The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-12
CUSTOM HOUSE INVESTIGATION.

SPECIAL DEPUTY SURVEYOR BnNEDlCT CoxTIN-
UEs HIS TESTIMONIALS ADVISES THU RE-
DucTIoN OF wE1cHRRs FROM TH1RrEIN TO
SEVEN.
Before the examination at Tho Custom House was .
yesterday Secretary Sherman paid fly.
ing visit there. Ho accompanied by his private
secretary. Mr.. Babcock, General Arson G. McCook,
Member OF Congress- elect General Arthur and Genera
Sharpe.
An EXCEPTION NEWSPAPER IMPORTS
Special Deputy Surveyor James l. Benedict contin.
ued hts testimony. The witness took exceptions &c
the which ne thought his evidence had been
distorted by the newspapers, and requested the stem
ographcr TO be careful that It shall be correctly laid
before tho Treasury Department Witness in
favor OF compromising inspectors II they did extra
work At night, and " steamship companies take out
night permits discharge alter dark they should pay
Tor It, There arc 103 night watchmen In the Depart
msnt, who divided In two squads under the
mand OF captain, two lieutonants and two rounds
for each squad Their duty Is 10 relieve the day
inspectors and that no goods on from the
docks vessels alter sunset
TIKI wEIGHEKs DUTIES DEFINED
On the subject Of the system pursued by the weigh
witness secuted tho idea that these their
deputies allow the merchants TO take charge OF their
Weighing la more Than fifty out OF hum
the United States mesHers. The treasury rerUs,ons
call Tor weighing heavy articlosrailroad iron,
for nstapce-in bulk, but allow the weight TO be es
mated BY counting the bars after weighing few Of
them
EXAGGERATED REPORTS
Reports Of irregularities on this subject have been
circulated which are only sample OF the cxaggera
ton VI abuses tho Surveyors Office.
The employment wcighers Is highly necessary, as
there great responsible attached to this 0Us-
ness Tho fact that last year there over
O0O 900, 900 pounds OF imported matters weighed.
bosidcs 1000 600 900 pounds Of export MATERIAL shows
how necessary these men are 10 tho service.
Assuming that these mon 10 thor work, and II 10
fanny done, according to- reports received NJ the
oice then the weighcrs must do their duty yet the
number might be reduced IRON thirteen TO seven; MI
Benedict has always closely scrulinizcd the payrols
" had any suspicion that any person appeared
thereon who was likely not 70 have rendered any
service he held the payroll back and exacted
plaEalion from the weigher about IL III every in.
stance the return Is sworn to, and some credence
ought to be gwen to a sworn officer; at the utmost
there could DO any event greater average than
two men payroll III year who arc not entitled
To compensation without being detected; merchants
pay city weigncrs than the propor tomato
amount given tho United States government and
TINS no compliant Is made: far the gross weight
concerned complaints occur; It Is only against
the taro which hardly no taken the dock, but
Is adopted from printed schedule OF tare weights
Mr.. rurnuro-ls not the allowance Tor extra tars
conducive oil iraudY
Mr. Bcnedlc--The law allows the tare do not
think the system Of allowing be altered.
chants OF New York arc dishonest II III whole cargo
only Zen Of the largest hogsheads arc woiged from
which the tarc judged then there Is certainly way
open fraud. This finished Mr. Bened,ct's examine
ton.
A Communication received from a number oil
custom house brokers, requesting the Commission 70
10 the Secretary OF the Treasury tho issuing
vi order iorbidding clerks In tho custom mouse
from charging notary fees on documents sworn to BY
them
The Commission adjourned until Monday