New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-18
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day morning 1t ten O'Clock, for tho pur-
pose Of taking final testimony before ad-
joufning to meet in Washington, subject to
tho call of the chairman.
Julian Neville sw0rp-Is receiver in the
land office; knew nothing Of the circbm. 1
stances relative to bic CLERK (Smith }. sisn-
ing q receipt for $50 for him as stated in
the testimony of Mr.. Kruzs on Friday even
ing.
James Smith sworn-Was employed in
the Customhouse from 1866 to 1874; 10 1872
was janitor; knew nothing relative to hir-
ing or paying for tarpaulins; was never
sent to the Mint to receive $4,000 a. pay
ment for such hire or rent; witness said he
never drew such q draft for Mr.. Sypher;
never spoke to Mr.. Por.ella relative to this
matter.
Charles Portelie, sworn-Was employed
in the Customhouse as q fOrem an; was in
structed to sell material from the Custom
house, which was sold by witness. who re-
ceived the money: witness said he gave the
amount OF $Il0 to Mr.. Morse, who employed
him.
William NJ. Altman, auditor of the Gus
tomhouse, sworn-An abstract OF monthly
disbursements from 1870 to date was sub
mitted; vouchers were identified as being
similar in form. size and general appear
aihce to those signed in Deputy Heraizs
Office during the election campaigns OF 1872
and 1874, when men were represented as
having been placed upon the rolls.
Mr.. Reilly stated that after looking over
the vouchers, he found among them some
of those, which had been reported lost or
mislaid.
Mr.. Altman testified that he had never,
at any time, advanced money to tho Gel
lector OF deputy collector, or at any time
drawn a check for $4,000 for them without
receiving voucher tor the same.
Mr.. Reilly stated to the committee that
there were ON file in Washington 600 vouch-
ers for the months Of August, September
and October, 1872, for which 10 duplicates
could be found among those submitted BY
witness.
Executive session was called.
Examination resumed.
William M. Smallwo0d, sworn-Witness
made q voluntary statement before the
committee 10 Washington relative 10 that
portion of the testimony of the witness
McGrew, wherein Mr.. SmalIwOOd was re-
ferred to a. defaulter whom he held the
office of postmaster Of the city. The evil
dence went to show that the alleged de-
talcation, as testified to by McG.ew. was
occssioned by DR.. Peterson, and that it
was subsequently paid by Peterson, who
was appointed cashier by Colonel Small
wood upon the recommendation of several
prominent persons. foremost among whom
was General Frank p. Blair, who was at
the tune q candidate for Vice President Of
the United States on the Democratic ticket;
the defalcation was somewhat over $ll 900,
and was settled from Peterson's mali con-
tract money.
William b. Hall appeared for the purpose
of correcting portion OF his testimony.
10 to this time (noon) witnesses were
scarce, and the members of the committee
regardless Of politics" wandered around
loose, going out Of the room more often
than they entered it. The consequence
was that there was natural recess Of ten
minutes without a motion to that effect
having been made. Ihe Chairman, Mr..
Gibson, was in earnest conversation at the
head of the table with State Senator
White. Mr.. COnger was also in deep con-
verse with a Republican friend Ut the
foot of the table. Mr.. Hall. who
has been q most persistent visitor
during the sessions OF the committee.
giided u1perceived into the witness
chair, and remained there quietly tor q
minute or so, when the chairman, obse-v-
ing him, and without glancing round the
table, said: "GentlemOn of the committee,
Mr.. Hall desires to correct" when, seeing
that only MIR. Conger was present, and that
he was evidently under the impression, from
the words Of the chairman. that other ''gel-
tlemen of the committee" were there also
las Mr.. Conger still continued in low and
earnest cOnversation), Mr.. Gibson said in
evident surprise: why, Mr.. Conger, there
are only you and of the committee
present." Mr.. Conger hearing his name,
came to "attention" in an instant and
when the chairman concluded, had his
answer ready. "Well," said he, with all
due modesty, Mr.. Chairman, that Is no
small part Of the committee, with all due
respect, of course to the absent members"
[Lsughter.l
Mr.. Hall appeared before the committee
to correct a statement relative to the ar
rival of the steamship De Soto. On looking
over his papers that vessel arrived 10 1869,
between the months Of May and November,
and not in 1870, as he had certified to.
To Mr. Conger-Could not swear that the
De Soto touched at Key West; could not
swear that tho bundles OF cigars, which ar
rived on the De Soto addressed to Collector
Casey and General Morrow, were not seized,
confiscated and sod by the government.
l. w. Patton, late criminal sneritf for the
parish OF Orleans, swOrn-The reason given
at the marshars Office why the ten Tor
twelve per cent, witness thougbt) was de-
Quoted from the bills for the keep of United
States prisoners at the Parish Prison. WAS
that the bills would have to be sent to
Washington, thus causing considerable de-
Patton in consideration of immediate pay
ment.
A. o. Boyle sworn-TO Mr.. Reilly-Is ad.
vertislng clerk for the New Orleans Re
PUBLICAN newspaper; government adver-
tisements were inserted in that paper; the
law allows one dollar per square and col
lecti0ns were made strictly on that basis;
no commissions were ever paid United
States officials for inserting advertisements
in the REPUBLICAN.
The committee here, at one o'clock. on
motion of Mr.. Vance, took q recess for one
hour.
At the expiration of that time examlna-
ton of witnesses was resumed.
Special Agent Kinsella, recalled-Wit-
ness denied the statement made before the
committee that be had at any time refused
to make an investigation when Just grounds
for suspicion of fraud were placed before
him; relative to the transnortation OF
goods to the warehouses, MIR. Kinselia said
that before goods were bonded the collec-
tor of the port designated to what ware
house the goods should be sent under the
general order law.
Mr.. Kinsella then submitted several atfi-
davite, which were all received and ordered
copied without being read, except one from
Samuel Rousseau, which certified that in
1869 David jackson, Of the firm of Jackson
& Anderson, proposed to Rousseau. then q
CustomhOuse inspector, that hs make short
rolutns OF a cargo of salt-the duty way
pay able in gold-aud the further PROPOSE
ton was made to divide tho amount made
by the false return. In his affidavit Mr..
Rousseau states that when asked by Mr..
Jackson to go to his Office to arrange mat
ters he replied "all right" but neither went
to his office nor made short returns. As q
stand-off against THE, Mr.. Kinsella said
tnat MIR. David Jackson had. made an
affidavit denying the charge, and as
one affidavit balanced the other,
he inspected the books in the Gus