New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-16
THE CUSTOM. HOUSE INVESTIGATION

THE CUSTOM-HOUSE INVESTIGATIONS
COL. FRANK HOWE EXAMINED-IIE LOSES HIS
TEMPER UNDER VIGOROUS CRoSS-EXAM-
INATION-HIs EXPLANATIONS CONCERNING
THE SEIZURES OF MERCHANTS BOOKS.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRlBUNBl
WASHINGTON, Friday, March Is, 1872.
COL Frank f. Howe, the head of the Special
Treasury Agent Bureau In NewYork was the only wit
ness examined, to-day, before the Custom house nves-
eating Committee Before he called. communica-
ton from Josiah Rich read, denouncng the state
ments made by Mr. Townley in regard to his character
impeaching the testimony OF Towniey BE-
fore the Committee and asking permits
sion to reappear and explain charges made against
him. Col. Howe before beginning his testimony, offered
several letters which had passed between him and the
L. Dstrict-Attorney in regard to the charges made
against the witness by Thomas j. HOyt OF the firm OF
Naylor g. CO.. and which were intended TO show that
Howe has always pressed investigation Of the charges
against the firm and trial Of them. In his direct ex-
animation Col. Howe said that the suits against Mayor
& Co. have been discontinued When he was last
before the Committee proceedings had been temporarily
suspended TO allow that firm to Isend to London Tor
transcripts papers there upon which they hoped 10
base an explanation Since that time those papers have
been received, and Dstrict-Attorney Davis, not
considering the explanation satisfactory, mas concluded
10 prosecute Col. Howe denied that he ever advised
any suspenson.ofithe sut nithe Cooper case He mad
never had any pecuniaryI interest whatever IN it, and
had received no part ofathe moiees. He had only
learned since his arrival in Washington that the In
former Mr. Peterson had recently received his share
Of the forfeiture.
In his crossexaminatiOn by Mr.. Bayard, he gave as
much information he could remember about the man
agement Of his Office land referred the Committee for
further facts on this point to his former testimony ana
TO papers which he promised to send. lie said that his
bureau never works in conjunction with the Seizure Blu
reau of the house. and has nothing do with r
reellartles in the collection of frauds on
the Internal Revenue. He has never in any
way been connected with special agent Jayne.
In answer TO tho question have you obtained warrants
on aldayits based information and belief he re-
piled that such hs practice providing always the
person making tho affidavit man OF known good
character. Books he said. never taken from the
merchants counting room directly his (HOwes) Office
They were first sent court and only obtained
by the special agent on formal application. They
were generally examined in a room OF the Gus
tom-house; sometimes in the Office Of the
special agents. The longest time Col Howe remembers
OF keeping books OF merchants is three months He
thinks he has made about 10 seizures OF books and papers
since he has been in Office. When he has books TO
anime he Is allowed call In TO aid him. an expert,
whoever he peases No oath is administered TO such per-
son. but the examination is always made in the presence
of the special agent f. Packard IL Co.'s books were
seized about year ago, but no irregularities
were discovered from them. Col. Howe has,
however, recently, heard, from RESPONSE
BILE source that the grounds OF complaint originally
made against the firm well founded, and he sad
that he intended Oh his return NewYo TO cause the
case to be prosecuted.
He remembers having held conversation Win MT.
Packard, in which he had told Packard that one Of his
officers had examined the case and was sure there was
great irreguarty but that he himself did not concur in
this opinion. He thought he told Packard that
the officer who made the examination said that
the irregularities amounted TO at least $4,000,
and the case ought TO go the District-Attorney.
He never said that OF his officers would not
take than $4,000 in compromise nor that he hlmse
would take 5000 and that he would not be likely 10
change his mind that point He was positive he ana
not say that IL they would settle and pay 5000 there
would be clear record but that il they did not there
was another case OF the same kind against them No
offer had ever been made in his office to settle any case
by compromise.
Mr. Bayard put the question, Did you have case
OF of books and papers which ended otherwise
than either by being abandoned or compromised That
IT, was there ever case where books and papers were
SIcfoni a." COL Ho%e answered NO but Mr. Bush one
OF Howes assistants, who sitting In the room, In
some WAY indicated a correction, and Col. Howe mme-
diately corrected his testimony oy saying that there
was one case but what 1t was, when IL occurred or
III.
Bayard objected to the testimony OF Mr Bush being
injected that Of the witness on the stand aud de-
bate of considerable warmth arose between the Demo
Gratis Of the Committee and Messrs Howe and Pratt.
The former claimed that Col. HOwes testimony should
stand 10y itself while the latter OF the opinion that
should he allowed to every means In MS reach TO
refresh his memory.
testimony cOntradiced that OF HoYt In regard TO the
Naylor and that Of Flagg in regard to the Cooper
case Col Howe said that II Col Hoyts testimony had
not been printed he should think that Hoyt was simply
mistaken and he believed 1t was Hoyts duty to with
draw the testimony which he had given before the Com
mttee With regard to Mr. Flaggs assertions he said,
II ia downright lie" He admitted having had two
interviews with Mr.. Hoyt, at the second Of which
another member Of the firm present and that both
these referred to the seizure Of the books But
they had no connection with each other and he absO
uely denied that be had refused TO compromise with
NayOr 4 Company for $4,000. Cassery questioned him
some about q seizure known the JOanaQue case"
Although Col Howe had seized the books and papers of
the merchant, he was unable 10 remember very much
about II. Col. Howe gave the most of bis
testimony under considerable excitement, and the
remOrseless croesquestiOnings of Messrs. Bay.
ard and Casserly seemed to trouble Senators Howe
and Pratt almost as much IL did the witness. Ere
quent interruptions Of the examination occurred
which many personal remarks passed across the taoe
bet ween members OF the Committee The C0mmttee
Will hold session tomorrow. and will begin tne
nation OF ,mas Murphy has b on IN tne Guy SLICE
"Wednesday with his counsel. Decoy pnsS, -, t tas
testimony expected 20 be Of the most io@
lures Of this investigation