The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1872-02-24
Lect's Frauds---A NOn.Partisan Exposition
Of the Custom House Swindles.

[From tho New York Commercial Bulletin.
1t is impossible to gloss over or ex-
plain away the gross abuses and frauds
connected with the management of
Custom House affairs in this city, as
disclosed by the evidence taken by the
Congressional Investigating Commit
tee. For once rumOr has not eXagger-
ated the facts. All that had long been
limited and suspected Of official rascali-
ty and peculation has been fully con-
firmed and established. The veil has
been removed, and the whole mon
strous system of fraud and corruption
stands exposed before the world. The
merchants of New York cOnfOunded
and baffled the swindlers by their UNI
expected alacrity in disclosing their
personal experiences. This was some
thing more than the officials had calcu-,
lated upon. Heretofore they have en-
joyed comparative inpunity by means
of the petty, mean terrorism they were
able to hold over merchants, and by
their ability and inclination to ruin
any obnoxious firm by harrassing pro-
ceedings under the specious forms of
law.
A summary of the evidence estab
fishes the fact that the commerce of
the leading city in the United States
has been and still is exposed toa sys-
tenn of lcgalized plundering, that diff
fers in name only, but scarcely in
degree, from the depredations of Mexi-
can banditti or Malay pirates. All the
forms of law are perverted and twist
ed so as to enrich the officials at the
expense of the merchants. THE most
extraordinary devices are adopted to
put money in their pockets. 1t fire.
quently costs more money, and some
times as much time, to get 4 consign-
ment of goods from the steamship
wharf to the merchants store than it
does to transport it across the Atlantic.
If a merchant complains of irrcgulari-
ties, or refuses to submit to their OK
tortions, he becomes Il marked man.
His books are seized, his private pa
pers and kilograms arc invaded, and
his business brought to a standstill for
weeks and sometimes for months, and
all on the most frivolous, trumped-up
charges. The premises of Naylor X
Co., were seized and held for FIVE weeks
on the very vaguest charges, that were
ultimately narrowed down to an al
legged case of differentiation Of a list OF
steel rails, making difference of about
one hundred and fifty dollars in the
amount of duties. The firm was
wealthy and ventured to fight the
plunderers. Colonel Frank Howe, a
special Treasury agent, offered to
"compromise" for fifty thousand dol
lars, although the United States District
Attorney had stated after investigation
that there was no legal case against
Naylor & Co. Other merchants less
fortunate, because less resolute, We're
blackmailed in a somewhat similar
style. A wine merchant paid $4,000
on a consignment of wine. But his
books were seized and Il "cOmpromise'
of $50, 900 was eXtorted from him,
wlereupon the goods were delivered
free of duty.
These "cOmpromises' constitute the
most valuable portion of the official
perquisites. They are eXtorted from
the merchants under the most nbsO-
lutte terrorism, and the proceeds are
divided between the government and
the officials-the latter getting the
lions share.
These are only few of the more
gIaring abuses; the full details have
been spread before the American peO-
pie, and have produced II profound
sensation. The various parties impli-
Gated are anxious to shift the response
bility; but we greatly mistake the tone
of public opinion if the persons directly
or Indirectly responsible for this condi-
ton of affairs are not Ovcrtaken by the
swift ruin that has fallen on the City
Hall swindlcrs. The people are getting
tired Of being lordcd over and plum
dcred by their paid servants and
agents. The time has come for rcduc-
ing the latter to their proper position.
They must be held to Il strict discharge
of their duty, and be restrained from
the high-handcd outragcs that cast
such deep disgrace upon the American
name and system of government.
Wonderful in their operations are the
laws. The other day, in Washington,
a well-known rogue was caught in the
very act of trying to pick lady's peck
ct, and brought before II magistrate.
But it appears that there is no statute
in the District against an attempt to
steal, and the unsuccessful thief was
dismissed without SO much as II repri
mand. Perhaps, howevr, such case
could not have occurred beyond the
boundaries of the national capital,
where stealing is by no means an I'M
fashionable or unsafe practice.