New-York tribune., 1874-03-05
THE OUsTOM-HOUSE SPIES.
raYNE STILL DEFIANT.


- .~,.p,,so AT THR TRIBUNE-THE Ex-sPY
,vrs ,NorpKR EFFORT TO EXCITE SYMPATHY
pRrrxspRp INNoCENCE-wHAT THE MERCHANTS
WILL PROVE.
iBr rELEoRArn THR rRIBUNbl
w.su,NoroN. March 4-Ex- Treasury Agent Jayne
WAS again on the witness stand to-day Wheh 'ne
Ways and Means Committee adjourned yesterday
his manner and speech were quite warike, ana even
TODAY he was far from maintaining sunny os-
position. He, ~ usual snared at lHE TRIBUNE ana
even went 80 far two three times IN referring 10
AZ entirely to lose his temper as he did yesterday
but he was promptly reminded that the decencies
were operative in q committeeman as In court
room. Durinc most of the time to-day, however,
he was easping for sympathy. lie said he had been
oruelly abused and slandered; that he could not
and would not rest under il; he could not and he
vould not stand it, If he guilty of the charges
made against him he unworthy TO DO
man, and unworthy TO occupy the place he had
vacated. but he was not guilty Of them. He had
tcled and wrought for the good of the Government;
he had been single minded in hrs nteCrity he had
worked no hard so diligently, and so long, that he
had broken his health and he now an Invalid.
God knows he said that he had the interests OF
his country at heart and he would not permit hs
character TO be assailed.
lie continued this kind Of talk, interecting now
and then q snappish remark against TIE TRIBUNE
until he had been called TO order three or four
times. He said. in reference to tho law regarding
the seizure of books and papers, that in his opinion
not one lot OF tttle of the power could be abridged
without injury to the public service and material
loss Of revenue. This opinion he gave frankly,
and he could not that any injury
eeuld befall an importer unless he swore to
lie. In tins respect, 80 far as tue
iustice of the law is concerned Mr. Jaynes opinion
stands in opposition to every Secretary of the Treas
my since the law was passed. The detective called
attention TO the fact that in certain years the re-
eelpts from fOrfeitures were very light, whereas
since he has been in Office they have been very large
NJ indeed his own have been. He made the broad
assertion that under the law no importer could be
punished OF required to make any forfeiture until he
committed crime
He read from the affdavits made before Consuls
md Custom-house officers to show the oaths that
importers were required to take, but the merchants
ALI call the attention of the Committee to the fact
that the afRdavits are so long that it would be
impossible for a heavy importer to read
them; that the business is confided to
clerks and the merchants sign the papers
In the most informal way. All merchants DO the
game thing. 1t sometimes happens that there are
mistakes bnt il would be impossible TO avoid them
tn system like the present one, when the business
from it's nature. must be intTusted to q clerk
merchant is forced to sign these athdavits as
mere matter Of form, and If mistake
ocenrs they are accused by Mr.. Jayne of
perjury He said he never prosecuted merchant
for any technical violation of the law, and offered
20 name cases which would go TO prove it, but was
stopped by the Chairman of the Committee. who
AGAIN informed him that he had been called as an
expert aud not TO make a vindicaton OF himself
lie then said he would suppose a case, and went
OIL to describe a case which unquestonably that
of Woodruff Robinson d Co., salt dealers. He sald
Their ofIense was technical not an intentional,
violation Of the law, and they had been released
The merchants however viii be able TO show that
tbe firm had to pay S50OOO although innocent.
JAYNE again branched into subjects purely personal
TO himself He for the third time called Heaven to
witness that he bad never in his whole official life
minated suggested or named any attorney suit
able to be employed by those against
whom he was proceeding. This was one Of
the charges made against him; that wheI
he had proceeded against merchant he
would advise the attorney to employ certain coun'
.el but he denied the mputation most vigorously.
The Merchants Committee will probably mention
certain cases with names dates and circumstances,
that will enable the Ways and Means Committee to
reach proper conclusion on this question.
The merchants will also show, before the inquiry
he ended the precise manner in which afidavts are
made before case of alleged undervaluation is
placed in the hands of the District Attorney. Pre-
paatOry TO being turDed to the unselhsh Jayne
somebody must make affidavit to the facts, and it
might be supposed that the affidavit would be made
by person conyersant with them, but such is not
the fact, even though the safety Of a merchants
property is at stake There is according to reports,
aperson employed in the CustOm-house in New
York at the pay of an inspector, who makes affidavit
20 all papers presented TO him without leaving his
sffice.
Mr.. Jayne closed his statements shortly before
the close Of the session of the Committee. He will,
however, remain in Washington, and viii be
brought up for cTOss-examnation by the Committee
before the subject is disposed Of.
Mr hyde of Boston began his argument on the
subject Of rnoieties lie read the statutes bearing
upon the subject and had but fairly got started
when the hour for adjournment arrived. Mr. Dodge
of Phelps, Dodge & Co. VIII make an hours state
Inent OF the IL which hls BTm was robbed OF
nearly $30O,OVO.
JAYEE'S EXAMINATION
TIE PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE WAYS AND mEANs