New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-03

those at present in power remain.
Among the abuses which the Committee will in
oure into are those Of the General Order and Carriage
business the Speciel Agents the Surveyors Depart
ment and Appraisers Office. The existence of these
abuses is well known to tho commercial COM
munty generally, and every merchant can detail in
stances of glarng fraud 1t will devolye on them
and the public press to furnish the facts on which
the Committee can act. THE TRIBUNE will be glad
to publish, in order that tho Committee shall not
fail to see it, every well authenticated case OF fraud
irrespective of the persons officials who may Dc
involved and competent reporters will wait on any
every merchant who has such grievances to narratc
THE GENERAL ORDER SWINDLE.'
After n vessel is entered at the Custom
House a certain time is allowed to consgnees IN which
pay their duties and take possession OF their Good
At the expiration OF that time general order is given
by the Collector of the Port to discharge the cargo aud
all the merchandise remaining board IL landed and
delivered into the custody OF the CustOmHOuse officials
Goods discharged under such orders are known as gem
cra order goods" The rapid Increase or the european
trade has compelled many changes in the system Oh dI'
charging cargoes and while the Treasury laws have I'M
dergone no change in this regard, many facilities have
been extended to the steamship companies to enable
them TO dispatch their vessels their regular days OF
departure This matter OF 10 small importance, es-
pecialy in Winter when an unusually long voyage
makes 1t necessary to discharge and load with the
utmost expedition in order to sail at the appointed time
To facilitate this business the steamship lines landing
at Hoboken and Jersey City built warehouses adjacent
TO their wharycs which placed under the super
vision and control OF United States Custom-House
officers Immediately the arrival of "a steamship Its
cargo was discharged into these warehouses WITHOUT
going under cover and stored for foryeght hours
without expense TO the consignees. BY this arrange
mept the interests of the Government fully pro-
hoarl he Vnggn
and the steamship companies saved two days time
without any Inconvenience to tho merchants In New
York and Brooklyn number OF warehouses adjoining
the docks OF the different foreign steamers are desig
rated by the Collector General ORDER stores THIS
system continued for fifteen years without interruption
or hinderance the merchant lor steamship company
aud rapacous collector was unable TO discover
any plan whereby toll could be eXtOrted from
merchants the merchandise thus brought to this port
until Thomas Murphy came into power In the Custom
House.
IL was about tho time that first reported from
Washington that Thomas Murphy would succeed Moses
H. Grinnel as Collector that 1t ordered that all
goods discharged under general order should L sent TO
General Order stores IN EewYork under the control OF
Leet, Stocking Company. Here they are now charged
months storage, though removed by the owners
instantly their arrival A these two stores are about
two miles ro the Battery ION the extreme west Of the
city, the merchant must pay an additional sum for cart
age to and from them At the same time his goods are
subjected the danger OF theft and damage during transit
from the vessel TO the stOreh0uc. These extoronate
charges are supposed TO he paid by the steamship
nes il the goods arc removed from the General Order
stores within foTyeight hours but they are really PAID
by the importers through increased rates OF freight Why
immense reproot warehouses were rendered useless on
the Jersey side OF our harDOr and the General order
business made monopoly, ills article is designed TO
show. 49,, =,
During the Summer OF 1869, John p Lindsay, George X
Ill ff.tra In
the office of hardware store in Johns where Lindsay
acted "a President Of the Lindsay Screw Company.
During the war; Stocking engaged IN Washington in
the stove and tin business which he up for the more
lucrative position OF suter. In this capacity no made
the acquaintance OF George Lcet OF Gen Grants Staf
The war being over and Stockings occupation gone,
he became Government employer in Washington, aud
Colonel Leet was detached TO the War Department.
IAet DESTROYS of leaving the army received from GEN
Grant letter to Mr. GTinne saying that 1t was In the
mower OF Mr.. Grnnell, old merchant, to do any
thing to forward Let's views itwOuld be very gratifying
to him Gen. Grant, This letter was presented to
Mr. Grnnel before lie appointed Collector and was
all the notice that required. Grinnen ala DO good
thing for the young Colonel He gave him PARTON Of
the General order business e. only a. crumb" Col.
Leet says). BY this arrangement Francis N. Bixby,
another name for william NJ Tweed had 70 forward
TO Col. Leet, at Washington, 5000 per annum in
monthly payments, Leet being at this time still an
officer in the army on duty in the War Department.
This even with the additional pay OF Colonel IN the
u s. Army, did not satisfy Col Leet, and 10 was TO
Use some new mode OF extOrtOn from New York mer
chants that the frequent meetings in Jo-st held.
The unsuspecting Collector invited TO call there and
when he came Lindsay. who had once been a carman, In
the most eloquent presented his grand scheme
The Customs Carriage System OF the Port OF New YORK.
In a short time Lindsay was established In Room No. o.
Custom House, adjoining the Collectors room In the
beginning Of Lindsays SYSTEM proposals were adver-
tised for but reason number, who bid quite
low, did not get a hearing. Ten persons were each
awarded district and gave each $4,000 bond The
only questions unanswered by Lindsay as to who he
was where he from and what he wac going 10 DO
Finally tho following petition reached Collector Grnnell
from the ten carmen: 49,. =. - ,y-o
The undened who have been awrsa The AItsse Of the
,ss cart Of M sto Ee POSITION Ant
drets perform all duties that become nee,fs from
TeGs, 70 from f oa For +. sass and spa DE position
'' k ,s y S e A so "a E ks BS
r. pras@ Dife No. s. Thomas A. Gross. District No 8, OAKLEY
is District 80 Gustav. moa5 .1 INIT Mo- 10 No. O. JONI ~
The ten carmen Furthermore made affidavit that
the procuring OF their appointments cost nothing
and concluded by saying that they knew
that tho expenses Of the Superintendent Dis
trict superintendents, ald clerks, and all other
expenses which should be incurred In carrying out tho
pan must be borne by c contractors aud that the
bureau OF carriage might DO selsusanlng without cost
10 the Government they agreed among themselves
without dctatlon or direction. to deduct small percent
age of their reeeps sufficient to carry, out such plan
without expense TO the Government They also asserted
that beyond such deductions money had been paid or
aged TO be paid to any person whatever. THIS was
sworn ~ before W. II. Mead, Commissioner OF DEEDS,
and signed by the ten carmen.
The Lindsay carriage system went into operation feb