The New York herald., 1875-07-16
SECRET SERVICE.
Sptcial Treasury Agents and Their Trials
Honesty and Brains.
The Custom House Ring and
Political Combinations.
The TnbuIations of importers and Whai
They Complain Of


As the calm generally preoedes the storm, so IL
may safely be said that the present inactivity In
the Custom House betOkens unwonted hustle orc
long. 1t cannot be questioned that there is
bitter feeling In revenue circles between the old
inspectors and examiners of the department and
the he wly appointed
SPECIAL AGENTS OF THE TREASURY.
The latter have been summoned from dlstans
cities by Secretary Bristow for secret service In
New York, and New Orleans, st. Louis and Cin-
clnnatti have been deprived OF their most expert
special agents. in order that the frauds In the
service here should be ferreted out and exposed
Mr.. Mills, VINO scattered tho New Orleans Ring. IL
the chief onlcer In this work. and he has under
his direction men who are unknown here and un-
connected with any rings. Up to this time they
have done some good work, 27oh it general
has not found It's way into the papers. M
Mills has been named by some persons-usualiy
well iniormed-as the successor Of the late Daniea
G. l,obdell as chief OF the Special Treasury super
visors. Yet this appointment Is believed TO be
premature even II well founded. Secretary Bris-
tow as far as be learned, has given no hint as
to the nlling OF the vacancy named.
on the other hand, it is claimed by reliable Gus
toms ofhcers In this city that new special agents
have been tried many times before, and the ex-
pertinent had to be abandoned, as their work was
found to be neither 80 expert nor the men them
selves so useful and reable as the
OLD AND TRAINED OFFICERS
or the department Even such an honorable and
old officer OF the revenue as Mr. Cnch is said to
take this view OF the case and certainly his opln-
ion is entitled to weight aud high consideration.
so much for both sides of the question. 't is
fact, however, patent to every oDservi
that there are inside combinations in the Custom
House used for personal and political Objects III
not, why this constant
oUTCRoPPING OF FRAUD,
the complaints OF honest importers against dis
honest merchants and the number OF cases coming
ND for decision oy the authorities OF undervalua-
tton &cP A morning spent IN the Custom House
will convince the NEST scepiical that Ia no oranoh
HONESTY AND BRAINS
work more closely together The revenue laws
are complicated the tariff on nearly every knd
oonholes for fraud, and ir detected hundred de-
wees co escape the penalty OIL the law: Ine cases
Collector Iydecker, or Mr. Phelps, OF the Ninth
DIVISION have to settle and adjudieate are at ones
and aiscrimination, must require equally the
boidness OF an Ajax and the learning OF JUS
ing recital of a special Treasury agent to
HERALD representative Is not without INTEREST
here as showing q few OF the thousand trickS Dy
which the honest importers are made 10 su1er:-
'rHR TRUE STORY"
said the agent, ''can easily De connrmed ana IL u
last year into tnIs pert were undervalued hfty per
cent smugeled 6odly; The record records q , the
EIssGs Eissrics Attorneys once could taio
unfold IN snls regard By coiiusi0n, 0su1 hrss Ss
the cases now In the courts prove and by posi-
tive ''ringn arrangements and contracts Tor
division OF the percentage, this business assu med
mammoth proportlons-many Of the largest I'm
porters of undervalued goods becoming million
mares from their profits, and their partners inside
the department rich. For awoile political indu-
ence At washington was used e.tH to cover or up any
the Importers that certain
EX-SENATOR OF WISCONSIN
was a nrm trend OF hIs iatner-ln-law. and they
could def any investigation which sprung from
NoW tor rhe way the goods we're sold To pus
large amounts on the market here at prices so
much below cost TO the honest importer would
arouse suspicion, so buyers were ted from the
aucHou rooms. and New York, Philadelphia and
Boston were nooded with the
CONTRABAND SILKS AND LACES
to the serious de rlmenG OF honest merchants In
all those cites
From Importing one line OF goods thase mer:
chant smSesersb r,bbons go sSey imnSrtss KID
gloves aud silk handEerchtefs. Last autumn
case OF tue latter Was sezed-by some mistake
OF the confederate. 1t 10 suppos3d-and the hrm
were menaced vita trouble. The affair was, how
ever, nushed up and settled BY ex-Judge Hoge-
boom. the goous were released. These matters
became at last so serious lthat General Arthur
was appealed TO BY some Of the merchants 10 In
teriere In the interest OF trade at this port Ho
RESPONDED prom atty. This was in March-n0ne
TOO soon. Fifteen cases entered by q certain nrm
for consumption were sent
TO THE PUBLIC STORES.
By what right9 THere is no Law in existence
warranting this. They should have been sent to
the seizure room and condemned Tor under
valuation according to law" The firm was
given notice by somebody to advance ther goods
from ten 70 twelve anu one-haif per cent bef0re
THE NINTH DIVISION
needs revision. Here Is whore all the settlements
are made. April 90 three cases OF hatters plushea
were seized, undei valued twenty-five per cent:
but there was DELAY In the United States Dis
lrict Attorneys 0fico, and on July IL bonds
were taken and the goods released. These cases
can be multiplied a kundredfold; and will give.
for the In formation OF the HERALD In future. some
items which will open the eyes OF the importers to
tho gigantic nature OF TINS swindle, Now tue
special agents should make report TO the news
papers In regard 10 the irauds coming under their
notice, and report the men VINO throw obstacles
In their way.
WHY DID COLONEL OSBORN,
Of the Third division. release htV cases OF goods
for all I'm plea ed firm without ordersf Gibson.
C0rbett Rawson have something to answer IN
this connection
Mr.. Bates, or the firm OF Martin Bates & Co.,
merchant appraisers OF Schulnon Co.'s goods,
In the matter OF the pluSheS, upon being applied
to, said that although advancing tue plushes only
eighteen per cent he would be willing to buy
them at
TWENTY-FIVE CENTS PER FRASC.
This seems rather incongru0us as 1t would in-
Roberts, OF the brm OF Roberts, Cushman & CO.,
one OF the most severe appraisers OF the SchulhOH
pushes, IL Is Understood, offers TO buy the same
al a less sum than the duties paid on them Toe
their proper assessment. 1t Is only to be hoped
that the honest men may WIN. Copies OF the
FRAUDULENT INVOICES
promised and IL Is to be hoped the ventilation
OF THESE dishonest practices will do much 10 de-
crease their bold cOnsummatlon.
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