New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-17
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
CUSTOM HOUSE FRAUDS-MYrIIlCAL ROADS
RATES ON FRUIT REDUCED.
fBY TELEGRAPH 10 THE TRIBUNE.


San Francisco, April l6-The custom house
frauds have been the chief feature of duil
week. They reach apparently. clear across tle
continent and if Special Agent McCOys story nc
capable of legal demonstration. they will put
Liebes Brothers and William Reichert. Of No.
16 Waterst., New-York, in ugly predicament.
Liebes Brothers are charged with importing Su-
matra tobacco wrappers, dutiable at So pound-
and entering them as " filters" which pay Only
So cents pound. This tobacco was
shipped to Cincinnati and New-lork. and iii three
warehouses Mccoy obtained samples that prove
the Governments case. But in Relcherts ware
house, Mccoy declares, the tobacco was tempered
with and so manipulated that no unmiXed samples
could he secured, and the importers are niaKin9
hard fight and may yet defeat the Government
on technical points. Meanwhile in the Relss case
there are no new developments. the Government
evidently being anxious to secure more eVlochc''
Previous scandals in the custom house oil as great
magnitude as this have ended IL lack oi c'n-
viction, and it Is feared that these VIII result
in the escape of rascals who used their rt.'ei"i
nosition to make fortune. The Ciprico Chinese
certificate frauds and the Benson land ring ira""s
are fresh in the recollection of all C"lifornians a'
typical examples of gross swindles whose pe'pc-
traitors were never punished
While the Federal GranC jury Il "i0''-A"e
with the custom house frauds. the local Grand
Jury has been rent in factions over tif Legs
lature scandal of last year. Eight men on tie
i,rv arc !, favor of indicting Elwood Bruner,
Sacramento lawyer for accepting bribe 10
GET a bill passed by the Legislature, Out the
other eleven, including the foreman of the jury
refused to indct Bruner. The case Is very
complicated and is rank with perjury, but the
weight Of the evidence is against Bruner ana
the popular opinion is that he should he lhuioled'
The minority of eight requested the rrcSidlnS
iud.c TO accept their designations lie feiase"
to do this, but discharged the entire jury, as ne
decided that It would lie impossible for them
TO do any effective work
Another story Of competing Overland rail
roed has been made public this week. lElS time
the road is to come through Beckwlth Pass from
Salt Lake to this city, and, of course seNetai
Eastern roads will then make connection WITH the
Mormon capital Among the men said to ne in'ef'
cstcd are such heavy capitalists as Hayward
IIC-rart, Fair, Phelan, fallidic and others. but
though many details are given, the puo@c mere
s oath to believe the report until some sign OIL
,ctual work is seen. The number OF mN'n'c"
competing overland lines that have been evolved
during the last ten years is very large put hoo
,ne has ever got beyond the stage OF 'he
prospectus.
Tie United States steamer Ihets VIII SAIL IN
few DAYS to continue the survey OF thc pIopoSe"
cable between here and Honolulu. The lhetis
was selected for this work instead OF 'he A'"a-
tross because she is too slow for use in DhrlnS
lea.
Three holes have now been bored oE 'hc pio-
nosed postcfce site at Seventh AMI MISSION So
The result has been convincing ueHlo"'' '"'iO
that q bog formerly existed there anu Una, Il.
.ofs foundation could bc secIrei without
-, ru.s and filing the space h2-
,ween with cement. work taa' "o"!u VS.
at Leash 100000 The report Of SFeciaI 49,
Gibson with samples Of the sol: at various oeP'"'
will nrobably settle this postoiiite size coh'"H'
which in many features, is as amusing as an op''"
bouffe.
More showers have fallen this week ana the
49,. ;s said 70 be in better condition THAI at
.h;s time for many years. The outlook TOT iru'u
g. espocialIy good and this year Will prooaoN
soa more green fruit shipped to the E'so IMAM
apv nrevious season. The fruit men have eaineu
an important concession from tie southern am
Comrarv. as they have received assurances Ua'
the raIe for decduous fruit ON fast trans VIII "c
,.ducod from &. % TO 81 50 a hundred ponhos
ono fast daily fruit train Viii alro u, Iuh
hropah from Sacramento to Ogden in forty hours
The lines east of Ogden may DC connie" .. ~
make equal concessions 50 TIC pI9sPccS 10 >, VIA e
California fruit will lie plentiful and cheap AT 'ie
East this year.
The Bostonians closed tonight the most rs sa
cisco, They have played TO full houses Tor icnr
SyecIss and the warmth Of their rec ,ptoii anu
NC oonrcciativc criticism ought 10 Crafty t"c
leading artists among the company
The sensational, report Of The loss CT pFospec,,
ing party in search of the reg Le; ic ,o VI, 'e
Colorado Desert proves 10 he without louhua-
ton. The party was seen recently at amp, he,F
tho MEXICAN boundary and all OF It's members
were well.
The seventy-ffth anniversary Of the oltnday 81
George r. Bromley, one OF ne l.eso an a ra,i
tTis eycIinr. Erving Hall, oppoSlt" TIE clubs
headquarters was decorated, md therr the mem, cS
hid HIGH inks and the celebration; icttef
was revived from Oliver We,d"!! Iiol ass p ,rd
ntbers Then at the clubroorns there was
supper and low links The git OF t1- ciuD To-
Mr. bromley is an album in which each member
has written his name, with skctn, schIInlths
or drawing Theodore Wores,. the artist; iurni'reo
q Biz cartoon. representing Mr.. Bromley trluM-
phant over Father lime