New-York tribune., 1874-04-01

Mr.. BHCk-At tnlt 1htefNleW was '"o'' any wy
Wakemsni .,,
Mr DAyis-I was going to tell you about that, ana
7 shall name a gentleman who came in subsequently:
Mr.. Jayne reported TINS sum to me. was astohsheo
at it, gnitude, and said that Pheips Dodge &So;
would never paw any such that. He replied that
they would Then the counsel was called Tor aod lhey
came in and at that time Mr. Fullerton partner OF
Mr. Knox came in also saying that he had Just got out
court which was the reason he hau not Deen I'D neolc'
The counsel looked over the figures andret as under-
stood TO go to the where Mr. Dodge and MI Jnnes
were neither of whom on thot occasion After q
little thpy came back saying that they ready to
pay the sums ascertaned ana jayne sara Ilat tl' VIZ
not an absolute sum- but an approximate one and tha
IT, on looking over the thing more aecuratey u n,
turn ont 10 be ess IL was understood that reduclo
to be made; and II 1t turned out 10 10 .na, tno
items aggregated more an increase TO be made IN
the SUM- Then was requested 70 go 10 my once ann 4
wait the sending up OF tSav eer wep % aTne aI9 ad
understand, the counsel for Phelps Dodge Col 10 the
10 n wait s at my Office for one hour
and leave before, and that, n they da NOT set
my house. that they might come there in the evening"
Mr.. BECK-Tnese we're the only persons you saw
Mr.. DAvIs-The only persons y.exeept Mr.. Jayne's
private secretary. who was all Va. While present n tue
Mr.. BECK-They failed to call on You any more that
night -
MIR. BECK-YCu took the cdpids hOme ana no Que
called :
MIR DAvIs-No one called.
meeting that night from MI Bss's remark that they
were PLAYING double with You .o, fran, ,,. remork
that person connected with the Custom house nad
and had suggested that If he could tide one day
the fee would he his instead Of mine: That was Tue
dea got There had been no meeting tnat hau hear'
Mr. BEcK-I did not know but that there was subse-
quent meeting and that Instead OF gong TO your mouse
Mr.. DAvIs-I had no idea OF that. They went as
supposed to the % ne once So there Gs or "o not
Mr.. BECK-As 10 this question about the pouoy vi
paying outside nfoTmers you ares T tha @ ,s onsiae i'm
ought to be- in order to enable the GoVetAeh'
to get its revenue. - -.
ascerCaning facts in connection With the adnlsfi
ton of the revenue laws would not DC entirely wise,
think many frauds would be undiscovered unless Such
parties had an interest IN discovering thain.
ENCOURAGEMENT OF SPIES.
Mr. BECK-Do you think good policy for the Cover
ment TO do anything, by Its laws, to encourage con-
hdeptal clerks and other men occupying relations o'
trust with importers OF merchandise, 10 violate thoSe
trusts and violate relations OF confidence WHICH,
because their supposed good character they hold to
their employers they choose to abstract papers or
guilty OF criminal ac!s thcnselVeshs between ten
selves and employers, by paying them out OF wnat @ te
Government get by their theft any snare oil thc
money thus o6tainedf .,.. , ,,., ,o,, ., o. aorr
no. On the contrary / think it ought to criminal
ofcnse for any officer of the Government 10 employ u
spy inside Of auybO1y business. For an officer Ot the
Government to encourage some person. employed IN a
house cler 10 act as spy, to disclose the secrets
that 10 my Judgment, 80 ltlcsdb!t
an act that 1t ought 20 he made criminal oiiense Bu
whether officers OF the Government should D. permtel
when persons who have never p,eh empoyeu, III ina Una
way in advance voluntarily 10 make disclosures,
to act upon such disclosure il another thing.
MI. BECK-If we have to pay more outside OF the GOV
ernment officers ought We not TO exclude from any pol
ton Of the compensation which may be Obtained, tnu
class OF niormers who are themselves necesSry R gnty
of embezzement or guilty OF the violation OF trust ana
who, while in the employment OF merchants. seek TO
make money by sharing wlth the Government what can
be obtained through their derellction OF duiy
Mr.. DAvIs-N0body should be at liberty 10 retain
spy the aiirs of another with view 10 his iuture
knowledge in order to produce such results Bn Wheh
persons voluntarily come ana furnish Information on
ings to punish frauds-the policy or the law IS not 10
make the action Of the Government depend on the mo-
who be and almost always IS bie but 10 act upon
tho Information and to punish the oheuse without any
regard 10 the informer's motives Now III all criminal
cases courts never stop to investigate what the motive
OF the accused is before taking steps TO punish crime
whether spirit of revenge or other evil passion has led
John Doe to disclose the iact that he knows that Richard
Roe has committed crime, and however base or per
idiOus Does conduct may be toward llehu, yet the
Government acls upon the information to pursue the
crime without going into the motive OF The informer
The proper enforcement Of the law requires that line
Of distinction should be drawn between the anticipation
of frauds by hiring somebody In confidential relations TO
anything OF that KIND. and subsequently acting without
anv sucn connection with The party That principle -
earned far, necessarily IN the administration OF law
that when person has instituted prosecution for
is aferward sued for malicious prosecution the
court will permit the action TO he maintained on es-
abshing malice. but the absence OF reasonable cause 10
suspect the CRIME to have been committed must always
which to protect the public by hsceTtalnng and pnn-
shng crime by whatever means may be ia tue power OF
the Government irrespective OF the motive Ol the ac-
Mr.. BEcK-I agree that the Government of course
uses ali sorts of means to discover crimes hut what
want to get at is this: ought we not to limit the pay
ment these to men who are outside in
formers ana not pay 1t to men who have violated trusts
who have abstraccd papers who themselves guilty
of robbery; ana whether Jlc Government, Mie acting
on Information brought by thief robDer ought To
mt itself IN partner hIp win him. and to divide with
him the money obtained through his Information;
Whether in feet the payment OF mOees 10 nOrmers, If
made at all, should be made To luiormers who have
themselves been guilty OF any Oense against the law in
obtaining the which their information is based.
Mr.. DAyIs-You put your Question upon basis which
presents question Of ethics aud morality entirely
sound. IL ought not to be So but IN the administration
law il unfortunately happens that IT Is very difficult
TO say where the line can 10 drawn yet preserve and
Mr. BrCK-SIy idea is this that the Government can
better afford lose than to consent TO be part
by It's legislation 10 asYste which requires or h0lds
out nducemen to men to violate all the principles OF
honor integrity, confidence and those relations which
are absolutely necessary between merchants and their
clerks IN the proper discharge OF their business
Mr.. DAyIs-If you hal asked me whether would
frame laws to try to produce that result certainly
would do the best could is sound morality.
The idea that who has BETRAYED the confidence OF
bs friends and taken advantage OF hducary relations
10 acquire the of betrayng them, shOuld there
after compensated for suchn act Is monstrous one
in every point OF view, but the Government never com
pensaes for that thing bat eOmpensaes Tor the nforma
Mr. BEcK-I would be glad il, before you leave, you
can see any way whereby III the payment Of money To
inOrmers, Limitation can be put upon 1t by
which the Government should not pay money to men
OF law. II you make any suggestion IN the form oil
written whereby the thing be prevented
should be extremely glad If you would do So because
Mr. DAvIs-I shall be very happy to do anything can
In that direction
A FEW SPECIMEN CASES.
REmssIoNs AND CRIMINAL LPROsEcUTIoNs-REMovAI