New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-04
WASHINGTON.
,,yNE BEFORE THE WAYS AND MEAN'
COMMITTEE.


rp,cTs pEFAMAroRY STATEMENTS ANU IN
,,oryCrs THE TRIBpNE-ExCITEMENT in IHb
.c,,urrvr RooM-JAYNEs EXAMINATION TO BIZ
CoNTINUED-EFFoRIs LOOKING ~ ''
or ruE OBNOXIOUS LAWS.
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE TRlBuNEl
v.su,xcroH March Slight hours In sleeping
49,, hotweon New-York and Washington dld not
have tendency to smooth the temper OF eH-!reaS-
nrv Agent jayne for he appeared before tle "aSo
and Means Committee to-day, 10 muoh 'no e"'"o
.tate Of mind as be showed yesterday when he vac
reoountine the story Of his wrongs IN the once
New-York Court. In his previous statement peiole
&he Ways and Means Committee he had spoken WIN
.ome warmth of the manner IN which, as ne aheeeu'
,,or.honts had defrauded the Customs revenue put
tC-dav ne lost all his cunning when confronted WIN
,be NswYork and Boston Committees OF merchants
and business men, and used such language tn"' pe
,rould have been compelled to leave the cohni'''e
room had he not retracted it 10 eamef Hoinen''
lie saids: r,.. uoo,,o.
Tstand before YOU accused OF wrong. These gentle
Non come and ask You 10 listen TO charges gwen nnoef
,ha nnnse OF public opinion; and shall siaho uere
eensed while my wife to-day Is broEenheated ny 'nose
.harges mado by these internal thieves ana tDer ''
sentativef Ohio
Mr. Wood and other members OF the Comml''ee
said they could not permit such remarks az 'nooe
inst uttered by jayne who was required 70 take bs
seat, ,u.
There were 10 or IS gentlemen besides the members
NJ the Committee present, but the pubhc was eh-
cluded and reporters were refused abundance iHe
st norton of the session was occupied by the Com
mitee m conversation as to preliminanes and the
manner in which the investigation should be con-
Quoted Mr.. JAYNE finally appeared and the business
Of the session was begun. 1t will be remembered
thata fortnight ago the Committee held meeting
AZ which JAYNE made o statement, showing books
o,d nretendng TO be able 10 exhibit every case In
which he had acted in the most unfavorable light
for the merchants The Committee then decided TO
hear the merchants side of the story and they were
accordingly permitted 20 be present at the meeting
to-day.
The statement Of Jayne at The previous meeting
was read to-day and he continued his statement
His time to-day was principally occupied IN reading
from and denouncing the statements IN IHB lRIB-
USE He spoke particularly Of the case OF Rufus
Story Of New York, whom he accused OF detIaudlng
the Government in the importation OF pepper Tins
was case against which the ex-detective seemed TO
feel particular malice, owing to the fact probably
that statement Of the dishonest manner in which
Mr. Story had been treated had been printed, with
about 90 other cases, IN THB TRIBUNE. lie
expressed desire to go over the whole
quickly given to understand that be was not sum
noned for the purpose Of abusing newspapers but to
furnish information. He said be bad never obtained
books except by due process before the courts which
is about all he had to cav Of a definite character.
His mind was dwelling what be calls the attacks
made upon bin, and he denounced the merchants in
the room as thieves and swindleys, and expressed
the intention Of living long enough to prove bis
statements
ThoIo was much oxcitemoG. IL lie t.me, and fean
werei entertained that the ex-agent losing his
mind lie was in white heat until called to order
by Mr. Sheldon. At the suggestion OF the latter,
Mr. Jayne will be heard tomorrow on the questions.
First: Whether the present laws should not be 80
modified as to allow merchants TO explain errors
where no intention of defrauding the Revenue was
shown and Second: Whether the fees, moieties for
FIXTURES, expenses and other penalties paid to Of
foers are not large as to be oppressive and un-
necessarily severe beng at the sans time cruel b
the merchant and injurious to the Government as In
the case of Phelps. Dodge g. Co. 1t IL shown that
the loss 10 the Government for failure TO pay the
CURED duties was only about $1,000, whereas
they compelled TO pay over quarter Of a nil
lion dollars, large share of which was pocketed by
Mr. Jayne and his companions.
The Committees now here are preparing list Of
questions to be submitted 10 Jayne, the answering
Of which Will probably give him some annoyance.
In his hot-booded manner to-day he challenged the
gentlemen present to brng q case before the Com
mittee in which he did not act wholly within the
law, and justly to the Government and the ind
vidual. This challenge the Committee have &C
cepted and the first to be given to the Commit
tee for consideration will he that Of Phelps Dodge
& Co., and q dozen others are ready 10 follow. Mr.
Dodge will himself take the stand and present him
self fora atio
anger enough for him to listen with patience to a
recital Of official robberies.
II is the intention Of the Committee 70 stay here
at least during the present week They have asked
for night sessions of the Committee in order to get
along as fast as possible. Their ultimate object of
course is the repeal or modification Of the laws Mr.
Rice Of Boston will speak before the Ways and
Means Committee on behalf of the merchants Of
that city, while Henry d. Hyde viii make the legal
argument. Mr.. Brainard and Mr.. Eaton will speak
for the New-York men on the law questions, and
Jackson s. Schultz Will make an argument on be-
halfof the merchants Others will speak if the Com
mtee will hear them out. Those named have
already been granted time for argument
As to the possibility of repeating or amending the
Custom houses throughout the country of course
opposed to any change, and they form lobby that
will be difficult 10 break. embracing. az they do
special agents collectors snryeyors and naval OH
GERS aud all their dependents or employee Besides,
there are a considerable number Of very prom nent
lawyers, one Of special distinction and power being
member " the House, who receives very heavy
Ices ,S IN Custom-house cases. arising from
the laws A consideration Of still
that the present system Is a political machine Of
great power and usefulness 10 the Adminstration
and the class of politicians who are In favor There
Is every indication that Senator ConklnV will on.
pose any modification IN the Senate, which means
that Senator Cameron viii also oppose it and it 10
known that Gen. Butler is opposed TO cutting down
Custom house or Sanborn fees and moieties