Year: 1873

seized-The Error Estimated by Mil
lions.


BOSTON, Dec. ~ 1873.


The commercial community OF this city was
thrown INTO state OF high excitement this after
noon by the announcement that Jordan, Marsh
Co. had been charged with extensive revenue
frauds, and that all their books had been seized by
special agent Bingham, of the Treasury Depart
ment. The previous high reputation OF the firm
for integrity as Well as enterprise together with
the fact that the concern is one OF the most exten
sive importing and jobbing houses in the United
States, caused the story 10 be generally discred-
tied, and only the brief announcement OF the fact
in the late editions OF the evening papers caused
the rumor to be believed. An investigation dis
closes the fact that the special agent without any
previous intimatlon TO the firm that they were
dong business irregularly, visited their premises
TINS afternoon, and by authority Of warrant
issued by the United States Court made a COM
plete seizure OF all their books and accounts. The
firm Afforded Mr.. Bingham and his officers all pos
sible facilities Tor making an examination, and
although it was intimated that order OF the
Court would probably authorize an examination on
the premises, Mr.. Jordan preferred that they
should be taken away, and they We're carried to
the Court House and are now undergoing scrutiny
there.


The government officers assert that the alleged
frauds nave extended over a period oil 10 years,
anu t0dt tHey HDt less tndN ana pos
sibly may reach twice that sum. Suspicion, they
say, was aroused some 10 months since, and
developments since that time have fully warranted
the action now taken. BY the instructions oil the
Court granting the warrant the information was
placed on file IN the Clerks sa.e and IL Will not be
entered upon the docket or accessible until Mon
day, but the examination OF the books is progress
ing in the meantime,


As may be anticipated the firm is highly ndg-
nant at the action OF the Treasury agent, ana the
same feeling Is shared In TO greater or lesser
tent by the whole mercantile community. The
members OF the firm court the fullest examination
and say tnat there was no occasion for the seizure.
They complain that the officers, before coming for
their books, did not inform them OF any suspected
violation OF the law, rather than pursue course
likely to lnJure their business as VIII result II
aggerated reports should be made public. They
also crltclse detective system under which such
seizures are possible and assert tnat in their case
the action of the special officers was unnecessary
and most unjust The evening papers also generally
condemn the whole proceeding. The Traveller says
that IT creates much surprise In business circles,
and IL Is much to be desired that the declarations
of members OF the firm that all their transac ctions
with the government will be found correc may
prove true. The enterprise and public spirit OF the
firm are proverbal, and 1t would he public loss to
have It's credit broken down or its good name i'm
paired. The Journal, in commenting upon the af-
fair expresses the belief that the may have
arisen from some technical construction of the
law on the part OF the firm, and that an investi-
CATION Will show this to be the case.