The Washington times., 1902-03-10
| SECRETARY RI SHAW
INVESTIGATES IlCOG
Watches Inspection of Bag
gage on New York Piers.
AN EARLY WALL STREET VISIT
Finds the Night Watchman Still on Duty
at the Assay Ofice-Confers With As
sistant Treasurer Jordan-Makes PEI
sonal Observations.

NEW YORK. March "a simply
dressed man. about five feet six inches
tall, with short gray sidewhiskers and
mustache, Saturday morning appeared on
the Gunard Line pier while the steamer
Lucania was docking. and. presenting
permit from Collector Bidwsll made cut
| to the bearer, went inside the baggage
enclosure.
While the baggage was being exam
ined by the customs inspectors ne walked
about, watching them at their work with
considerable interest. About half an
hour later he went away without attract
ing any marked attention.
Investigating Incognito.
1t was noised about later that the WIS.,
itor was Leslie NJ. Shaw, Secretary of the
Treasury. who was doing little investi-
eating on his own responsibility, to de-
termine as far as possible from personal
observation whether or not the COM
plants of certain women about the ex-
animation of baggage by the customs Of
ficials were warranted.
Secretary Shaw went to the american
Line pier in the afternoon. when the ST.
Paul docked, again entering with passes
provided by Collector Bidwell, which gave
no hint as to the identity of the holder.
woman. who seemed to be interested
in the investigation, accompanied him.
His Identity Surmised
The customs oficials were not supposed
to know that he was there. but it was
noticeable that the examination of the
baggage went on with a little more
smoothness and expedition than usual.
1t was not difficult to recognize him from
his published portraits when one had a
hint that he was there, but 1t was easy
to understand how the Secretary had been
able to slip on the pier without being
identified
1t did not take the newspaper men long
to discover him on the American Line
pier, and there was nc effort on his par:
to escape them. II an sorry that there
isn't a thing on earth / can say to you"
remarked the Secretary. 'I wish there
were l never run away from newspaper
men. | am not afraid of them
Thought They Did Not Know.
"I am only here on a little investiga-
tion OF MY own. / was on the Cunard
Line pier when the Lucania came In this
morning The customs officers did not
know l was there
Then Secretary Shaw fell to talking
with the reporters as II they could be Of
assistance to him in his Investigations.
and asked them many questions.
Secretary Shaw peered down into the
midst OF the groups of passengers. where
inspectors were examining their baggage,
talked with one or two customs officials
at random, went down to the clerks desk,
where inspectors are assigned to the pas
sengers, and took notice of group of two
or three women who were laughing with
an inspector remarking as he did SO.
They don't seem to be objecting TO the
examination He finally left the pier. He
said he should go to Washington In the
evening.
Early Wall Street Visit.
Secretary Shaw Saturday paid another
visit, and an early one, to Wall Street. He
called first at the Assay Office. arriving
there SO early that he found the night
watchman still On duty.
After making an inspection of the As
say Office, the Secretary took a stroll
through the financial district. and little
after 10 o'clock dropped in at the Sub
treasury, where he had few minutes
conference with Assistant Treasurer Jor-
dan. From the Subtreasury Secretary
Shaw, accompanied by two men from the
Assay ONCE. went uptown to inspect the
Public Stores.
It had been reported that he would re-
turn to Wall Street. where it was said a
number of financiers would call on him to
pay their respects. 1t developed later in
the day. however. that the Secretary had
given up the idea Of meeting any consider
able number of the local bankers. as so
many of them are out Of town at present.
Instead. he devoted large part of the
day to making personal observations on
the operation of the present routine OF
baggage inspection at the piers OF ineou-
ing steamships.