The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-01-11
THE CUSTOM HOUSE INvEsTI.
4nslaJgr. CATION. -a. 3G

NEW YORK, January 10.-The Con
gressi0nal RetrenChment Committee con
timed It's sessions ut the Ast0r Hous,
today. Mr.. j. Bayson testified tlla
his books were seized by governmen
officers last February, kept five months ant
then returned without any charges beinl
proved against him 10 f7i
MIR. Little, from Cornell, stated his ina
bility to name the exact residence Of thl
custom house employees. D. t ll
MIR. Casserly demanded that thesl
should he found. 30 vs.. D Hal -lar .
Ezra b. Wheeler importer, testified L
the seizure oI his books for alleged irreg
ularities. His lawyer settled the difficult
ties by paying large sums, IthOugh he be
lieved tho amounts due by him werC
small. .fsf Vt .aE.-. .'.'
John d. Ferry, o clerk In the custom
house, said the charge against Captain
Grant rs 10 the connivance Of the customs
officials in the election frauds was false
He said he was promised promotion BY
Collector Murphy about year ago.
John s. Beecher, importer, testified thai
his goods were seized in the fall Of 1860
lot OF sherry wine; We compromised
by paying the,government $35,000 the
charge was, undervaluatiOn Of our in
voices, which we knew was not the case
the reason we compromised was be.
cause our business was stopped
by the seizure Of our books
we never had been able tC
find out who made complaint. The at.
torneys we employed were recommended
by the custom house people; they told us
we could settle It for $4,000, but after
wards VIC got itdOwn TO $350O0.
John y. Mckenzie testified that tho
government weighers did not do the
weighing; said the custom house clerks
were busy getting she business facilitated;
when grand juror knew Of u $l50G0C
fraud case being settled by custom house
officers for $4,000. = p.
Horace B. CLARK, Of Brooklyn, testified
to the seizure Of the books ol his firm by
Clifford Thomson, who was dismissed
from the internal revenue office. Tho
intOrmer was Thomson's brOthcr.in.law
Elliott, who was an employe in my store;
| discharged him for embeZzlement iu
1869; shortly after my brother was Sc
creLly informed that the affair would
be compromised Tor $4,000; we refused
the case went 10 court and cost 800, ,00O
to defend myself; the result was
in my favor. Leet & Stocking used
To charge ten per cent Tor storage, while
nine was the regular price-belng In
formed that these cxorbitant prices were
put upon goods because the collector OF
deputy collector of this port was u part
ner Of Leets and had to get his share
Our merchandise was lost frequently
while in charge OF tho custom house
knew ot bottles being taken, and spirit
packages sent TO appraisers department
He wrote to Secretary Boutwell,, who
took no notice.
Gen. Palmer testified that he had seen
President Grant at Long Branch the
President was anxious about the retention
in office Of one Carrigan, who got three
dollars day as packer. Carrigan was
retained to do Murphy's work on the city
wards. Witness said he dismissed three
important officials, by order of Secre'
tary Boutwell,, because they did moi
vote the way Murphy wanted them
Gen. Alfred Pleasanton said the men
would he dismissed il they didn't vote thai
way PlcasantOn and other officials had
been instructed TO vote that way. Tho
man whom witness discharged for NAL
leasance was reappointed by Murphy tc
an inspectorship Having heard the
charge made that hb was unfriendly tt
the ADMINISTRATION &ittess went 10 Wash
ington to sec the President; Senator
Porter kept him from audience somt
time; saw the President, who said hi
need have 10 fears Of removal in three
weeks after witness was removed Gen
Bayard at this point put the inquiry
which brought out the fact that one Bis:
who was interested on the side Of tht
Republican party, was behind witnes!
and was handling a written question Il
Senator Howe, whereat Howe retortet
tartly al.aG. Hi ...e. p#|--' '.
Here Senator Casserly condemned thu
intermaldling Of the Custom House ofll
GERS. sEn JEEtf. Ffs
Gen. Palmer further said that the Gus
tom House officers were employed u
control the last two State conventions.
Adjourned. ,yag