The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-22
AuDITORIAL INQUIRIES.
TINE CUsTOM-HOUsE SKY PARLOR
HOxEs YET UNDER INVESTIGATION.

hUDI lUhthL lltAUlNlIHo.
TINE CUsTOM-HOUsE SKY PARLOH
BOxEs YET UNDER INVESTIGATION.
Interesting Correspondence Between At
torncy General ogden ana the
United states Otficlals.
The Auditorial Committee met yesterday at |
D. m. Present, Messrs. Aldige Leeds and Des.
msrais.
Executive session was called, and the first wit.
ness examined was In relation to
LARGE BLACK TRUNK,
supposed to contain auditoral records, and
which was removed, 40 previously stated in the
DEsoonAr. from Rampsrt street to q. millinery
establishment on Canal street. The trunk in
question was opened by Col. George L. Norton,
supervising inspector OF steamboats, and lie
| states contained silverware and wearing ar :
parel.
MIR. 4. r. Champlin. special deputy collector,
Was the next witness, the inquiries propounde d
TO him being OF nature calcul lied to inform the
committee as to the contents OF tho four boxes in
the sky parlor, but nothing
| NEW on INTERESTING
was developed.
MFR. Boyer was examined, as WAS also Gen,
Barney, special Treasury agent, and Col. Hatch
of the Custom House Commission. Gen. Barney
was Intercepted as to his authority over the
customs department store-room, etc., and az 10
/ his knowledge OF the contents of the four boxes
| in the sky parlor garnet Of the granite building.
Mr.. Hiram smedley was also examined il, rela-
| tion to hs knowledge OF the removal three
| trunks from The State.House during the latter
part Of March and at midnight, when in order to
have the Nichols police as for away as possible,
those on the south eide OF the State House were
ooAxED TO RESTAURANT
further out 81. Louis street and were treated to
fine supper.
The three trunks were taken to saloon in
Exchange Alley, as previously stated by the
DEMOCRAT, and there remained several days
until removed by hand carts. but where they
went to was not ascertained.
After examining other Witnesses the committee
adjourned until Tuesday at p. m. Pending the
session Mr.. Octo Ogden was called into the room,
40 = representative Of the Attorney General. to
consult with the committee concerning the steps
taken by the Attorney General 10 secure IN order
for the
RETURN OF THE BOXES
or their contents TO the State authorities,
The attorney, ID SCENE, addressed a letter to
U. s. District Attorney Lacey on the 10Th inst,
as follows:
State or LOUISIANA
Attorney Generals Office,
New Orleans. La, July 10, 1877.
Hon. Geo. s. Lacey, United States District At
torney:
SRA number OF the most important books
and other records of the State Auditors Office
we're, on or about the 18th OF January. 1877. |
felonously removed from that Office and delivered
TO the chief deputy OF ex.United States Marshal |
PitkiD, at his Office in the Custom House, These
facts are now established beyond controversy by |
the testimony Of witnesses examined before the |
Legislative COMMITTEES appointed TO inves-
tigate the affairs of the Auditors office. |
The The State tate. stands greatly in need Of
has been foiled in every attempt to recover |
them. They were certainly received by an off,
Ger OF the Federal Government withil the Uni. |
ted States Custom House, and have never bern |
returned to their place In the Office to which |
they belong.
Within the past few days four boxes have been
discovered in the Office of the keeper Of the
Oustom-House corresponding exactly In descrip-
tion to some OF those in which the books and
records were removed. These boxes the keeper
refuses to have examined upon the ground that
they were placed 10 his custody as the private
property Of the ex.Msrshal.
II is evident from the above statement every
word OF which / feel sure can be verified, that
The property and jurisdiction OF the Federal gov
has been improperly used by unworthy
officials to promote and aid in the preparation
Df crime against the State of Louisiana.
/ am satisfied that it Ia only necessary for me
% call the attention Of the Federal government,
through its proper officer, to this state Of facts
n order to secure its most sctiye cooperation
N the dicovery OF the whereabouts Of the stolen
property and In the punishment Of tho authors
II the crime.
would respectfully suggest 40 methods to the
OF this end that the proper
,rders be issued for the immediat, examination
u these boxes in the presence OF the chairman
u the legislative committee above referred to,
md that the Federal government instruct its de-
ective force to cooperate with us in the attempt
VI the State and passed into the custody OF the
MARSHAL Of the United States.
Very respectfully, II. N OGDEN,
Attorney General Of Louisiana.
This letter, with portion omitted, was by
District Attorney Lacey I
sENT BY TELEGRAPH
o the Attorney General OF the United States,
With request that definite instructions be SEM
i'm. On yesterday the reply came from the De.
artmsnt Of Justice claiming that the Attorney
General OF the United States was too far dis ant
o personally direct in the matter, and would
therefore, permit the United States District At !,
orney to use his own discretion.
This information the United States District At
orney communicated to Attorney General Og-
len with mild but upmistakeable suggestion {
hat some legal process would
. BE ACTUALLY NECESSARY
'efore the boxes would be turned over, and sug- I
esting that an affidavit be made claiming that
he contents Of the boxes were the property Of ,
he State.
This information was conveyed to tho commit I
90 but no action was decided upon.
The Gov. Morton Cotton
The cotton lover 1000 bales) Of the ship Gov.
[orton, which had been bonded out Of the hands
Z the salvors and Marshal, was sold yesterday {