The New York herald., 1878-07-12
General Arthur and A. B. Cornell the
Unfortunate Victims.
GENERAL MERRITT AND SILAS ". BURT.
They Are Appointed Respectively
Collector and Naval Officer.
THE oFFIcE-AoLDERs' QuANDARY,

Tuesday with Secretary Sherman to the effect that
phapge was 70 made In the personnel Of Tho Gus
Tom House ana Naval Onics, took definite shape ycs-
tsrday in the positive announcement from Washington
that the President had removed General Chester
4. Arthur ~ Collector Of the Port and
nr A. B. Cornell as Naval Oncer. The dos
patch making this announcement stated that
senesal Merritt, tho Surveyor or the Port haa been
sssignsted 70 succeed General Arthur and that Sas
". Burt, Mr.. Cornes deputy had been chosen to hll
the o1ncial shoes or Mr. Cornell. The news was re-
psved this city 80 late IN tho afternoon that but
lev persons down town OF 1t till long after
business hours and then tho politicians aud the
republican placehoiders refused give It credence
TO say that It fell like thunderoot npon those
employ 81 in the Custom House and Naval ONCE who
had made concealmens Of their detestation Of
sveryikiuE that smacked Of opposition to Senator
Con king would but give faint idea OF their feel
Ingy. Consternation pictured every face and,
for short time after the news had bcen spread
ABOUT, stranger walking into tho Custom House
would have supposed that the Collector mad fallen
from the root OF the rotunda and broken hts neck,
sni that everybody was anxious TO know how
u nad all. happened. Yos was Inc event
not altogether unanticpated. There had bcen
Yumbiings In the SKY for days that erstold 10 the
xcasherwisc that storm was brewing, ana not . lev
felt certain that after tho senate mad ad
purned the President would put his foot down in .
way that would make itself felt They were con-
vineed that II otner people had forgotten the rcjso-
tion OF Roosevelt he had not und that, though
imisbls tho surface and apparently 'resigned to
the situation" the Senate had created, he just
iuIl OF determination As TO get rid of tho men
tho Senate had prevented him from getting rid Of
months ago. ~ as...fe. .t.
rHH RUMBLIS0 OF the STORM
That tho removals had been made was but rumor
In the CustomHouss tho forenoon Matters
gan dennito inspect the early after
noon, however, and thero were many hurried whis-
pered consultations among clerks and other officials
behind dosks rheIact that Secretary Sherman had
visited the Collector on Wednesday afternoon we
knowD and taken advantage Of bv both those who
believed In Tho rumors and those who did not to spec
uate Oh the probabilities OF tho situation He had
arrange about the limo oi Mr.. Arthur's sue
Scissor taking charge, the fonsr CLAIMED wniic the
latter argued thas It was not at all ptobabie that
= close consultation OF several hours would
be heiu on the eve OF a removal AZ the
afternoon wore on tho corridors began to be filled
with politicians Of all kinds ana degrees. 1t the
scent OF tho gamc that some, the instinct that
makes rats abandon q sinking ship that drow others
10 the place 10 which way they could jump
10 advantage. The rumors had now become
10 pointed and wore affirmed repeatedly
BY mon whose opinions were considers cd
good, that thorc lmlie doubt left In the minds OF
ths strimmers" oi the TACT OF the removal They
wanted cry Justify Long Iivs she Kipgi" but. not
knowing who the king was to be, were IN turmoil Of
sxssperating mental anxiety, which was not relieved
until later In the day, anu even then many OF them
hes,ta,sd. Every conner was quickly buttonholsd,
snd whom a republican politician OF any promi-
ncnce mado his appearance tho stairs,
ihe few fortunate ones VINO knew him would
surround him and plead for reliable Information, !,
which they did not gst because the pro poli-
Sician" IN almost every instance alter the same
Information himself Later tho anxiety among the
officials became intense, ana watchiui eyes fixed
spon the door leading to Collector Arthur,s private
rooms Every person who went In or out was
scanned and capvassed low tones BY tho faithful
watchers. The numbcr that wanted to see tho Col
lector very large, and not a low werc on
the stairways leading to the street and
upon the street ITSELF In. front OF
the william strect entrance were two cabs,
the drivers of which put ocossiousI severe
eross-sxamination in the hope that their "fare''
might have 10, drop some remark bearing on the
great question o shs hour About three O'Clock, the
closing hour tor business the writer made his way up
the stairway and through tho 'wstchers" toward tho
polisctors ofhoe Ncar the door stood mysterious
Individual Who recognized the writer and unbended
for moment from his on1cisi dignity TO smile 1t
rather . solemn smile. however
'sweIi," said he. "tho old MANS" - At the
Sams limo passing bis index finger quickly hts
throat
"whAif" said the mystihed reporter.
"rhroat's cut" replied the onlcal.
'sYou don't mean 70 say that -"
no. no." said the mysterious one. "throat's cut,
removed, dou't ysu seef Too bad too bad" And then
As moved mournfulIy away, and, clutohing . small
coy by the collar. hustled him out OF tho hallway
IN GENERAL ARrHuR's oyyicR
Tho entrance 10 General Atthur's apartments was
somcw what d,ficuit There two ante rooms,
both Of which were filled Win gentlemen anxious
" the Collector. Within the inner room we're
. member Of politicians sealed here and there, and
eecasionsly making remark to General Arthur. who
was ss hts desK, apparently busy with the details q
his officc. Every lew moments the head Of de-
partmens would come iu with . batch OF papers Tor
she Generals signature. and IL evident that what
ever the enect Of the rumorcd NAV nave bee
elsewhere, the Collector himself was unmindiul ol
sught bat his duties.
In conversation tho Collector said he had had as ye,
NO official notification OF the rumorsd changes and
would attend to hs duties, Of course until he bad
been officially netihcd that hts services wore no
longer required he did not desire TO mako any
statement sad. In regard TO tho matter and xbat-
ever his opinion might DO he did not caro- express H.
In the rooms were . number Of well known gentle.
men, including General Daniel S,ckes, Police Com.
missioner Wheeler, General Knox and others. sons
OF these gentlemen hesitate to lay that tho
republicans OF New York wouid look with cxcesdins
oisfavor upon General Artbur's removal "And, "
sstd one, 'ths will be the case without regard 10
cIiques tsctioas. General Arthur 10 n gentle
man who has conducted MS anairs with SO much
Judgment good taste and good nature that HIS re-
moval by the President viii Dc looked upon by repub
licans generally NJ an outrHgc."
where 10 your civil service now 2" said smother.
"what the deuce the Of talkisg about civil
vice reform when heads are cut on without rhyme
Ysasonf when the great fuss was made during
Grants sdmiastrat,on about removals from Office
one pretended to say that the axe ana fall with
rcsson. When a man was 10 be removed by Grant he
generally knew II bcforeband, Tor he would have
70 search round long before reason would prsscn,
itself Bot nowadays, with this reform and that ro-
form and the other reform, the axe very liable 10
slip oil over tho country ana clip on heads that ough,
not 10 be touched.'
sALUfiSo RISING suS.
In the hallway. about threc O'Clock. the writcr