New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-21
TIE TESTIMONY.

The first witness called was John s. Williams
OF the williams & Guon line TO Liverpool. He testihed
that In year 1871 he and the agents OF several oher
companies invited to meet the COMMISSIONERS oi
Emigration consider the ACCESSIBILITY OF reducing te
headmoney on immigrants. Upon consultation 1t was
found that the same opinion held by the agents OF
all the steamship companies 10 the matter OF reduc-
ton The Commissioners OF Emigration also favored H.
The witness SAID that he formed his opinion from con
versaon with Mr. Casserly, superintendent OF the
Commission. In reply to question Mr. Williams stated
that perhaps theoretically the Commissioners may have I'M
derstaod that In ease a reduction should be made cor
responding decrease in passage money would be estaD
lshed he could not say positively In point or TACT
no reduction made in passage money until three
wears afterward. This because running expenses
had increased coal had advanced in value and other
expenses had been made larger III proportion
conference held between the agents OF the differ
ent steamship lines. The witness could not 1econect
whether or all the lines represented nut thought
most of them represented at the meeting al when
81 was determined 70 raise money to influence legislation
al Albany in favor Of the reduction OF headmoney
OF those present lie remembered Nj Dale OF
the Inman line, Mr.. Schwab Of the Bremen
line and Mr.. Hurst Of the National line.
They all agreed that If the desired reduction should be
made they pay Mr. Nolan, who was understood to
be powerful in the lobby at Albany, large comesa-
ton finally reduced to terms, the agreement was
that Nolan should receive, if successful % cents for
every Immigrant who shOuld arrive any of the trans
atlantic steamers during the following six months Mr.
Nolan IL was understood went TO Albany, and the reduc
ton in head-mOney made by act OF Legislature On
the first Of every month following Mr. Nolan appeared at
the Office of the witness and paid the amount agreed
npon presume, said Mr.. Williams he received bis CON
tract price at all the other steamship offices.
Mr. Williams in reply 20 numerous questions put by
different members the Committee, continued his story
a. follows:
Mr. Nolan came to our Office with petition signed by
many persons / never had known him previously. L
was not aware he partner Of Gen. Patrick H.
Jones don't the full amount received by Nolan,
but should say that he received from $4,000 to Sio
600 Nolan represented his expenses at Albany TO be
very large Among his charges were expenditures for
hotel bills correspondence. and personal influence with
members Of the Legislature.
At this point Mr.. Avord interrupted the witness by
saying that such would take SO from their Victims
and spend 10 cents actually at Albany.
The witness responded that he knew little OF such
matters but the legislation that paid for had been
obtained.
don't recall, continued Mr.. Williams, whether
Mr. Nolan gave vouchers when he paid or not, but
presume he did. think he was paid by check. VIII
examine my accounts and hand you statement OF pay
ments made the banks upon which the checks were
given, II gave him any. The Commissioners COM
planned to me Of other lines after the re-
ducon had been made that we had not kept faith with
them and had not reduced passage money agreed
told them that did not understand that such
mcnt had been made They replied thar they would not
have consented the reduction if they had under
stood the arrangement In the years 1874 and 1870,
understanding that the Emigration Commissioners had
applied the Legislature for increase of the head
money the agents OF the steamship companies who had
then formed an organization, called the North Trans
atlantic Conference, took measures to OPP
pose the increase OF the tax. Our firm was
asked TO contribute defeat the proposed legislation
was away during most of that time in Europe and cannot
tell what II any, money used by our house TO nhu
ence legislation at Albany My impression is that a
gentleman took interest in the matter for the
steamship companies. l think the person AhTam
wakeman. don't recoliect that any large amount has
been paid by to person except Mr. Nolan
OF don't Lave reference TO small sums OF 800,
$500 $500 paid at different times TO persons who said
they wanted 10 give II II the Committees AT Albany.
The steamship companies all believe that immipa-
ton ia affected by the price Of head money, although
passage price has been Influenced by the competition Of
the other lines. think the immigrant il better cared
for here than any other American port Yet these ad
vantages in my opinion, do not compensate for an ILL.,
crease in money The FOR the foreigner in this
city is admirable but cannot say that information ia
regard to II is communicated To persons in Europe
whether il Affects the arrivals here. understand
that there's head money 10 be paid Boston, and
appreciate d statement made some time ago that for
tO land their passengers at Boston would save
them the which they subjected TO here. But the
frauds and swndlers.
The understanding between the steamship agents
posing Conference il that the fare shah not fall
below a minimum price THIS Conference meets at
stated times keeps record Of its transactions and
tahshes rules for protection of the companies II
very much after the manner OF the railroad trunk lines
There have been variations in prices for passage. For
two wears after the reduction in head money, fares
manned the Then competition set in, and the uc
tuations sudden and violent and without control
The present do not to have affected nm
grafton which depends upon the demand for labor here
and the prices paid for II.
don't recoect any meeting wlsp Mr.. Cortis stated
that Mr. Rudd and Mr. Cassery should paid their
efforts at Albany. Nolan told NE to whom lac had
20 dsburse his money He brought letter of introduce
ton to The subcommittee Of Emigration which
met in 1871 consisted OF Messrs Wallach, Lynch, aud
Barr III our Conference should bind themselves 10 con
tribute toward the expenses of influencing legislation
Gil the steamship agents would consider themselves
bound by H. and pay their individual share Of the
pense remember the fact that the different companies
the years 1874 and 1875 paid person TO look
their interests in the legislature forget his name.
He Is lobbyist, lives in Brooklyn, and think our firm
paid him few hundred dollars--I cannot say exactly
how much understand that Mr. Casserly has rendered
service, and firm has been asked to
him for 1t. / think he specially employed by the
tnInan line.
GUSTAV sCHwAB's EVIDENCE.
Gustav schwab of the firm Of Oerichs a Co., agents
Of the North German Lloyds line to Bremen was the
next witness. and testified AS follows:
According to my recollection none OF the German or
Holland lines have intimate connections with the North
Transatlantic Conference. That combination formed
by the English companies alone Yet II is of sui.
power !" regulate ouI pieos NE cannot ,vnte against