New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-12
CVSTOlJ-HOUSE pLUNS.

The Times not having seen the report of the
Custom house Investigation, printed on lts own
second page, goes back to its files and quotes
testimony taken several days ago as proof that
nothing has been proved. For example, it cites
the following answer given by one of the wit
nesses last Monday:
"Gen Palmer has stated TO me. and have no doubt
will you under oath, If called upon that he be-
lieves the discharge Of these dictated by an
authority higher than Secretary Boutwell,. have
another case to which think Cen Palmer testify
tho case of James Corrgan In the Appraisers store
Mr. Murphy desired TO him in the district known as
the 'Grdley District in primary meeting. AS Gen.
Palmer understood it, MI. Murphy told Gen. Palmer that
the President had instructed him Murphy) to tell him
Palmer) TO tell Corrgnn mat ne was only retained 10
oblige Murphy" &c, &c.
and adds, awe put it to any intelligent man
"whether testimony of this kind proves any
thing You could not convict black
beetle on such evidence as this" Very well
then, why does not The Times look at its own
report of Wednesdays examination, printed
in tho same paper from which we take the
above remarksY Ex-Appraser Palmer tes-
tiGes
Complaints were made to by the Assistant APP
praiser that Corigan who in his department. was
very noisy, and wished me to him or transfer
him. I Murphy some time afterward, and he toio
me that he had the President at Long Branch anu
that taking quite lively interest In potics; 'na'
,bere was man in the department who could be quite
useful and he handed me card on which was written
the name Of James Corrigan. He asked me TO retain
Corrigan and tell him that he was 80 retained on
| account Of him, Murphy.
We quote this from The Times, though ii is not
a correct report. The following portion of Gen.
Palmer's testimony The Times took the liberty
| of expunging:
Mr. Murphy said he had spoken to the President about
Mr. Corrigan that the President anxious for
IN retain him. and had told him (Ir Murphy say
| me that he wanted TO retain that man; said
thougbtt was little strange for the President to say
that with reference unmportant an oecer but that
Of course should take great pleasure IN doing it, he
then asked me II would tell Mr. Corrigan that he was
retained because Mr. Murphy asked It, told him would
tell him about II; that about all there was OF IT,
O. What is the pay OF the Office he held A. Three
| dollars a day.
| O. Mr. Murphy told you that the message came from
! the President Of the United statesi A. Yes Sir.
Could YOU convict black beetle on thai
sort of evidencei
MIR. George William Curtis, still enthusiastic
over the new Civil Service scheme. repeats hi
argument that hereafter there will be m
temptation to remove any oHice-holder TO
political reasons because political reasons vii
not be consulted in filling vacancies; 1t vii
not be worth while for the President to tur
ont n tide-water who has voted the wrOn
way in the primary meeting, when there is n
guarantee that the successor to the place wi
not be an equally pestilcnt hereto. PerhaT
if Mr.. Curtis reads the Custom-house Invest
CATION reports no has by this time change
his mind. Gen. Palmer gave some instance
of the system of removal for political reason
which we think might shake Mr.. Curtis's col
Gdence. A friend of the Presdcnt-namel
Gen. Pleasont0n-waited upon the Apprals