The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-20

sS r.. loci "oa
which We rss:rdss SsS
Others IN our custody they positively refuse g open,
ss sEss s
na - 0f tho other ss
ss. $ w g N IN &c
another INK SS which by them forms
s i" 1s.ss the good. are
al they u ar S% ID Be
''e' -0'' respectfully yR eassk HOWE specal Agent
Washington, d. G.
reside In Brooklyn and do business In the Custom
House; have the general supervision OF the ware
houses; remember objections being made to the
warehouses OF the steamship companies situated In
Jersey CITY, on account OF the extraordinary privi
leges Afforded TO the companies; there is great OBJ
formerly conducted; cannot recOllect what the
charges were; can obtain the information, how
ever. tf
The evidence OF this witness was repetition or
that of others who nad been previously examined
Charles Squires was next called and questioned
relative 20 an article wnich he had written IN The
New York Times relative 10 the warehouse business.
lie testified that the statements contained IN the
tCle were true. lie entered into some details Of
the prices charged for storage on various
Sas as
houseman; formerly owaed stores which are now
0ceGpisd by Lees Co., DO not know taat CON- n,
the city relative to the charges OF Leet q Co.; DO
not know OF any time within the past two years
when the charges OF Leet d Stocking were higher
than they are now.
Senator BAYARD-I Will ask you whether you or
ON poss he Knows more IN other
ways I believe know most; he (Mr. Stewarp maze
complaints about certain matters which COM
plants had no foundation, and he showed an
ignorance Of that part OF his business In not know
ing that ne was IN error; l cannot give any other
instances IN when my Knowedge OF Mr.. stewards
Senator saY si' ssamSsd the witness a. grea.
Stewart by the arLicle IN the Times
The witness was further examined relative to the
esaa Of YSry ~ loo s as
order question but declined to give an opinion, al
leging aa his reason that he did not wish 10 COM
promise himself with persons by whom he got
q: b Bloomfield. Of II Dey street, testiaea- Am
the general order system; have known frequent
cases 9, delay; have made specific arrangements
OBTAINING goods on the pier longer than the legal
time; cannot tell exactly tae amount have paid
have eaa ten esa acars or
ice ice 't but cannot give any ns%ss ;'A, cannst
minded merchants or not; the brides are given in
order to escape the exorbItant onarges oil general
receive the MONEY; they understood what they mad
got DO In order to earn III the reason for keeping
On $ pss SO arc S %
general order; / have had to pay the gratuiLy
ample time to procure them had It not been Tor for
the delay Of the Custom House onlcers in giving the
permit; 1t was understood that the inspectors are
not limited to an nour or two while passing goods on
the dock; always acquiesced IN the payments,
and believe That other merchants MAKE common
officers themselves have testified to the amount
Of money received by them before former com.
mittee; am not aware that the agents OF the steam
ship companies had been In the habit OF brbtng the
inspectors; am certain 1t s genera! practice Of the
81 10
number OF times nave made other arrangements,
nor say with how many different Inspectors have
never paid the money personally; my clerks always
attend to that; cannon say that II merchants knew
they were committing q crime they would do It.
or the wrong motives OF merclantsi we are mere to
Investigate the conduct Of Custom House ,Ollcias;
Ms VIZ anoa9 e
the conduct 81 those who may corrupt them II we
seek to impllcate the merchants we will lose
quantity or valuable testimony. A4R It.l I'd i.
that there is general system Of bribery, and the
wa vet az n
the proper way Is to get the OF the merchants
are Wiling 70 bride there vii, Se iound men WHO
will take those brbes. rr Is y,
the Custom House officials are dorrupt2 A. know
nothing more than have told you; cannot say
Enov e is tsss aas O0
In tile SUBSEQUENT examination OF the witness va
r0us attempts were made by the administration
Senators to stine the revelations by imputing i'm
proper motives TO MN. Senators Casserly aud Bay.
ard protested against such interference.
The committee adjourned ~ half-past five till
halfpast seven O'Clock.
Evening Session.
The Committee reassembled at haltpast seven
O'clock. M te..~ fa.a.4- .
W. F. Stocking. having been sworn, testified AZ
foll0ws:-
n ctoto 90 ,no Co,n,r,tto ,uvho,hor noraro pcr,or
recomme nded you for the general order business in
nected with the PRESIDENT A. No, Sir; III no way,
shape or manner.
O. State If complaints have been made against
your general order charges A. We have had COM
plants from merchants and importers; sometimes
error ana very often they have been satisfied win
the explanation given.
sir; don't think IL Is source OF profit TO us.
q. How do you charge for labor2 A. We charge
the usual charges, the same as before We had the
business; presume the Collector mas power to fix
our charges; the Collector Ii responsible for the
collection Of the revenue upon oil goods, and ne
goods; we ourselves give general bond to the
Collector for bonded and general goods, for $780, 000
TO return goods In the same order that we receive
g. What rent do you. give for your storesf 4
8. Now state what are your profits A. That
nv partner, Colonel Leet, Will answer that.
Q. what are the names under which your two
stores are rum A. George K. Leet h company and
Leet Stocking; George X Leet and myself are the
only partners that have any interest," direct or indI
rect In those businesses.
O. What precautions do you take against bur.
glary9 A. We nave couple OF watchmen there
every night, and Colonel Leet or myself sometimes
go down to watch things; we have never lost any
thing out Of our stores.
Having then explained the position, dimensions.
&C., OF his two stores, the witness added that ne
thought the accommodation IN every way Suffl-
cient.
q. Have you ever given money to inspectors to
send goods to your stores' A. No. sir; In case OF
any emergency we have large, vacant space so
that II u vessel arrives eaky or Q steamer arrives
o. The committee noticed the other day, In pass
ing through your stores, that great many
cases were marked received In bad order"
A. We nave an expert to decide such
naaoa. casa may ha nerfecilY drx and