The sun., 1872-03-14
THE Custom house THIErEs.
George II. Eaton'a Attempt TO Contradict n
Just Imprcssion-Denying TINT he Ever
Received u Bribc, but Admitting that he
Received Presents.

George ~. Eaton. Attempt TO Contradict
lust Imprcssion-Denying thnt he Ever
Received n Bribc, but A Adniitting that he
Received Presents.
WAsHINGToN, March 13.-Before the SEN
ate Custom House Investigating Committee to-
day George u. Eaton Of New York, under oath,
submitted statement In order TO contradict
the Impression made before the Patterson COM
mittee year ago that he ever received OF con-
aented TO receive from the steamship companies
any money by way 81 bribe for services rem
dered. contrary to law or to defraud the revenue.
lie states that he received extra pay Tor nlght
service. he being at that time an Inspector OF
customs The largest sum he ever received from
one company, the National line, was $50 for
seventy hours service, the amounts he received
In answer 10 a question by Senator Bayard,
witness said such payments werS leganIeu Dy
the Secretary Of the Treasury. The ices were
sometimes san 500 or $40, but under an order
which had been subsequently Issued the Zee
Senator casscrly cross-cxamlned the witness
AT length, referring to his testimony before the
Patterson committee, In which he then sald
A carman would present us with "A blank en-
velopo; we know who II Is from, and what II j.
for" This money that comes IN envelopes Is
over and above extra night work. The witness
now said that the explanation he made at the
time was omitted, and he wished to say u was
To the effect that the money was received Tor
extra clerical service at night, while taking ON
board coal and cargo.
Senator Pratt also cross-examined the witness.
who said that since the order Of the Secretary of
the Treasury no extra compensation other than
the ! 10 mas been received through the surveyor
The order had been In existence "A year and "A
half before that timc. The extra compensation
was matter Of private arrangement between
the Inspector and the vessel. Tie witness gave
a. a reason why he came before the committee
to correct his testimony was that this was the
first opportunity he had for doing 50, because
when the committee sat In New York he heard
"A large number of witnesses had been suhpu'nacd H.
and therefore thought he would not nave /"
He was In the committee room three entire
days and yet did not inquire OF any mclnhcr "i
the committee or Of the Sergeant at Arms a. to
whether he could be heard. He found no din
Guilty I'm being examined here. ,
senator Pratt asked witness whether he did
not Introduce himself to him Cdr Pratu IN New
urS. saving "A lruther Of the senator had been
educated by the father ~ witness, and whether
witness did not then express desire TO appear
before the cummitteo
Witness replied In the affirmative.
Capt. William Dunn testified in relation 70
Gen. Hllycr's letter. which WIS presented to
the committee yesterday, with reference TO the
points In Gen. Porter, tc-tinu ny. The witness
said that Col. Leet was not a,tached TO Cen.
| Grants headquarters al Ntck-.ufE uutil after
| Gen. Hillye left not having h.nn &, taurd Hntl
after the capture ~ Ntch-hutE- H''. iII!er
| went to St Lou, after leaving NicA-hurt.
ON Cros--cxnminatiun 10y senator ln'ard'
| Major Moore said that having seen Gen. Porter
hc Informed him that Gen. lilyCrs statement,
| a. just published, was not true q, TO Lcets de-
| tall Gen. Porter accompanied him 20 the door
| nf the committee room. and his object In clm-
| Ing here was To- contradict Gen. lillNers state
| ment Gen. liillycr not being at heddq.ar'eIs
| when he said he was.
| senator Cas-crly also crosse XnWinel the wit
| ness, who said that Hillyers Ie,iglatiun took
effect the 18th Of May, lS,'j. lie said he want
| cd TO he certain Of this, and therefore asked
| Gen. Porter 90 obtain from the Paymastcr-Gen-
| erals oiiice the date uf Hyers last pay, which
| Porter did. The note from the faNinhsitr-nth-
| era showing this fact as the date Of resignatl On
| was read The witness was a member OF Grant
| stan until within a week Of Grants leaving
| Wick sbur, lie did not see Leet at headquarter,
| before the 2sth Of July. He admitted that he
| tMoore) had been absent for several weeks from
| HEADQUARTERS on business. The witness did mol
| know who communicated 10 the committee
| his wish To be examined. Being at the White
| House to-day, he said to Porter, who was stand
| ing near Babcock, 81 see that Hillyer Is fighting
| YOU, but Hillyer's statement Il not true. fortel
| then asked him whether he would tell the com
| mittee what lac knew, and he answered In tn,
| affirmative. lie thcrci re appeared here iO
| that purpose.
Tie committee adjourned til II o'clock to
! morrow,