The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-01-12
THE CUSTOM HOUSE INvEsTI
CATION.

NEW YORK, Jan. 1.-THE Congress.
sional Retrenchment Committee met al
the hotel this morning. Several anony.
nous letters were thrown into tho waste
basket. l aE. a,| I..
Ex.Appraiser Palmer testified that 10.
seph Y. Thompson, when Harbor.AIaster,
proposed to Palmer 10 divide profits In
giving large allowances to importers on
damaged goods, which proposition Palm.
or refused and made known to Secretary
Boutwell,. Subsequently Thompson was
appointed weigher in the custom house on
the Recommendation (so Palmer heard, J
Of George Opdyke.
MIR. Palmer testified his belief that
compromises with merchants tended to
increase frauds; never heard Of any con.
Victions; believed there were more lar.
cenies OF goods while In possession of the
CuStOm.hOuse than Otherwheres. Mr..
Palmer said he was informed that his
communicating the misconduct Ol Thomp.
son to Secretary Boutwell, was the reason
Of his removal, through the Efforts OF
Senator COnkling. Dir. Palmer declined
TO give the name OF his informant. lie
did not give the information TO OK. Col.
lector Murphy. 1851.
j. s. Williams, Of the Great WestOru
line OF steamers, preferred the present
general order system TO the old system,
but If all steamships had their own gene.
raj order stores it would save expense
and time. w.. @ t. .'a8#5
AT the Custom House investigation,
several letters were received from import:
ers, Custom House officials and others, re-
questing 10 be subpGnaed as witnesses.
An affidavit was read, sworn to by John
McCabe, late assistant weigher, in which
he states that while so employed it was
common practice TO not actually weigh
large portion of the goods landed, but
to take the weight from the foreign mark
on the packages. He also swore that for
two or three weeks before the late cleo
ton, sixteen men were employed and
paid full time for duties and labor
which il only required four to perform !;
that most of said men arc still employed.
Gen. Palmer's testimony showed that
when Secretary Boutwell, did not want to
appoint Weigher Thomson, whose unfit
ness had been brought TO his notice, Sena-
tor Conkling went to the President and
influenced him in favor Of the applicant.
Gen. Palmer related instances q eases Of
goods being broken open and plundered
while in stores.
John G. Dale, of the InnlHn Line, testi.
fed that he had not suffered serious in.
convenience from the Leet & Stocking
warehouse since the inquiry began.
The committee are divided into Custom
House men on one side, and Senators Cas-
serly and Bayard on the other, press
the investigation, while the other gentle
men invariably cross.examine witnesses.
As counsel for the Custom House one
Rlia. 10 n nrompter of Senator Howe in
putting questions.
Mr.. Palmer, while under examination
today, noticed the activity of Mr. Bliss in
handing written questions to Senator
Howe. He said: / know am being
cross.examined by Mr.. Bliss indirectly,
and ] have no objection provided he con.
sents TO go on the stand.
Senator Casserly complained that he
had been week in trying TO get inlOrma.
tion from the Custom House in regard 10
the officials, .', ~ b.. ...--.. ... . .