New-York tribune., 1872-03-21
THE CUSTOM-HOUSE.
MIR. MURPHY CROssExAMINED.


Abuses by exCollector Murphy Tuesday, March 49, The
Collector has been explaining how he and Mr. John Ben
nett were arranging for primary election In 1911
o. What was the cause oi the interview between you
and Bennett and what was the Dnsnesst A. M Ben
ebrated John " Grldey OF NewYork ana wante1 10 de-
feat him in the primary and was wng 70 or5 uS c6 Pu
ot OF money to g1ve them their suppers and prevent
them from going home that evening 50 tnat they coud
reV Wbn % %cr" the candidates on the ticket which you
wished to defeati A. do not recoect sr' except MI
Horace Greeley was one OF them. a.,
O. Did you want to defeat MI Greeley "A. specially
ap1 o. ra1eIS.'S And particularly A. Yes Sir.
q Who tho other people on on. tlc ne tlcKe'' a.
ca9n9t te yon wISae%s Il was so stated
q One the candidates for delegate to tile state Con
1'w O. Was Siarsbaii oRoberts another A. He might
have been.
O. Do you remember the names OF the alternates A.
- v. Grdley onei A. I took no interest
whatever in any 81 the neme. - 1crp one ,rt,ou,,r
O. Then Horace Greeeys Dain6 was pr> ~
point of attack with youl A. That was the point.
@. DO you know whether your Deputy and private
nett on this subject A. do not. SIR think Mr.. Bis,
was entirely capable OF having all the interviews, and
didn't think IL was necessary 10 have ANYBODY else ,
o. You have no knowledge or information that Cornell,
Gillette, Bennett and Bliss all met atthe Fifth Avenue
II would be probable, natural, that Gillette talked
with Bennett; they both lived In the same district and
O. Now repeat. have you any knowledge nforma
ton to the that Cornelland Mcssrs Bliss Bennett
and Gillette all at the Fifth Avenue Hotel TO talk
this business OF defeating Greeeyi a. IL may have
been; recollection OF it; didn't ask anybody
enlist IN that affair but myself or to spend any money
but myself.
Q. have not asked that question yet; do you
remember ali that occurred at the interview at
the French restaurant when you first met
Bennett there A. 1t was very short inter
that any arrangements Bliss made with him would
were carried ont think that was the substance, and
O. DO you remember whether Bliss, at that tme asked
Of Bennett and obtained Of Bennett copy OF the
Greeley ticket A. don't recOlect that, Sir Mr.. Bliss
can give you that information haven't got it,
q. Can YOU, or notl A. No. Sir; have MT got IT.
O. But Mr.. Bennett received through the hands Of Mt
Bliss the 800 first paid or portion Oh IT, AT me time you
met Mr. Bennett at the restaurant ut the corner OF
Murrayst. and Collegeplacei a Not from me; he may
O. Wen, say before that time A. Bliss may have
O. Paid il beforel A. He may have advanced some Of
knowledge OF any such, and no recollection
O. DO you not know that you had prior TO the meeting
Monday morning at 10 O'Clock at tne ooieso Pace @
nett had received 500 portion or IT, through the
hands OF Mr.. BlIssl 4. Ny distinct recollection Is tt
Bisss money which may have been deducted from the
amount gave Bliss afterwards but have no reGollec
tinu of il: reCOect simply and distinctly that paii
500 to Mr. Bliss hand to Mr. Bennett for that purpose
with regard to the details, or whether IT was pad III -
bills or ~ bills or 500 bills check; don't recOilect
BY MIR Bayard-Q. Did Mr. Bliss in your presence ask
Mr. Bennett how much money Le Wantcdt ~ Al mat
timc2
O. On the Monday, on the morning about 10 o'clock
when You met At CoeSe-pace A. have no reeollcc
tiOn. Sir, OF that IN hurry 10 get 10 tnS custom
house. and left all the details with Blss-Mr George
O. Did not Mr Bliss in your presence at that time tell
MI Bennett that IL had gwen him 500 A. ne mls1l
O. Did lIr sthnett at that time correct Nr Bliss and
tell him that he gave him hut 1854 A. do not reco
lcct it may have been; that may have been.
O. Now you say 1t may have been; do you say whether
bayc advanced the money.
money 10 BENNETT, but do not think my money was
paid until after that interview.
O. Are you able 10 give no more distinct answer to
those two questions than yOu have givenl A. think
have answered those questions very distinctly and
clearly; gave Mr. Bliss $780, wth regard 10 the details
of it, say left all those with Mr.. Bliss; did not charge
my mind with them III any manner whatever.
Q. Did Mr.. Bennett tell you that the reason why ne
wanted %s % and ne e 10 20 Of srSnr
this ticket, because Grideys friends were not 10
a. That portion OF 1t, my belief Is that he
O. sirI A. As 1 said before did not wait there but
few moments, and do not recolect any such converse
O. DO YOU say that he did not tell you SOL A. cay
do recOect any such conversation as that; that Is
not our style of doing business.
q. Did he not tell you that he woud try 10 have the
first line formed and have them-thc Grdley men-
beaten before they were aware OF II " Those conver
sations may have occurred with Bliss was there but
minutcsnd left thedetails, AS SAID before to MI
Bliss. ..-.,. -
IL was all right and there must be such word
fail A. lave no recollection OF it.
u,
To the pest Of my belef did not; may have said /
hope you will not fan such wori that may have
been used, and have recollection even OF that.
o. Did You then tell Mr. Bliss that he could be at the
office, and send the money up by Pop" referring to
O. Did YOU at that time say TO Mr. Bliss that he could
ut his office and send the money up by "Pop' Gill
@. That name OF Pop" was the name that Gillette
was known byl a. He lived IN that district.
Q. That was the name he was known BY A. Yes, Sir
he was an old man; yes he was known 10y that nlue
O. was it not then arranged that Bennett was 10 get
to have 1000 them struck OF, as to initiate the
Greeley ticket \. have stated that have no rccol-
lection the details; left all those with Mr Bliss; my
time was too important and occupied too much to DC
given to such little detailed matters Is that
on fhe sh6ulder and tell him. No such word as fail ?"
A. do not think was there more than two minutes.
O. Was your time too important for you 10 tap Bennett
on the shoulder and tell him that there must be such
word rs fail A. was In hurry 10 go TO the Custom
house. and have no recollection OF any such occurrence
O. You do not recolect anything about the color OF
MS was ia A. Certainly Mr. Bliss viii give you the en-
tire information on that subject when he comes ON the
O. What is BENEFITS businessi A. do not know,
Sir; do not know anything about HIM
O. iOu that at that time you were not informed by
Bennett that 1t was going to be dlnserous business
because he had TO import men into that district To east
such talk is absurd heard il never had any
thing to do with importing people IN my life, and have
always been fighting against that theory IN every way,
shape, and manner
Q. Can you give description of the method by which
duties quIdated; the process A. Well. that Is
very long matter SIR, aud think would have to take
you To the Customhoase and take the papers and go
through in order 10 tell 1t.
O. Can you tell Is the method by which duties liqu
tied in the Cusom-housel 4. would not attempt 10
do that; understand how Ii Is but do not think can
describe IL in language.
O. You could not state the manner in which duties arc
liqudated, the process and officers through which II
passes In order ascertain precisely the amount Of
duty A. No, Sir; / would not attempt that.
O. What the Auditors duties IN the Custom house
The Auditor, believe, understand II, examines
every paper that comeswe, II Is to cover what you
say the duties and take charge and audit the whole
amount
o. How do you mean to fix the dutiesl \. Well do
not propose 20 into the details; not OOOkkeeper