The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-12
THE CUSTOM HOUSE COMMITTEE.
General Palmer Again on
the Stand.
More About Corrigan the Presidents Protege-
Did Murphy Tell the Truth i-Palmer Pro-
tests Against the Partisan Character Of
the Investigation-Blifs and Howe
Brought to Book-The Steam
ship Agents Heard.

usual and the committee received several offers by
letter to give evidence or Custom House corruption
from gentlemen who have suffered from 1T
Alter making few orders for subp9nas the ex-
animation OF General Palmer was resumed as fol-
lows :-Shorily alter I was appointed Assistant
Appraiser met Mr.. Thompson, and he stated to me
that nad one OF the best of1ces In the city; re-
piled that the salary was not very large; he
said that was small matter, but the
amount that could be obtained by making his al
1owances for damage could be made very large he
proposed that should allow him to 60 around to
she merchants ana make arrangements and We
could share the profits; declined the offer; some
time after that Thompson was appointed Weigh
master. ~aerr1I rflt.i raecf-
O. Did you ever report this to the Secretary Of the
Treasury A. When he was proposed for the ap.
pontment OF weighmaster thought it my duty to
do se and commissioned q gentleman who was
going to Washington to Inform the Secretary OF the
fact; this was done and the Secretary held back his
confirmation for some tlme but he was subsequently
confirmed.
Q. Did you hear who succeeded In getting him
condrmeds A. heard that MIR. C0nkling went to
she President and told him that Mr.. Murphy had
nominated him, and that he should DO the Judge in
SUCH matters and was responsible for the trust.
worthiness OF his officers; Thompson was, think,
Harbor Master when he made this corrupt propo.
siti0n to me.
Q. VINO was 1t that recommended him TO Mr..
Murphy for appointments A. General report has It
that Mr. George Opdyke Is his political hacker.
z. What are the objections against the continu-
Mr.. Murphy A. one or two stores in the hands Of
one interest for the whole North River makes the
20 CHARGE ra ahH hsn II eT cree Sa
compeutl0nj under the former system, where the
stores stores were close to the ships. one carriage was
saved and the goods were allowed to remain there
Tor certain time without charge; 1t Is q common
remark among merchants that the present rates are
O. VINO was u that told you Mr.. Conkling per.
euadcd the President to have Thompson confrmeds
comes from very good sou a Il would be easy
Tor the committee to ask Mr.. Conkling and the PresI
Q. WHAT was the date Of Thompson's corrupt pro.
position A. Somewhere about August, 1869; be:
Appraiser 1 Inc "a s Of August 1897
think ne was nominated for weigher about the fall
o. 1870; sent the message to secretary Boutwell,
py gentleman whose name would rather not
senator Hown-But suppose secretary Boutwell,
be ,nsstsd upon his name Is Henry i9 SA Lake Of
was informed that he was to be removed, and he
went on TO- Washington to see Secretary Boutwell,
|. 1. You did not tell MIR. Murphy about it, who was
In New York; that Thompson had been guilty Of
this corrupt oneri A. No, sir, though believe he
:. Q. Why did you not tell him, A. First, because
the matter was already before the Secretary OF the
Treasury, and, secondly, because l believed that
or: Murphy would not credit the statement
q: Was not the last the sole reasonf A. No. Sir.
nate Mr.. thompson should have told him about
1t, but at the time heard OF the matter 1t had al
& when did Mr.. Murphy tell you that the presl;:
dent desired q man named Corrigan to be retained
tector-the summer of,1s7o; the President Mr. Muir
ply said. TOOK very great interest In New York
d. And che President looked upon him as one OF
che important spokes In the wheel; what was his
1 GS nos Ds1s sa Mr. as
my impression Is that Mr.. Murphy repeated SUBJ
Of mr. his s ~
was 80 strange that 1 repeated 1t directly after
wards TO shorthand reporter, SO that should not
d. where did Corrigan liver A. In the Eleventh
district there seemed 70 % quite desire to get
Mr. Murphy and also on the side that Mr. J. " Grid.
ley represented: -
gerry whispered ior q minute or SO in the ear OF
Senator Howe. This interference with the business
Ser i've Was unable to repress his Snd
burst out into loud laugh. In minute or SO
Senator Stewart also came over to Mr.. Bliss, and
received instructions as to the best way OF annoying
ana illuminating the witness.
Tho witness c0ntlnued:-In the fall of 1879 Corri.
afterwards no was removed but Icannot Of course,
say for what cause; 1t may have been for mtscon-
Here <, senator Howe prompted by Mr. Bliss, began
questaonIng The witness in q singularly offensive
n Se y 1sa Da SaS,
derstood why this was so, ana who that was, and
how did ne account Tor such state OF Things. But
at last one interrogation was too much even for so
quiet and self-composed gentleman as General
"Wnc is this man Smith mentioned in this artl-
~, asked MI. Howe. "Hasn't 1t been claimed
that he Is o Tammany republicans
there seems to me only one fatr way to DO 1t. /
snail he quite willing for Mr. Bliss 20 put as many
he viii agree to be subsequently put on the stand
himself ana let me question MIN. | object how.
ever, to be questioned with leading questions put
by Mr.. Bliss without any chance to myself to enjoy
che same privilege with hin:"
Senator BAYARD-You understand, then. that you
are being questioned by Mr.. Bliss, and not by Sena
tor Hover A. why. | see the questions passed
every minute from MIR. Bliss to the senator; there
questi0ner; don't object to IT, bur- for the sake OF
fS!ness ne ought TO give me tns same privilege
question Of our local politics.
Senator HowE-Haye you any objection to saying
whether Mr.. Henry smith was not charged with
Affiliations with Tammanya A. think, sir, 1t can
be clearly proved that his connection with Tam.
many was not so intimate as that Of Mr.. Murphy
him as Tammanyite; II the committee desire
to 90 into these questions we will do SO with pleas
John 8. Williams OF the Williams Guion line,
having been sworn, testified in reference TO the
special interest
Jonu c. Dale, OF the Inman line, was
next examined and explained that the general
order system was certainly saving In time
70 the steamship COMPANIES, and, therefore,
an advantage to them. He thought &c would be A
benefit both to the steamship companies ana the
public for each company TO have q general order
store. II had been his experience tnat freiQhls
were higher now than before. ~
Francis W. Jay Hurst sworn-Am agent OF the
National Line Of steamers; there Is no material
change that know OF between the system now and
formerly 80 far as the public are concerned give
us our own general order stores would be, In my
niul n steamship
panes though not so much 80 for US, perhaps, as
for some other lines, because we are not 80
pressed for time, ana stay longer In port; have
not found that Leet & 90. Is charges are any more
than those OF the old warehousemen-Bixbys, Tor
q, Schwab sworn-Am the agent OF the North
German steamers, and have been for eleven years.