New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-19

IlEtEtE...
tSov HorF.1y Saas- .ar Pgrcl
The Senate Committee began - evening
session at p ~. as the lnn Avenue Hoist CIinrmxs
Buckingham srid thai he Ind several cennani
Gallons. aIid'it', GBd lottess bnt on moL0B. the
reoorJins OF them was postponed until toJay
TESTIMONY on \. ). rIiLOT,ow.
A j. TliOtson testified as follows In rcnly qu'siicns
put by Serat0r Eayard importer Of rai'road
and telegraph mntrriils, No. 3 Deg-si; have sone
knowledge the ohargcs The General Order bnsness;
have subjected 20 charges larger
tomary for services OF the Same amount hayo biu
~ Oct H. 1877 ior storage - gools tn'y cane over
order about three on fOar days alter tie ar
same day ana they were IN tho General Orcr storo
about three days when prcscntod my permit; CHG
nmp: storage ss6 20: labor SIS 10; cartagr 80 ST.
considered tho charge eIurbant, 0nd spoke 10 LIZ
Co.; but conld not help myself: ~ e 70 ir' Cotu,
the result Of tLo ST1,s% iiS IN Coccior rcceived
a modified bill-sorage cents labor 10 cents caraao
cTiginal and tho mol n5i Blu; M Cornell sud be
could have reduced the bill sd mOrr MIR. Cornell
vas well and personally known to me. anu on thas
account / went 70 him about this exac.:on; our
charges IN Gew-York are not regulated b. courteous
feeling; the first movement made WIS 20 request my
broker to get Leet and Stocking 10 modify the BILL but
they refused 10 do il: 1t so lappeLcd tn mo brohVI va
relation Of the Collector by - honrB Understand tha
tho ship cannot unload the goods within that time ard
have them into Tho General Order store nc NC pene
OF the importer On the mOIhEg OF tho "rtVal o. we
ship surprised 20 and that tLe eo9ds had S)he
under General Order cases or thi3 hlnd hfN3 hOl
Cured before this time think the General Order bust
ness IL thing TO be shnnIcd - ihioTseIsi dnitis .o
whom imported goods allowed some goods TO go into
General store and subjected w to very great expense
BRIBNG INSPECTORS.
O. Ia It your experience a merchant OF New-York
that subecng merchants to excessive charges
az the General Order warehouse has caused them To
arrange with the CusOhOuse Inspectors 10 retain their
goods the por until those goods were sent iorf A.
Yes, Sir that has been observation and believe that
state Of facts amounts TO practice among merchants 10
protect themselves against excessive charges; the
officials generally are corrupt; i have made arrange
ments wish ut least dozen and have paid them mOnCy
during this time did not know It was violation OF the
law; if my interest was arey should sacrifice con-
science unless knew was violating the law myself
Senator Stewart-If there - COrcUpt Transaction
there must be two parties TO IT, must tGerc not ~ ie
CRrmEATING MERCHANTS.
O. Then I suppose the merchant ia a. corrupt - the
officer who takes the money he Offers
Senator Bayard objected to any examination or wit
ncsses that would tend to crininate merchants, and II
that persisted in merchants would not come Defore
the Committee to give testimony against c9rrnPgoh;
but the Custom house officials OF New-Yorl5
Senator Stewart, in reply, said he had pcen IN new,
York very often. ana upon every occasion a ~ ~ @
heard that there great corruption IN the CUSTOM
house. and he had heard this from very respcctabc par
ties; and on every occasion he had made the INQUIRY
the merchants had reported every compalnabe instance
IT, the Treasury DeVaitmcnti lie believed that Us
thing could be II the merchants would promptly
report them to headquarters instead Oh Offering Oloe
O. do you think II this course adopted by oil Of the
merchants 10 NcwY0rl that would specify remedy
get favor from Mr. Cornell quick as friend; but
there might be some hesitation on his part ID sac oas
O. I heard you say many such cases lad occurred
when you paid large amounts to the inspector Dd you
ever report themi A. mentioned II to Mr. C9rneli
without mentioning the name OF the inspector 'o'u
him not 10 press me- for the name >, 49, 81,
snmmallJ with ohcudcTst A think perhaps d.
CORRUPT wEIGnERs.
O. state what class most corrupt in the Custom
housef A. That Is difficult to answer; find the
weighers are particularly corrupt
O. How do you find thcm corrupt A. The City
Weiehcrs feel at liberty give the weight to the con
slguees which the Government Wegher does not do he
reports any to the Collector.
O. The object OF these graues was TO induce Inspec-
tors violate law. was mott A. 1t was done to induce
themto the full measure of their duty which was OPP
On COULD tbey not then keep the goods on tho pier
month well as 4s hoursf A. For all know they
Senator Howe-Cau you a single vessel that inn
ported the goods when tue irregularities oceurredt
These Irregularities space OF two or three years.
Q. Do you know any merchant who has suffered in the
MANNER yOu havei A. J. G. bloomfield, No II Dey-st.
Senator Howell move that Mr.. Bloomfield be subpe-
nped 60 apIear to-m4rrow ,o. ,,o,. ,,o,o ,o.oo
Senators sYeWaIt Howe CasseIl and Bayard IN regard
the Witness testimony.
MERCHANTS OyERAwEo.
Witness-I think you will find it to be very disagreea-
BILE to have to appear here aud testify TO
tho Outrages Of LeOt 4. Co.. and think shall have TO
pay for my audacity III appearing here and testiynG
have.
Senator CasserlyI fear that other merchants will not
BE- daring as MFR. Tfll0tson. -
Senator Bayard-I this gentleman (Mr. TIllotsonl
for the first time tonight, and reluctantly persuaded
him testify under rho COmpusOn OF this subpoena
lie has told the truth II l. difficult to prevail upon
merchants to come here and stand the Custon-iOnSe
frownngs IL all inspectors and officers are 10 be called
here al hEitum to impeach trustworthy testimony.
O. Was j. W. Lydcckcr tho name Ot your broker DID
he you make the arrangements A. did.
The motion then made and carried unanimously
that the collector who appointed tho Inspector and the
inspector who was In charge OF the City of Washington
on the trim pre- to the 23d of October lst be sub
peneed also 10 Subpoena j. W. Iydecker.
Senator EOwe-WhO was present at the interview you
mentioned3 A. My boOkkcopcr, j. w Elder.
It was moved and carried that Elder he suOpcpaed.
Senator Stewart-YOu say that tho custom prevails
among the merchants to pay inspectors Did you ever
hear OF Stewart Dodge, CGfn, any such merchants
being called upon to pay anything! A. No. Sir; have
tce, but can't any who did 1t before me; com
menced importing several ago. aud the practice
commenced far back Us can remember, put can't
remember the names OF the merchants.
Senator CasserlyYOu stated that is customary FOR
merchants paw will read the testimony OF MI Cor
nell before a Congress Committee that sat here in
February last. The question was asked: Al the In
spectors under oath that they receive brides rom
steamship companies and merchants" Is that sol Mr.
COrnell--A. l suppose 1t is 80 al,
Senator Cassory-Does this Mr.. Tl0tsou, c0mpoTt @lh
your ideas' A. It does, Sir.
Adjourned till to-day at 10 a. M
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QUESTIONABLE REPORT coNcERNiNd TWEED