New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-20
ABUSES IN THE CUSTOM HOUSE.

EXPLICIT CHARGES MADE by PROFESSOR JORDAN
IN REPLY TO SURVEYOR GRAHAM.
To the EdItor OF The Tribune.
SIR; II THE TRIBUNE for February 20 ap-
pears the report Of an interview with Mr. Graham Sur
veyor Of the Port OF New-York, in which the following
allusiou is made to myself Professor d. g. Jordan,
in public address given in Indianapolis recently, on
Civil Service Reform asserted that In September last
when returning from Europe with excursion party Of
which he was manager, he paid dignled Federal
officer several gold coins TO the trunks of the party
without Inspection" To this Mr. Graham reported
TO say: am convinced that the charge made by Pro-
fessor Jordan he ever made such statement is false
which remark he proceeds further to ampLfy.
In regard to this charge. permit me a few words.
never made the statement referred to- did not pay any
inspector to pass duable goods to pass any goods
without inspection, and have never claimed 90 have
done either Of these things so far as know no one in
nv company Of thirty persons had any dutiabe goods
and every package opened for the inspectors and
after a fashion inspected" by them. What have
chargedf incidental reference to fact familiar to
many In my audience may be called "oharge lis IN
brief as folowsi
/ That tho inspector to whom our baggage was es-
pecialy assigned tall the trunks having been included
I'm one common declaration, assigned to ono inspector,
who called on others assist HIM offered to pass the
whole with light nominal Inspection II to use his Ian
glage he found In good fellow, who knew now TO
appreciate "A favor"
q That by means OF threats Of detention and Of other
annoynnces unknown quantities to us they oxtOrto1
from us before beginning the inspection the sum OF %,
their demand being IS for each inspector concerned
s. That by means OF much "badgerlng" ana threats
Of detention they further eXtOrtsd from lady IN my
party the sum OF $40. They singled out this LADY
IRON among others, because a. one u the nsectorst o1
me she looked a. II she rch ana consequently
as II she would bear the process termed by him squeeE
At the request Of the Collector sent 70 him sometime
since detailed account Of the whole AFFAIR ~ the IN
tsr.u above referred to allusiOn Is made 10 any
statement really made by me. soon after my address
TccivrJ letter from the Hon. ID. T. Baldwin, Attorney
Genero OF this state from which quote the following
as showing tho impression produced by my words on
those who actually heard them have no doubt OF the
absolute truth OF your story, and that you did what
nInr ont OF q hundred men would have done I'M
der the go rid Of the harples on inc pest
terns uos-ible You would have cut "A pretty figure
Going With your grievance in New-lork city to the Col
kctr Frst of AL you could no more have got to him
than to the Paoha OF Egypt and after you got there you
,omid have been confronted with the sworn denias OF
iii those who were prese and OF forty men who were
not present but who would have sworn that they were
Witnesses 10 the whole transaction. All this with
twenty or thirty OF your tourists on your hands camor
ing to get home y ~ ~ IL >. JO1 Is Io;;o