, 1874-08-22
He REVENUE CASE AGAINST
MOULTCl5'5 HDU9E.

MOULTCN'3 HDU9E.
Ffom The Se.D 1ork Gruphte, Att9. 10.
Tie nxteht to Which tha Hoechor-rllton semi
dai han beon ,nado tho subject ur official resord
III the Treasury Department has teeu most uu-
necesanrily nlll, 1t would uceln nalicio1lay oxai,
geratad by spiile Of the n,or,iiag papers, Tho
nca1ida III s,sc, waB not at all clement In tho
rcvnnuo caBn ngail,At MessrH. WoudrNM t. Rob-
inHol1, but thero wns Aetien Of acts by one Of
the principals III that scandal which gocs to show
y.iy rppclaslvely his .great affection for ono Of
the members Of That firm, aud, now thas the ssub-
ject has attracted tho attention Of the prcss, 1t
Is juBt aB we'll that thu exact ssate Of tho tacts
should be mnlo public. The firm of Woodruff
l. 1toblllson il tito largest wasohousinB ,irm in
tho United States, and ias foY members two ge,,-
tlo.aon na'ned Woodruff two named Robin
Int named member Of the firm d.scoyczed
last fall that III tho transaction of their gigantic
bnHl,soss como Irregularities hRa been uninten-
tonally committed Il, tho delivery Of goods from
Custoln-lIouHo permita. Tho firm Immediately
courted an investigation. and 1t canla within tho
province Of Special Agent b. q. Jayne to coll-
duct tho inquiry.
Iii tho performance Of THIS duty afr. Jayno
found that tho nombors Of tho firm, nnd oopo-
cially Mr.. Afoultuu, by whom 1t was chiefly rop-
lcaouted in this matter, wero oucn, frank, and
ingenious throughout, showing t1loic books with
out roaorvo, attempting. no ovasions, mud offer
Ing eyery facilisy for tue most conplote and
EHA1Vl1lHk lAfGhk1EAl1OH. mr. nlDultHu E0I1uHEE
was such al to convince Alr. Jayne and tue other
officials Tint ho bnd high reHpoct for the Inv,
believing it NECESSARY for the protection OF
his own business, as we'll as tho interests OF tho
Government. and that he had n high sense OF
honor anu manhood, which would preclude his
soeking Immunity from the operation Of tho law
by any trick of concoalment. Mr.. Jayne fully
realized aud appreciated all this, but tho test
which ho waB compelled to apply to tho tranaac-
tlons Of tho firm waB tho strict letter or tho law,
md III It kLnt
Ind Illegally delivered great many small guam
titles of aalt These were delivered not in doll-
ance Of tho law, but simply in advance Of tho re-
ceipt OF tho Cnstom-Housc permit to deliver,
sometimes day or two after tho actual delivery.
Tht4 tad boon done by their employees without
their knowledge, but with tho knowledge and
consent Of tho Government Rsorokeopors,
tl4eir numerous warehouses and guard
tho Government interests. It Ind
beon dono oronfy, with no uttonpt ut conceal
mont either of tho actB themselves Or tho
records Of them on the books. nouco. wiun
thoso ooohs were. by tho ilrnl'a Owl, act, suh-
nttod for the Special Agents inspection, theao
trilling irregularities wero found yofy numerous.
In very largo majority Of cascs the Govern
neut bad lost nothing by t!to'n, but ut one
time, by tho actidout Of a change In tho taritr
permitted day Of two after, had paid 81 400
fens than it's full duty. Tan reduction Of duty
an that quantity Of salt had. in fact, been mudo
operative, " tho oversight Of thiH firm. doy Or
merchantA this would have been promptly nd
iuBted by tho payment Of tho 34.400. but the
band Which had boon giyon by MosBrs. Woodruff
ind Robinson prescribed 4 dlBtinct ponalty Of
$500 and tho value Of the goods for every such
delivery, even il it were only Que bag OF QUO
buBhol Of salt.
Tho penalty owed by tho firm under this law
aggregated an ENORMOUS Bui,,. hut the Special
Agent tho Collector Of the Port. aud tho Secro
tary Of tho Treasury all saw, as plainly rs
the enforcement ot tho full ponalty for ailch
trivia! aud purely technical otfonno would bn hb~
burd and impossible. No jury would oyor havo
rendered my such verdict; but tho firm ex-
pressed it's Willingness to uphold tho law. even
was fixed by Secretary Richardson, and paid into
tue 1rons,liy by MoAsra. Woodruff & Robinson.
This TRANSACTION brought Mr.. Moulton and Alr.
Jsyno into frequent contact, aild resulted III a
deep feeling Of mutual respect aud regard
abiding spirit Of Alr. Moulton, mud TINT
guuttomau appreciated and RESPECTED tho
lirtnnoBa and delicacy which nike char
actorlzed tue acts Of tho special Agent alr.
warm admiscr and friond or Mr. Monlson, anti
he had boau acquainted with every foaturo Of tho
reyonuo case and with tue terms Of fts iiuat set
t!oment. Whom that took placa he wrote q letter
70 Mr. j*yAe #htca !a1s1!4ss!y reudeta ttd tNtAcs
tcr and which shows cenelaslsolyy the 4optl' Of
his obligations to Alr. Mouton. It Ii along, Of
tustva aud impuBiyo expression Of oatnoHt
thanka to A1r. Jayno Tor his tlolicacy and kind
pess In conducting tho caso againat Alr. Mouiton
ind his firm. It alounds In auch expressions as
"whonyer docs kindness to Franl1 1lonlton
placcs mo undor lasling debt Of gratitude"
aud it is throughout lotlos Of JOY, gratitude,
md gratulatiau, a1ch as conld only llnye boon
prompted by the escapb from petll OF one ,fIl0
WAS NOT only the dear friend Of tho writer, but
tho euatodian Of u dreaded secret,
70 t!.la eplstle alr, Jayne returned tho follow
Ing rcply:
uus1oM-1lousE. New Yonx CsrY,}
6uAvEyoN'a OPFloE, Jan. ~, 1874. +
r I'll rHn G Sin: Yours Of tho 17th ia just rocolyo
aud allow to any iu return TINT am thankful for
tA1 spirit that prompted ita writing, ati1t
thaukfl ii, 1T tho honest dlaeaaro Ut dlicuit aud
lellcatu duly, have entitled myself to conlou.laun.
Tho at s spSssa u y s osn Cos Ga sfs
iirm hand ''in lra,se md tspra1se to sa,ne;" to
Without oppresaIon antl without brlng awcryed from
the direct linz Of prorety hay been my aim aud pur
pose aud, T. te euso to wsa you rster bud beol N
most thankfuly roeest fosthoy ruveil ths trno
ean % md a rscognsa tas o!iaatS,s * huacssy ID VI
''''t, S'gauedl a' ' wa ~ '''1' il. q. JAYNE.
Auotllor proof OF sTr. Boechos's ourncst graft
tudv TO MIR. Jayne for his nuppused kiuslnoas to
connection with somo others equally prominent.
yxerlotl lis utmoat influence With ti.e President
10 obtain tEtc appointment OF Alr: Jnyne NJ Col
lector al the Port of New York. 'IAiB WIS al po-
s!tisn WHICH was not sought or desired byshlr.
Jayno. and 90 aoon as ho !sarnod of tile efforts
making IN tlaat direction ho discouraged them,
but at the anlio tMo Ntr. uoecher touii patny to
lot hin know that l,o Ind boon foremost IN those