Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1889-04-19
They have Been Carrying on a Sys.
trnlatic Robbery for Years and
Have Become Wealthy.
Their Principal Income was From
Overcharges on Clarence and
Entrance IF Vessels.
A Son Of the Late Henry Ward
Beecher Mixed up in the
CrOOkedness.
Stealing Government Money.

PORTLAND, Ore. April l2.-IhlS morn.
ing the Oregonian prints the following
special dispatch from Port Townsend,
Washington: The United States grand
jury found twenty-five indictments against
William Harend, ex:special deputy col
lector; eleven against Herbert F. Beecher,
ex-treasury agent; twelve against Quincy
A. Brooks, for stealing from the govern
ment. Records and acsounts have been
thoroughly Overhauled and presented to
the grand jury for the first time in many
sent out from Washington by the depart
ment,to make personal investigation of the
many charges preferred by the press and
public. Last January Leslie Cullom, act
ing collector, and L. L. Lupton, first audi
tor of the department., commenced an in
vestigation. Special Treasury Agent
Crowley had previously partially exam.
ined the customs accounts and dismissed
Harmed. The records were examined, 60
ing as far back as April. The first thing
they found was that vessels had been
evercharged in entrance and clearance and
private receipts issued. The governments
receipts came out of what was called the
"Blue Book" many of the pages being de-
str0yed and white receipts issued instead.
By this method vessels were swindled out
OF small sums amounting to q few dollars
| each. which aggregated many thousand
dollars per year. In another part of the
records was found where a payer was
charged IN some instances many hundred
! dollars more than credited. An incident
was cited when the British steamer Sar-
dony was charged 1920, only 1920 was paid
| to the government. Another vessel paid
1926 and was credited with $165. Wa
Chong Of Seattle paid $1.S25 and was
or government receipts were found in a
mutilated condition concealed In various
parts of the Ofie. The largest steal dis
covered was for duties paid on the cargo of
the British bark Madeira from Liverpool
last June. Duty to the amount of $6,OS8
was paid: and the government received
$5.W4. The records, however, indicated
One OF the consignees, James Griffiths.
the amount. Harmed acknowi-
| edged apprOpriating money and took
bag containing $4,000 to make up the
deficiency to Acting Collector Cullom to
4 u"hC SUOu u!c fsSCOungs 1uC CAcIk N VI tllC uiS
trict at Seattle holds the receipts for $1660,
and only $S73 are credited to the govern
ment for the entire month. Harmed ad-
| mits getting the money, but could not
account for the same. The master Of the
Barkentine Amelia paid fine Of 500, of
which there is nothing to show on the
records. After Harmed was dismissed,
over $12600 was found in various parts of
the Office secreted under carpets, in flower
/ pots, pigeon holes and other places.
Records Of daily receipts during the latter
! part of Beecher'stime are also missing from
the Office. In addition to other records up
to the time of Harned's dismissal last
November are also gone, making it iMpOs-
sible to determine the deficits. Brooks is
short Sill, 900 in addition to the illegal fees
collected amounting to another SIS, GOO.
All are specifically charged with extortion,
removing public records and falsifying
accounts. There are 688 opium stamps
missing, valued at IS each,
besides large number of Chinese returned
certificates which have been missing since
the passage of the restriction act. Harmed
and Beecher will be arrested tomorrow
and placed under ST, 900 bonds. They re.
IN washington. Harmed Is worth about
about Puget sound,
BONDS FILED.
PORTLAND, Ore, April IA special
from Port Townsend says: Herbert,
Beecher and William Harmed, the indicted
custom officials, filed five thousand dollar
bonds to-day. The trials are set for next
October.