The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-28
NEW YORK'S CUSTOM HOUSE.
THE COMMISSIONS REPORT Upon THE
ALLEGED Fra UDS.
Government Onicers ConnivinE with Dishonest
documents that were Found In
an Unusual Place In the Custom House.


New YORK. juno rs. 1878.
Hon John Sherman. Seciesn'v Of ne T,anvy
SIR: In the investigation Of frauds on tho
revenue and the conduct OF Custom House
officers ut this port. pursuant 10 your instruc-
lions OF the 14th utimo. we have obtained evil
dence so seriously affecting the integrity oftwo
prominent officials that we deem it our duty to
at once make It the subject OF special report
and to submit the charges and documentary
evidence which appear to fully sustain them.
The officers implicated are John Il. Lydecker.
special Deputy Collector and Storck ceper OF the
Port and 4. NJ. Evans. chief liqudating clerk.
The charges against them consist OF collision
with importers and brokers. whereby the reve-
nue. has been dpirHuded out OF very lnrge
amounts in the manner hereinafter described.
II appears from the Information and evidence
produced and suhstantiated by the records OF
The United States Court and Custom House. that
some time prior 70 Nov. 10, 1858. an ingenious
system OF fraud had been devised and success
fully carried out ct this port. consisting Of the
importation Of silks and other valuable goods.
subject 10 high rate OF duty. at much less than
invoices and entries, in which the merchandise
was represented and described as icing cloeks
trining value and subject to comparatively
In each importation one or more casos con.
tanned the goods described in Tho invoice. and
were designated 10y the Deputy Collector for "x;
wore in no case ordered 70 20 UP for examina-
ton. OF examined by the officers OF the Custom
1t will he observed that in order to success
fully consummatc this fraud II was necessary
tat tne 0ri6rr Ies,sn pnckageS DoI Az
that he should select Tor examination only
packages tii" contents OF "hlch hgreeu WIN the
These fraudulent mportotions. It appears.
were nndr 10y the nrm 81 bendina, teiGie SIC.
city. and The silks and other valuable goods
falsely invoiced wer. received and sold by the
MIN IN 81 uiats II, ses Rni,inb Hoi
On lne l9,I ~ Aouo . lu'tti nUa
ptniger WIZ r"u a} ptY,' q rd 's ,t
house poS i"r ,rSd n VII
tydeGSer son 9 yonn ~ Lyns'kGr %sreo an 10
ne ConniiisS'oher q, Cnsoess, tnfougn one
Snu9n WI, ~ pW ~ ,,t ~ i -, ~
s, ~ no raiis IN stio, IN vbi6 as
hc'Jo%r ~ riv u, ~ s.csi ~, W,s0,., as
implicated.
o .lr % on H. Invo & e,,ry 10 n
tain clocks and shades 20 the value 81 4Oi1 95-loO
francs, were ,umpoiIrtn ~ = P'n nun, ~ 70 ~
.ne steniner Slhe uS iarIs, ni.u; ai.ef tle
salu CASES hnu tneir conteh's W'Ie lhkeh pos
session 81 uy We \, iisvtoI ~ phn H ~ us
% o. ,. ns aIu. udi siL Srss
tnat seven OF tnso vhsvs ronIn'u PIT. = uIuss
goods q great Vaut. me entlre lhp9r,ation was
seIed ny MN lfpoIIed 10 'ie Pls'rlen A,.orhsy
on the l2th OF March, leo' anu colnpIomlse
ssee5bsoeoauenuy erected upon the payment oil
COZ No, ~ a, . ,.i,o .s .,,,... ,ho.o
~ appeatrs upon the 'hvo , ana entry o. tnese
aforementioned goods mat me package Tor ex-
as n"nntv CoIlect"r1t6e officer who adminis
tered he oath to the importer.
~ sohseaue1Fee 9L ms 'e n zoos
b,inad 81 ,ra H. ~, n
oence oothineu oi Severn ntN!vus ~ m
~ I'm u L III W., ~ ~ % ~
LILLE a. insiituid ~ rscoysr INC O vsime
s9ois. sur w"S % ~ G sJ nv 1
o. inc asi- m,hIioheu g2osss; E h tesu'eu 10
ule ItvoNeES "a "he VI S'o''V'' p'''u ia SOiii-
orTphiisv,; a,,Ara,aa nine i,,ro~,e,i,rs Nor.
,,h su. Jn ~ ~ mn ~ IL; IN
OF tns i.NYces -. Its 100 e' ~ c ~, us
House or the court. seven OF M nine orlfina a
sIiires. mowen v, ar nc. ~ % ui@ "as. =.
WI. "ppsa in r "a" ma ~, ,r
e1s;;r MAJ desirn,tea hv DenIiv CeIlsctor
lam Ia ivde"EaE T6e Secondhand instance
consIsiea 81 ths mp5rto,in f two ass Of
dress gopus 1lrf GUY uesctlo',d upon tte ehIS
~ WEI one r.lE usoh a,'eu US ur"S st anp
mere ping thereiotr, no nerssslI ior ~
usion, ihe "n N,s mn an H. a
age Sesianaed Dy "nYnrr ITpuy an. va h hy
Bend fn a FelglestocA amounted 10 over nan
The detection and punishment OF these par
yes nan .ehuency 70 Chech iUI $40 ~ laiuu
b bs revye se ana sueessiiy nron
sse5 NV otbnr o,.ers In What ar snow5 ~ tbe
Istu oy Jul! ~ ~, III ~a a. u.iiitI 40
tawteuc1i fIni les taiilI h ci,.lr7' "l,',
was defrnndad ~ ,ts DIM on si.ks and 6tbnr
goods Dearing hEh rH'e o Hu'y 70 inr H1 , J!
oil pH 1 ,ey ANY swP b au @ 10 V rst
less extent from 1866 to the present tim. So
H." as ~ Hs' Vre aSt ~ ~
now sTa st ira ior prac,sns me sane 9lr
arst na,ed "a NJ 81, a.,esf,l 80
~ - a L, -
cuIion IN d VI betIIia IN vas' d.,
on ne Z3d OF AprlI. lso' thrte were iIhp T. q
he6 hsgs u, niirst ~ sSl v 1 iSer
o.ooo uass Gl nIerae o. sa' WIN NJ" =
tor immediate onsumptlon, am the, est'nHitrl
Iutys nier'"i' a',., ~ M @ =" 49,, ~. ia "
800 DaEs vi s,s ~ ~ r. ~ ~ ia q
Sonu,u "hrrnouS' "nu ~ ~ lolaVM ls VI =
perraaiiy cnhS,ou ~ ib "a H., ny
iahinE adNnh,"Sr o. It ,o "a INV " ssi,
W. ~! ~, ~ - 4 H. ' =" a. ,h IA
ten' ,n'ra ~ So 20 - ,,s,,n,a ~
Gnnnsnnr. -, VIZ ,,,' "a ~ ~
uvpHt Iiiient WE We ~ ~ ~ n'' "a an ,
uhlnsu nou',h ~ w. ~ 49, u ~ h -,
1 II'nt .I,i'T ~ LIZ e'ss ie 49, ~
W ~ ~ - y ~, LI -, III
uy -, n1'F'sN ~ ~ @ 1',, h 10,
hnniidIotnin M cirk in tie Anitnrs Cni"e II is
nitnl,I ~, ia pren,i.s - a., q siI.,.,, :, ~
M all la b sai nar,pant i ~ in referncs
-, ,bi ,o cn M ,nni, ttsr ms I'M IN "a con
~ .si,9 cnso ILL e. .in'e - n ia
t,,d,,,,iIan, oharao,,,r ~ ,h@ tran.s.actiors Was
f,,py discnesaJ he II ,Jacttr ,reJ tn daafr
~ .hht' ui, - % 80, ~ ~, - dc rnt1 ~ o,,o,,rt
,,e p apedf9 =, u' p ~ LII I Iu "a" H., ,
pi osd.ieu ~ s. M ." ~, - ~ &
Pensntoh NllVli w ri a. H. -. = w 49,. :
az ths iha.rt sanIidh ~ pau U5 ,hv S