Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-25
CUSTOM HOUSE INVESTIGATION.
Tho Specific Charges Against the New Yorl
Officials.

In reply to q communication from the special
commissioners appointed to investigate the New
York custom house requesting information
touching the statements and charges contained
in the issue Of the Dry Goods Chronicle Of
April 10, 1885," the editor of that journal has
submitted the following list Of specific charges
against the custom house officials:
l. That extensive undervaluations were
| charged in 1891 against ]. X. Simon L. Co.. i'm
porters Of Japanese silks.
2. That J. r. Simon 4 Co. paid SIC, 900 in ad-
ditional duties and penalties.
8. That proof Of the differentiation estab-
lished the connivance Of Examiner Wiswall
who passed the invoices correct.
4. That charges against Examiner Wiswall
based upon this proof, were made by Appraiser
Cooper to Secretary Foster.
8: The charges were ostensibly Investigated
by Special Treasury Agent James Mccoy, who
made a secret report to the Secretary Of the
Treasury to the effect that they were not sub
| stantiated.
6: That these charges were suppressed and
nulified by the Intervention Of the appraisers
superior officer in the Treasury Department at
Washington by means Of pretended investiga-
ton by the special agent and the report based
thereon, which report suppressed and per-
verted the facts, thereby inducing the Secre-
tary Of the Treasury to exonerate Examiner
Wiswall despite the unshakable fact that J. R
$500 SSSA <PSAASA
penalties.
Z. That thereafter Assistant Secretary Spauld-
ing and Supervising Special Agent Jingle were
made fully cognizant Of the facts by personal
interview with Appraiser Cooper.
8. That Messrs Spaulding and Tingle made q
bargain with the silk association whereby Ex-
aminer Wiswall was relieved from the duty OF
| examining silks and transferred to another and
more responsible place.
Mr.. Richardson can testify that Messrs.
Nm WI a nd v,ylA H.
put where he would not interfere with the silk
association or be Of annoyance to it. provided
he (Richardson) would drop his charges against
Wiswall.
9. Presient Of the Board Of General Apprais-
ers George c. Tichenof, knowing the charges
against Examiner Wiswall and the facts sup
porting them, recommended to Assistant Sec
Rotary Spaulding that Wiswall be placed in charge
OF the Redistribution of invoices Of silk goods al
legged by the importers to be hat trimmings, on
which they demanded refunds from the gov
eminent. This work, which enabled Wiswall
to WELD great influence on the final decisions,
was intrusted to him in spite of the fact that he
had been found guilty Of gross misconduct as
| an examiner, and in spite of the fact that the
attorneys for 80 per cent Of the importers had
agreed to leave the rehabilitation to Appraiser
Cooper. His (Wiswalls) conduct in his new
place was such as to evoke strong criticism from
his superiors.
10. That General Appraisers Han, Ticbenor
and jewell were the only checks upon Wiswalrs
possible dishonesty In his new position is shown
by the department letters of September %,
1891, designating them specially to act upon
the classification Of protested invoices That
letter was Of the same date as one ordering
that Wiswall should be "put in charge of the
reclassification of invoices Of hat trimmings"
Evidence that these general appraisers we're
friendly to Wiswall and opposed to Mr.. Corbett
is said to exist in the knowledge of Appraiser
Cooper Mr.. Corbett and Mr.. Richardson That
Messrs. Spaulding and Jingle were responsible
for the order in regard to Wiswall may be
learned from the same witnesses.
H. That Wiswal resigned on March /. his
resignation to take effect on April l, he having
drawn his salary without rendering any eQuiva-
lent from the middle Of January. when the re-
funds on hat trimmings were suspended by the
Treasury Department. In March, while on
leave Of absence. he announced that he had
formed partnership with H. d. 1ichenor the
son Of the general appraiser. That partner
ship is uuquestioned.
-. That General Appraiser Tichenor, sitting
as judge, adjudicates upon cases in which his
son appears as counsel in association with ex-
Examiner Wiswall, whom, as an official charged
by his superiors with corruption Col Tichenor
had befriended and protected.
ID. That the special agents pervert their pow
ers to dscredit and impede responsible officials
by means of secret, perverted and false reports
made to officials at Washington, instead Of local
officials, as required by the spirit Of their in
structions.
The editor follows each specific charge with
the names Of witnesses who can be called upon
to substantiate it, and concludes his communi-
cation as follows: would also suggest an inves-
tgation into the cause Of the friction between
the appraisers and the general appraisers de-
partments. This has become notorious and
must naturally interfere with the proper en-
forcement Of the laws and the rights OF NOR
chants.
Upon this subject the report Of the commits
sion appointed by Secretary Foster to investi-
gate the appraisers store may shed light. One
copy is in the Treasury Department and an
other is in the keeping Of Secretary Geo. Wilson
of the chamber Of commerce. Cornelius Bliss
and Charles Stewart Smith as well as other
merchants, are well informed upon the whole
subject.