Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-08-13

nOoinsOh, hbniStaht ooiiVitOi VI the
Treasury, declined to aid Moore's in
vestigation, saying, "They don't want
il continued up stairs, referring to the
Secrctary's Office and he co.operated
with Appointment Clerk Porter in an
effort to break down Moore's investi-
cation by abolishing the force OF
Inspectors of Customs, to which
Moore's assistant in the matter-who
had first traced the Jones package
belonged. Robinson suddenly manu-.
factured an opinion that there was no
law for the existence Of this force,
which has existed over fifty years.
When Moore informed Assistant Sec
rotary Conant Of Williams frauds,
Conant, TO Moores astonishment, ad-
vised him TO drop the inquiry, and he
threw such difficulties in its way that
Moore felt forced to suspend 1t the
whole time that Conant was Acting
Secretary Of tho Treasury. When
Sherman became Secretary, Moore re-
ported the facts to him, and Sherman
referred the matter to George f. Tai
bot, Solicitor of the Treasury, instruct
ing him to complete the inquiry in &C
cordance with Moore's suggestions.
Moore and Treasurer Gilfillan, who
had co-operated, conferred with Talbot
and enabled him to obtain evidence to
establish the facts. They cautioned
him against Conant, Bigelow, Baker,
Robinson and others but within forty
eight hours they were shut out from
the investigation, and these very men,
including Williams, were in constant
communication with Talbot. The sus
suspected parties had possession of and
passed round the testimony and re-
ports against Williams, and some OF
them called Treasurer Gilffllan to ac-
count for telling what he knew. Gil
fillan went TO New York to aid District
Attorney Woodford to arrest and
prosecute Williams there. Williams
was warned of this, and passed Gill
fillan between New York and Wash
ington, appearing before Talbot and
saying he was informed Talbot wanted
him, While Gilfillan was arranging
Williams arrest with Woodford, the
latterreceived telegram from Talbot
directing him to act in concert with
Bigelow, Williams friend, and him
self under suspecion, and to try to have
Williams give up the list of owners of
unclaimed interest to Bigelow Before
the Glover Committee Talbot swore
that he never sent such a telegram,
but the Committee obtained a copy OF
it, with his signature ! This dispatch
stopped Gilfllan. Talbot allowed Will.
Jams TO be examined without arrest
by a United States Commissioner of
Williams choosing. Neither Moore,
Gil6llan nor any other person who
knew the facts, was notified Of this
examination" or allowed to testify /;
only witnesses friendly to him were
examined, and he was discharged
When Middleton & Co. were asked to
refund the sums wrongfully paid to
them on Williams fraudulent account,
the letter addressed TO them at Wash
ton was answered by Williams from
London. Talbot made whitewash-
ing report to Secretary Sherman, de.
voted mainly to exculpating Conant,
against whom no charges had been
laid before him; but Sherman deemed
it policy for Conant to retire he was
sent to London to keep Bigelow com
pany, and the foreign loan operations
of the Government have since been
conducted by men who successfully
did their best to shield q confessed
iorger and swindler, who with the aid
of Treasury confeGerates stole the
money that belonged to widows, luna
tics, orphans and foreigners. The
forged signatures were unlike the true
one, and Williams confederate, Inter.
est Teller Jones, made no comparison
or test Of their reality, violating thus
the rules of the Office. All these officials
but one, Baker, are still in office, and
Porter has been made Financial Clerk
of the Coast Survey, while Wyman
and his bondsmen have been freed
from responsibility. The sole punish.
ment meted out was that to Supervis
ing Special Agent Moore, the one man
who persistently tried to expose the
wrong, and who was reduced to sub
ordinate post.
RUINoUs CUSTOMS TRANSACTIONS.
When the Grand Trunk Railway
was opened the exports from Canads
passed over il through Vermont, New
Hampshire and Maine TO Portland
where they were shipped abroad. Thii
trade soon grew so large that whol'
lines Of oceans steamers were built fol
it, and 100 largo bonded warehouses
were set up at Portland TO accommo
date it. Under the Treasury regua
tions the commodities were loaded OF
cars in Canada, the cars being ther
sealed by the United States Consul a
the starting point, and run through
without opening or delay to the por
of shipment in the States. Thus they
passed free of all annoyance by Gus
tom House officials, not being subjec
to duty, as they merely passed through
the country. Tho Joint High Com
mission, which framed the Alabami
Treaty, agreed Article 20 Of Treaty,
that this should go on. March 30
1875, the Secretary OF the Treasury
, issued an order confirming and regu
lating the practice. Within q montl
after he published regulations practi
,, cally abolishing it. He required tina
all goods coming from Canada shoul,
be entered, opened, inspected and pu
under bondsfor their shipment abroad
at the first port Of entry they rcache,
/, after crossing the border. On tn
Grand Trunk Railway this was th
small town Of Island Pond, VT, wher
the facilities tor making the entrie
were 30 inadequate that the orde
: could not possibly be carried out Tn
. penal bonds required, amounting I
I, millions Of dollars at time, all hn
! TO be executed by two persons VIII
were worth but few thousand dollar
which made tho bonds worthless an
= showed that the stoppage st Islam
Pond gave no security against smul
Cling. The first effect of tho orde
7 was TO enlarge the compensation {
tho Collector Of Customs at Islam
!, Pond to $4,000 or $4,000 yea
:, three or four times that of the Collie
4 l.. - d.