The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-09-29
JEROME STILL
HOLDS Ills JOB
A Ruling Made by Him
Knocks Out a Brokers
Fee.
His Orders Implicitly 0beyed
by All the Deputies and
Clerks.
Statement as to the Deadlock Be-
tween the Department and
the Collector.

Custom.house brokers were agitated yes
terday afternoon over a ruling made by
E. B. Jerome, clerk l. class 6, which they
fear will be taken advantage of by dis
honest persons desiring to evade the pay
ment of brokerage fees.
In this case Clerk Jerome ordered Dep
uty Collector Farley 10 issue 2 duplicate
permit for the release of certain personal
effects imported by Rev. J. NJ. Monroe,
passenger on the Moana.
Mr.. Monroe wished to proceed East as
soon as possible after his arrival here and
at once look steps to put his goods through
the Custom house. With that design he
called at the Custom-house last Friday at
10 minutes before o'clock ana applied to
Deputy Collector Farley. Mr.. Monroe
was informed that he would not be able to
get his gooIs through before i've or six
days by his own exertions and he was in
troduced to Customs Broker Thomas, who
took charee of the matter. The Custom
house was kept open at Mr.. Thomas solic-
itation half an hour after closing time
and he got matters so we'll under way that
the papers we're ready the next forenoon.
Instead of being thankful for having been
saved several d avs of waiting the reverend
gentleman refused to pay the brokers'
com ssion of 81 aud went up to see Mr..
| Jerome.
| Mr.. Jerome, after hearing his story, or
dered Deputy Collector Farley 10 issue
| duplicate permit, the original being in
! possession of Broker Thomas.
I Although this order was not in accord
ance with the rule requiring proof OF the
/ loss or destruction of the original permit,
and although it was generally known tina,
~ YtyYf
/ he being simply a clerk and having no
authority over Deputy Collector, Mr..
| Farley issued the duplicate permit and the
! minister got his goods, and was thus en-
abed to avoid paying the brokerage fee.
| He denied that he was aware that Thomas
was a broker, and contended that such
| services were or should be gratultouS.
When Mr.. Farley was asked why he had
recognized any orders coming from Clerk
Jerome he replied that Mr.. Jerome had a
desk in the Collectors office, and he took
it for granted that Mr.. Jerome was acting
by authority of the Collector. Mr.. Farley
! added, in response 10 further questions,
that he did not know what position MIR.
JeIome held, but that whenever he wanted
any instructions he called on that gentle
man.
Mr.. Jerome informed a CALL reporter
that the reverend gentleman had come to
him in great distress, saying that he had
! been De56t py q IOt OIL lana SndFhS, ndrpleS,
| behemoths and other strange beasts OF
evil and that they demanded $4 before
his effects would be delivered to INN.
81 did not know who the broker was in
the case, +" said Jerome, "but 1t made no
/ difference. L Q law is plain. INSTRUCTED
! Mr.. Farley that If there were no storage
charges nor liens for freight he should
issue duplicate permit and release the
goods"
Mr. Jerome then informed Collector
! Jackson of what he had done, and the
! Collector. believing that the ex-speclal
| deputy had laid down the law correctly,
| approved of his action.
Broker Thomas accuses jerome OF dis
| elimination against Broker Thomas and
| in favor of other brokers' and cites re-
/ cent instance in point. His story Is that
| some time ago jeweler named Benguiat
imported some iewelry and precious
! stoneS to this city, and that pending an
appeal o the Board OF General Appraisers
he allowed the jewelry to remain in the
! custody of the Government until the APP
| praisers had settled the dispu ted point as
10 the amount of duty to be paid on the
| goods.
When he got ready to take out the Jew
elry he paid the duty and employed
| Broker Thomas to attend to the matter.
But MIR. Jerome refused to release the
F.! goods, alleging that there was claim
! against them. Benguiat denied that thele
was any claim on behalf of the Govern
ment. All that he knew of was de bt OF
| 81 50, balance of brokerage fee due Gus
toms Broker Boden. 1t was not until
Bo6en went with Benguiat and Thomas
10 Jerome and informed him that the
| 50 SO had been paid that Jerome released
the goods.
| No one knows by what authority Jerome
is acting. 1t is known that he has none
so far as the decision of the Secretary OF
the Treasury is concerned, but not a clerk
or deputy on the floor will dare disobey
his orders, oral or written. 1t was con-
ceded yesterday in the Custom house that
he would continue to act as special d p-
uty de facto, in spite of the ruling of the