New-York tribune., 1874-03-05

hoatons discharge bis duties faithfully and honor
ably. A man must have very accurate knowledge o
the Treasury system OF accounts. the mode OF CON-
mercal transactions the Dodus operaHdt provided by
the Treasury regulations bringing good to the country
He must trace importauons until they are free from
Governmental control and have entered into the ade
OF the country. The witness then gave bstory o' '"o
legislation relative TO rewards moiees 10 treasury
oicers, beginning with the act of 1872 showing 'no
character of the papers which importers must make
OATH the laws simply recurring them tell the truth
He alluded TO the several notifications OF the law OF re-
wards and mOiees, saying that while he as treasury
agent had a right 20 recommend compromise yee he
had always refused TO receive offers OF comproi7o'
He had said TO those interested on the other side a
who made such offers, al furnish the facts to the Unteu
States Attorney and you must settle Win hlm' ho
repeated that the law permits Special Agent To mako
a recommendation, but not to make compromise INC
Act OF March O. 1884, worked repeal OF tne pro'son "
the law giving moeties 10 officers ana lniormers P"
ting the money recovered into the Treasury Is "o'
remained In force until ls46 Daring the tlne DC
tween these dates there not collected SlooV III
fines penalties and forfetures OF all kinds FROM tu'
time coud be traced the sources of fraud The question
about spies and niOrmers was one FOR legiuhae uiSo
sion. FTaud must always precede the lnormaiion VI
fraud. IL seemed him the man who gave such inor
nation did commend able act. 1t was part OF good
statesmansbp TO denOunce fraud against inuiNuu'''
corporatiops and the nation and IL was Just 10 expose
all who defraud tie revenue by false INVOICES "heh
men arc horrcd at the professions OF respec'aoe anu
conspcuously pous Dodges who interlard the prayers
with perjury, it was duty every man owed 10 is cou
try himself aud mankind to expose frauds ana nc ''ne
witness) had come here to expose them
He had served the United States with the best OF MS
ability with malice toward and with charity TOT
ALL" He had never asked for prosecution except lor
fraud. These wonld have had less uouoie win
their business If they had transacted II honestly one
thus exposing such frauds has to follow the line OF duty
f.f.r T. Ia
closed by law and regulation because Treasury agent
must speak by rule with opportunity for seu-vnui
cation against such articles as appear III lE NE" ioh
TRIBUNE. There is compensation TO an honest
man TINS performing his duty. lie hsheu
the Committee e.. TO call on the secretary
of the Treasury for every communication he nad inaue
10 him. or for correspondence with the attorneys "ho
had acted for him II, any time, he had been lnnu
enced by the offer of money, lie was unworthy Vi 'uo
position of treasury agent IT, on the other h"nu nc
had performed his duty faithfully, be was deserving Vi
| prase and not Of newspaper detfacuon Can ou 'ne
United States Attorney and let nm give inc 'oi'''
n list of every man who acted as an attorney ior hh'
let them tell an he said in the strctest privacy
II he had been guilty. Of even wrong let Is be ID-
| dehby stamped upon him.
The witness then re ated a case, without giving names,
where he found certain persons occupying the oouoo
| position Of importing merchants and warehousehon'
They had done business OF s2oOoC00oo in five years
They during that time were straightforward ana Wl-
ont execution. They were importers of salt which paid
prior to August 1872 "a cents per 100 pounds 10 SACKS
I and IS cents in bulk. At that time the
| duties were reduced TO twelve and elSht
cens The Treasury regulations and law required Una.
no goods should be delivered without the presence OF
revenue officers but IN this there were Thousand
deliveries ptor to permit The persons delivered TO
| themselves and thus the Government lost A6O0 Inc
only thing do present the case TO the Secretary
| OF the Treasury and ask him TO compromise. Had the
articles been costly laces instead of SALT the penalty
| would have been the same. There shonld be -
| ruIe To settle cases on equitable foundation
He did an lie could to modify the rigors OF the law
His opinion that the peuai provsons OF ths rev.
enue laws were punish men for errors inhocehuy
made but for connvng and devisng and coluding Win
offenders Eight out Of ten Of such offenders were IN
side Of the Custom house, aud he had reported the
names OF those implicated Secretary Of the Treas
ry for his action The witness said he had just received
| the following telegram, which be read
NEw-YoRK, MarchA
Fro yoir itronv ne reported II might he inferred
we had something 10 do with the story case. You VIII
retye on arfvSl in bond We mad nothing with
| fbe Committee. l. ID. MORGAN co.
r.Keney remarked that the Committee did not I'M
derstand the witness caeng any reflection on that
firm and Mr. jayne observed that he did not do so.
The witness said the reward as Treasury agent for
efficient service the measure Of bis efficiency As to
be question backmal, honest and respectable gentle
men are iuyulueaDe TO such approaches There VAS no
such wrong that net ~ their power TO redress and
he could cay here the presence Of the Committee,
that he mad never tried 20 influence any man with re-
gard TO attorney counsel He had assumed that tho
law placed Linn against those who violated the law.
Mr Beck Of the Committee sand 10 the witness " Your
law is very good but your personal explanations are
intolerable. appeal to the Chairman to stop them.
| Mr. Kelley, Chairman pro t6m said TO Mr.. Jayne
/ Deal in an impersonal You not on trial.
You have called to give your experience as an
expert and not 10 vndcate youseD as persecuted OF
| abused man.
Mr. Jayne-I have tried make the provisions Of the
law as plain as circumstances would permit will let
tue rest where u is. simply ask indulgence in
one thing II the man who makes charge against me
in this article here witness held up copy of The
| NEw.YOKK tribune Of Mar D. and about 10 read
from II, when Mr.. Kelley checked him for the reason
| Just previously stated.
Mr. Jayne rejoined-summon the man who asserts II.
Nh Wood Of the Committee-We cannot recognize and
take notice OF al newspaper reports.
Mr. Kelley Informed the witness that the Committee
oxpeced aim 70 remain in the city the Committee
| serving the right TO recall him for examination.
MI Kelley said that there we're persons here com
planning OF the aw or th methods OF it's administration.
The true course was FOR Them 70 advise the Committee OF
the points they desire 10 be Investigated 1t was thought
proper first ~ hear fgom one WHO had had large
experience. The examination Of III. Jayne was in
tended be private but as it involved private char
scter Committee determined tnat the persons whose
names had been mentioned and all who ask modl-
hcailon of the law should be present. Finding that
they were hearing the defendant before the plaintiffs
the Committee agreed to hear the eomgainsnts iD the
case.
Mr.. Wood thought il would be uuwise 10 change the
course adopted by the Committee this morning with
gard 10 questions He thought it better TO