New-York tribune., 1874-03-20

MIR. BLISS ON MOIETY HIlNTERS.


HIS OPINION or THE COLLECTOR, SECRETARY or THE
TREASURY JUDGE DAVIS, AND THE MERCHANTS
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IN COURT IMPOSSIBLE.
On the conclusion of his late address before
the Committee of WAYS and Means, Mr.. George Bliss,
IT, was subjected TO rigid cross-examInation which
has not previously been published, and which was not
obtainable until Mr.. Bliss had carefully revised
| the stenograIhers notes. Some points of the
examination well worth publication at this late day.
1t will be remembered that Collector Arthur and GER
tain felow-oicals OF the Cusonhouse declined to ap
pear at Washington the ground that they knew no
facts to tell and Nj Bliss apo!ogized for them by saying
he probably knew more than all the others combined
This probably suggested the following line of inquiry
CUSroM-HoUsE QUALIFICATIONS.
O. (By Mr.. Dawesl-If the Collector, surveyor, and
Naval Officer should say to the Committee that tLey
had so httle to do with the matter that they cOud no
throw any light any OF the cases reported here shoud
you say that they would be entitled TO very nneh % con-
was very extraordinary statement SIT; 40 not thnk
snppose the object is to attain the greatest amount
ofecencv and fidelity, il il not in the administration
q DO YOU think that giving them Just onehalf OF II
would be reaching the exact point which secures the
greatest fidelity and efficiency A. They do not get
Q. How would it be if we shoud give them just
haifi A. think that would be TOO much; .,o
law have you arrived at Just the point az which you
gigen Officers A. No sir; if fixing the interest Of
the Customs officers IN the proceeds OF fines penalties
/ "A
q. What do YOU mean 10y thata A. I would give
larger percentage whore the amount recovered was
small ana a smaller percentage where the amount
covered was large. Precisely what the percentage
should be where the line should be drawn never
@ DO yon think that you could secure in your eOurt
rho conviction CustOm-house officer for bribery II
the evidence were clear and concusiVef A. Yes, l
O. Has Mr. Jayne ever reported you since you have
been D.strct-Atorney, any Suston-honse official who
! S1r. hp has
would give infOrmatiOn think he sad on one occasion
that person would give Information he had assur
ance that he would not be prosecuted aud think told
him that If he information were OF the value he thought
il would be- would be prepared as prosecuting officer
TO give that assurance the officer think, declined to
He never has told you that Customs officers generally
confess him wnen he puts the matter straight at them
A. No, Sir; he never has told me that never Know
| how he gets his information
COULD MERCHANTS BE CONVICTED IN COURT
The case OF Phelps, Dodge Co had been alluded TO,
and something had been SAID about the probable result
had they gone trial Hence the following questions
! aud answers:
NJ a merchant for making fraudulent invoice If the
| evidence were cleari A. should doubt very much
| O. Have you tried the experiment. A. No, Sir;
| could ex PLAIN matters to you. .-,-. ..-. 49,,
q Then since you have been DlstrlctAttorneN there
have been no attempts 10 prosecute Oh the criminal SIDE
OF the Court any OF those merchants for violation OF the
@. However plain the evidence might have been
| q O. By the Chairman, Mr.. Kelley-Did yon not men
tion one case OF the kind this mornings A menones
| the case where an attempt had been made before
propd Jury many there Is not any ground Tor
Criminal proceeding that Iknow OF against the merchant
hough he has incurred the forfeiture Of his goods by
| characterization; | mean there is not any ground on
which you could successfully 20 to the court Oh crini
! nal charge, as j can show yOn.
| n nv Mr. Dawes-YOu have not quite reached my
| onssti0ni A. | was simply going on TO show that IN
! nany cases no criminal Ofiense has been Committed
| O. I suppose that If a man has knowingly made false
INVOICE he has committed a criminal ofcnsef ~ DO
| not consider that that necessarily follows
| knows that MS invoice IL false When
ne makes an entry the Custon-hnnse under oath,
what is necessary A. Perhaps tue me
chant does take the oath at the Custohouse tnat
| IL frequently the case ~,
O. II he makes invoice himself he takes the oath
A. The invoice 10 sent 10 him from the othtr side.
O. am not suppose ng case that has two ends 10
am suppOsng OF "a man who actually makes nls
entry, and makes IL knowing II 10 be false and
ask is there any other element in tnat except guilty
knowledge A. II he fakes the oath and goes through
the whole thing himself think he has committed
crime: but my Judgment 10 that II would DC very u-
| cult 10 convict him.
O. heard you thai fhe civil side OF the court
the Judge has told the jury that two things were nece
sary first that the uyUce must be false, and then hat
| the merchant must know that n IS false A. Yes.
@ Thcn the Judge has always told the jury The clVii
proceedings Just what 10 Is necessary to nd IN order to
maintain CRIMINAL prosecution A. Practically ~
I