The New York herald., 1878-10-04
ARREST OF DE GREIFF & co.
THE STORY OF SEVEN CASES OF "coTToN
GooDs"-FoRMER UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS

THE STORY or SEVEN CASES OF "CoTToN
GooDs"-FoRMER UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS
TO CONVICT THE FIRM OF SMUGGLING.
Warrants issued yesterday tor the arrest Of
Anton De GreiG and Carl J. rriacca, composing the
firm OF A. De Gref Co., importers Of dry goods, a.
No. 4S9 Broome street. aud also for the arrest OF Hugh
J. Begley, Eanagipg CLERK for the law firm OF Webster
& Craig, OF Brooklyn. James B. Craig, the head OF
the firm, is we'll known democratic politician. He
vas In the Custom house, office boy, under Col
lector Redneld. and acted as private Secretary to
Collector schel. He was lately Chairman OF the
Mclaughlin Committee, OF Brooklyn. Tho govern
ment officials have been for some time back trying 10
get clear against tho firm, ana, in several
COS when they th0usht that sufficient evidence was
forthcoming to penalties, or undervslusuon
OF imported goods, they ioiled. The history Of
tho follows: :Iu 1874 United States District
Attorney Bliss received information from man
named Roberts, whose son kept q warehouse Phil
adephia tnat suspicious looking peen
shipped to his place for storage IRON New York
BY Dc GreiG Co. and Hitchcock & Co.,
and that they were represented TO contain
cheap cotton goods Captain Braekett OF tho
Custom House, WIS set to work on tho
case, and ON examining the discovered in the
centre OF each iron box containing silk valued at
$4,000. They had not, however, sufficient inorma
tion on which 10 seize the goods, but close watch
was kept on tho suspected parties Five weeks
lassr q member OF tho firm OF Hitchcock o. visited
the DISTRICT Attorneys Office and informed Mr.. Bliss
that Of their correspondents abroad had shipped
the goods TO them, and, becoming frightened, they
sent the cases Philadsiphs. The Dstrct Attorney
believed Their story, aud their Information the
goods condemned and sold for the benefit OF the
g0vsrnmsns.
lin 1875 CLERK OF De Greir l. Co, named Bell fur.
Dishsd United states District Attorney Bss with Tho
Information that the arm haa been committing
frauds lne revenue by the underva,uaton o trim-
mngs. He produced invoices, which, on being COM
pared The invoices at the Custom House, showed
large differentiation. Bssids. Bel. Lewis Kirk aod
Jonn Raaski gave iuisrmaton Of fraud committed by
this nrm, and Hugh J. Begicy was'thc attorney Tor
SUING THE rIRx.
District Attorney Bliss says that he worked hard
unt!l no had conclusive against De Grcin Co.
Ae then commenced three suits against them ana
seized $500 600 worth Of goods as security Tor the
penalties Do 6ren 20 retained ox-Judge Hoas-
boom as counsel aud no engaged Ethan Allen US
attorney. rhs SUITS were one Tor $eo, 600 Tor the
goods ana penalties, and The ihfd for 100000
for any possible penalty outside. Ethan Alien SAYS
tins ground hs undertook their deienee He gave
bond In the $4,000 suit; WAS not obliged to IN the
100000, which accepted by the Dissrlc. Attor-
ney. Issue was joined by lawyer Allen on the pre-
DE GrsG arrived from Europe, Allensprcpared CON-
mission to to Paris TO take the evidence OF Ltu-
snS is5s e ,e ,as
len about send them over 10 take tho testimony
when, 70 hts surprise, he received note from Do
Grcin Co. not TO d. So and request at the same
time 10 turn over all the papers IN the case 10 Ken
meth q. White their new attorney. Allen suose.
QuentIy went TO the District Attorneys ofilce and
found that the government had clear case against
mis- late clients
the evidences, held by the District Attorney, con-
sisted OF doubs invoices md some letters ch
passed between tho nrm and their correspondents
abroad. ME Bliss says that this testimony, how
ever, was worthless, uuIcss supported by the owl
doncs Of the iniormsra A. this hms, Mr. Bliss went
Kennetn @. wh..c, the new attorney OF De GrelG n
Co., went 10 Washington, and wanted To have
,a' n DO case ,s,s uus issued .u orser for an
immediate trial OF The case District Attorney Wood
ford nad no .ime 70 gss the dspos.ions OF people In
mon tioncd above. When tho informers were placed
ON the stand they suddenly los. tnetr memory, aad
missal OF the suit IL was not, however, ordered on
the record.
some umo later the inormers oallcd ~ the Dis
trcs Attorneys slcc aud seemed to have refreshed
another suit was brought Ar. whits again went 10
Washing gton, and al Immaculate trai was again
cass--,he iniormcrs memory iail,ng them for
ondi time confidential clerk Of Do Groin Co,
asse ho nrm os ~. sepce. sun
getting the suMs Dismissed, and sac, 600 additional,
which he claimed was quo him rns firm Of Do
0rsin y Co. has special partner In Europe, named
Peter sherman, and tho governmsnt offcinls have
procured evidence lately that no cabled 10 tho French
arm which shipped the goods asking them ~ they
would swear that tho IN voices were correct They re-
Piled u they under oath they would state that
The invocos we're marked down by direction Of De
0rcin Co.
About s,x or sevon weeks ago the special agent oi
tho Treasury received Information that John Muller,
a buyer Tor Do Gref Co., was heavily engaged 10
Smuggling. warrant was ssusd Tor hrs arrest aud
the customs oihoers learned that he had taken
passage on the steamship Neckar. Tor Europa they
went thitner In search Of him; but Muller
changed Ris mind, ana wniio the officers
looking Tor him on ihs Nsoksr he embarked on inc
Bri.aunic. through the discovery Of Muiler's al
legged smuggling IRE special agents were put on the
nf I'M ueC a a roi On md
The government claims 10 have IN Its possession
evidence thai ths 6rm conspircd 70 destroy and
cea, with the assistance of Hugh J. Bcglcy the pa
pers aud INVOICES nicn intended TO prove the
fvrt hich m rtouaiv dts.