Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-01-05
NEW YORK.
The CustOmhOuse Investigation
Horace Greeley on the Stand.

.srf HUFdCC iUfCCACy UH tiIC DtdUus
NEW YORK. Jan. 4.-Rudolph NeT .stsa,
a merchant, yesterday swore h.ssn,o tba
CustomhOuse Senate Invest ,rating CoroS
Eaittee that three small p" .cksrsS ab0rt two
oy three rect, winch % received in Novem-
be; were detained upon their arrival at the
general oruer ,.hce for two days storage.
VI one P,cKage he paid S1.50. The week
AIler nf paid $3.50 for the others. He also
re that these are every day occurrences;
~nat the distinction of great or small firms
makes a difference in the charges. A
music dealer swore that two accordeons
sead by him were seized as smuggled goods
ard the suyer arrested as Smuggler. The
Investigation continues to-day.
The CustomhoRse Congressional Com
mittee has Horace Greeley before them this
maTning. The only abuses he knew of re-
Asked TO the control of custom officers by
the dominant party. Three or four hum
,dI'ed Of these officials were sent into the
counties TO coerce the election of delegates.
The names of some of these are Grew,
Lousderry, A. B. Cornell and Lofin. Fifty
on sixty custom officers, including the two
latter, were in Albany to control the organ
iZRtion of the Legislature by promises and
threats. BE was told by friends that the
Assenblymen from his district must work
III the interests of the custOmhOuse ap-
pointees or the latter would lose their places.
Theresults of the Republican State COnven-
nons the last two years were accomplished
Dy CustomhOuse officials. What he knew
about CustomhOuse management was
secondhand. Murphy turned out a large
number of FentOn men. He believed Al
y1Cd would be elected Speaker of the As
sssnbly but for the interference of Customs
officials He believed that assessments
were made for political purposes; also for
the Murphy serenade. 1t was not a new
thing for officeholders to use their patron
age for party, but he considered it differ
ent thing when used against faction of the
sme party. Greeley believed the question
OF the reelection Of President Grant had
sSmethiGg TO do with recent removals in
the CuStOmhouse. Bad men were ap-
pointed to Office then. He believed Gems.
Porter and BabcOck shared the proceeds of
the general order business. Greeley be-
GeVed that many people were deferred from
giving evidence before the committee be-
cause its sessions were held in the Custom
house.
A night Inspector was examined as to
seizure, and Collector Arthur's examination
then commenced. He was notified to pre-
Pare a list Of employees, with salaries, fees,
etc.
Jno. Z. Lindsay testified having heard of
frequent assessments for electioneering
purposes were always two per cent. of an
Iual salaries extended to every officer,
Knows that Collector Grinnen paid seven
thousand dollars from his own pocket TO
save poorer subOrdinates. Part of control
of general order of business was given by
Grinnel to Leet. When Grant became
President, Leet came here from Pennsylva-
Liza, and told GTinnel he was to be appoint
ed Collector, and asked for the general Or
der business. The letter came from the
PRESIDENT and Secretary Of State, recon-
mendlng Leet for anything good, and on
witness advice. Grinnell gave Leet the
general order business. Leet was not a
cltzen OF this commonwealth. Ex-MayOr
Wooo, OF Brooklyn, and Mr.. Quires got the
other portlo.is, and Leet arranged to do
blXoys potion Of the general order bust
ness loc certain sums. By direction of
errlnhell a portion of the business was di-
r.1ed to BiXby's store. Leet was guaran-
Ceed about $4,000 annually for controlling
the business in favor of BiXby. Leet was
then in the War Department at Washing
ton. BiXby is a merchant. Grinnell was
known to be opposed to the political assess
Inents of CustOmhOuse employees. He was
threatened with removal by Leet if he
couldn't get what he wanted. There is no
restriction on charges for general order
goods. understood from Bixby the profits
Of that business are a hundred thousand
dollars year.
Mr.. WhitelaW Reid, managing editor of
the New York Tribune, testified that he
had no personal knowledge of the abuses at
the CustomhOuse, but knows men whose
names were gwen him as having testified to
the statements made in leading articles of
the Tribune, and he would be happy to
give the names.
Adjourned.
The following are among the witnesses
summoned by the Committee: II. B.
Clafin, 5. B. Chittenden, E. @. Jaffray, E.
Hinmann, Francis PaysOn, VIM. G.. Brett,
Mr.. Hincken, Henry Barley, Geo. G. Col
Inns, VIM. Redmond aud David Ogden.
Judicial Corruption.
At meeting Of the Bar Association to-
night memorial to the Legislature
was adopted representing that the
integrity of several of the high
Judicial officers in this city has fallen
ullutI hlSll us anu IlldJ Charges ulTcCllY
impeaching Judicial integrity have been
repeatedly made in a most explicit manner
in journals, and that the honor and
fair fame of the city and State
have become widely involved in
doubt. Capitalists become alarmed
and commercial and financial interests di-
verted from the city; that public apprehen-
sion thus aroused was among the ex-
citing causes leading to the popular
uprising in November, and that it
is due to the many upright members
Of the bench, and those whose character
and usefulness had been impaired, that
rieid inquiry be made by the Legislature,
and proper remedies applied. No names
are mentioned.
POthumOus Charity.
G. Moore, formerly of Brooklyn, has given
half million dollars to charitable and mis-
slonary societies. II is under contest in the
Supreme Court.
Albany specials state that Senators do not
appear anxious that O'DOnovan Rosa
should take Tweed's seat. 1t is believed
Tweed will be thrown out, Rosa Ignored,
ard new election ordered.
RnNHESTER