The evening world., 1893-06-08
APPRAISERS DUTIES.
Mr.. Cooper Describes Them tc
the Investigators.
Invoices Frequently Signed by Heads
Of Other Departments.
Gen. WlIiiaIna Tells About Thefts
ly in the Sample Rooms.

When the custom House Investigating
Commission resumed It's work at the Barge
ONCE this morning all the members OF the
Board were present with the exception Ui
Chairman Fairchild.
the commissioners, he said, and WAS ready "a
give them any further information about the
administration OF his depart ment
without any preliminarles the Appraiser
took the witness stana and testi ned thAt nc
had held his present once since April. 1850,
aud was thoroughly familiar with all tho
branches OF the department.
The Appraisers stores were divided into
ten sections, according to the character OF
the merchandise dealt with. There Was also
Each one OF these divisions had at its head
an assistant appraiser ma corps OF assist
ants, averaging about thirty men to each
division. In all, Mr. cooper said, there were
about $50 men employed In the Appraisers
Department
At Mr.. Mncfarinne's request, Mr.. cooper
described the regular routine OF an invoice "a
It passed through the Appraisers depart
collector until II was returned to him and
the duty paid thereon.
The witness told how the goods were iden.
tined on the dock, sample cases sent to The
stores, and there examined BY the proper
officers having charge OF each class Of goods.
After the examiner has completed this
Work MS VhlubtlOuS, WuetueT tueN ulH6T or
not from the invoice prices, are submitted to
vision In v hicb the goods are classified.
The goods must be passed by the Assistant
Appraiser md his valuations annexed 10 the
invoices before any OF them wen, TO the Ap-
praisar himself
There are sometimes as many as !, 800
invoices day said Nj. Cooper, "and It is
praiser has passed tho goods TO add the Ap-
praiser's signature with stamp. That Is
generally fnaL"
II don't know whether II Ia an ex-
am!ner or the Assistant Appraiser who
actually uses the stamp. II is all done.
however. before the invoice leaves the
division. couldn't spend my time sign
Mr. cooper asserted that when he war ted
to make new appointments at the Appraisers
stores ne sent 10 the Civil Service Board and
got an eligible list OF their names. He made
his selections from these.
Usually there was a great pressure from
the friends OF some OF these candidates To
secure ,helr appo'n,nen,, Is. Mr.; Gooper s,id
examined them himself before making an APP
pOintmeDt.
: Commissioner Dunn thought that such
Service hoard had already passed It's JudQ.
inent. Mr.. cooper, however, said that this
was one Of his own ideas, ana he was going TO
run his ONCE us he liked
A little spat occurred when Mr.. Dunn asked
how 1, was that he allowed one Assistant 4 p
pralser OF one division TO sign Invoices for
another.
The next witness was Henry Binley
Of the japanese Fan Company who
said that his Company, although il had
exceptional advantages In the Japanese
market. found in 1890 and 1891 J. r.
Simon & Co. were Offering the same
silk goods In this market at lower
price than he could land them here.
He had made several complaints that
these goods were being undervalued
Rosenthal & Co. also undersold them.
After the examination OF Mr.. Binley the
investiga'lon was adjourned until O'Clock.
Gen. y. Williams was the only Wit
ness called after the recess. He liz the
Deputy Collector In charge OF the APP
praisers Department. The witness
stated that he was often called upon to
make Investigations into thefts OF goods
destined for the Appraisers Stores.
which occurred on the docks. while un-
der the charge OF the inspectors. Most
OF these thefts were OF wine and CIGARS.
He had also seen men who had access
TO rooms in the Appraisers Stores where
these goods were deposited. in II state OF
lntoXication. only special favorites. he
The witness took charge OF the in
voices after they had been passed by
the Appraiser. lie thought that a great
improvement might be made In the
methodof handling packages in the Ap-
prRisers' Stores, 30 that the merchants
might get their goods sooner.
The examiners began work usually
about 3 o'clock in the morning. and We're
gone by | +, NJ.
Gen. Williams said he had noticed
some improvement In the service since