The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-21

Emigrant Sharks I'm Castle Gsra.r.
There has been for some years q tainted
atmosphere about Castle Garden. for which
those who have interested themselves in tho
matter have found it difficult TO account
The Commission has always had upon it some
good citizens, whose names have been cum
ningly pushed forward into prominence when
ever anything has been done or said in rela-
ton to the management or affairs of the great
emigrant depot Hence those whose sus-
picions have been aroused have shrugged
their shoulders and concluded that no dis
honesty or maladministration could be pos
sible under such men as Gulian G. Verplanck
or Andrew Carrigan in former days, or under
Wallach. Hoguet and Kaufman, who are now
on the Commission. But there has been
power behind these Commissioners, working
secretly but surely to retain the real manage
ment of Castle Garden, and the consequences
have been neither creditable to the institution
nor beneficial to the emigrants Session after
session we have had legislative Investigations
into the affairs of the depot which have
ended as such inquiries invariably do. The
respectable element in the committee has
been brought int? prominence, while thS
investigators have been secretly supplied with
arguments" in favor of the management from
the other side, and the result has been doubly
advantageous in satisfying the honest men,
bers of the Board and the State Legislature at
the same time A nest of corruption has thus
been left undisturbed and the Castle Garden
"Ring''-not the least important of those re-
markable combinations in the city-has been
left to pursue its plans in security. It is time
that this should cease and that no officer OF
the Commission should be suffered to run tho
Board into disgraceful complications.
The railroad ticket selling in Castle Garden
has sometimes been made to contribute largely
TO the profits of the Ring, and until a sturdy
fight was made some time since by some Of
the lines and their agents, who refused to sub
NIT to extortion, there was o sort Of close
corporation in ticket selling inside the Gar
den. Recently this portion of the business
has been more honestly conducted and we
have heard no complaints of imposition. But
there is q struggle at present going on in the
Commission over the admission to the Garden
of ticket agent for the Erie Railroad, who.
it is claimed, is not proper person to
hold the interests of the emigrants in
his hands. We know nothing about this
person, but it is stated by Mr.. Willy Wallach,
one Of the Commissioners of Emigration,
that he has been convicted and imprisoned
for improper conduct as an emigrans runner,
and that other charges are brought Ngairst
him establishing his unftness for the position.
1t is enough that this Mr.. Muller is an ,old
emigrant runner to prove that he is an unsafe
person to entrust with the duty of selling rail-
road tickets to emigrants, who are ignorant
of our railroad fares, of our money and Of our
language. These poor people should not be
placed at the mercy of any man who has been
accustomed to make his living out Of them.
1t is astounding that the directors of ERE
formed Erie" should select such a person az
their Castle Garden agent. 1t is astounding
or it would be astounding if the whole Castle
Garden management was not what it is
that the Commissioners of Emigration do
not at once and peremptorily refuse admission
to the Garden of any person with such q
record as that of Muller. The mere hesitation
of the Commission in such matter is proof
that the Legislature cannot too soon proceed
with the work of publication in tho Castle
Garden Emigrant Depot.