New-York tribune., 1878-10-05
SUITS AGAINST MERCHANTS.

THE CHARGES AGAINST DE GRElFF ~ CO.
A STATEMENT BY ONE OF THEIR CoCNsEL-A
BLACKMAuING sCuEME ALLEGED-TnE CASE
FOR THE GOVEENMENT
James Il. Cunning, Of counsel for DE Grclif
& CO.. accused u destroying uroos Of fraud III te' i'm
poratlOns which had brcn obtained by the Govern
mcut aad wAcn. II alleged they secured bY corrupt
MEANS said yesterday that the whole salt was back,
mailing scheme.
Hessrs. De Grcf & Co.." said Mr.. Cunning. have
many years merchants Of N-wY"rk. with repn-
tatious as hgu ~ any 1t, and scrSedy So W" ar"
convinced that the attempt made Is tor blackmhii
aud deserves higher characteuziign. We 3re con
nrmed in this belief by the following proceedings:
clerk OF d. Grtni & Co. left their employ about JAY
lasr and LA ely made large demand fot services
ana comm need salt 10 recover very Large sum irou
the firm. Mcssrs De Grif Co. were Threatened ~ the
time that il the matter not settled tIere would be
trouble and from time to time thsc threats were r.
newed Tee trn was even invited 10 inspect the afi
davts against them, but declined, feeling that there
possible rOunu- against them; bu sun threats
continued and inducements were held ont 10 sctH' the
matter before Il reached tue DisIiclAtl0rneys hands
AtI,st came the Statement tna there would b. CRIMINAL
proc edngs. Ncssrs. DE- GrrR Co. have refused from
tho Il to pay one cent for tribute, confident tha l.
was sea ne to extOrt money and they are confident
that the proceedings now pending Will establish lhai
fact They communicated with the D.stiiot-AttOrncy
the subject and advised him that Sucn proceedings were
t. be expected They knew trey were coming. and III
yited an Investigation. l. Is simply" said Mr. Cunning.
IN concluson last de- pcratc effort to cxtort money
from De Gre'G 4 Co. on an uniounded cla'm."
Mr.. De Grcl and Mr.. Fnacca expressed great indi2na
ton yest rday at the injustice which they declared had
boen them. They refused TO give any details oi
their sid, the case. Said NJ. DE GrcT; Tho whole
thing big pcce Of bnckmailng, and we are ready To
abide by the truth 1t is shown on examination As
si-tant Disirict-Attorney Fcro postponed The case
merely to give an opportunity for prudicng the pubic
against us We wanted to on with tIe examination
at once For tho last two months We have received
many letters from b. c. Jayu', demanding IntefVi 'Ws
on import ant business bat have pad no attention 20
them we they would only result in demands Tor
money"
MIR FIero said Yesterday that ouly the haldest outline
of the case for the Government had been given TO the
papers There was abundant proof to substantae the
charges against De Grcia ~ Co.. and also against Hugh
j. Beglcy. "4Ir. DE Greif came hero to-day ad'e
Mr. Fero land wished to substitute new man for ,Le
his bondSmei found that ne man o|neI Iolh'nt ~
except lot of wildcat land IN Texas, worth about
80 cents acre, and so refused to consent 10 thc
cnauge The examination In me case was postponed AT
the request OF DE GreH own couh9e, u.slIeu MAJ -
should 20 to-day or saturday. Ny attention was
first drawn tO tho ease when TIE big claim OF
100000 for services was made by Joan W. Birmingham
against D. Grrn * Co. IL looked suspicious, ana got
mold VI Birmingham and from him learned the whole
history OF the caae He said that II mad beeh te custom
OF the house import cheap goods with costly articles
differentiation goods H Pans thrOugl culu-oh WIN
agents there In IiS way they had been able To uudt:-
sell competitors who imported lcutmaiely ana had
anna -Scd large fortune. Bgey is al the bottom or llis
matter HIS position il not cnyahlc one, as nave
letters OF his in desk here which snow
his guilt They VIII prove that the evidence for the
Government which he obtained was sol! pG INN 10
Britt;ngha who delivered t over Ia De Grclh lnen,
too, nave long atiayt and statement mato Dy Bel.
cInfdent rlelk OF De Greih * Co.. which gives ia
detail methods uf the firm 10 the payment or
legal duties. Ali these thln.s make strong case Tor
the Government.
Two suits will ne brought against the irm-one
civil suit tor unieTyluOn OF goods, and the Other,
criminal sui, thCI destruction OF DOCUMENTARY eY-
Gencc. The old suit which dismissed Tor lack ot
evidence can bo reOpcned tie ground 1f newY-iIs-
covered evidence. There viii b. difficulty about that.
These mend to press, aud un"sS hy witnesses
sell me cut, confident OF conviction. In this, how
ever lies thc great dICuty nInctt mine cases out OF
every hundred brought by the Government against
merchants accused OF frauds the revenue are lost ne
cause TIE last moment the main Witnesses sell out
De Greif is correct saying that B. &. Jayne j.
mixed up III the matter It would be- difficult 10 mud
crOOked transaction that he didn't have hand n.
We shall have nothing to do with h IL n impossible
to tell yet winch side he Will be you may al ways
calculate, however that he viii 30 wucrc there Is the
prOsJect % tine most money!
General Roger A. Pryor, counsel for Hugh J. BcglCY,
SAID yesterday tnat he had nothing TO ABOUT the