New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-16

VOLUME X.--NO. 5
THE C0NGR EssIONAL COMMTTTEE
Investigatisn Continued.
AT the evening session of the committee,
wednesday, Mr.. Bailey was called and
james Bsiley sworn-To Mr.. Reillv-1s
son Of Mr.. Bailey. who is engaged in the
manufacture of vinegar; Williams, Q col
ored man, hired shed in the yard of the
Iectory at $6 per month for party named
Cassidy; never knew the latter pereoo:
always received the money from VIII.
liAme and gave him Q recent for the same.
the reason given tor renting the building o
was to store empty boxes; knew pothin9 2
1ufgner until the seizure of the cigars was
MADE; articles were stolen from and around
was made through their Warehouse
into the cooper shop; made investi-
boxes in the cooper shop; endesvored to
find Mr.. Cassidy. but could not do 60:
reported to Mr.. Kinsella at the Custom.
house, az be did not wish to be involved in
the affair; told Mr.. Kinsella that he ne.
lieved smuggling was going on; ct first the
CustomhOuse officials refused to credit his
story, but on the Monday following the re.
port officers were sent from the Custom.
house who made the seizure and recovered
the goods, which seemed to be dry goods
boxes filled with cigars; there were no
stamps on the Cigar boxes; called on Mr..
Cassidy; Who 10 in the LIQUOR business
before the seisure was made; he denied ali
knowledge Of or connection with the mat
tor; before the seizure was made Mr. Kin
sellA sent his con, and witness took him to
the cooper shop. showed him the goods
and gave him pieces of the cigar boxes,
and he at once expressed the opinion that
they were pieces Of Havana cigar boxes;
m inspector named Dan Hutchinson was
provided with the search warrant; before
the seizure was made man came to wit
ness and claimed tho goods, and asked per.
mission to remove them; witness did not
tell him that he had been to the Custom.
house and made Q complaint; Mr.. Bailey, in
reply to his request, observed that the
premises were under his control; that if he
was the party Who rented the building he
had the key and could remove them il de-
sired; tho officers at this moment appeared
and made the seizure; have seen this psrty
since, within . few days, on Canal street;
have also seen him in the neighborhoed of
Rampant street; suppose he resides ON that
street; witness TOLD him he did not wish to
wanted nothing to do with the transaction,
- he did not wish to be involved in it;
the party observed that 20 far as
he himself was concerned he had no OBJ
jections to appearing before the COMMITTEES;
met him previously to the seizure near the
corner Of Gravier and TchoupitOulas
streets, at his place Of business. in Masich's
to Mssich; Masich is 9 cigar dealer; col
ored drsyman, named John, told witness
where the party did business; went to
Masich's store and asked to see Masich; he
was not in; as witness went down stairs he
met Mr.. Masich coming up; did not know
the gentlemen he met was Mr.. Masich, as
he never saw him before; not knowing him,
he passed him without speaking to him.
John assisted Williams; John was one of
the colored men who was watching witness
while witness was Watching his premises;
doesn't know that the party who owned
the goods was Mr.. Masich: had been careful
not to know that; could not state why the
person should call at that particular time
and ON that particular day and request to
building which he rented and had the key.
Witness object in reporting to the Gus
tomh0use; was simply to put stop to the
stealing on his premises, and prevent him
self from becoming involved in whatever
was being transacted in the cooper shop;
witness discovered stealing from his prem
ises; his own drayman, whom he caught in
the act and whom he discharged; he sus-
pected the c0lored men in his neighborhOod
as the thieves; the goods were seized and
sold; received Q portion of the amount of
the sale of the goods as informer.
To Mr.. Woodburn-The pieces of cigar
boxes had been dropped on the floor; spoke
through his warehouse; also told him he
believed the cases contained imported
cigars, a. there were no stamps ON the
boxes; Mr. Kinsefla replied that sometimes
seizures were made and no evidence of
fraud discovered; was asked by Mr.. Kinsella
to make IN affidavit, at first refused; Mr..
Kinsells bad sufficient evidence before him
to make an affidavit; thought it was his duty
to make an affidavit under the circumstances;
it did not strike witness that there was
ANYTHING wrong on the part of Mr.. Kin
sells when he sent his son, or that there
was collusion with the party who owned
the cigars; thinks Mr.. Kinsella told witness
that the building could not be entered
without being unlocked, unless IN affidavit |
vas made BY witness; asked Mr.. Kinsella |
to send an efficer to watch on Saturday |
Er. Woodburn-Then it was you and not |
the government officials that was to blame |
in not making the proper affidavit, that the
seizure was not made on Saturday instead
MI. Gibson thought Mr.. Woodburn was
pressing witness rather hard by his last
question.
Question-Did you say that one Of the
reas0ne why you made the report to Mr..
Kineella that you did not wish to become
involved, yet you refused to make an afh-
dayit which would have exonerated You,
and thrown ell the responsibility upon Mr..
Kinsellss
Mr.. Gibson observed that witness had
given several reasons. Witness desired
time to answer.
Mr. Reilly said he could have q month if
he liked.
Mr.. Woodburn wanted to know if he had
. right to ask questions OF witnesses be-
fore the committee.
Mr.. Reilly said it was proper to ask
questions, but not proper to interrupt wit
ness before answering the questions.
Mr. Wo0dburn Q tated that he had not
done 90: that the answer required simple
yes or NO, and witness wished to tell long
Ouestion-If you did not want to know
the mans name, why did you 60 and hunt
him ups
Answer-Well, I wanted the robbing
about INV premises broken up; did not tell
Mr.. Kinsells of the information received
from John, the drayman; returned ID tne
factory after giving information to mr.: Mn
,elIa. determined to be ct the tsctory II any
attempt was made to take the goods away:
To Mr.. GibsOn-The drayman In witness
emulov was 0 c0lored man; he lived q DlocK
hevona where witness lived; q float drove
m With four or Eve men about one o'clock