Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-19
CUSTOMHOUSE CORRUPTION.
Revelations of Honest Tom Murphy.
Real Estate Speculation withTammany
How Tweed Run the Radical Party

WASHINGTON, March 1S.-Ex-C Collector
Murphy was asked why he did not yield to
the request and general sentiment of New
York merchants who objected to Leet's
and Stockings conduct Of the general order
business and the recommendation of the
Secretary Of the Treasury based on the re-
suits of the Patterson Committee to restore
the business to Jersey City.
In reply he said he did not understand
that to be the general sentiment of the
merchants. He thought the Secretary Of
the Treasury was mistaken and he
did not think the Steamship companies
were the proper custodians for unpaid
goods. their interests as importers and
common carriers being identical.
Witness said in the latter part Of the sum-
mer of 1870 in conversation with the Presi-
dent at Long Branch, the President said he
wanted Leet to 90 into business elsewhere
than in New York, regretting that Leet
had gone into the general order business.
The President
then informed Murphy that he did not want
to embarrass him in his appointments, but
spoke merely for the retention of two per-
sons then iu the CustOmhouse, one Of whom
had been classmate and roommate at
West Point with Gen. Grant.
Witness said A. T. Stewart was in favor
of the restoration of the general order bus
mess to the steamship lines because of the
business facilities they could give him, but
witness said whether such facilities were
superior TO those which could be afforded
by other parties was another question. He
had always felt free to do justice to all par
ties in the general order business.
Witness did not tell Cleveland, the bro
ther-in-law of Horace Greeley, that the
general order business was controlled or
fixed at Washington. He had a cOnversa-
tiOn with Cleveland on board the steamer
On the Way to Long Branch.
Cleveland brought two stools and went
toward the center of the roof and sat
down, when Cleveland said: ''Mr. Murphy,
l don't want to embarrass you, but lwould
like to have a share of the general order
| business" Murphy said that was a deli
| cate matter to touch. He would do some
| thing for him if he could, and promised to
| take the matter into consideration. lie
| might have said to Cleveland that there was
a gentleman in Washington to whom, at
| times, he thought of giving some of the
! business. Having been asked who that
person was, Murphy responded that it was,
! the President Naval Officer Gafin, who
was at the time amember Of Congress.
The witness was asked whether he had
been concerned in
Real Estate SpecuIatiOns
with Tweed, Connolly, Sweeny, and Hugl
Smith, to which question he replied that be
had made only one purchase in which be
gave them an interest. He had purchased
two blocks at $4,000.
He was interested as TO removals from
the Custom House of men who adhered tC
the former system OF ratifyDg primary
elections. He furnished their names to tht
Secretary of the Treasurer. The pOstmast
er and other officers might have furnished
names.~ Those men who were removed
were Tammany representatives, and were
accused by the New FORK Tribune and 9th
er papers Of obeying
Tweed
Who for several years controlled the he
publican organizations Of New York city.
Senator Bayard remarked that the i'm
preston had been made that Tweed ru
the Democratic party.
Witness in connection with the subjeC
of removals said he was a neighbor Of GeI
Porter at Long Branch, and had received
letter from Gen. Porter inquiring abou
those subsequently removed, which
CMurphy) believes to have been write
under the
Direction of the President.
At least he acted on it as such.
The committee adjourned to meet tC
morrow.