The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-01-05
NEW YORK.


:. gressional committee had Horace Greeley be-
fore them this forenoon. The only abuses he
knew OF related to custom officers used by the
| dominant party to control conventions. Three
or four hundred of these officials were sent into
the counties to coerce the election of delegates.
He named as the officials who he believed to be
assigned to such work MesSrs. Grew, Lonsber-
ry, A. B. Cornell and W. Latin. Fifty or sixty
customs officers, including two of the latter,
were in Albany to control the organization of
the legislature by promises and threats He
was told by friends that the Assemblymen from
his district must work in the interest of the
Custom House appointees or the latter would
| lose their places. The results of the Republi-
can State Convention for the last two years were
accomplished by Custom House officials.
In reply to query Mr.. Greeley said that what
he knew was second hand. He believed about
| one hundred men were turned out of the Gus
| tom House lately because they Were Fenton
men, by Mr. Murphy afaer he became Collector.
| He believed that Avord would have been elect
| ed Speaker of the Assembly were it not for the
interference of Custom House officials He be-
ieved that hesOfic Gals were assessed for politi-
cal purposes by Murphy. 1t was not new
thing for office holders in New York to use their
patronage to assist their party, but he consider
ed it a different thing when used against por-
ton OF the same party.
John p Lindsay testified to having heard of
frequent assessments for eectioneering purpos-
es. They We're always2 per cent of the annual
salaries and extended to every officer Knows
that Collector Grinnell paid $1,000 from his own
pocket to save poorer subordinates. part of
the control of the general order business was
given by Grinnell to Leet, when Grant became
President. Leet came here from Pennsylvania
and told Grinnell that he was to be appointed
Collector, and asked for the general order bust
ness. A letter came from the President and
Secretary of State recommending Leet for any,
thing good and ON witnesses advice Grinnell
give Leet the general order business. Leetwas
not a citizen of this commonwealth Ex-May-
WnnI IF lvrla md Mr. Sn,,ira II,
er portions and Leet crranged to do Bixbys
portion of the general order business for GER
tain sum, and by direction of Grinnell portion
OF the business was directed to Bixby's store.
Leet was guaranteed about 100000 annually
for controlling the business in favor of Bixby
Leet was then in the War Department at Wash
ington Bixby is a merchant Grinnell was
known to be opposed to political assessments of
Custom House employees: He was threatened
with removal by Leet if he could not get what
he wanted. There is no restriction on charges
for general order goods. / understood from
Bixby that the profits of that business were
100000 per year.
Whitelaw Reid, managing editor of the New
York Tribune, testified that he had no personal
knowledge of abuses at the Custom House. but
knows men whose names were given him as hav-
ing testified to statements made in the leading
article in the Tribune, and would be happy to
give their names. Adjourned.
The following are among the witnesses sum-
moned by the committee: II. B. Clahin, S. b.
Chittenden, E. s, Jatfrey, Edward Hermann,
Francis Payson, William Barley, Geo. G. Col
Inns, William Redmond and David Ogden.
THE REFORM BOARD OF ALDERMEN
The new Board of Aldermen to-day passed
resolution refusing TO recognize the Mayors
right to appoint members of the Board, and Or
dered minutes of appointments expunged from
the records The clerks of the old Board were
removed.
VARIOUS MATTERS,
About $4,000 were paid out to depositors by
the Third Avenue Savings Bank to-day and
S200, 600 were added to the funds by the sale of
securities.
O'Conor and Pecham, on behalf of the peo-
pie, and Courtney and Beach, on behalf of Con-
molly, will argue in a motion to vacate the order
of arrest before the Supreme Court, at Albany,
tomorrow.
There were twelve new cases of small pox to-
day.
The will of Thomas G. Moore formerly of
Brooklyn, giving half million dollars to char
table and missionary societies, is under contest
in the Supreme Court.
The verdict of the coroner's jury accuses Jno
Wagner of the murder of Patrick Murphy, in.
Williamsburg, Christmas night.
QUIET DAY AT ROCHESTER,
RoBHEsTER, Jan. 4.-Quiet reigns in the Vi
cinty of the Jail and did all night The police
and military do not permit gatherings in Ex-
change and other streets leading to the jail
The feeling against the military is subsding
and as the testimony comes in it becomes clear
er that the military were attacked with stones
and pieces of wood on the fatal night, and even
pistols fired at them. The military and police
still on duty and will remain so for the pres
emit
A man named Rockwell who knocked a SOL
der down yesterday, was this afternoon sent to
the Penitentary for six months.
Howard, the negro, still insists that he is in
nooent. His victim is improving
Two of the wounded are considered in crit
ical condition, but hopes are entertained that
they will recover.
THE ROCHESTER, TRoUBLE-THE NEGRO SENT
TO STATE PRISON.
Howard, the negro who outraged the girl Ochs,
and about which such an excitement was caus-
ed, was secretly conveyed to the Court Room
this evening at half past nine, and was arraign-
ed on the Indictment and pleading guilty was
sentenced by Judge Smith to twenty years hard
labor in the Auburn State Prison. The prison.
er was Immediately removed and quietly taken
to Auburn. This proceeding of the Court and
authorities it is believed will satisfy the ends of
justice and avoid shedding of innocent blood.
CRIME
BUFFALO, Jan. 4.-Charlotte Wilson, alias
mclaughlin, late of Toronto, resident of the
infected district died last night from abuse,
said to have been inflicted by Ann Kelley, no
torious prostitute.
Ann Mcguire, late of Dunkirk, was arrested
on complaint of bigamy, preferred by her for
mer husband, named Speech, of Dunkirk
FATAL RAILROAD ACCIDENT.
WATERFOWL, Jan. A train was thrown
from the track on the Watertown s. Carthage
railroad this afternoon, three miles north of
here. Superintendent Williams, who was stand
ing in the doorway of the baggage car, fell out
as the car went over the bank and was damned
under it. No other person injured. The cause
of the accident is unknown,