Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-06-09

Lxfier from Caps. svan q the seeEe-
tary Of the Treasury In RsPlS %
special Aeent Herr.
sAx FRAxcIsco. April ID. lssa.

SAG FRAScIsco. April ID. 1855.
To fhe Hon. tie Secretary Of the TresszTy,
WaSAisgtoa, d. c.
ern-I AM in rsceIpt of q copy of the
report of Mr.. J. c. Horr. special Agent
Of your DepaFknent at Port Townsend,
dated Feb. Is. 1885, relative to my claim
for damages n tue matter OF the deten-
ton Of the ship City OF Brooklyn The
character Of this docn-
msnt, which, while purpsrtinR to be q
report Of facts, 10 in fact bat an attempt
70 shield the custom house people from
the consequences of their inexeusable
couduet by attacking me, requires thst
I should take some steps to clear myself
Of the unios4 and false charges and IL
situations which your Special Agent has
made against me, and by which be hopes
to divert attention from the conduct OF
the Collector of customs at Port Town.
send.
The whole document, as far as il re-
CARDS myself, is 50 fall Of niisrepresent
alton and faIsshood, mingled with facts,
that / deem IL necessary to set before
YOU the entire story.
The ship City of Brooklyn, Of which
| am master and part owner, arrived In
seattle Just after the seiZare OF the
steamer Lone Fisherman. There was
1T that time q runor in Seattle Of the
presence Of more opium. After ! had
discharged my inward cargo and ballast
and got my ship under the shute along
side of the coal wharf, seeing that i
could be spared for few days, / went
to Victoria on the steamer Eliza Ander-
son, Capt. Ihos. Wright. Capt. Worth,
of the steamer Lone Fisherman, which
had been seized, was aboard the steamer
Eliza Anderson. bound for Victoria. l
was and had b. en- FIR a long time ac-
quainted with Capt. Worth, but never
had any intimate or constant comPan-
ionship With him, knowing him simply
as a seafafinQ man.
arrived in Victoria about O'Clock
in the afternoon, and went at once to
Messrs. Welsh, Rithet 4 Co., with the
members of which firm was acquaint-
ed. My object in going there was to
ascertain the location of the place OF
business of fhe firm Of d. Videriek Il
Co., to whom had letter of introduce
ton. After finding Mr.. Viderick, went
with him to find out from different par
ties bow much water there was in Suk
bay, as I expected to 90 Gre with the
ship. By the time had completed my
inquiries, business hours being over.
and having no particular acquaintance
in the place, / returned to the steamer
Eliza Anderson, where met Capt. Worth
and Capt. Wright. As the steamer was
70 leave Victoria at 2 am. next morn
ing, we considered il not worth while
turning in; and SO, being IN company
with seafaring men, spent the remain
dap 81 tho avonfnn with fhart
reached Seattle the afternoon of the
morning on which the steamer left Vic
terra. / cannot now remember whether
lit was the same day or a day or two af-
ter my return 60 Seattle that / heard on
the streets a rumor that a lot of opium
had been put on board of the City of
Brooklyn. This rumor naturally alarm
ed me; the more so as considered it
the rumors l had heard previously of
the presence in the vicinity Of a CON
ceaied lot of opium; and ! thought it
might be probable advantage had been
taken of my absence to pat it aboard
my ship.
As master and part owner of the ship
il was my duty to take immediate steps
to protect the vessel by aseertaining the
truth OF the rumor, and seeking such
advice as was available. Accordingly /
went at once to Messrs. Harrington d
Smith, my oonsigneee, and told them of
the rumor, and asked their advice as to
the best course to pursue.
This conversation was heard by Messrs.
Harrington Il Smiths bookkeeper, Mr..
Frank Hanfurd, who ID a brother OF Mr.
G. II. Hanfofd. the Assistant q. s. At
torney, and / am informed and believe
that Mr.. Ranford, the bookkeeper, went
at once and reported TO his brother what
had said. am also informed and be-
Iieye that @. H. Hanford, the Assistant
U. 8. Attorney, did, apen the informa-
tion received from his brother, irnmedi-
ateiy telegraph the Collector at Port
Townsend, who, with the whole Custom
House force. came up at once to Seattle.
After leaving Mr.. Harrington went TO
Mr.. j. @. Haines, Of the Law firm of
Strive, Haines & Mchlicken, 10 get his
counsel as to what onght to do. He
explained the Law TO mo, saying that II
the captain or the first mate Of vessel
was implicated in ooneealinR snlugeled
goods, the vessel would be oonfisc Ated.
He Thought il best, and 30 advised me,
to tell Mr.. Hanford, the Assistant u. b.
Attorney, of what had heard, IN order
to clear myself and the vessel Of sup.
posed cot. which. though done without
my knowledge, might bring serious CON,
. quences. Knowing that Mr.. Hanford'a
brother was N the eHaPloy Of Messrs.
Harrington Il Smith, l secured his ser
vices in presenting me 10 his brother.
then told Mr.. @. II. Hanferd, the
Assistant u. s. Attorney. of what had
heard, and also stated that IL there vas
any truth In the rnmor, the sct was done
without my knowledge and consent. and
that neither nor the ship should be held
liable for is.
That same evening the revezus cutter
and the Collector of Port Townsend ar
rived. and the ship was taken III charge.
Mr.. O. HI. Hanfora seat for me 10 come
70 bis office. ! went and found M. 4.
w. Bash, Collector Of Customs, and 9th
ers, 20 whom repeated what had told
Mr.. Harlford
They requested me to take the ship TO
Port townsend and discharge her shese
I protested against any action Of the
Custom House suthofities by which the
ship would be injured or delayed, and
told MIR. Bash that, 10 he detained her,
l wanted $50 for every days detention.
On the morning Of The 7th the whole
crew OF the ship was summensd before
the Grand Jury, bnt nothing was dis
covered By the examination. On the
evening Of the Sth y0ur department or
dersd that the ship be allowed togo and
THAI very evening ! agreed With mr..
Bash that when the ship was loaded and
ready % leave Seattle. would telegraph
him, and be wonia be ready 10 exchange
ficefs IN Port Townsend bay. aid
% telegraph him AZ the time appointed,
and am Informed BY Mr.. Bash that ron
have the telegram In yeur department.
Arriving az Port Townsend bay In TOW
Of 9 tue, thu latter blew its whistle. We
waited there Is minutes, bat ne offlosrs
came. As ] would have had 10 pay the
tue at leest SIS per hour for waiting un-
Gil next Inorning. and 40 We wonld there
ey have lost she ebb tide. the ship and
tug uoaia have lost twelve hours. Cuder
these circumstances l ofdsFsd fhe tug to
prossed, aad I do not think did wrong
10 Iot waiting longer. "a had done sv-
erythine agreed upon between me and
Mr.. Bzsk. IoGered 70 trznsfsr tue Of
hc<Ts Who uers On board TO the sue.
One Of them accepted the offer and re-
A.. 49, a.. r..