New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-22
WASHINGTON.
CUsTOM-HOUsE POLITICS.

CUSIOM-HOUSE GOLlIICS
LEEr AND co.'s wHITEwAsH - HASTE VS..
PErERKIN-A CURIOUS STORY OF POLITICAL
CHICANE.
Joy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSEI
WASHINGTON, April 21.-The Senate Re-
trenchment Committee returned yesterday morning 10
the Custo-house inquiry after suspension Of several
days. The Chairman presented the following letter.
with accompanying Enclosures:
OFFICE OF LEFT & Co.,
UNITED STATES BONDED WAREHOUSE,
NEW YORK, April 9. 1872. J
Hon W. A; BUcKISGHAx, Chairman Of Committee on
SIR: We beg leave to submit the consideration Of
your Committee the following statement OF facts with
BY reference TO these papers it will be that the
four principal steamship companies the North River
have voluntarily designated our warehouse for the re-
cepton and storage OF the unclaimed General Order)
goods arriving by their respective lines under the
regulations permitting each steamship company TO select
any bonded warehouse Of class IS" for the storage
OF such goods These designations were made under the
AS sooi the regulations were approved by the
Secretary OF the Treasury addro ssed letter 10 the
Collector OF which we transmit a copy. The steamship
lines rerred the OF the privilege granted
Them made their selection OF stores will be seen
By refennce TO the inclosed copy OF their letter.
Statements having been made however, in the news
papers mat these companies had been induced to write
this letter through aud fear OF incur
the dspeasure OF the Collector should they desg
nate otter stores we returned 1t IN order that they
might their signatures, the letter had been given
under any such impression or Misunderstanding.
They Informed us that they had no desire to withdraw
their Names deception whatever having been used IA
the mater
snbsennentiv after an interview Collector,
in whichhe repeated That he would not discriminate IN
favor OF warehouse but that the agents or the COM
panes mist be governed In making their selection by
their business interests solely, the lines addressed
the Collector letters OF which inciOse cert lied copies,
again sgnlfying their preference for our stores, and
giving tleir reasons therefor.
As the steamship companies pay about four ffths or
the General Order charges, we feel that TINS designation
is full approval of management OF the business:
and fGclbe answer 10 the msstdteents OF Interested
parties who have in their testimony before your Com
mittee, reflected uDustly upon us.
some Of the witnesses were men without character OF
reputation, whose testimony could have been successful
~ mpeched but the Committee not deeming IL proper
OF the Witnesses offered the statements OF these rrespon-
sbe perons to our injury, have forth TO the coun-
OF hese facts respectfully request that, in JUS
tee H. this letter and accompanying papers may be
Committee and made part Of the official proceedings
connected Win your report
"" W F. srocKisG.
The accompanying papers are n letter from Leet &
Stocking Collector Arthur dated March 9, 1872 asking
IN tie distribution OF the General Order business.
under the rules, discrimination be made in their
favor; litter Leet Stocking, signed by the agents
OF the IIman, National, French and Williams Guion
seamshipHnes informing them that their stores had
elec Ted the convenient in the district and
copies Of letersfrom the agents OF the lines TO
=, = '--N"-' asking that they be allowed TO send
their gods to the Leot & Stocking stores. AIter some
-
letter affecting the character of witnesses, as part
Of the evidence. IL was allowed to go IN.
At o'clock Mr. Jas. L. HASTE was called and invitec
make statement in reply to the evidence OF Peerkin'
one Of the last witnesses sent 10 Washington by De-
coy Bliss r. .fnish story which he began IN his
own testimony HASTE said that ut the request OF Pc
teru who was sick and desired to make the journey to
Syracuse for the benefit Of his health. he obtained Tor
hima ticket TO Syracuse and back lie met PeterAn at
SYRACUSE and the latter said that he had no
MONEY Witness then asked him 20 go 10 the
hote where he himself stopping, and paid
his board there. HASTE never asked Peterkln
70 AXE a front seat in Convention TO push in az the
tiu 90 upon platform, To push OH the Presldenl
OF he Convention II Il Cornell. Mr.. HASTE stated
thai he did not know Peterkin was in the Convention
unt his attention called to deegate-J v Grld-
leT-asng Petern rise and give his seat to Marshall
o. Roberts. Peterkin declined to give up MS seat NE
TO occupy seat" when Peterkn replied ne was 700 SICK
70 stand up Mr.. HASTE stated that Commissioner
Of the Convention. sending delegates, or ia
any way ,t manner t5e conHeh Pys In sSort he
catsgorically denied every assertion made by PeterKn
regard 10 HIS attendance at the syracuse CONVENTION.
didn't always tell the truth, that OF Hastle must VI
he taken entirely dispos1g OF 1t: ~, por-,.,
HasIie examined by senators Howe ana bavard'
and odd some interesting facts Murphy had sen caro-
lin Ben Bryant 70 the witness himself, saor =, b ne
f nun aeIe1es 70 the Convention in favor exGov.
Moran Tbs attempt was several times repeated and
a eiter 10 Hastie by Bryant, OHeIlng on ne
mart of Mut give him and hls1riends any positions
In the Gus mouse he might ask for. He refused 10
scl out and Murphy's friends substituted Morgans
name for that OF HASTE on the ticket, securing
for IL only 80 votes out Of about 800. The
other names the ticket reMarshal o. Roberts and
Edwards PierrcpOni. The witness also knew or others
vino had been approached by Murphys agents In the
same way. Among them was Mr.. bullock OF PuI I
County a delegate 70 the syracuse Convention Bullock
ag offered the whole CustOm-hOuse patronage OF Put
nam COunty II would Murphy desired Bullock
mad told witness OF this himself.
mountaineering fact connected with Hlstie's case s
thar while Pcterkin. who gave testimony for the
side. subpenaeG and had his expenses
pad Dy this HASTE came on here voluntarily,
paying his own costs. -,
Ile examination lasted about three hours, and the
Commiee adjourned ~ meet again on the call VI the
Chairman.