New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-17
COLONEL osBoRN's REPORT.
WHAT MANUFACTURERS SAY ABOUT IT.

AL Aeen w. III.
~ .hs Treasury concerning NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. In 'u'
..-. tr.da publlsaed on Wednesday Ia THE TRIBUNE,
-. ..nsed profouud alton IN the Custom House
and tho Public stores and among the manufacturers ana
taporers Of that class Of merchandise The denias OF
the and bis assistants aud OF the brms accusei
An Colonel Osborus statement only serve to Intensity TUG
intcres Collector Magone has acted upon some OF the
information given him by Osborn A. far rs to send 1t to
limited States Walkor who IL consider
ing how he would best proceed 10 tho premises He Is
mot ain whether should bs taken up by him without
spcinc instructions from Washington. and at Washing
tou there Is reluctance to impeach Mr.. McMulen He
has ALI along stouty maintained that
vua eons on at this port and still adheres to that
position Notwithstanding the story that the Official
figures tell.
The Apr chief weapon OF defence seems to be
shs alleged misdomeanors OF Colonel Osborn. He saws
that Osborn s not accredited agent q" the Govern
ment The fact 10 that he employed by the Treasury
Department In August 1855. to go to England and Ger
many for the special purpose Of investigating alleged
revenue frauds lie denies thai he thus employed
At the Instance OF Associ tied Cutlery Manufacturers
Of the United states and prominent officers and mem
bcs of that association support hun In this denial He
says that at o: this embassy he was acquainted
with but single member OF the association Previous
10 that time for atcen years had been engaged 10 tho
importing branch OF tho trade. with which everybody
lecarcs him to perfectly familiar. cutlery dealer
,aid yesterday colonel Osborn knows more about
foreign cutlery, and the practical details OF Importing
than any ever ret"
Mr. Osborn the 1T Denis Hotel yesterday AFTER
noon The, don't seem to like my report, do they T.
he remarked, errins to the Appraiser and tue in-
porters Nell, oaut help that L didn't expect them
to wnen 1 made it. Ana they say am not special
agent O! the Govern ent They may cali IL by VIVA.
name they ike, but take IL that man is In the emf 10y
OF whoever pays him for his The United states
paid me for ine report just sent in completes
ella. .fhat IN fle VipaO NJ
tue Amt rican manufacturers or was while aeroa or
thai was sent Oh at insanca 1t quite true that
they caused investigation. In May, 1888, tho lead
lug cutlery manufacturers, aroused 10y the losses tuer
business had sustained by reason OF frauds committed by
iml ortct ,de complaints 10 tue Department at
Washington. They continued these complaints until
agent abroad TO anu the facts Special Agent Bling
IA in, D Boston, suggested my name. Tue department.
Of cyursc, comnuu Icatrd vita tue acturors
whether not satisfactory Az Una tlthe, though
we'll acquainted among Importers, only Knew ore
mannfao urcr iu America. was seut and dd my duty
the pest knew was gOno NEARLY SIX mOhtns tne
Government paying all my e1pensss ana reasonAoio
the lad VIE mad received proper assistance
have peen enectuay stopped But even as II was, the
frauds were cnecGvd. Many importers got frightened
aud the values OF their Inv oIces
The Appraiser got igut ned too AMI ana his du mueh
hetter notice That ne denies da nus and SAY tns Una ,lo
improved system anu not 10 my revelations II lna %
peaches Nj. 3icMurn, the Exsmiuer. While ne Vas
Examiner these der, aluations went on ny didn't
he aacpt an Improved SYSTEM then rhe otial figures
OF e Bureau OF Statistics that ia year endin9
June 80 1884, Invoices Of cutlery We're only INCREASED
vasced only si7l So Mr MsMullcn had charge OF 'ie
cutlery Department. then. In May OF that year this
hers is a hs of tho Invoices raised in value after mat
time It is taken from Assistant-Appraser Halsteds
books During August values we're raised 1870, nearly
twice as tue Two provous years, and from
that time forward they were so ueh incl eased nat Tho
s24l623, although quantity OF goods ported
22OoO dozens less than In the previous year! hat is
,tsrt dheieucp. IL must be accounted for somehow
y WASN'T the effect o. my reports but Father OF Mr.
cnaso OF McMullen, the Appraiser brings
against McMulon, the EXamncr! .
NV report made good faith, la the honest dis
charge OF my duty, and is tue every word OF 1t an
fully prepared to back 1t up WIN facts nfurrs ana
SION am no. Mr.. SIeNullcns only accuser. special
Ascent Adams sarrorisi me- special Asent uanon mas
give important testimony. l believe the facts will
receive proper attention from Secretary Manning.
he presilent Of Inc Assorated Cutlery manufacturers
isw f. Rockwell, OF the Miller Brothers Cutlery Conn
pany Tue association consists In addition To tubs hrn
OF Landers, Flsry Clark tne John Russell Cutlery
Com.ny, tho Nov York hne Company; tne G1odea
Company, the American KNIFE Company the AIerican
sheaE CS iI ne tse outimntnn sry CONF
pany the Walden KIife Company the Ulster Cutlery
' penrrse":s about $75IoOOo OF invested
capital Mr. Rock~ ell said y s!orday that the fact. Ia
no doubt ttat serious Lndervaluatons we're going
on. 70 his mind the fact hat 50 mucn more duty nad
been cole ced Colonel Osborn made his nyestiga-
tons OF itself substantial proof The revenues Ii. al
about s 100000 Mr.. Rockwell SAID lie had had several
taks Score ary Manning and no thought the recre-
tary meant " 40 rga na' 40 ieafou Tue mU,
maueptly stopped He denied that Colonel Osborn was
In tue pay ami Sal that while ne had been
acceptable tho acurefs he was not ORIGINALLY
put forward by them rs special agent t-,,. c,.
whose exclusive works Orange County was III THIS
cty business ycstet ay and iuiy corroporatod tn
they don't SOP said Mr.. Bradley, 1t is question with
me between doing losing business SHUT ny SHOP
That wOdli throw 800 men out OF employment, hut l
can't help it, 1t is all for people to deny The
statements Of Mr. OsUorn. ami 10 abuse him AL they Ike.
them He 10 uot our man all. In fact. when Assist
aut secretary Fairchd asked me about appointing him.
been importing branch of the trade, aud was
afraid Of But did his duty faithfully like the
Valuations He certainly ougus 10 investisate these
found in the adoption Of new law with
Ds s wen a put in esaTse
nat work, appointed with full regard for expert
aSoys temptation and to toId Once during good he.
haviOr. that the purpose OF protective law
Bradley Was forme ly an Assemblylnan from Orange
County and Is a veteran II the war.
Wa rem r. Dustin. of The Johr Russell Cutlery Com
pany. No. 81 Resdest, also supp orted the allegations
Of irregularities. fake tue ono charge concerning thote
suffered 1t myself quito enough TO know Ispent
$4,000 periecting tue machinery nece.eary for their
ure. But after all that outlay had TO abaudOa
enterprise aud charge ali my expense 10 profit
md lusa coadn' compete with the fellow. who we're
unning IN cgar cutters wnch should have paid 40
,ent duty tho classification oi knives at 90 per
ent duty: Tney are no more knives than uickaxe Is
The evidence In this matte Is per erti, clear.
Il doesn't admit of debate. Having been in The import
Ing business, though upon an honst basis, know iusl
aOw these t.irks are played. | know how l ma'e my
money. Ii WAS by hard. painful work know how
come lmpor or: paa. .nnelrs too. They had much
Landers Frary clark are engaged 10 the IN ,nufact-
ure OF table cutlery Mr. Landers sail yesterday tbat
the table cutlery branch OF the trade had not been
injured by frauds as yet mas seein ODD mat have
taken such interest In tne Affairs OF the cutlery
association" he continued hut Ihaye sctei on tue
principle that Of prevention Is worth pound
Of cura IdOn'I that the condition OF affairs now
prevailing Ia tue pocket cutlery trade s occur III ours
II eau prevent IL. I have no doubt that Colonel
Osborns report 10 IN the main corlec- Hs was well
Qnalihrd for his and he did 1t WELL In urging Mr..
Manning to gye the matt bis sincere attention THE
TRIBUNE is DONG good work I tuink Mr.. Manning Is