New-York tribune., 1877-07-21
OFFICIAL INTRIGUE AND MBRoGLIos.

few days.
OFFICIAL INTRIGUE AND IMBROGblOs.
. DIscUARGED INSPECTORS CHARGES or C0RRUP-
TIoN AGAINST THE SURVEYOR OF THE PORT
THEY ARE DIsREGARDED, AND HE RESORTS TO
FORCE FOR NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. STORIES Or
FRAUD, AND HINTS AT INTRIGUE AND sCANpAi-
Until last March, William II. Grace OI NO.
31g Hart-st Williamsburg, had been for six years an IN
spector of Customs at this port. lie was pro"So "a
Thomas Murphy time, and later OF the ext ap'in
OF the Port Charles Goddard Ofthe heantCustom-ouSo
Republicans OF Brooklyn. Grace had been prominent ''
Republican, and, Of late years, by IBIS pOllca as'Vol
tons and in opposition 10 the Cust0nhousopcop"
had made himself somewhat obnoxious to Gen. 5haipo
and others az the CustOmhOuse. Still later ne got ho
financial cultes lost his property and In ms depreo
sion drank oftener than man trouble should drink.
In this way he made hmself obnoxious to the sugar
reaner IN his inspection district including among o'ho'S
Messrs Hayemeyer ~ Elder aud Messr5. ID; Cas'ro "
Donuer Finally Mr. Theodore Havemeyer and Mt Don
ner made complaints against Grace, charging nun Win
drunkenness on duty aud with demanding sugar or It's
eGuivaent' as return for fayors shown them IN the III
spectlon OF vessels dscharging AZ their rchneres On
these charges Grace suspended in March last ana
finally was dismissed from the service after the chafges
had been investigated.
shortly after Grace submitted charges against zen
sborpe Deputy-suryeyor Benedict and large sugar IN
DOrtGT and demanded titf INtrtiHd'V"' 'Ni'N'
leetor George Khnck was ordered to nye 'igate HIS
position gives him moicty Of the proceeds OF all frau
OF the character charged which he discovers anu MS
investigations so far at least rs the reners were con-
cerned appears have been thorough Ills report CON
hrmcd the charges against Grace but not those against
the Others and nothing further was done py 'ne
Collector Subsequently Grace grew weary OF the
delay I'm The matter, and drew up state
ment OF the facts involving Sharpe, Benedict anu me
imoorters and detailing the injuries done himself ana
forwarded II 10 the Hon Simeon b. Chlttenden Tor pre-
sentaton 10 the Secretary % the Treasury r Chl'er
den appears from Gracc's statement 10 nave dohe hol
ING in the matter Grace then submitted the statement
to TIE TRIBUNE for publication, but publication was
deferred until Information could be had OF tho assertions
Of Grace and inquiry could be made ms TO his character
These required several days OF reporters tlme curing
which SIR. Grace mpatienty urged the puDhcaloh VI
bis document ii was curious story involving grave
charges if true but unfortunately inquiry left very little
basis for the allegations.
THE NATURE or THE CHARGES.
The pripclpal charges submitted by Grace Involved
one OF the largest sugarrening houses OF the city lie
asserted that tins house was openly violating lhe
rules and regulations Cf the Treasury by using
patform-scales belonging to the refinery. Oh inquiry
into the facts about this, it was discovered tha1
the scales were OF character much more satisfactory
than the beam scale usually employed by tho Govern
r,ant These scales were the dock Of the refining COM
pany and weighed within quarter Of pound "me tue
Government beam scales VIII only Welgh "itmh t"o
pounds of the actual weight There appeared 10 DC 10
particular objection to the use of this sort OF scale SINCE
the United states Wegher stood at the bean ana us use
was regularly authorized.
MI Grace further charged that in Marchls77th the bS
Graea arrived at the refinery OF tins Company from Per-
tamDuco with $500 bags OF sugar, which the captain OF
the vessel had freight charges TO be taken upon
the weight this port. This IL very unusual hhg 10
do in charging for freights On weighing the cargo at
,,,ga.1f flfl hnT al
voice weight thrtynve accorin to Graces STATE
uent Grace called the attention Of the captain
In This and complaint made. Grace adds III
his charges that the CAPTAIN Of the vessel went
nearly crazy discovering how he had been detiadeu
in this natter Particular inquiry was made by the re-
porer OF THE TRIBUNE into this special case rs t a
prared t. be good against the importers IL vas
found that the sugar was what il known in America as
uncayed" that t had been seven weeks on the voyage
and OF course had drpped very heavily The declaration
submitted at the Custom House showed the weight 10 pe
62S425 pounds. \ copy OF the invoice foin
the shipper at Pernambuco was obtained, ana IL was
discovered that the weight OF the sugar AZ that port was
tbe Same rs that submitted in the declaration, G2Si-o
noupds but the weight returned by the United states
Weghcr at the refinery in TINS city was o9oooO pouhS
showinga loss OF 1O4l per cent. Tie Government AZ
lows further deduction for tare of per cent 80
that the weight OF the Government Weigher as returned
was 56iOls pounds. This showed total loss OF l2i2
per cent ON the invoice or 1OIs per cent without the
Government allowance. On examination Of invoices OF
other reputable houses it found that this loss was be-
low the usual average such cargOes
Mr. Grace in his charge undcrstated the act
nal loss putting il at thrtytye tons when IN iact II was
t1rtv-nne tons. At the same time the loss was NOT
unnatural It was also found that the captain OF the
Grca had not discovered anything unusual IN his loss
unn mspectnr Grace, after being discharged from the
Government service called his attention TO the discrep
ancy The captain satisfied with the importers eX-
plantations.
CHARGES bv Mr. Grace that the employees of this refn
iughouse had endoayOred to smuggle what are called
the "sweepmgs and scraplngs" OF the vessel INTO the
refinery without being weighed found TO be Of mi
nor importance and were not sustained Allegations
were made by Mr. Grace against the character OF the
principal employees at the refinery which inves-
tiaatcd but not found to be thoroughly established
Grace claims to have objected oithe OF the en-
Moves m these matters and says that in consequence
the firm brought charges AGAINST him. The retners say
ON the contrary that insisted being brIbed with
sug,r orits euiyalent" and tnally succeeded in OBJ
tanning from the Custom House broker of the firm let
ter Recommending them to placate him. ThereupOn
they brought charges and asked not for his discharge but
for his removal from their district. Gen. sharpe
Insisted that they should establish their charges
'rlntng Ia remove a man accused from district
accept withdrawal by the hrm OF the charges against
him, and demanded cumulative evidence Tie members
of the finn said they did not wish Grace discharged. but
wanted MIN ed from their district. They were VIII
ing to withdraw the charges this could be done Gen
sharpe declined TO alloy TINS ana other evidence or
GRACE's STORY AGAINST GEN. SHARPE
Grace attributes this seeming animoslty on
the part of Gen Sharpe the fact" that he In
spector IN lS75 had defeated Gen Sharpe's attempt
Ia aid An important smuggling operation. In this the