The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-12
SCHARF REBUKED ANEW.
U. 8. GRAND JURY TACKLES HIS
CHINESE PIPE DREAMS.
FINDS That without Evidence Hs MADE
Charges or FRAUD Against Upitcd states or
nciais ana That ne shouid ne Severely
Censured-rt Wa. I'm Vermont This Time.

Charges or FRAUD Against Waited states or
nciais ana That ne sho.id ne Severely
Censured-n was In Vermont This Time.
A couple Of weeks ago THE SUS told Of the
severe robuke administered to Chinese Inspector
J. Thomas Scharf by Charles 8. Hamlin. Assist
ant Secretary Of the Treasury. On Saturday
last Scharf was publicly censured at Burlington
by tho February Grand Jury in its report to the
United States Circuit Court. The jury unani-
mously made this prescntmcnt:
Whereas, Complaints have been made to
this Grand Jury that officials connected with
the customs service in the district OF Vermont,
United States Commissioner Felix w. McGct.
trick Of ST. Adams. VT, and others, including
Moy 10y. Chinese interpreter, have been guilty
Of committing serious crimes and misdemeanors
in passing through Cinnamon from Canada to
tho United States, and whereas ono J. Thomas
Scharfr. Chinese inspector OF New York city,
first made these charges against the aforesaid
officials in a letter to tho Treasury Department
in Washington, D. c., and said scharfr appear.
ing before this Grand Jury. under oath, declares
that he does not believe the charges against the
aforesaid officials to be true. and, as far as he
knows, there was no foundation for them In owl
dcnce; and. decming It 10 be the duty OF the
Grand Jury not only TO indict tho guilty. but to
screen and exoneratc tho innocent,
Resolved. That we. the Grand Jury Of tho
aforesaid court, now in session. after n long and
exhaustive examination, do not find one parti.
Gle Of evidence substantiating the charges made
by Inspector Schnrff or by any one else against
United states Commissioned +. W. McGettrick
OF ST. Adams. VT, tho customs officials OF tho
district Of Vermont, tho Chinese Interpreter, Moy
10y, or any other official connected with the pass
ing OF Cinnamon across the border. On the con.
trary. we find TINT tho aforesaid officials have
performed all their duties In those matters In an
honest and painstaking manner worthy OF the
praise Of every law.abiding citizen OF the
United States. We further find that the conduct
OF Inspector J. Thomas Scharff in making such
serious charges In his official capacity against
Government officers, without, as he admits under
oath. any evidence, is in the highest degree rep.
rehensiblo. and should be severely ccnsured.
And as these charges against the aforesaid off,
Gals have been mado public through the press.
i seems e, US, tho Grand Jury, not only proper
but Just that the innocence of said officials
m shas,d be made PnSlis "l I oR HssgefTt aSsS. sub
HENRY r. Hill, Clerk;
In the Green Mountain state they spell
scharf's name with two rs. Sensational stories
about Wholesale, frauds in the Vermont customs
gcadled 70 the Horld two years ago, by
S York. city, sch' Gf;ars sSSi' the a. h fed s9a in aaiS asE
IN the Vermont customs district and Moy
10y, the chinese interpreter, with fraud. and
gross dercliction OF duty In admitting China
men. Scharf forwarded these reports TO Wash.
ington. The Treasury officials directed I. Aubrey
Byrne OF Boston, IA detective In the employ of the
department. to look up Moy Ioy's case, and sent
some Of Schurfs charges to J. II. Scnter of Mont
pelicr, United States District Attorney. SCharf
was thereupon asked 10 visit Burlington while
the Grand jury OF The United States Court was In
session. and was also invited to appear before
that body. The Buriiup.On Free Press and
Times, March 2. adds:
MIR. Senter told him that he understood that
he had n host Of witnesses TO verify these
charges and called for their names that he might
Subpoena them to come before tho jury. The
sight OF eighteen NcrInonters without even a
sensational curl in their hair looking for hard,
cold facts was a new sight 10 Mr.. Scharff. and
he was somewhat ratified. He az first told them
that he had taken his life in his hands In this
matter, and that he was followed about the
slruction. Prove III was clearly stamped on
the faces 81 the jury, and Attorney Scntcr
asked him Il he expected he could prove the
charges he had sent TO the Treasury officials,
can be proved The jury began TO size him up,
but they patiently waited for his witnesses 10
appear. Only one came before that body. and
he furnished them some amusement when he
went on and told his story. He did not seem 10
think Mr.. SchRrtT such IA terror TO the heather
Chinese, as he claimed he had paid Scharff $50
for, admitting two Cinnamon on one occasion
ana $40 for two. more on two. other occasions.
This destroyed the confidence OF the jury in him,
and was the last straw for Nr. SchGrff; but he
was given every chance, and the Investigation
Was even turned oyer 10 the conduct OF Mr..
BSrnc for "a whole day
The Grand Jury thcrcrpon ccnsured Schart
rs above.
For four years now scharf's reports have been
refuted all along the line, and yet the Cleveland
Administration kept him in his place.
The report OF tho Grand Jury was ordered
spread on the court records, and n copy was
sent to the Acknowledgement OF the Omitted
States,