New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-04-10
cusToM-HoUsE IRREGULARITIES.


CTsTOM-HOUSE IRREGULARITIES.
~ur FREE AND EASY MANNER IN WHICH Mr..
,yDrcKvR ALLOWED IMPORTS TO PASS DUTY
vREE FOR POLITICAL AND OTHER FAvoRITEs.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIRUYE.l
WASHINGTON April o.-Tho avowod intention of
.be Treasury Department to institute searching
investigation into the New-York CustOm-house
o;ves renewed interest and importance to certain
facts collected by Secretary Bristow previous to his
retirement with a view TO making similar inquiry.
The contest with the Whisky Ring was finally Oft
his hands. and he had made himself familiar,
through inquiries ordered at different times, with
The mannerin which most ofthe prominent officers of
the Custom house performed their duties. Some of
the facts thus asceraned came then into the hands
Of correspondents, to be used when general move
mani should begin; but no such opportunity pre-
senteditself and the present seems to be the first
tme when their Use could have effected any good
purpose
The following acts of Lydecker, Special Deputy
Collector Of New-York are recalled: A prominent
limited States Senator at one time imported SIX cases
Of wine. and sent to the New-YOrk CustOm-house
the exact amount of money necessary to pay the
duties This money was handed over to the proper
clerks in the CustOm-house. The wine was sent 10
tbe general order store and aftcrward delivered, but
on an investigation being made no permit for de-
livery was found. Subsequently it appeared that
Mr. Lydecker had issued free permit covering this
import of wine for the purpose of settling the ac-
counts of the vessel From January, 1874, to the close
of1S75 this same Senator's name remained on the
hooks of the New-York Custo,l-hOuse as having OBJ
famed the wine without the payment of duty
although it had been promptly paid at the time OF
the importation, rs mentioned above. ANY investi-
cation bv Congress in the meantime would have
placed the Senator. who is exceedingly careful ard
sensitive about such things. in a very awkward
light and no explanation of the matter would have
been accepted by the country.
In the case of celebrated English actress per-
forming in this country, silks, satins and velvet
dresses valued at several thousand dollars were inn
ported By express. These were sent to the APP
praser's Office, who reported them as silk wearing
apparel. Shortly afterwad they were entered as
free goods by Mr. Lydeckcs orders, and the actress
while she had no invoice of the goods, was allowed
to pass them, although duplicate invoices had been
FLED in tho proper office of the Custom-house In
this case the Government was defrauded Ot between
$500 and $500 i'll duties.
Anoteer ease which attracted very general atten-
ton in the Treasury Department was also discov-
cred at about the same time. prominent mllllner
and dressmaker of New-York, who had among her
customers many influential politicians. imported
large amounts of goods which were not entered at
all because Mr. LydeckeT ordered them to
be sent to "a public store" designated by a
certain street and number, which upon investigation
turned ont to be her own place of business. On
some occasions this same milliner and dressmakeT
imported goods used in her business nOmindy as
Books in use" Under this title they were al lowed
10 pass free In other cases, invoice appeared ia
have been used. In some instances the duties
M I,+ C,,1,
sequently, this woman changed her place OF
business. and after that, when her goods ar
rived, Mr. Lydecker ordered them sent to
her new store designating it as before as
"a public store" In these cases no examination
whatever was made and no duties We're paid. In
some instances no reports whatever of the npOr,a a.
tons appeared iii the appraisers stores. In some
cases where duties were paid several months were
allowed TO pass before any entry whatever was
made of the inpOrtatiOns of this woman, or before
the money appears to have been furnishee.
Another instance was discussed in which prom
inent expressman of New-YOrk was allowed to i'm
port 10 cases of castings. Upon their arrival Mr..
Lydecker gave an order to send them to a certain
designated street and number for appraisement, the
place being the eXpressman's own Office. No entry
of the goods was made, and no duties were paid for
more than six months. Other instances similar
TO this were reported, and in some of them goods
were allowed to pass without even The fOrmaity OF
invoices.
The prOprietOrs of one of the leading theaters of
New-York were constantly allowed TO import ma
terias for their use under the designation Of tools
OF trade" On one of these occasions about
$50 different articles, embracing mole than
dozen large cases, were thus imported and
entered as "tools of trade" and passed
free as, such by Mr.. Lydicker's order.
Ia some instances entries whatever were re-
quired before the goods passed by the lnsruc-
lions of the Deputy Special Collector as theatrical
scenery in USE" coupled with an order for free per-
nat, In some cases the theatrical material was en-.
tered free under the designation of various articles
upon which duty is not to be collected by law.
One case which attracted great attention subse-
quently and led to the conclusion that the New
York CustOm-houSe ought TO be overhauled was that
III which il was discovered that great quantity of
WIRE had been passed through the Custom-house
without the payments Of any duty whatever 1t
was consigned To a very prominent official III Wash
1ngton, not however connected with the Treasury
Department. When this fact became known outside
Of Cust0m-hOuse circles the officers there proceeded
In great haste TO raise the of money neces-
sary and paid the duties making the proper entries
They so arranged the matter that it would bear in
vestgation.
THE SYSTEM AT NEW-YORK