The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-28

1874. 110,972062 2.466, l22
1873. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1OS .90256 266S l59
SlG.................... Oll4o,2bS 2,0I0,309
1877. 81 05G,962 2,605. 226
NorE-In 1876 there reduction of ten of
REPORT OF THE JAY COMMISSION
The jay Commission consisting of two eminent
citizens of New York and officer of the Depart
of Justice whose official duty brought him
into active connection with the collection of customs
have made very full and elaborate examination of
the methods the business in the Custom House at
that port, and their reports-copies of which
have the honor to send you--show great abuses.
1t appears their first report that in May 1877.
there in the Collectors Office 1913 persons: in
office, 3D. making in all l036 permanent employees in
the Custom House, exclusive OF the Appraisers de-
partment, consisting of deputies, clerks inspectors,
weghers and gaugers, and that this number
could be safely reduced twenty per cent. This
reduction of twenty per cent opposed by Col
hector Arthur, who stated that reduction of more
than twelve per cent could not be made in dull times
without injury to the efficiency of the system and to
the business of the merchants. Notwithstanding
this opposition the reduction was substantially car
RED into effect by my order. ling an annual
ing of S23529o and increasing the efficiency Of the
service.
BRIDES RECEIVED.
The second report shows that it was a common
practice among entry clerks. weighers, gaugers,
inspectors and storekeepers to receive from import
and brokers irregular fees, emoluments, gratu-
ties and perquisites in the nature of brides.
This practice matter of general notoriety in
the custom House. and it does not appear that any
effort made by the Collector, Naval officer or
Surveyor to suppress it. The remedy sug-
gestcd for this evil by commission so
far it relates to entry clerks, was that
entries should be taken entirely in charge by tho
Custom House, and that the importer broker
should not be allowed to select the entry clerk
pass his entry. While Collector Arthur admitted
that this plan. If made compulsory. would go far to
remedy the evil, he thought ''it might involve annoy
ing results to importers by delay II has however
been adopted without causing annoyance. but the
contrary increasing the facilities afforded to the
public doing business with the Custom House. and
1t is believed that the of gratuties to clerks
in the Custom House has entirely ceased
THE wEIGHERs.
The third report shows that the gravest irregular
ties existed in the department of weighers and
gaugers; that the larger number of thirteen weigh
personal service TO the government; that the weigh
ers' foreman performed but little service; that
weighers' clerks. in some instances. performed no
duty; that in most IL not ALL weighers Offices men
were hired employees and assigned to do the work
of regular clerks; that the number of
laborers thus assigned varies from four to
eight persons in each weighers office that
men so assigned had but little duty to perform:
that persons were borne on the pay roll as laborcrs
ar a reward for political services who performed no
service except To sign their names TO rolls and
ccive their pay: that part Of the VEGETABLE merchan-
disc not weighed by government officers, but by
city wcighers. who furnished memoranda upon
which United States weghers made their returns that
part of the weighable goods not weighed at ALL
but that the marked weights packages were
copied OIL and returned by weighers as il weighed;
that the weighers had adopted schedule of irregular
fees, which they illegally collected from merchants
for special returns and copies OF weights delaying
20 make returns TO the Custom House until the I'M
porter paid these Irregular fees. that by reason OF
these irregularities tue cost of weighing and gaiiging
imported goods at the of New York
to the enormous sum of S.4G,52i 10 per annum.
These evils were not unknown to Collector Arthur
yet inc made attempt during his term of office 10
remedy them On the contrary. in a letter 10 me no
stated that he was confident that the commission
wholly failed TO appreciate the amount of work done
by the weghers and have. by their general asser-
lions. done great injury to them
The existence OF all these irregularities subse-
quently roctiGed by independent Investigations
made under my direction The reforms proposed by
the commission in the weghers and CANCERS de-
partment subsequently carried out by my order
I.ll.s f.u ttstn
in the cost of this branch OF the service alone be-
sides securing great saving to the government in
increased duties.
FREE PERMITS
IL also appears from evidence file in this depart
hent mat vicious practice mas ior long ume ex-
listed of granting free permits for imported goods
without authority of law. These permits were
usually granted by Deputy Collector Lydecker.
Prom a detailed statement on file in this de-
partment 1t appears that two hundred
such permits granted from March. 1874. TO May
1915. The value of goods thus illegally delivered
free of duty amounts to very large IN a sim
gle instance the value S5J,O0O. The total value
1t impossible estimate from the fact that except
IN very few cases. no apprasement ever had.
From inspection of the papers IL is apparent that
entered and appraised. would have been subject to
duty. The government has therefore by this Illegal
practice lost large sums.
CHARGES AND COMMISSIONS
In the investigation of claims known 'chargcs
aud commissions cases. the fact disclosed that
clerks engaged in making up statements of refunds
in those cases received gratuities from attorneys
These claims are many aud amount In the aggregate
TO great sum. IL was ascertained upon inyestiga-
ton that ia a majority of cases FAR ~ examined
they perfected In fraudulent manner namely
by attaching protests to- the entry after the
entry had been made. As the law stood nj the ince-
ton or the claim 10 necessary before q refund
could be allowed that protest should have been iled
Mt the time of entry. The fraud consisted In wrong
fully filing a protest long after the entry. with the
prclenco that IL made ~ the time OF entry
Statements for refund of claims fraudulent In this
respect have recently been made by clerks in the
Auditors department of the Collectors and Naval
offices, who had been Illegally receiving from an at
tOrncy for the claimants a percentage upon the
amount OF the claims.
TIM REsPoNsrpnTTY.
These reports disclose other abuses but as many
Of them had existed for long time, and some were
beyond the power OF the Collector ~ correct 10 was
not fair 10 imputo them all to his fault. or 10 bod
him responsible for then though he had been