The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-08-18
TIIEFTS In A PUBLIC STORE.
OPIUM ABSTRI CITED FROM W. H.
SCHIEEBELTN e. co.'s. CASES.
Two Openers in the Appraisers ONCE Quiet
~ Removed-Ono Reported 20 shy TINT
Hc Stole to Pay Hubbclps Assessment.

Two Opencrs In the Appraisers Ouco quiet
~ Rcmoved-Ono Reported TO shy TINT
He stole to Pay Hubbclrs Assessment.
Col. William A. Jones, Deputy Collector of
Customs. in charge Of the Eighth Division of
tho Custom House, which covers the United
States public stores in Washington street. was
engaged yesterday in making an investigation
of charges Of thefts by Federal employees from
importers goods in store. The charges were
made by Lewis II. Hobby. the Custom House
agent. for William II. Scheffelin & Co.. tho
William street importers of drugs. They fol-
low tho removal two weeks ago by Appraiser
James q. Howard of Charles w. Heinemann Of
30l West Thirty-ninth street and Thomas A.
kneale of West Thirty seventh street who
were employed as openers and packers in the
United States Appraisers office.
On the ODD of July. it is alleged. Kneale was
detected by Examiner Gregg of the seventh di-
vision of the Appraisers oilico in unlawfully
abstractng opium from packages belonging to
Schieifelin Co.. which were undergoing Gov
eminent examination. Examiner Gregg ro-
ports that he saw kncale hiding the opium in
= cupboard. He accused him of the theft and
had been stealing opium for the. past two
years; He said that he gave it to licincmann
TO sell. and that Heincmann divided with him
the proceeds of the sales. kneale asserted
however. that s25 was all that he had received
as his share.
Mr. Hobby. tho agent for Schiefrelin & Co..
says that the only opium in the Appraisers
office at the time of the robbery were
thirty-four cases consigned to his firm He
got no report from the Appraiser CT the loss Of
the firm goods. and learned of il accidentally.
Mr. Hobby made in investigation and got evil
dence to show that three eases of opium con-
signed to his firm had been tempered with
The opium was packed in tin cans the tops of
which mad been ripped open by hooks such as
are used in the Appraisers office. From one
can thirty pounds of opium were found to be
OF smaller quantities. The opium came rolled
in balls. Its market value is about 81 a pound
Mr.. Hobby claims from the Government s4O0
the value of the opium stolen. He thinks from
the information he has received that 81 500
worth has been stolen altogether. 1t is his in
tention to present the facts to the Secretary of
the Treasury and to the District Attorney. 1t
does not appear that these officers have yet
been OFFICIALLY notified of the alleged theits.
Capt. {, L. Adams. special agent of the Treas
ury, was informed of the charge. and began an
kneale. and received confession from him
Opener and Packer Heinemann was summoned
before him. but failed to attend Kneale said
in the presence of several officers that he had
ErcSSlonal Committee at Washington asking
him to pay an assessment and that he took the
opium in order to raise the money.
Collector Robertson says that he has had a
complaint from Schefein K Co. and has di-
rected an Investigation. with view of finding
out all the circumstances connected with the
Appraisers Office in 1872 and Kneae in 1876.
Government officials say that frequent com
plants are made by merchants of the loss of
goods at the apprai sers office. Recently II val
uable polarlScope Tor testing sugar disappear
ed from there
United States Appraiser Howard has asked
Tor weeks time in which to prepare an an
swer to the report Of Special Treasury Agent
Bracket finding him guilty Of violating the
civil service rules, and of using abusive Ian
guage toward officials.