10
cation
Mr.. Clann-Yes, Sir.
TESTIMONY OF n. p. MUDGETr.
The Chairman-You reside here A. Yes, Sir; Ibavo
been here since 1856.
O. What Is your businesst A. Lawyer.
q Have you been familiar with the manner in which
business has bean conducted Tin the Custom housef A.
1851. and remained there until April 1857, when took
contract to do some work for the public with
other gentleman AMI resigned ny position m the tsso