Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-13
EX-OFFICIALs INDICTED.
A Systematic Course OF Stealing from
the Government Disclosed.


special from Port Townsend. W. T, to the
Portland Oregonian says: The United States
grand jury have found twenty-five indictments
against William Harmed, ex-special deputv coll
iector; eleven against Herbert F. Beecher, ex-
treasury agent, and twelve against Quincy A.
Brooks for stealing from the government The
RECORDS ana accounts have been thoroughly
overhauled and presented to the grand Jury for
'he hrst time In many years by government
officials especially sent out from Washington
Dy the department to make personal investiga-
tlon OF the many charges preferred bv the press
ana pubic. Last January Leslie Cullom. act
ing collector, and l.. l.. Lnmpton. first auditor
of the department, commenced the inyestiga
tlon special Treasury Agent Crowley had
previously partially examined the customs
accounts and dismissed Harmed. The records
We're examined, gong rs far back as April The
hrst thlng found was that vessels had been over
charged IN entrance and clearance and private
receipts issued. The government receipts came
out of what was called the blue book. many
of the pages being DESTROYED and white REGENTS
issued instead. by tins method vessels were
swlndled out of small sums amounting to a
few dollars each, which aggregated many
thousand dollars per year In another part of
the record was found where a payer was
charged IN some instances many hundred dol
lars more than credited. An incident WAS cited
where the British steamer sardouy. charged
$50, only $500 Was paid TO the government
Another vessel paid S225 and was credited
with Tl65. Wa Chong. of Seattle, paid Sls25,
and was credited with ~ ,64I. Two thou
sand "blue" or government receipts were found
IN mutliated condition concealed il various
parts OF the Office
THE LARGEST STEAL DISCOVERED
was for duties paid on the cargo of the British
bark Madeira, from Liverpool last June. Duty
to the amount of S6.O3S was paid and the gov
ernment received $5.04, The records. how
ever. indicated that no money was paid during
the month. One OF the consiCnees. Jas Grit
tiths, claimed to have paid Harmed the amount.
Harmed acknowledged appropTlatng money.
and took bag containing - 600 10 make mn
the deficiency to Acting Collector CulIom 10
make good his accounts. The clerk of the dis
trlct al Seattle holds receipts for Il Geo, and
only 1913 Is credited to the government for
the entire month. Harmed admits getting the
money, but could not account for the same
! The master of the barkentine Amelia paid fine
OF 300. of which there is nothing 70 show on
the records. After Harmed was dismissed over
| $4,000 was found in various parts of the
Office secreted under the carpets, in flower
! pots, plgeon-holes and other places. Records
of the daily receipts during the latter part of
| Beechers time are also missing from the Office
| The records up to the time of Harned's dis
| missal last November are also gone making it
! impossible accurately to determine the deficit
| Brooks Is short $4,000. in addition to illegal
/ fees collected. amounting To- another SIS 600
All are specifically charged with extortion. re-
moving public records and classifying accounts
| There are 63S opium stamps missing. valued
| at 30 each. besides a large number of Chinese
| return certificates, which have become missing
since the passage of the Chinese restriction act
Harmed and Beecher viii be arrested to-mor-
row and placed under $1,000 bonds They re-
fuse to make any statements. Harmed is
worth $4,000 and has many warm personal
friends on Puget Sound.