New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-18
IGENBRAL PRESS DISPATCHED

WASHINGTON March 16.-Tbe Senate New
York Custom house Investigation Committee met this
morning Ex-Collector Murphy. being sworn said he
entered the performance Of his duties az Collector OF
Customs of NewYork the 10th or 2lst OF July, 1870
and they terminated the first OF December last HaV
ing replied 10 questions as TO who had charge OF the
storage OF unclaimed goods the eneral order busl
ness, he said had been in office but month or two
when he Co.'S store, and sent the goods 10
Leet & Stockings store He closed the store OF Mason
& Co., because a report brought to him that goods
were on the market and being sold at a very
low price, and that they were traced to that
store. IL was found, after removing and check
ing the goods, that over 200 bales were on the
Custom house books that were not In the store
Mason then disappeared and had not been in NewYork
since his knowledge. The goods removed after
consultation with the Customhouse officers There had
been no consultation with the President Mr. Babcock or
Mr. Porter the sublect-noDe outside the Custom
house, Of the parties above named ever used any
influence with him. Last Fall, he was in Porter d Bah
cocks rooms and aerward the President Secretary
Boutwell, came in from a leading 10 the hall. The
President said to him: Mr. Murphy, there Is so much
noise and scandal about the young man Leet In connec-
ton with the General Order business in York. on ac-
count of his having been connected with me during the
that have come TO the conclusion that that young
man had better leave" To this Mr. Murphy replied The
warfare on Leet originated with the steamship company
for the purpose OF getting the business themselves In
his opinionI Ieet Stocking conducted the business
wellland be did feel like giving way to the steam
ship company. There no order from anybody IN or
out Washn gton, that made it obligatory on the Col
lector TO continue the storage TO Leet & Stocking
witness felt that he could do what he pleased on the
subject On being inteIro gated the subject Of re-
moyas owing 10 the Of certain Republicans on
the General Republican Committee he said bis I'M
preston was that owing TO articles in the newspapers
TO the effect that these gentlemen were acting at the
dictation of Tarnmany, they were removed Orders
| A.. 81 fhn
and Appraiser and as he heard TO the Postmaster at
II any members OF the General Committee had acted
the newspapers described they should be removed II
he himself did receive such letter, II was because
II not thought necessary to send him one Mr van
Cleft one Of the parties discharged under this Order
an engineer in the NavyYard, and his removal was
made az the instance OF the Secretary of the Navy The
Secretary Of the Treasury made inquiry OF him as 10
whether certain parties had been under the influence OF
Ismmauy before pe :pade- any IemQyals Witness
answer was made by letter, snd he gave the
names of those whom he knew to he corrupt
witness had heard of named Corrigan, but had no
possible reason desiring his retention In the service
The President never spoke TO him about COrrlgan tie
remembered having an interview with Gen rainier IN
the Fall Of 1870 In his ohce. Ihey tylhei PeaN.Iy
about politics aud suggested united EFFORT 10 cloh Out
the Tammany Ring. He was 50 pleased with the way
Gen Palmer talked. that witness said he would mention
the matter 10 the President. He remembered sho''-
Guent tng uE a. hefome ner
aud ne thought 1t turned upon tie next Governor ue
ntdD
favorable 10 Horace Greeley our II lie nad ms steps ~
Tetrace. il would not be his advice again re though
GTceley's nomination would be Tor the peSt interest Oh
The Republican party. What Townley said about the
witness having spoken TO the President about Corrgah
absurd entirely untrue, aud made Ont OI whOie TGl
Money was collected in the Collectors Office for political
purposes nom subordnates the amount OBJECTED IN III
Offices the aggregate was about $4,000 no one was i re-
Government OF NewYork made collections FOR political
purposes; he knew that a months pay had frequently
been taken from subordnates; he had beeh told so by
those whose pay had been stopped they had been sued
10 recover the assessment made the suit had been
brought trial. hut the Judge dismissed tie cas WIN
allowing 1t to 20 TO the jury lie Is stockhoder IN
bonded warehouses Atlantic Dock, but none OF The
General order goods were assigned 10 Llm he W"iu
advise reduction of the customs forces OF New
York. 1t should rather be increased there were not IN
The witness said that Senator Conklng had never ap-
piled to him to appoint ANYBODY IN the Custom house
ON being asked what result he Struggled TO obtain IN me
state Republican Convention he replied ne ana All he
could 10 have Horace Greeley nominated for Governor.
and thought pretty much all those from the Custom
acted with him. 10 1871 he did all he could TO
keep the officers away from the Convention He did not
rec0ect promising any Offices to delegates for attending
the Conventions OF 1870 and ISL nor did he remove any
Dnney There was clnb called the Criilev Club" i'm
which a named Bennett was prominent member.
This controlled the majority OF the club who were
workng1nen and, application, he gave 500, with
promise OF more This Investment OF money to ard
the rival OF M Greeley 10 defeat hn il his own organ
ization.
The following dispatch to THE TRBrSE from Wash
ington was designed follow verbatim report sent by
mail. Owing the hopeless irreguariy OF the mails
between NewYork and Washin gon, we are without the
frat part OF the testimony ana forced to print the
conclusion of ex.CollectOr Mmphys evidence IN it,
present SHAPED
The Chairman then put questions in regard 10 the
licensing of carmen who take the goods from ne vessels
10 the public Nj. Murphy testified that these
OF the goods The extent Of the Witness knowledge on
tins subiec; IL shown.by the following:
man for whom he drives; can the importer secure the
benefit of that bond You the bonds gwen to the
| what IL,
by that carman, how is the who lost his goods TO
get ms paperl A. The importer who loses the goods do
/ understand YOU the importer who has his cart
bonded and loses his goods
q have reference to him. Suppose merchant,
or any importer puts goods bonded cant IN good
order and those goods lost can the importer sue on
that bond-a bond gwen to You as Collector a. We
house; there carmen who are specially detailed to
transfer the goods from the General Order store 10 the
q / speak Of those who cart goods from the vessel
from the dock the General order store. A. Can the
importer who loses those goods sue the Government 10
o. No can the importer who loses goods by any cart
man Though he may have the direction Of the car
who loses hs goods between the dock and the General
Order store from whom must he recover, or In other
words can he under that bond A. suppose he can
@ Would il or not he a suit under the bond A. That
IL question OF law which do not like 10 enter upon
reeoect that in one case not oIg ago ease o. good,
q 10 whom did he pay i'll A. He paid it TO the
O Did he pay IL by suit under the bond A. No, I
think was by direction Of the Collector they were
satisfied that the goods lost on his cart and he
make good and then he went Oh aud did so with
out any suit.
O. II is a suit then, against the Collector, is i A.
don't know that this the suit had commenced at
all the satisfied that the goods were lost
while in his possession and the Collector says he must
make the loss good.
q The Collector sues the carnani A. II he were com
PEELED ~ he would, probably
O. Do you know OF any Instance OF that kindi A.
don't know OF any SUIT commenced; know where car
O. Did itIvOluntarilyi A. Did II voluntarily when