The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-01-12
lpRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENCE

the Bfrds-What New York Pays Tor
Choice Music.
lFRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
New YORK, January 6.
The Developments from the senatorial In.
vestigation now going on at the Customhouse
are most damaging to President Grant and
his friends. Everything charged by Senator
Schurz has been substantated by evidence,
and It is further proved that members ol
Grants military family have been sharers In
the robbery of the New York merchants. The
Inference is very strong that the President
himself has had his ''rake." He has certainly
been advised frequently of the fraudulent
practices of the friends whom he has appoint
ed 10 Office here, and has steadfastly refused
to remove them.
The facts already elicIted are, that Colonel
Leet, of Grants military staff, a non-res:-
dent of this city, came here three years
ago with letter of introduction to Moses 81.
GrInnell, from the President. His Excellency
desired Mr.. Grinnell to serve his young pro-
tege In the manner to be indicated. Colonel
Leet at this. interview informed Mr.. Grinnell,
what he did not know at The time, that the
President had resolved to appoint him collec.
coupled with a condition. In consideration
of being made collector, Mr.. Grlnnel was to
convey 10 Colonel Leet the control of the gen.
eral order business of the Customhouse.
The job is 10 effect simply this: All i'm
ported goods discharged from vessels, and un-
called for within specified time, are sent to
the warehouse, involving to the importer the
easy TO perceive that, with unscrupulous
officials, things can be go arranged that the
bulk of lmportatlons can be made to pass
through this process. In fact, such has been
the case; merchants have generally been
forced to pay this tribute 10 the warehouse de-
partment, and to submit, In addition, to ex-
orbitant charges.
It was this department of the Customhouse
circumloculion office that President Grants
staff officer demanded the management Of In
recompense for making Mr. Grinnell collector.
The old politician hesitated and temporlzed
After few days. Leet became inpatient and
threatened to 90 to Washington and have
another collector appointed. Mr. Grinnell
compromised by giving the colonel the larger
part of the general order business.
Leet knew nothing OF the business, but he
knew warehouse man who did. He formed
partnership with man named Bixby, the
arrangement being $5625 cash down, and one.
half Of all receipts in excess of $4,000. he
went back to Washington and resumed apart
ments at the army headquarters, as he is still
colonel In service and drawing salary of
$4,000 per annum as SUCH Blxby remitted
monthly, by mall, one-halI of the Customhouse
plumber. Conscious of being backed by the
President, BiIby levied mail boldly and feared
not. The screws were turned on the mer-
chants. Some complained, but 1t was worse
for them when they did. Their goods stuck
thousands OF dollars by the delay. Others car
ried their remonslrances to the Secretary Of
the Treasury. He turned deaf ear. There
was power behind Leet and BlXby which lie
did not dare offend. For the past three years
the income derived from the general order er-
tortio1ls has been one hundred thousand dollars
per dnRum. Here are more than quarter of
million OF dollars divided among The ware
house ring, Of which the known members are
Blxby aud Stocking, and three of the Presi-
dents staff. Leet, Porter and Bsboook. When
Grants avariciousness is considered, does 1t
not sc m probable that he shared with the
creatures whom be protected?
This ts only one phase Of Customhouse cor
ruptlon that the Investigating committee has
touched There are developments to come
about the other departments which will as.
tound the country. The composition OF the
committee is curious and suggestive. 1t Is
pity the administration did not permit Schurz
or Trumbull 10 be appointed on II, but the
two Democratic members-Stockton, Of New
Jersey, and Casserly, of California-are doing
their best to get at the facts. The admins
tration members are very III at ease. sena-
tor Howe has abandoned any pretence to the
judicial function, and Ia the open and avowed
attorney for the defence. He badgers the
witnesses against the Federal officials and
strives to protect the latter, when on the
stand, from the searching questions of the
minority members. At his elbow slts Colonel
Leet, plying him with suggestions. For an
'lnvestigating committee" the spectacle is
eomm1itee viii make wbse-Wssbing hit report s
1t is possible that Senator Pratt, who has had
an honorable record, so far, may demur, but
the others will stife conscience with the re-
dection that the party must not be damaged.
The comments Of the press are In accord
ance with party affiliations. The Times.
Standard and Commercial administration or
gana,) are dumb or supercilious: The Tribune
Post, (free trade Republlcan,) Sun, anti Grant
Independently and World, (Democratlc,) are
Mortified. Mr.. Greeley was on the stand on
Thursday. and made some shocking revela-
tionB of what be knew about Federal corrnp.
tlon. Trumbull, Logan, Sumner and Schurz
will be provided with good material to reopen
their war on the administration with.
Mr.. Bergh Is after the bird shooters again.
Hearing that young Mr.. Jim Bennett, OF the
match &c shoot pigeons flying from the trap,
he addressed letter to the former, calling his
attention TO the fact that he was about to
violate one of the clauses OF the act prohibit
ing cruelty to animals, and warning him that
If be persisted he should have him arrested,
tried, and If possible, convicted and sent to
Jail. Young Mr.. Bennett has no fancy to
figure in any such connection, and did not
shoot In the match He will take his revenge
through the editorial columns of the Herald.
But other sportsmen have announced pigeon
shooting matches, and good Mr. Bergh has
been on the fy ever since. At Fleetwood
Park yesterday his men, instead of making ar
rests, placed their precious bodies In front of
the traps and thus saved the poor pigeons
lives. The bird shooting fraternity are indig-
nant, and want Bergh to make an arrest so as
to have their rights tested in the courts. If
Bergh trlumphs pigeon pie will hereafter be o
prohibited dish.
Mr.. Strakosch has closed his Italian opera
season and taken his Nilsson 10 Philadelphia.
The past season, artlstIcally and pecunarily,
has been the most successful In opera since
Crisis time. The receipts at the box office
for thirty-eight nights, and matlnees, were
$l53, 900. The largest receipts of any perform
auce were on the night of the Grand Dukes
visit. s6792. OF the aggregate, Nilsson probably
takes $3S,OG0, or $1,000 per night as her share.
NYM.
How THE DOCTORS TREATED THE PRINCE OF
WALES.-The later medical treatment of the
Prince has presented q popularity which, con-
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