The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-18
CUSTOM HOUSE INVESTIGATION.

THE AMERICAN SILK GROWERS STATE THEIR
eRIEvANcEs-MB. HEwITT's CoMPLAINr--A
PROPOSITION TO ABOLISH THE NAVAL or
FIcE-A LARGE REDUCTION OF employees TO
BE MADE.
delegation representing the American silk Crow
Ing Association, consisting OF Mcssrs. A. b. Strange
T. N. Dale, Franklin Allen and +. W. Cheney waited
upon tho Commissioners they emerged from
their usual secret session. These gentlemen desired
to impress upon the minds OF the Commissioners SOW
eral pontsior instance, "more definite regulations
concerning the shipment and starting OF goods from
Europe, in order to protect the OF import
ers sConsular should be ss ucd In the
present loose manner" "that efficiency should
DO had the Appraisers Department" and 'thc pom
atlcs for smuggling should be rigidly enforced" Tho
silk mon further complained shat reappraisement
differentiation the advance made is usually only
about nne per cont, In order to come within law
and thereby the delinquent importer tho twonly
per cent penalty. rho commission promised to givo
tho case proper consideration.
GRIEVANCES or A NATIONAL LEGISLATOR
Congress sman Abram S. Hewitt was the next witness
Hc testified concerning tho operation of the customs
system. He stated that during the first
Fourty fourth Congress Solicitor Biuiord Wilson 70
questcd OF him history OF abuses existing the New
York Custom House, coming under his personal OBJ
scrvaton Mr. Wlson informed Mr.. Hewitt that IL
understood at tho department that no was
cognzant OF gross irregularities existing there in rela
ton to tho payment Of merchant appraisers fees.
be tho subject of Congrcssonsi invcstga
Mr. Hewitt stated that he iad bare the following iacts
s he knew cm:--About six years ago number oil
importers OF steel dcmurrcd 10 tho turin Tar as IT
concerned them, and called Tor rcappralscmcnt rho
matter was referred 10 Judge Hoge6oom then General
Appraiser, and Collector GrnnciI appointed witness
OF the merchant appraisers. filty-
seven cases were examined IN seven days,
far gnun him
certificate Tor $2s5, or IS casc witness called tor
this money on Mr. Lydcckcr, but rendered only
came Of the money paid by the merchants for re.
appraiscments he told by MIR. Lydcckcr and As
sstant Collector Ciinch that II OF his bust
ness witness did not think that this money
Inc Treasury, and ho know tho merchants had mono
returned 10 them.
TESTIMONY By THE YARD
military looking gentleman Is Colonel George
Edward Hail, twoivc- ndrcd-doar clerk in tho
Auditors division. who voluntarily came before the
commission, aud brought with HIM a document con-
tanning ten pages Of foolscap paper, closely written
over. THIS ivrmd abe document general disscr-
taton Custom House abuses. written out IN tho
shape Of questions and In this the Colonel
went over the department IN general and the Naval
Once partcul Tho latter no wanted abolished,
and order to nave cheek the Collector he
wonId have Collector appoint duplicate sets OF
liqu,datng clerks The Appraisers oillco he recon-
m.ndci 10 be entirely cleaned out with moro
competent men TO take the places OF tho old rho
Examiner o Ar: should nave q salary OF about eight
thousand dollars Much Colonel Hall testified
to, among other things that ne was tho editor and
compiler Of the Guido to Commerce."
BLOW CIVIL skRvICE.
a. b. Adams, OF Troy, came before the commission
to tell them what no knew about civil service This
witness testified that In 1873 hc cited to appear
before tho Clv Service Board for appointment in tho
Custom House HIS record stood, tar no could
learn, eighty seven 10 cighty-egbt per cent arh-
mctic, geometry aud grammar from sixty Ave 10 sew
enly per cent history nifty per cent aud general ap
tude forty per cent. Mr. Turnure wanted TO Know
what sgeneraI aputudc meant, to which tho witness
replied tina, he thought it was political infucnco and
he possessed little OF that his chances OF appoint
mcnt were sIm. Witness said that VINO was
examined with him at the same time and who was n ct
nearly proficient. obtained POSITION no having
received ninety per cent In general aptitude ~ sub
sequcnuy this dcponcDt was appointed an an acting
assistant wcighcr.
rllE ArPRaisEHS' DEPARTMENT.
Mr. Gilbert, Assistant Appraiser oi tho First diyi-
sion, followed, and gave detailed account Of his
duties and the manner IN which the business OF his
bureau managed During MIR. Gilbcrts examna-
ton number OF other attaches Of tho Appraisers,
Stores were waiting IN the ante to DO hoard one
gentleman ~ particular, Mr.. II. u. Haughwout
amiucr IN tho FIRST division, informed the commission
that no had some startling Information to disclose to
them, but he did not want his story published.
Mcssra CALDWELL Ward aud stevens, oil tho
Second DIVISION also examiners, with him,
ana tho commission evidently deemed tho proposi.
zion Of Mr.. Haughwout OF great Importance. and