New-York tribune., 1872-02-12
" UNIVERSAL CORRUPTION" IN TIE PASSAGE OF
DUTIABLE BAGGAGE.
SPECIAL AGENTS MISDEEDS


Thomas j. HOyt, of the firm of Naylor & Coz
importers Of irOn steel, aud metals, testified our
office was entered one day by United states Deputy
Marshal and four special agents. who threatened to
indscrminatey remove books, papers, and everything
which they could lay their hands they took entire
possession, upon authority embodied III war
rant issued on the affidavit OF George Brown;
special agent, charging that the hIm hhd ad
per cent; the rm forced for five weeks
TO endure the presence Of these Oyerbearng officials
addition 20 heavy counsel fees; it would have been
matter OF policy for the firm to have paid $4,000 TO
100000 have settled with the officers; was at last ad-
vised whisper by OF the examiners 10 go doWh
and see Col Frank +. Howe. Chief OF the Bureau this
did, and shown "A report in which 1t was stated
that NaylOr Co. owed the Government $1,000; Mr.
which Mr. Hoyt positively declined To- do the
At once taken into the L. y District Court and Mr. HOy
wrote 10 the Secretary of tho Treasury complaining of
the gross outrage but did receive any attention. the
case finally dropped by the Special Agents. and
Nayor & Co. relieved Of the Incumbranee OF the
book examiners
OPPRESSION or IMPORTERS BY CUSTOa-H0USE
"RAsCALs.o
William Whiteside, of the firm Of Whitesde
Brothers, importers and manufacturers, OF No lsT
Church-st. testified in substance follows: On June
8. 157 Lewis j. Kirk, John KanEshie and Lewis Jones'
who gave the Custom house their address, and David
VI Crowlcv of tho MarShals Office demanded our books
and papers and exhibited warrant from Judge to
seize all books and papers relating 10 the Inpoata- p
tiOn goods by several steamers from January. 1852
to september, 1S70 the charge against us was under
valuation of goods. made on the oath OF Lewis Jones'
could ind from about 1868 up TO thar date and refused
give any receipt or account OF them they also took
the books OF our mandatory business at Moodna.
Orange County. NJ " which did not relate to importing
at all Deputy Collector Clark furnished US with LIST
Is various shipments amounting to f9oS5 lis. 1d, on
which he claimed We paid EJC99 S. lOd making az,
ference all Of sisl l5s 3d. the duty on Which would
amount to about sEl 05. aud told us III an
insulting manner t1at % our airnhor, arrs were ERE
been similarly dealt With one having to pay 500 and the
other over sO1 IN brides TO John hansse VINO got ~
r wl'
mentioned in the warrant of seizure;
Il stopped our business aud injured US to
year duties. and II upon alleged default OF S27t
Ia the payment OF duties that We were subjected to this
trouble. portion OF our correspondence We have not
yet received although we made application for 1t at the
District Attorneys Office"
IMPORTERS AT THE HfERCY OF THE SPECIAL
AGENTS
William Redmond, dealer in Irish linens,
testified: Ny books were without any pretense o; legal
authority seized, carried Off and retained Custom
house fox three months 10 goods of any kind were
taken but informed that was charged with enter
ing goods :coOCO which were worth sG3OO and that
hau paid short duty the amount Of $780, the difference
in the value of the goods from entering them
their brown instead of their 'bleached values" The
case was dismissed upon investigation. but there
W. no means OF redress afforded Mr.. Redmond
against the false affidavit the Special Agent.
VIM L. Filgg. counsel for Henry b. Cooper, Broadway
tailor testified concerning the nwarrantabe seizing OF
his books and papers. by Col Howe, the
Croundess charge that he had underyaued his goods.
MIR COOpcr was forced settle the matter for al
though whe the compromise under consideration
Mr. Fagg called upon the Solicitor OF the Treasury who
told him the case he thought should have been be-
gun.
TIE IILEGALITY or COMPROMISES BIZ SPECIAL
AGENTS.
The legal opinion of ex-Judge Noah Davis.
T. 5 DistrctAtorney Is that Special Agents cannot,
when holding the books OF firm. make offers CT settle
ment as Col Howe did to Mr. H0yt, in the case Of Nay
or & Coz in behalf OF the Government, nor have they
any right to receive any money for the Treasury Depart
ulent" Deputy Collector Clarke states: g have
atvays understood that when a merchant is
obe TO Indictment the payment OF an agreeduDon sum
into court proper hands practically prevents the
indictment from pursuing him. have never known
rase TO the contrary; the OF Diamond Lally IN
yoIvnr about s2OO0O WAS compromised Tor S4OOOO'
an igatOn was made intO the affairs OF the Grni,
and II ~ decided that this amount would DE accepted:
tIp firm was willing, have understood. To pay s0,OJO
T~snecor l. H. Young testified As far as l. known as
much a. 90 per cent Of tho seizure cases nave
heeu 4e.leI IN vocation Of the law; VIC know that we
ge noih from m. and when We go to inquire aDout
thr,n we are told they settled; under the noety
stel IL IL O the interest OF the Custom house ocers
m make the merchant pay duties; II IL their interest 10
iet them snCcge tor while. SO ta1t they can eaten
them attcr~ard-'