New-York tribune., 1874-04-01

them as cask Of cutlery. entered them as miscai
instrumeIts The fasH was az se@s do not
know It there passed as iewsnarps, anu pe spe
seni TO providence r. l., and the consignee at New.
York sent an actual bill a. Of duties paid TO the ahoun.
etcd o. the whole amount OF his correspondent at
Providence who received the goods III pc, 30
she cnrsipnee in New.York believe the indictment
was pending when left the office The clv acton WIS ~
rnacbeJ non the calendar aud refused to postpone IT,
+ IbrnuSht The witnesses from Providence. and when IL
was called for trial the c0un5ei ior 'ho uoion'"''
'oMru Me- WoopWht became Of the officer who sou say
"ss oncer implicated by report in the
arst instance was German who had been IN the oice
very long time. but the Appraiser became @ o lad
SO re ported me. that he was not Tue person Wo a
committed the fraud have really forgotten what pro
ceedings were taken in regard to him. tnhk that tho
Mr. woop~DId You ever recommend 70 the Collector
the removal of any Custom-ho"Se o"o'"' ""''' '''
were District Attorney
Mr. WooD-Were the officers removed.
Mr. DAvIs-Yes. i'll the ease have now IN mind
Mr. WooD-More than once ,.. ...,., .,..
Mr.. DAyIs-I sent such recommendation twce that
recoec of: The particular cas- lait a. ] rebei 70
was the OF Phelps, who Is nov ndceo or rooons
our State Treasury of about t2OD,ODo
Mr. WooD-He became state official after you had had
him removed from the Custom hoase ,, o,,,,o,
Mr DAyIs-Yes, Sir; he was degraded 10 tdat post'on
Ue was arrested on the charge OF selling subordinate
positions under him in tn" Customhou'e. rhdt cnag9
not attend the investigation but the Commissioners on
hearing The evidence discharged the complaint MY
wbers r6e evidence would have Justified contrary
ruling and brought the evidence to me ana , ieau
~ nd became 40 much impressed with the PROBABILITY
OF the mans guilt that felt it my duty and ana sgny
the coeeor that Ne Ne w" nppsy poI w Whd ws the Col
lector at the time, removed hlu -, -,---.. .,,.n
Mr. wooD-What became OF that gentleman a''cr'
Mr. DAvIs-He was afterward made Deputy state i,
Treasurer aud notice III th1 neWsapers az, a o No ~
about 10 be tried Tor larceny IN taking some slo1oO or
NV ST. Woop-who was the U 8. Commissioner who in
Mr. DAyIs~I do not rccollect who the Commssioner
was bnt have doubt that hc actod IN gOod flth m
he matter aud heard the evidence aud concluded that
1t did not ltstify him in holding the man 49,. .
The CuAIRMAS-Is there anything additional tbat you
Mr. DayIs-Mr Dawes asked state what other
gentleman was present in tho room at the Custom
sonse on the sIst of December Now, have not the
slightest idea. and have certainly no Knowledge ana
nave moi any reason except such as have laid before
The Committee TO suppose TO infer, that he was in
any way concerned in that matter ana do not WISH 10
ha nndrrsood as conveying In any degree the rcnOtest
imputaiion OF the kind. certainly want to exclude hat
idea entirely should be very sorry IN respect to any
member OF elther House TO make suggestion which
might he warped into the idea that | wish to convey
NJ DawEs-In putting the question had no previous
iotimatIon who the person was. simply desired TO
know I'm what way the statement could be cOrrODOrdteu
Mr. DAvIs-I only understood your o1eGs % 10 DO 10 %
prrcudo the idea thai there any desire to cover up
haps Se not geoa % OF S excSpt What par
euary interested myself but II mas Deeh suSSestcu 10
me nv n gentleman Washington that case was al
ludcd to before the Committee where papers wetS ttken
from firm; and the proprety OF stating the facts In
rpfp %
The case referred TO was this Deputy Collector, who
WAS at the timea counseOtlt-IaW ana nau chage
oi 1 tlo th 9rm in question notc asking them
70 deliver OF their books ana papers 10 person
cJnnccfcd wnh the Cusom-houae for examination II
thpv we're wiling 10 do They did give their books
and p@per, TO that Officer and they were taken down to
the Cusiomhouse and examined Tue mo- ever hoard
of the thing vas an application by the counsel OF the
firm TO me have the books returned lnereuponrc-
inct"r Of the head of the Bureau, assigning
time when he and his counsel should appear ~ ny once
ana le me near their respective statements. Ihey dl1
come bofh OF them The points involved were agreed
upon by them and the question whether or not thcre
baI heen a violation OF the law, was argued quite at
length before me and decided the case adversely 10
the Government 0hat the violation was not wlthln the
sotutp and directed that the books aud papers should
he returned and they were returned at once
seizure of books and papers Dy warrant, &
There WAS delivery OF the books ana papers Dy the
nnrtes and as understand, they delivered IN an
' a. 90 ornnrt1tiou that proceedings would be
% @ ~. eznre + they were not delivered The
books were retained for considerable tme Greatly TO
II never came 10 my knowledge until the counsel pro-
posed to submit the case TO me ,n.o, ., t,o o,tor
Mr.. NIBIACK-YOu have not referred 10 the ietters
written By YOU TO Mr.. Jayne. 80, -,
Mr. DNyI5-I thank you for reminding me OF them Mr.
Jaync 1t seems read this Committee Two letters which
Trote 10 lim in whic, auson is made to the PAelps
Dodge case. or course they were prlVate note3 whcn
be had no business TO produce here. But tnlnk you
will oh eryo II YOU look ut them that they simply an
expression of opinion OF the character OF the pro
cetdluc 10 oiIst fee which of course netted me
little have been glad since the facts nave oeen
fully developed to me that 1u @ no' & gts any t,d
about the treatment had received lhought was
Ot
other matters threw ont an allusiOn, Wnlcn knew no
wond understand to those transactions; sald III one
letter that the case OF Phelps, Dodge * Co. WOnd not
have been badly bOtchcd or something 10 that eect
in tbe arrangsment the AsOr House had been carried
out as was contemplated BY that meant Ol course
fha The desire as understood IL, of those gentlemen 10
have the matter closed mp without publicity or delay
could have been cousummated ana wOuid nave pre-
vented the controversy which afterward resulted
Ihaye no other explanation TO make.
Mr.. NIBIACK-Much which you had already stated
serves 10 explain matter TO my mind; Dut sun, as
YOU had not referred these letters occurred To me
that perhaps ought TO call your attention TO theu'
MIR DAyIs-I had intended to refer TO them
Mr. NIBLACk-I hai idea at the time that MI. Jayne
was exposing private matters whcl had no relevancy
TO the matters at issue before this Committee, and
thought perhaps IT doing you an injustice without
really explaining anything
Mr. DAyIsI have not felt at liberty to bring here nor
shall l. any CORE spondence which received III return,
for do think It would be at all proper Aud now
desire say this in behalf OF Jayne 80 far as know
seizure of BOOKS and papers by jayne ana ot his
applications for warrants 10 seize DOCKS and papers,
large majority Of them have been in cases where there
had been actual frauds committed by bribng Custom
house oicers-cases which certainly ought 10 be pun
ished. Perhaps | would be justified In saying that
three fourths OF his OF which had any knowledge
have been OF that class-where officials have been IN
completely. In very few OF his cases have complaints
been made TO OF harsh conduct on his part.