New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-28

CustOm-house officials not satisfied with the loss
inflicted, and indignant at their defeat, found
weigher who prOfeSsed to have been bribed by
Story G. Co to underweigh their goods. The speG-
fcation cargo of pimeDtO, valued at
100000 or 100000. Both members of the firm de-
MED that they had ever tempered with the weigher
come in contact with him in any way but, on
his charge, their books and papers were seized in
volving all the transactions of the firm for thirty
years OF more an bringing their business virtually
to standstin. The books were detained for several
months when, finding that there was no other
way TO get them back, they compromised with
Jayne as the easiest way Of settling. why" added
Mr.. Story, g would rather pay the same amount
again than 10 have my books and papers taken from
me for two three months; il would be cheaper"
Mr.. Story was highly indignant as he talked over
his wrongs He said it was a clear case OF robbery
from beginning to end No one connected with the
Custom. house had even believed the charge which
the wegher swore to, and the pimento when after
ward weighed was found TO be actually several
pounds less than reported by the weigher. He had
heard that tins weigher had boosted that he had
made enough out of the matter TO enable him to
give up his business, and it was fact that he had
resigned his position afterward and had moved
out of the city. He was the same weigher be be-
lieved who had testified against Richard Baker and
others. who mulcted in 100000.
MI Story was told that the reporter had informa-
ton that the sum paid by his firm TO Jayne had
been 100000, and not $4,000 as stated in the Off
cial record. At first Mr.. Story declined to make
any statement on this point further than to say
that if only $4,000 had been returned to the Gov
eminent some money had been stolen on the way"
Subsequently, however, he stated that he had gwen
a check payable :" to bearer for a sum larger than
$50, OO0 that Jayne got the money; that the firm
hod fhp wa I'M
court or before a committee which could demand
the facts to give them and great many more. The
whole affair he said was a swindle, and everybody
connected with it was swinder as could be plainly
proved if any one In authority TOOK the
pains to investigate. In the course OF
the conversation he revealed that the reporter
had correctly stated the amount of the check given
Jayne at 800 900 by asking if it was not possible
TO recover the missing $4,000" There is no doubt
whatever that this firm paid larger amount than
the $4,000 which tho Secretary Of the Treasury
knowledgos was divided among the plunderers.
There is no doubt, further that $4,000 was stolen.
One hundred thousand dollars originally went into
Jayne's hands, and evidently the Government did
not get ts share of the full penalty paid
ANOTHER 81 800 DISAPPEARS
Lawn. was the jnformer in the case Of Peter Balen
Of No. Us Pearl-st. He compromised by the advice
of his lawyer for $45O though in the Treasury re-
port the sum is set down at only $1,000. Somebody
evidently got $500 which did not belong to hun,
and the interesting question is, Who was it'll
Mr.. Balep, IN conversation yesterday with
TRIBUNE reporter, stated that be would never have
paid the claim but for the repeated and urgent ad-
vice of his lawyer. What became of the $4,000
which Fhe paid above the amount given in the
Treasury's list of cases he could not tell. II must
have stuck on the way" somewhere, he thought.
His story was az follows Early in 1869 his firm
bought through broker 5000 boxes OF Malaga
raisins for Boston house, with the understanding
that his firm should enter the invoice and pay the
duties Along with the 5000 boxes were some
halves and quarters which came into the entry.
| Raisins Ia boxes are not sold by weight, no
that there was no possibility that The
firm Of Peter Balen n Co. could have
any interest in getting light weight
for the invoice in passing through the Custom
house. But three months after, the books OF the
firm were selSed and penalties demanded equal TO
the amount Of the entire invoice, including the
| halves and quarters The 5000 boxes were worth
about $1,000; with the rest Of the Iasins entered
the sum reached Sll,50o Tho, chasle was that the
wsigesr he'd bsSa bribed 70 updsSueigh the invoice