New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-12
New York CustOmhOuse Investigation.


New York CustOmhOuse Investigation.
The cuStOmhOuse committee held q ses-
sion in the CustomhouSe. Whitelaw Reid
read a column article from the Tribune, con-
tanning charges that monopoly of the gen
eral order system had been given by ex- Col
lectOr Murphy to Leet and Stocking. At
various points in the article he gave the au-
thOrities for the statements therein made
Various facts had been given him by parties
employed in the customhoUse as to political
assessments. but under pledge of secrecy
the informers being afraid of removal.
Mr.. Reid averred that Messrs. Forbes and
Constant, who had been in the examiners
office, were discharged by order of Secreta-
ry Boutwell,, as he was informed, at the sug
gestiOn of higher parsonage, for not hav-
ing voted in the Republican general conven-
tion as directed to by Murphy. Mr.. Heyser
and Mr.. James Corrigan were also dis
charged. Mr.. Murphy told General Palmer
that he had seen the President at Long
Branch, and that General Grant asked him
to say to General Palmer that COrrigan had
better be notified to. take care of how he be-
haved, as he was only retained in Office be-
cause he was Murphy's friend. President
Grant added: MY informant is now more
of politician than he has been, and takes
more interest in New York politics." Cor
rigan was afterwards discharged because he
worked against the Murphy interest.
Another case was that of Mr.. Reitmyer
Mr.. Decamp was likewise decapitated, and
various other cases of victims were cited.
Mr.. Reid gave list of some seventy otfi-
cials who were at the Syracuse convention,
aud said it was generally supposed here
that the office of collector was worth about
$4,000 to 100000 per annum He then told
how a customhouse officer, who certainly
was poor before he got his office, could af-
ford to furnish a Tribune reporter with
$1,000 wherewith to start magazine in the
city. The strange part of this was that Mr..
Jayne, the gentleman referred to, gave this
money without ever asking for note or any
acknowledgment thereof
communication from +. II. Renfew
was read by Mr.. Reid, showing how a claim
of 100000 was presented against firm
whose books had been seized. Mr.. Reid
handed in a long list Of discharged parties
from the custOmhOuse, as parties who
could give valuable information. An af-
davit OF one Captain Grant, detailing the
statement of j. d. Terry, clerk in the
possession of list of the names of parties
who voted early and often at a primary
election of the Republican Association in
this city, said Terry being inspector OF said
election; that he gave the list of fraudulent
voters at said primary to William How,
under promise of promotion.
Thomas Hoyt, of the firm OF Naylor &
Co., read long affidavit. showing how his
firm had been victimized by Customhouse
officials. On the seventh of September
last their books were seized, an investiga-
ton Instituted into their affairs, which ex-
tended over five weeks. In one part of the
affidavit he stated that Colonel Frank f.
Howe said to Mr.. HOyt that his (Hoyt's)
firm owed the government $4,000, but
offered to settle the whole thing for
$4,000. The affidavit goes on to state that
at the time Colonel Howe made this state
ment the firm of Naylor & Co. did not owe
the government cent.