, 1879-05-11
CUSTOM-HOUSE CASES.
Fifth Days Proceedings OF the
Conspiracy Trial.
A Dreary Mass Of. Documents, Letters,
and Vouchers.
Doubts Is to the Jurors Taking Lifeiy interest
= in Them.


in Them. :,
The t1fth days proceedings in the trial OF the
Custom House cascs .opened yesterday morning
quarter Ut au hour so late. It IL beginning 10
be demonstrated Tint half-past 8 O'Clock in the
morning IL an early hour for the lawyers to turn
up from remote distances with their visual organs
clear and bright. aud their intellects fresh and
active, AZ on the previous evening. Mr. SWEET WAS
lnte yesterday morning, nnd was hridged, too, so
that it was very nearly 10 o'clock before ho came
in on the ran and explained the delay. .
Several OF the jurors having expressed WISH TO
70 home over Sunday, and Mcssrs. SWEET and
Hoyne putting in plea for an early adjournment
in order to get their evidence better IN line, the
Court intmated that it WAS quite possible that the
session would not be prolonged after 1 O'CLOCK.
The Court also called attention to the fact-not an
astonishing one either-that one OF the jurors had
complained that he WIS unable To- understand the
exact drift OF good deal Of the evidence present.
cd. In this connection. the Court requested couu-
ae to be very careful and painslaking in their pre-
sentation OF the testimony, so that the jury might
fathom its tcchnicalities..
Nr. SWEET offered to introduce 49,;
4 LETTER OF MUELLER =.
applying for payment OF the 10 Der cent referred
to in Potters recommendation to the Secretary OF
the Treasury. This letter not at hand tte day
before, but, having obtained it. 3lr SWEET desired
to get it in for the evident purpose Of showing
1lueller's reason for his claim, and, OF course.
pottcr's reasons for recommending its payment.
Counsel for the Government having been through
the papers In the case suggested that In intro
ducing documentary evidence, they begin at the
beginning, nnd work, forward. In this view the
Court en- tirely concurrcd with them. although ~
Mr.. Campbell had ths letter OF Mueller n his
hands aud It was in the line OF what was offered
Friday, he thought it might As well be read now
MI Campbell thereupon read letter from
Mueller to Bristow, July 8, 1875, making
formal application for the retained percentage, On
stone, through no fault Of his. and put TO consd-
cradle expense by reason OF such delay IN ms
connection. Mr.. Campbell again read Pottcr's let:
sccsetarys indorsement and the yoaeiet prssent ID
and recripted by Mueller for S1o. 153. q of re-
tained percentage for the months OF January,
February, March, April' Aa5' June' july and Au-
MR.. HARRIS, RECALLED,
produced copies OF the instructions to Superin-
1endents and Disourslng Agents REGARDING pay
January, 1871. and the Others OF date March,
1870. THESE vouchers here presented. said the
witness, were the ones received under these forms
.tThe question il. F." broke IN Mr. SWEET, as Mr..
Campbell was reading the rules laid down for the
guidance Of the Collector Of Customs, why he
didn't report these things to thc Department as
well us to the Associated Prcss:" Laughter
Tne witness was next called upon to identify the
signatures Of Buriiny, Prussing, and Mueller to
voucher for stone cutting Of GATE Aug. 81, 1875.
The voucher footed up $a6, 792 .66, with che Is
per cent addition OF 81, 0ls so, making total Of
$50 81. 81 rhis was only one ;,n Of Hnd, lind IT, The
cember, 1875, to December. 1877, and the total
amount for the stone cutting in that period being
$685., 269.3
QUESTIONING. =
In answer to Nj. Lackner, counsel for Prussng,
the witness said these vouchers were made out by
Kalstrom. clerk in the superntendent's office,
Air. McGaeg asled the witness II Buflng OBJ
ers,-lf he had observed the prescribed forms as
fur as witness knew. The latter replied that they
were accepted az such. The forms were such as
were prescribed by tho Department, aud he did not
recolect ever finding or paying one that i'm
properly made out. Copies OF these vouchers were
sent Immediately to the Secretary Ut the Treasury,
Mr. SWEET read over some Of the :. instructions"
to Discussing Agents, and witness said he was ex~
pccted to see that these vouchers were In accord.
payment and report to the Secretary. Some Of
these vouchers for retained percentages were held
over, referred and the order cane baSk from % the
Of referring any OF tnesa cutting vouchers. or re-
porting that anybody was idling cheating the Gov
vouchers should not be paid In passing, upon
them, he followed Instructions, supposins he nad
done his duty, and that everything was al right.
ncnt that the office here hau received notice from
Ing nepa' .uos eoaa.;nEs1 d;rnrapc.s
adjusted Iherc were oecasiona1 ~ oinsIenGess s1sd
Wnen tue atleni'un ~ 49, ~ ..aS i :, V,no n~A "10 ~
the matter, ana y was au1ussca. & .,,+ = ~;
Mf. Mcess? @ ~ .ha ro esnnns;
h1e ~ thn iisms on which thssr reports we're
hascd The witness said he supposed these men
kept time, and that Prussings aud Durling's re-
ports were based thereon, =: s: -
Mr. Campbell asked the witness to produce
r11r scurnr111. or stNArER1A1 II, VOUCHERS
.,, -,...- va-..,h.- 7o-s ,,5 s;o,,a-
PAID alneer s'Ice Ho'en.ou, aoeo, uat ~ atrosnt at
batch WIS pfoanceo x1Ic one %ns n.g 'n, 1or
sSieu o5 = - !uo:.ns', @ ~ ~ Z, e,1, ,.er,hnr
S79L9s EaGn was aCcoupanaeo " u sun. t
sf1ned oy outH91 auu nan,,tna a Sn 1c!e ~
covered pe1,o1 A. t9.nF tnntinu ~ - so1 az