New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-22
TIE CUSTOM-H HOUSE.
DECOY BLISS ON THE STAND.
CoRRIGAN's death WARRANT "-ExTRAoR
NARY COMPLICATIONS OF TEsTIMONY-COM-
MON ISLANDER DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED


BLISS VIEWS OF HIMSELF.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuSEl
WASHINGTON, March 21.-Mr. Kasmre, the
New-York Internal Revenue official against whom Mr..
Schultz OF the firm of Clark Schultz, some testi
mony, week or two weeks ago, has WRIT letter TO
the New-York CUsfom-house Investigating Committee.
The letter placed on fle
letter from Assistant Appraiser Towney was also
read He expressed surprise that Murphy should have
denied important portions OF the conversation between
him, Gen. Palmer and Murphy, and asked the Commit
tee 10 to be produced the shorthand memoranda
OF that conversation now in Palmers possession
Mr. Bayard moved that Gen. Palmer be summoned, and
ordered TO produce the paper His examination Is set
for Monday. Decoy Bliss, jr., was then called back
10 the stand and crOssexamned by Messrs Bayard and
Cassery. Bliss being by his testimony the political
for Corgan whose appearance on the stand at
the Custom-house in New-York disguised Murphy so
much, was asked to tell what he knew about him He
related the circumstances under which he requested
Murphy appoint Corrigan his for the request
being that Corrgan had been discharged from the office
he before held, under misapprehension that Bliss de-
sired his dismissal Bliss said that Corrigan himself
not at all satisfied with his appearance before
the Committee, he was called up from
the secure-room with the comforting direction,
"Go up before that Committee and sign your
death warrant. After he had given his testimony he
told Bliss how Mr.. Cassery and that other Democrat
went for him" Bliss then gave further account
OF his efforts get witnesses before the Committee, but
said he had brought any witnesses to prove abuses
because he knew OF He admitted that he acted on
the offensive and defensive especially when an attempt
made to put him OF the oommitteeroom. Mr. Bay
ard him when this and drew out Of him the fact
that had objected to his remaining as spectator
that II was only when had undertaken conduct the
investigation himself that he was nterfered with Then
he made the impertnent that he supposed some
Senators would prefer Ia have only one side come ont
for this he was not called TO order by the Chairman nor
was he Informed that he guilty Of contempt OF the
Senate
Yesterday Bliss produced lot Of Court records to prove
that Mudgett is a man not to he believed. He was ex-
amined at some length, to-day, In regard 10 these
records and was asked about some letters that have
been printed the subject one OF them from gentle
man who had acted counsel against Mudgett IN the
suit referred TO- Bliss said that to use the words of
SOME YTtmbeis OF the Committee those let
tiers were written to whitewash Mudgett.
Even this grave mputaton upon the charac-
ter of an absent person, whom the witness
said he considered an honorable gentleman, who would
not write a disngenuous or dishonest letter. was not
rebuked nv majority OF the COMMITTEE Attention was
called long list OF what the witness Styled yeseI
dov " Tammany Republicans" and his sources of nfor-
nation IN regard TO them examined. lie charged van
Cleft 10y indirecton with having been rewarded by Tam
many for his action the General Committee, and said
that lie had test from the city less sum OIL
money than he testified TO before the Committee though
if was proyed out OF Bliss mouth that Van Cleft
had been City since 1867 or 1868, and had been
professionally employed by the city, both before ana
during his term of Office in the Maynard as well as
after while Bliss information about the money Van Cleft
had received was based the Tammany accounts and
| vouchers Again, he thought there was no harm III
Murphy's taking place on the New-fork SchoO Boafd
and remaining member of il. long after it became
partisan organization. aud prolific of jobs while 1t
a high political crime for John Duke, contractor to
| hon fDr he eli
| testimony which was listened TO with most interest
| WAS that IN which ne described the manner
| in which the XIth Assembly District Republican Asso
citation composed. in 1870, and incidentally charged
Mr. Greeley with pretending TO reside where be did not
To this testimony the verbatim report only do jus
| tee MI Bayard was examining. and IN answer 10 a
oue.tiOn about the XIth District ASSOCIATION hc said:
In the summer Of ISL It was alleged that the roll Of
the association hopeessy corrupt and 80 strong
Drma frcie case made that Nh Greeley as Chairman
of the General Committee called meeting to consider
IT, and that Committee had Investigation, which
attended There very active, and rs the result OF
it, il appeared That there IS names the roll 81
Of them did not pretend to reside in the district;
Mr. Greeley Ho'gh pretending 10 reside at he Unio"
| League CIub dud not reside here; Of the
remaining 72s only 279 could De found by the
Marshal who twice took the census Of that district;
only voted in ls7o and the men who were found b.
the Census Marshal with few exceptions. the
men who voted and the men whom the Ccnsl. Marshall
did not find did not vote and at tat very primary fec
na,s TeTr added 10 the roll on the application Of NJ
Greeley. and Of those only 50 could he found by the
Census Marshal, who took the census that identical
later in the afternoon, Mr. Casserly examined the Wit
ucsses on the same point as follows:
O. understood you 10 say with regard To fraudulent
voiing,roI in one OF the Districts in York. have
forgotten the number was 1t the Xlthi A. The Aith'
O. That on that roll the name OF Horace Greeley
A. did, Sir
tending reside AT the Union League Club dd not re-
O. Did you state all that of your own knowledge A.
/ did, SIR
O. bid YOU state OF your own knowledge that Mr..
Greeley pref nded to reside at the Union League Club
A. Mr. Greeley was asked II he resided 8t the Club his
name appearing on The roll as residing there, ana mr.
election for the purpose Of the enrolment, or some
thing of that sort-sOnethng OF that Kind -
q. You know that of your own knowledge F! A hap
pened 20 hear il asked.
O. Where were you %hen you neafa ~ asRen a. n.y. AZ
Mr. II. Bailey. DO not take that down, because
@ What ia it you do not want taken down A. You
better not take the down. for II Is mere indefinite
idea as TO that nsme and have no objection to Its
going down il you desire H. l., 80, ,,., 30 so,,
that at all positively A. No. the name i'very indefinite;
mot Se1eSS Wing iS Sa sh go down. you
want to leave out all that part OF your testimony nave
club A Mr. Greeley said that he voted in westchester
County. A.,
Union League Club at the time A. Because Mr.. Gree
ley said that at that election, which was within very
short time that period, he resided In Westchester
County; assumed that Mr. Greeley did not commit
of that kind. of voting where he did not
reside.
O What the difference In time between the enroll
ment Mr.. Greeleys name on the voting roll OF the
Xith District and the election which he votedi A.
Ihe election was in November, and Mr. Greeley was
,erted "A delegate that roll In December.
a. In the December subsequent A. Yes, Sir.
G. How did his voting in Wcstchester IN November,
,nterfere with his being a resident IN New-York some
weeks in Decemberi A. IL did not interfere with 1t; II
Was for him changed his residence the
n,af hafa man
In one place has been changed rested on that
presumption. -. - . .,,.,o, s,o, "a ,,o,