New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-21
WASHINGTON.
c,,sro,, ,,orsr INVESTIGATION.

TIE CVSrOM-U0USE lNNboi'""
MURPHY CORRECTING" ms TESrl ,a
hru'' ,uy,T,oN or "DECOY" " BLlSS, |
CpIvNn CHARGES MADE AGAINST |
Prominent REPUBLICANS
rev TELEGRAPH TO The TRIBUNE
xu.uuy,roN March 3O.-EX-Coiiector Murphy
..,r,,od Voluntarily 10 the witness stand of the
sorate Custom. house Investigating Committee TINS
,..,riu, to correct one two points of his test-
o,,y given during the three previous days. The
trSt a., lo.-ltiou which he wished TO prevent ms
understanding about was that III relation 10 letter
which.hc said on Monday he might have received
from Gen Porter IN the FAN of 1870, asking II any
Federal oficc-holders had been acting under the
direction of Tweed in the General Committee, and
r.oncstiug list Ol their names. Mr. Murphy is
nov sure that Porter wrote him any such let
Tor: and Nr. CasScrlys crOSS-eXaminatlon revealed
The fact that ths correction the result of CON
ference with Porter and Decoy' Bliss, ir., last
evening Murphy was so desrous he said of hav-
iuc ms testimony exact and correct that he asked
Porter abou, it in Bliss presence Porter said he
never had written any such letter and Bliss had
remarked that he knew that the letter was
from the Secretary OF the Treasury, for Murphy had
shown II to him in the Collectors Office, and he had
read II. The other portion of his testimony, when
Murphy wished 10 correct was IN relation To having
relations with Tammany Hall lie intended to say
yesterday that person having political relations
with that organization was tit to hold Office or
could be considered faithful Republican. lie
thought that good Republican might
he the business partner or nave
,oc,aI relations with TamInany Accepting
ms own distinction, Mr.. Ca>Scrly put TO him num-
her Of questions 10 ascertanf he considered his own
connection with Tammany as OF "a business social
or political character. He admitted that he was a
member of the Board Of Commissioners to widen
Broadway for nearly a year. and several months at
flr he became Collector; that he was there by
thc viii of Tammauy, and that this desirable politi
cal appointment. which was greatly sought, was
gwen to him very soon after he let Hugh smith,
VIM NJ. Tweed x. D. Connolly, and Peter r.
Sweenv into a profitable real estate speculation OF
ms own. He was not asked whether there was any
connection between these two transactions When
he lief, the Board he said that the awards amounted
10 less than tnree millions of dollars. The Board
lost its popularity after he went ont, and great job
WI. made OF it, lie thought that the great mass of
real estate owners believed in il rs long as he was H.
In answer 20 the question. What KIND OF relations
did YOU think You had with the Iammany Ring
when you were on the Board with two Tammany
men and Is the favor Of TammanyY' he replied:
II was the custom 10 put on two Democrats ana
one Republican. and Hugh Smith wanted me 10 20
On prevent its becoming job. also wanted 10
.as repeated in order that the witness might see
that he had not answered II, when he said: " NV
relations with Hugh Smith were social and pleasant,
out did not say anthing about his relations 10
Jammanv Mir. CaSSeIly then asked him. " Dd you
recommend Gen Arthur to be Collector 2 Answer
To whom" MI. Pratt here raised the pout that
Murphy had been discharged as a witness; he came
here simply to correct bls testimony on
several points. and he lratn thought the
.ortiuucd ,loss-examnation Of Nh Cassery
was taking too much time. Mes>Is CaNseFly
aud Bayard complained that MlIrphys replies
=, 10 the questions had been eyaslve. and that
NJ had tloy been otherwise $50 much time would nO have
teen conannied Nj Cassery finally allowed 10 put
TN question and Murphy stated that he had recon
,ncudcd Gen Arthur for Collector, and had done all ne
could with others to secure hls appointment Murphy
was then dist harged.
"Dccoy" Bills, jr., was then sworn and said that the
hrst meeting of Committee which he attended was
The day when Mr. Greeley was examined; he found that
witness tesfyiug as he thought, from his OWL knowl
edge matters which he could not know Of and though
he t3ls-l not acquainted with any member of the
Committee he took The liberty OF making some su.get
tons He regarded SgatOn attack upon the
Administration. which he supported, and upon some OF
ms personal and political friends Then great number
Of Republicans from al over the city had asked him to
attend the sessions Committee listen 10 the testi
Inouy provide for summonng witnesses who could
disprove any miscellaneous that might hc made He
.id thus hone promise of compensation OF any
luud.
At TINS point Nj Ca>scry desired the photographer to
read Blss's statement, when Mr. Pratt inquired II he
fCasscryJ had heard Bliss MI Casserly rephd. sharply,
hat he refused 10 answer that question Mr. Pratt
Then object 10 the reading of the testimony"
Nj Casserly-" Then ! have right to
claractcrze the objection" Mr.. Pratt" The testimony
can I he read unless the witness desires it,"
Cas>crly-" Mr. Chairman, the Senator from Indiana
evidently mistakes ms position this Committee and
demand the reading Offhe testimony" Mr. Buckingham
rbe Chairman decided that the testimony might be
read. A portion of the testimony then read
after which Mr. Bliss, in reply to questions by Mr.
Howe, gave history of the letter which
lie wrote Murphy about Mudgetts report.
that Gen. Porter sharing the profits Of
the General Order business, which letter sent 10
Porter He then explained the testimony Of C. s. Grant
who had Custom-hOuse Inspectors working under
hun al a place Broadway. Congress election, he
said, was about to take place, and as the L. S. Mar
,laI. 10 whom intrusted the enforcement
of the eIectona laws of Congress. with
cut funds volunteers from the anti-Tammany
Republican party and from the ant-Tammany Demo
cratic party invited TO assist III revising the rolls
al voters He charge OF that and suggested to Cor
hell that any inspectors who off duty should be
sani assist During the whole time about twenty of
inspectors present but NOT more than halfa
dozen al once By this means 1900 fraudulent
discovered, and many illegal votes were pre-
vented. Al the election many OF the Supervisors were
Government officials. In such they received no
pay Those who were not in Government employ
paid
Bliss then gave al length his version Of the Re
publican split III New-York producing the names of
persons who, he said held office under Tam
MANY Hail. at the same time officers of Repub-
lcan Associations or delegates the General Commit
lee. Among those who voted against Murphy III that