The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-01-05
The Custom House Investigations.
The 'tGeneral Order" Black

The "General Order" Black
mail.
NEW York, Jan. 4-Rudolph Neu-
stadt, merchant, yesterday swore before
the Custom House Senate Investigating
Committee that three small packages,
about two by three feet, which lle received
In November, were detained upon their
arrival at the General Order office ior
two days for storage. On one packagehe
paid ono dollar and fifty cents q week.
After that he paid two dollars and fifty
cents for the Others. lie also swore that
these are every day occurrences, and that
the distinction ofthe great number ofsmall
firms makes a difference in the charges.
A musical dealer swore that two &C.
cordeons sold by him were seized as being
smuggled goods and buyer arrested as a
smuggler. Tie investigation continues
to-day.
HORACE GREELEY BEFORE THE COM.
nc nTTEE. sUuK --,-y
The Custom House Congressional Com.
mittee had Horace Greeley before them
this morning. The only abuses he knew
related to the control by customs officers
OF the dominant party. Three or four
hundred of these officials werc sent into
the counties tococrce the election Of dele
gates; the names OF some of these were
Grew, Lonsbery, A. B. Cornell and Laf-
lin. Fifty or rsixty custom officers, includ.
ing two Of the latter, were in Albany to
control the organization of the Lcgisla.
ture by promises and threats. He was
told by friends that the Assembly men
from his district must work for the inter.
ests Of tho custom house appointees or
the latter would lose their places. The
results of the Republican State Conven-
tions for the past two years hRverbeen ac-
complished by custom house officials.
What he knew about the custom house
management was secondhand. Murphy
turned out large number of Fcnton men.
He believed Alvord would have been cleo.
tedspeaker OF the Assembly but for the IN.
reference OF custom house officials. lie be.
lieVed assessments were made for po-
litical purposes; also for the Murphy
screnade. 1t was not a new thing for
ofice.holders TO use their patronage for
the party, but he considered it different
thing when used against faction of the
same party. Mr.. Greeley believed the
question OF the reelection of President
Grant had something to do with the re-
cent removals at the custom house. Bad
men were appointed 10 office there. He
believed Gems. Porter and Babcock shared
the proceeds Of the General Order Busi
ness. Mr.. Greeley believed that many
people were deferred from giving evil
dence before the committee because the
sessions were held in the custom house.
A night inspector was then examined
as TO u seizure, and collector Arlhur's cx-
animation then commenced. lie was
notified TO prepare list Of employees,
with salaries, fees, etc. ara -
Jno. 2. Linsay testified TO having heard
OF frequent assessments for clectioneerinC
purposes; /; they were always 9 per cent of
the annual salaries, and extended to every
officer; knows that Collector Grinncll
paid seven thousand dollars from his own
pocket to save the poorer suborlinates;
part OF the control OF the general order
business was given by Grinnell to Lect
when Grant became President, Leet came
here from Pennsylvania and told Grinncll
to be appointed collector, and asked for
the general order business; letters came
from the President and Secretary of State
recommending Leet for anything good,
and, on the witness advice, Grinnell gave
the general order business to Leet; Lcet
was not citizen OF this commonwealth
ex-Mayor Wood, OF Brooklyn, and Mr.,
Squiers got other portions, and Leet ar
ranged to do Bixby's portion of the gen.
eral order business. and by direction
Of Grinnell portion of the business
was directed by Bixby, Stone and Leet,
and was guaranteed about in favor of
Bixby, Leet was then in the War De.
partment at Washington. Bixby is a
merchant. Grinnell was known to be op.
posed to political assessment Of Custom
House employees and was threatened with
removal by Leet If he couldn't get wha {
he wanted; is no restriction on charges
for the general order of goods; understood
from Bixby that the profits of that bust
ness was one hundred thousand dollars q
year. VI. rr
Whitclow Reid, managing editor of the
New York Tribune, testified: Had no
personal knowledge of the abuses at the
Custom House, but know men whose
names were given him, having testified
to statements made in leading articles in
the Tribune, and would be happy to give
the names. ,.. ......
Adjourned. &
The following arc among the witnesses
summoned by the committee: H.. B.
Clahin, s. B. Chittenden, L. s. jeffrey, E.
Heinmann, Francis Payson, WIN. S. Brett,
n, Hicken, Henry Barbry, Geo. @. Col.