New-York tribune., 1877-07-21
CUSTOM house ABUSES.
COMPLAINTS AGAINST MR.. RUSSELL.

SUPERINTENDENT.
The bonded warehouse owners are not all
satisfied with results OF The CusomIousc lnvestiga
ton Henry j. Meyer for one is not satisfied He If an
extensive owner who has been cOntendng for several
mouths without success against what he considers I'M
fair treatment and even persecution the hands of the
Superintendent Of Bonded Warehouses and the Custom
House authorities generally. His bonded stores
are at Nos 3s4 to $50 West Eleyenthst., Nos 54 to
50 Laght ST., Nos. 437 to All Greenwch-st, and Nos
80 to 40 Vestry-st The controversy bas been mainly
over the last two Stores which in fact one vast sub
stantia building the Vestry-st addition to tine Green
lchst store having been built little over two years
ago to meet an increased demand by importers for sor
ace Mr. Wood the superintendent OF these stores. who
expressed the same views Mr. Meyer made the follow
ing statements yesterday in conversation with TRIBUNE
reporter
1--WE ascrbe all our troubles the hostility Of the
Superintendent OF Warehouses; S. 7. RUSSELL VINO I'M
posed an extra stoekeeper, at an expense OF $3.50
MONTH on Mr. Meyer at these stores No 439 Greenwich
~ and No Al yestry-st because Mr. Meyer would not
nav him $500 for political purposes; and then
tbe feeling was embittered by Mr. Meyer going
before the Investigating Committee aud disclosing
the transactions with Mr.. Russell We had
Treasury agent here who reported in favor and we
nave made every effort the authorities atW ashngon
consider the properly out we met Win every dis
eouragcmen The fact is the officers here are 80 knit
together and are so well assisted 10y OF tho sbord
nate officers in Washington that iaes days and days
TO yet reply to our communications which, may never
be seen by the Secretary of the Treasury himself The
subordinate officer at Washington into whose hands
letter falls, communicates the contents to the oicers
here who Immediately set to work to meet it, The I'm
der Secretary perhaps refers the matter to Collector
Arthur the latter superintendent Russell, who reports
adversely 10 Collector Arthur who reports TO Washington,
and after two or three months get reply but are rs
badly OF a ever and in the meantime have been compelled
10 uepson needless officer They have done an they
could to xiii our business which has been decreasing on
account Of the decline of imports. For year we had
only one storekeepor az the stores till Mr. Meyer
refused 10 pay Mr. Russell. The two entrances TO
the stores ten or fifteen feet apart, and al
most avery day you can the ridiculous sight OF
two storekeepers and one cartman struggling with
four or five packages each s0rekeeper looking alter his
one two or three packages the may be. We get
20 cents package obliged pay these store
keepers 50 day each takes fifty packages TO realize
their wages, and some days don't take in twenty.
They take pains make it disadvantageous for our Gus
toners to deal with u.s. II a merchant has cargo OF
prunes in store with u.s. they will not allow him TO take
buyer to the goods show that they are In good cond
ton and "A bargain-a thing that is permitted III ware
houses where the owner is in favor with Mr. Russell.
The Investigating Committee appointed with the
view of correcting all abuses in the Custom House. and
has done much here is Superintendent Russell who
admitted that had collected large sums OF money from
bonded warehouse owners, both Republicans and Demo
crats against Mr. Meyer made the charge that he
had paid Russell 1900 for getting the Laighst. ware
house in bond transaction Mr.. Russell tried to explain
by saying that the money was contributed TO help
carry the Connecticut State election When
is would been supremey ridiculous aud foolish Tor
Mr. Never have made contribution Tor any such ur-
pose. Then Mr. Meyer and others testified that MI Rus
sell never seen at Their warehouses except 10 c2ecs
political assessments or Iees anu more ,un tn JONI
j. Osborn, Deputy Collector Of the Ihifd DIVISION ana
Mr. Russe's superior Officer testified that chief clerk
could easily do the whole business OF MI kisseirs pu
reau. The plan statements Mr. Osborne made cost nun
his removal, but he was rclnstated on the following
have been ten years in this business and know what
the usual dealings between the warehouse owners
ana Inc Custom House authorities When Mr.. Meyer
Quit the Laight stores Mr. Russell refused to bond
them and kept them several months under lock and key
with great loss Mr. Meyer who finally paid M Russell
$500 after which there no difficulty When the Yes
an an appnnddstCn ppnder ons hand but the antborities
returned separate bond for the addition. Mr. Russell
said must bo two storekeeper but Mr. Meyer, on
the strength Of his knowledge of Custom House dealings
said that 1900 iO0 would pro0aby hx IT, TO which
Russell sssented and the two stores were under one
or oysr Sar hc % M ueyeg
with Mr.. RUSSELL he was told that he was
doing TOO much tor one s Se % ana %gs.
for storekeeper o do then than through the year
previous to that time Mr. Russell minated II ne at
could arrange matters satisfactorily, when was as
fore and it viii oc all right. MIR. Meyer made state
ment the circumstances by letter 10 Washington, and
since Ap report OF Special Treasury Agent here,
was gwen time To have tue stores placed under one bond
with stOrekeepor on condition that an aperture Tor
communication be made In the partition brick wall This
done under the surveillance OF extra officers, who
spent their time endcayorpg TO PICK aw IN our accounts
But when we applied for bond letter came from
Collector Arthur stating that additional facts the See
reay had revoked the previous permlsson and We sub
sedueny learned that Mr. Russell had reported that the
aperture not satisfactory, ana TOOK exception 10
brick wall dividing the rear stores, Of which lao com
planned for the first time Other get separate stores
under bond, aud In one instance, even with an alley
ten feet wide between the two buildings while our
budings substantially one they have always com
PEELED TO keep two sets OF books whether We had one
or two st0rokeepers."