New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-18
Tho Ca,tomhonse and the Cengressionai
COmmittee.

:
f Committee.
The labors in New Orleans of the com
m'ttee appointed by Congress to investigate
the conduct of federal officials in Louisiana
terminated yesterday, and the members de-
parted for the national capital last evening.
The work of the committee has been te-
dious. arduoue, and rather unproductive.
A great flourish Of trumpets heralded it's ad-
vent, eager anticipation of scandal awaited
its action, crowds of the faithful attended
it's sessions, and what is the resul,2
A Mr.. George W. Ferguson, who was for
merly employed as laborer in the cigar
room of the Customhouse, made in Wash
ingtOn several distinct charges against the
federal officials here. His accusations were
specific, and set forth with good degree of
particularly. The first Of these specifications
was that some twelve cases of cigars had
been entered at the Customhouse as guava
jelly, with the knowledge and by the con-
Iivance of number of the customs ofi-
Gers, whom he designated as 'the ring"
The committee made full and patient it,
vestigation of this matter, and it was dis-
tiactly proven that the cases contained
guava Gelly and marmalade) and nothing
else. Cigars and guava being usually
packed in similar manner and in like
cases, under the rule requiring all imported
cigars to be taken to the Customhouse for
examination by the inspector Of cigars, the
twelve cases landed naturally enough in
the cigar room. Examination disclosed
their contents. The cigar inspector turned
the investi CATION Of the importation over
to the appraisers examiner, and each
case was opened, the boxes were over.
hauled and counted, and the fact was as
certained that one half of the contents was
gusva jelly and the other half marmalade.
Duty was paid upon the merchandise &C.
cording to law, and the cases were taken
out of the control of the customs officials.
Mr.. Ferguson, however, had sworn that
he had made IN investigation Of the con-
tents of these cases on his own account. In
the absence of the other officers, SOLITARY
and alone" he rsided the cigar room, so-
cording to his sworn statement. He says
he pried open several Of the cases, found
cigars in them and abstracted lot which
he smoked. AL the other customs officials
who i'd any connection with the reception
and examination of this invoice of mer-
chandise swear directly to the contrary,
and to the purport of our remarks above.
We may as we'll say something of the cir
snI w.
guson, departed from New Orleans. he
absented himself from duty. His family
gave out that he was sick. Smallpox was
more than limited at, and he was almost at
once heard OF in New. York. Thence he
wrote to New Orleans, informing one of his
friends of his hostile feeling against leading
federal officers, and asserting that he was
to return to New Orleans with the congress
slonal committee, on q salary of IS per
diem land expenses" He did not appear in
New Orleans during the investigation, and
probably has not drawn his So.
Ferguson charged that cigars in largo
quantities had been permitted to pass the
Costomhouse without payment of duty.
This allegation was very general in its
nature, and was readily and clearly refuted
by the testimony of those officials who had
the supervision of these importations, and
by the records Of the Customhouse. Mr.
j. M. Davis, inspector of cigars for come
six or seven years at this port, an official
who has not been off his post for an hour
during the past six years, showed beyond
the shadow of doubt that this charge Of
smuggling was false, and that the smug
Cling itself, in the manner alleged, was an
utter impossibi ity.
A few years ego large seizure Of smrg-
gled cigars was made at Bailey's vinegar
factory, in this city. They we're choice
cigare, some of them bringing at auction, at
the United S ;ates m arshal's sale, after con-
demnation, the unusually high price Of $l96
per 1000. They were found in q ceoper's
shop opening into the factory yard, and
were seized under the directions of Special
Agent Kinsells. The United States Court
condemned them, NO claimant appearing
Ferguson declared that the customs seizing
officers offered to give time for their
removal before the capture. All the
parties participating in the seizure
deny this unequivocally. Ferguson
said that three of the cases (tbere were
thirteen, containing 17l,sO0 cigars) were
stamped; that the customs stamp had been
removed, but that the internal reve-
nue. stamp, bearing the name of we'll
H. Ho isfo
that he had been ordered by the appraiser
to remove the internal revenue stamp.
Per contra, the etorekeeper, the cigar in
spector, the eeizipg cf6cers,. and all the
laborers employed in connection with this
business, swear that no stamps were upon
any box in the whole lot. The boxes were
several times handled before the sale, "a
every one connected with the handling has
testified. The removal of the customs and
revenue stamps would have been the height
of folly. The stamps protect such goods,
and are the best evidence Of the payment OF
duty.
Ferguson testified that case containing
$1,000 cigars escaped seizure at Bailey's.
The preposterous nature Of this assertion
WAS clearly established before the COM
mittes by number of we'll informed Wit
nesses. They demonstrated the utter i'm
possibility of packing so many cigars in
one case. The bulk and elasticity of the
merchandise would make such case un
manageable and ensure breskage.
Among other charges made by Ferguson
was one to the effect that Mr.. L. McCarty re-
ceived in March, 1874. per steamship Merida
come liO, 900 or Ia, 900 cigars, which he Oh