The New York Herald Newspaper, April 26, 1873, Page 3

WASHINGTON. ‘Summary Suspension of the Corrupt Vienna Commissioners. - Te ak PEAT ROLAND WHAT SECRETARY FISH SAYS. General Burnside Responsible for Van Buren’s Appointment. THE STEERAGE PASSAGE. Treasury Clerks Sent to Report on the Treatment of Emigrant Passengers. WASHINGTON, April 25, 1873, ‘Van Baren’s Assistant Vienna Commis- sioners Removed—What Secretary Fish Says Now—Burnside and His Austrian Axes. ‘The sweeping charges against the American Commissioners at the Vienna Exposition, as first published in the HERALD cable despatch from that city, have been fully borne out by the latest advices received at the State Department. Secretary Fish, always inclined to take a charitable view of those who are “under a cloud,” at first thought that there were only one or two black sheep among Van Buren’s ehosen fold of thirteen; but, alas! shep- herd and sheep alike have gone to the bad. The Secretary, who was inclined = to take the report of the HERaLp Vienna correspondent with the proverbial grain Of salt, is now undeceived. He admitted this even- ing, with his usual frankness and magnanimity, that the charges against Van Buren and his thir- teen are more serious than he expected. He con- siders the whole affair a very painiul one, as being calculatea to bring, temporarily, great disgrace upon the American name. The Segretary, always Jealous of the national honor, thought that this dis- creditable piece of business could be smothered in the archives of the State Department and there be buricd in oblivion, He was in hopes that it could be settled before it got into the press, and thus the disgrace consequent upon a@public exposé would be avoided. He therefore considers it a very unfortunate matter that the ubiquitous HERALD correspondent should have got hold of, the ugly facts and given them a world-wide circulation. Now that the cat is out of the bag the Secretary is willing to satisfy the greed of an insa- tiate press. He courteously injormed your corre- sepondent this evening that the Committee of In- quiry, consisting of Minister Jay and Mr. McElrath, have, alter careful investigation, fourd that there was ground for serious charges of irregularity against General Van Buren and his Assist- ant Commissioners. The committee, therefore recommended their suspension, and Secretary Fish thereupon telegraphed to Vienna ordering that they be all suspended. Those of the Commission- ers who may be able to ciear themselves will be re- instated, but it is highly probable that in the ma- jority of cases the present suspension amounts to removal, * “So far,” says Secretary Fish, ‘‘there has been no evidence of corruption against General Van bu- ren,’”’ and he hopes that further developments of the investigation will show that there really is mone. The impression here is that Van Buren is unfit for the position to which he has been Q@ppointed. In the first place he has made great mistakes in his choice of assistants, He not only selected some bad men, but entrusted too much to them, neglecting matters to which he ought to have himself attended, and giving the utmost lati- tudé to his chosen Commissioners. Having charge of an office in New York for the transaction of the Vienna Exposition business, he left it without providing a substitute. Fortunately, Mr. Franeis B. Stout took his place, and has, with a zeal and disinterestedness that cannot be teo highly commended, attended to all his unfinished busi- ness. Secretary Fisn has now formally appointed him to do in New York the duties which were in- cumbent upon General Van Buren. It is said that General Van Buren owes his ap- ment to the urgent solicitations of General Burn- side, who asked it as a special favor of the Presi- dent. As charity covers a multitude of sins, so General Burnside’s military prestige covers a mul- titude of schemes which he has fathered; and report has it that it was with a view to grind some of his axes at the Vienna Exposition that Burnside procured Van Buren’s appointment. With regard to the other commissioners, it is but fair to add that the arti- sans, scientific men and honorary commissioners are as yet free from all repreach; and those who owe their appointments to Secretary Fish, and not to political influence, may be depended upon as men well qualified for their positions. If all the sppointments had been made through the State Department, it is said the disgrace of the present exposure might have been spared to the country. Treasury Clerks Sent to Europe to Re- turn as “Greenhor —A Thorough Re- port on the Steerage Question Prom- ised. A delegation of Treasury clerks, consisting of J. Frederick Myers, of the Secretary's office; Thomas B, Sanders, Chiet Clerk of the Navigation Division; Horace L. Piper, of the Second Auditor’s office, and Charles Colne, of the Comptroller’s office, have sailed from New York for Europe as cabin passen- gers on government business, to return in the steerage of various transatlantic lines disguised as emigrants. They are charged with the duty of observing and inquiring into everything connected with the treatment of emigrants im their passage across the ocean, whether relating to the accommodations afforded them, the wholesomeness and suficiency of their food, the separation of the sexes, the conduct of officers and crews, the sanitary provisions, hospital ac- commodations, &c. Dr. B. F. Craig, Analytic Chemist in the Army Medical Museum, has been secured by the Treasury Department for the pur- pose of undertaking several voyages on the differ- ent lines carrying emigrants, and will analyze and veport upon the food, air and water supplied to the Bteerage passengers. These investigations are set afoot under a resolution passed last March by the Senate at the instance ef employés of the Treasury Department, requiring the collec- tection of information by that Department, be- tween then and September next. The subject will be submitted to Congress in the form of reports from the quasi detectives and the chemical ex- perts, next December, accompanied, probably, by the drait of a bill extending the proteotion of the national government over the emi- grant as far as legislation can effect it, Strict secrecy was intended and enjoined by the Treasury authorities in reterence to this whole subject; but, to the chagrin of the Department, seme of the persons selected could mot refrain from giving air to their importance before leaving this city. The agents of the several lines of steamers at New York are understood to have been furnished with accurate descriptive lists of the amateurs of the middle passage, and every provision will be made for the comfort of the dis- tinguished voyagers and their fellow passengers of the steerage for the time being, The Pacific Mail Service. The Pacific Mail Steamship Company has sub- mitted the question to tife Post OMice Department whether pay can be obtained for a trip to be made on the Ist of June in an English steamer, the loss of the America necessitating such a substitute, though the law requires the service to be per- formed by American built vessels, The opinion seems to be that the money cannot be paid for such a trip. No oficial action has yet been taken, The company will, however, make the trip and fely on Congress for compensation. Delinquent Railroads in Trouble. Representatives of the Reading Railroad were before Commissioner Douglas to-day, and asked to De relieved from the five per cent penalty agd one : NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, APRIL 2 percent a month interest on the tax which the Supreme Court has decided is due on dividends declared during the first seven months of 1870. ‘The company declined to pay it then, and now that the Court has decided they must pay, they ask to be relieved from the penalty jor non-payment. The Commissioner informed them that he had no power to remit, the Court having settled the mat- ter. The amount of the penalty due from the Reading and one or two other smaller roads in a similar condition amounts to $60,000, Unprecedented Loss of Boston Vessels, OMcial returns made to the Bureau of Statistics show that forty-three vessels of an aggregate ton- Mage of 16,000, belonging to the port of Boston, were lost during the quarter ended March 31, 1873. Among the vessels lost were seven barks of 300 tons each and ten brigs and ten schooners of 100 tonseach. The loss of such @ large namber of ves- sels belonging to a single port and in such a brief period is unprecedented, Treasury Balances. The following are the balances in the Treasury at the close of business to-day :— GORTONOTs css cess ccaccies > seseceess $2,078,126 Special deposits of legal tenders tor the 6 recegnen 01 certificates o! deposit... ON. . we eee ese eee Including coin certificates. Legal tenders outstanding. THE INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. So Awards of Contractse—Low PricesThe Commission in Favor of the Present Peace Policy. The Board of Indian Commissioners, consisting of Felix R. Brunot, Chairman, of Pittsburg; George H. Stuart, of Philadelphia; William E, Dodge, New York; Dr. Bishop, New York; Kdward 8. Toby, Boston; John B, Lang, Maine (the only Quaker in the commission) ; John V. Farwell, Chicago, and Robert Campbell, of St. Louis, met at 40 Leonard street yesterday, for the purpose of awarding con- tracts for the supply of articles of domestic use and consumption to the Indians on the western and southwestern frontier. The awards were made by Hon. Edward P. Smith, Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The following is a lst of the awards, with the figures. The competition was very great:— Three thousand four hundred and eighty-five blankets,* from $361 to $10 20 per pair; 647 dozen preserving Ketttes, from $4 80 to $8 40 per dozen; 60 dozen tin plates, 55 cents dozen; 25 dozen tin dippers, $1 dozen; 292 pressed tin pans, $105 to $2 25 per dozen; 130 dozen coffee pots, $2 75 dozen, 80 dozen at $3 50 dozen; 120 dozen iron teaspoons at 22 cents per dozen; 1,510 pairs blankets, from $510 to $752 per pair; 4,082 woollen shawls» $171; 4,924 pounds linen ‘thread, $104 to $124 per pound; 148,578 yards brown sheet- ing, 12% cents; 150 dozen cotton handker- chiefs, $2373, dozen; 140 bed coverlets, $4 75 each; 198 dozen cotton handkerchiefs, $2 50 per dozen; 3,096 pairs shoes, from $1 to $1 9734 per pair; 3562 dozen hoes at $1 80; 23,000 pairs of blan- kets, from $4 15 to $10 80 per pair; 33,000 yards colored cloth, $1 40 per yard; 400 yards cloth, $3 50; 3,300 pounds yarn, $1 20 per pound; 500 pounds in- digo, $1 67 per pound; 17,197 red flannel shirts, $1 35 each; 8 dozen pocket knives, $6 75 per dozen; 230 dozen knives and forks, $2 per dozen! 13 dozen saws, $12 per dozen; 106,325 yards Merrimac prints, 1034 cents; 705 dozen spool cotton, 65 cents; 47,500 yards bed ticking, 1544 cents; 20,750 yards plaid linsey, 2434 cents; 20,450 yards blue flannel, 38 cents; 1,000 yards col- ored drilling, 11% cents; 800 yards shirting, 11 cents; 3,600 yards blue denims, 1934 cents; 9,000 yards sand shirting, 1514 cents; 488 dozen _chil- dren’s stockings, $1 50; 44 dozen wool scaris, $5 50; 600 wool hoods, 60 cents each; 67,800 yards blue drill, 143¢ cents per yard; 1,108 dozen axes, $9 to $1075 per dozen; 40 dozen hatchets, $6 per dozen; 2,400 gray flannel shirts, $1 363, each; 7,065 ‘hickory shirts, 657 cents each; 116 dozen hunting knives, $258 per dozen; 613 dozen table pponae 68 cents per dozen; 1,100 calico shirts, 46 cents each; 122,000 yards duck, 18% cents yard; 19,825 yards satinet, 471, cents Pia 509 dozen axe-handles, $2; 150,000 prague prints, 10% a 11 cents; 27,600 yards Ted flannel, 4234 cents; 400 shawls, $4 20; 652 dozen half hose, $4 75 a $4 85 dozen; cotton maitre, tin pails, saw files, mill files and hoe-handles; 175 boys’ hats, 60 cents each; 6,300 men’s hats, from 58 to 85 cents each; 300 caps, from 56 to 58 cents each; frying pans, tin pails and tin cups; 1,503 dozen butcher knives, $1 97 dozen; 120 skinning knives, $175 dozen; hee of blankets, from “ea 35 to $6 80 per pair; 628 dozen hose, at $3 25 per dozen; pounds gilling twine, from 1 04 to 14 =per pound; 8,000 coats, $5 30 to $5 98 each; 670 overcoats, $8 95 each; 3,642 pairs of pants, $2 80 to $3 16 per pair; 930 vests, $1 85 each; 250 boys’ suits, $65 95 each; 120 boys’ vests, $1 65 each; 6,300 yards Kentucky Jean, at 28c. per yard. There are about one dozen articles of hardware, such as camp kettles and other articles of do- mestic use, on which awards have not been made, but will be made to-day. ory. to the scarcity of money and general depression in business circies, the figures for the above named articles are very low. The total sum to be paid for the goods pur- chased yesterday will be about seven hundred thousand dollars, Messrs. Brunot and Campbell left the city last evening on @ flying visit to Commissioner Delano, at tbe latter pbb request, for a conference on fhe advisability of continuing the present peace policy. Members of the Commission will visit different points in the Indian country the coming Summer, and a number of them will probably. be present at the and Peace Council to be held at Fort Sill next month. The Board of Indian Commissioners are unani- mous in their desire for a continuance of the pres- ent peace policy. While they are desirous that all guilty parties should suffer for their crimes they do not endorse the ideas of many, who would exter- minate a whole tribe of Indians for the crime of one or a number of them. The Commissioners will meet at 40 Leonard ads om Monday next to open bids for transpor- on. : HOTEL KEEPER ARRESTED. a - From a Palace to a Prison. HL. L. Powers, proprietor of the Grand Central Hotel, was arrested last evening by Deputy Sheriff Lawrence Curry upon an order of arrest granted by Chief Justice Shea, of the Marine Court, upon complaint of Ellis H. Elias. The warrant was placed in the hands of Mr. Judson Jarvis, who de- tailed Deputy Sheriff Lawrence Curry to effect the arrest. The latter officer went to the Grand Central Hotel yesterday after- noon and awaited the appearance of Mr. Powers, but he, probably suspecting something ‘was wrong, failed to put in an appearance. Sheriff Curry waited patiently in the corridor of the hotel until nearly six o’clock, when the desired individual entered the house. Mr. Curry explained his business a8 soon as Mr. Powers was seated in his office, Mr. Powers turned to one of his clerks and said :— “Give this black-mailer $450 and let him clear out of here.’ The officer told Mr. Powers he was not em- owered to settle the matter in that way. Mr. dson Jarvis was the proper authority to receive money as bail in all such cases, Mr. Powers became very indignant and seemed for some time inclined to resist the efforts of the officer, until Deputy Sheriff Seebacher happened to. enter the hotel and offered his assistance to Officer Curry. Mr. Powers called his servants about him, and for some moments a row seemed imminent, but the coolness and determination of the officers reserved the peace, and Mr. Powers was placed in a carriage and taken to Ludiow Street Jail. His manner after i A * the hotel was in strong contrast to his previous disposition. He made no more attempt to get out of the scrape than simply oing to the residence of Mr. Judson Jarvis. But nding that gentleman out, Mr. Powers succumbed, and was locked up,’ The following is a copy o1 the adidavit made by Mr. Ellas upon which the order Of arrest was granted Ellis H, Elias, plaintiff,vs. H. L. Powers—City and county of New York, s8.—Kilis H. Elias being duly sworn, says that he ig the plaintiff herein; that on the 23d day of April, 1873, he left the Grand Central Hotel, where he had been stopping; that the agent or clerk’ of sald de- fendant (who is and then was proprietor of said hotel) informed plaintiff that his principal had told him to state to this deponent that he could not have his (the de- t's) ‘piano, which was then in said hotes; that upon, and on the next day, the plai ‘ot out re- plevin papers, &c., against said defendant for said Qitup: Bs appears more tully in the annexed aiidavits of .H. Burns, Deputy Sheriff. Deponent further says that he is informed by said Deputy, and saruy, befieves that, upon demand of said Pepucy for said plano, the defendant retused to deliver the same to the Deputy, with the intent, as deponent verily believes, of detrauding deponent, and improperly and Traudnlently con £ Tentiy detained. Oncesiing said property, ro, fragt Sworn betore me, this 24th day of April i873—Jawes 2 fi — THE CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO RAILROAD SURVEY, ’ Fortress Monro, Va., April 25, 1873. The Engineer corps, under Major Temple, have completed the survey of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad to York, and will return to-morrow to @ int above Williainsbarg to complete some unfin- ished work, They Will not make a survey lower Mowe the peninsula than Yorktowp at presont, A SORROWFUL MURDERER. Bleakley, the Murderer of Maud Merrill, At- tempts Suicide—A Terrible Scratch—He Still Lives and Is Able to Eat His Three Square Meals a Day. AD attempt at suicide was made by one o1 the occupants of Murderers’ Rowy in the Tombs, yester- day. Robert P. Bleakley, who said he was guilty when he was asked to plead, cut his right arm with a sharp razor at about four o’clock in the morning. The wound is about half an inch long and a sixteenth part of an inch wide, It is, in fact, & mere scratch, and after tne first excitement among the prison officials had subsiaea they all laughed at this terrific attempt at suicide, “You were very foolish to do it,” Dr. Nealis said to Bleakley as he bandaged the would-be-suicide’s arm. “Well, I was tired of life,” he said Indifferently “This man is just about as insane as you are,” Dr. Nealis said to the HERALD reporter in the atternoon; “and I know that you are not insane. He only did this tomake people believe he was in- sane. If he had wanted to kill himself he could have done it in asecond with this razor, But he was only playing at suicide, Some people seem to think that he was put up to it; but 1 couldn't say by whom.” Warden Johnston, who had given a good deal of attention to this remarkable case, was also of the opinion that Bleakley was feigning insanity and had been “put up to it.” He gave the reporter the following letter, which was supposed to be BLEAKLEY’S PARTING ADDRESS to the world .— “You might take my life; New Good by, Lotty. no! To the world and all men:—I am going before my God, and my last words are I never wronged my niece in any. way, morally or otherwise. I never received a cent of ‘of any kind ry Ann Foley, iny late niece, wi & parent and guardian, no matter what anybody says. God, whose presence I hope to be in soon, knows this is truth. ‘Those who know me best, both in'the United States and elsewhere, will speak & kind word for me. Thad many faults, but | always loved my sister and children, and hope to be with them soon, Tshot my poor niece, but did not go there todo so. It happened in a moment of trenzy. am guilty of to her. 1 hope God ‘w! what she said at the Coroner's fury. home and be @ mother to the rest of my and give them my love, for I will never world, but hope to in’ the next. I know full well the ‘ame ‘that 18 playing ior my benefit, but it won't do. jive my watch to Lotty. God ay AS] my enemies and calumuiators, ROBERT P. BLEAKLEY, This touching epistle would probably have brought tears into people’s eyes if Bleakley HAD DONE THE DIRE DEED. But he did not, and drank a gooa strong cup of teain the afternoon. At about haif-past two the Warden visited his cell, in company with a re- porter of the HERALD. Bleakley lay on the bed, dressed. “Hallo!” the Warden said; how are you now ?”’ and he entered the cell. Bleakley raised his head feebly from the pillow and said in a scarcely audible voice, ‘Little better, thank you.” “Have you much pain in your arm ? the War- den asked, “Yea, ahd much,” Bleakley replied, “Why did you do this, anyhow ? the Warden pursued. Bleakley paused for a reply and then said, “I did it because I’m tired of life.” WARDEN—Well, why did you not finish the job? BLEAKLEY—Oh, because the keeper interrupted me. WakDEN—You would have done it had it not been for the keeper ? BLEAKLEY—Yes, I would have done it. WARDEN—Why, that’s a very foolish idea; I thought you had more nerve than all that, BLEAKLEY (faintly) —Oh, I am tired of life. WaRDEN—Then you wanted to commit suicide ? BLEAKLEY—Yes, sir. WarvdEN—Wiill you do it again ? BLEAKLEY (earnestly) —No, sir, I wont. WarDEN—Well, I'll bring you a cup of tea; good- by. BLEAKLEY (his head sinking back on the pil- low)—Good-by. “Was that not pretty well done for an inter- view ¥”’ the Warden asked, as he stepped out of the Sloonty cell and turned to the reporter—‘“almost as weil as you could have done it yourself ?” The reporter acquiesced, and leit to call on Howe & Hummel, Bleakley’s counsel. Mr. Howe was sitting at his desk eating luncheon at the time. “You are a reporter of the HERALD. Pray take aseat. I shall be very happy to give you ail the information I have. Now, in the first place—(A pause; Mr. Howe took a bite and felt refreshed) — when Bleakley was first locked up in the Tombs he sent me a perfect cartload of manuscripts, giving his complete autobiography, the history of his my integrity, never.”” York, FRIDAY, 2th, 1873, I wrote for you to come, but you did always loved I told everything L ill forgive Lotty for it her io go 's children, eany in this mother, who committed suicide; the history of his sister, who committed suicide, &c. That’s polit No. 1. Point No. 2—Before he was asked to plead he would not allow us to roceed with the trial. He insisted that he must be anged. He said he had killed his niece and that he must hang so that justice might be avenged. The reason why he attempted to commit suicide is simply because JUDGE BRADY WOULD NOT HANG HIM last Thursday. (Another pause. Mr. Howe plunges into the green peas.) He told me to-day, aiter the attempt at suicide, that he would never go to his trial alive. REPORTER—Mr. Howe, there is a rumor that you told Bleakley to play at suicide to convince the world that he was insane. Is there any foundation for this rumor ? Mr. HowE (flourishing his fork)—I never heard of such a rumor, and can only qualify it as untrue as well as absurd. REPORTER—Mr. Howe, what will Bleakley’s next attempt at suicide be ? Mr. HowE—I don’t know, sir, I don’t know, sir— (laughing)—he may strangle himself with his gar- ters. I don’t know. The reporter thanked Mr. Howe, and left him to his cold corned beef and green peas, THE LOUISIANA USURPATION. to the Governor McEnery Responds Sympathy of Virginia. RicuMonp, Va., April 25, 1873. Governor Walker, having sent a communication to Governor McEnery of L_uisiana, transmitting the resolutions of the General Assembly of this State expressing sympathy with the people of Louisiana, has received the following letter in reply :— STATE OF LOUISIANA, EXECUTIVE OFFICE, } NEW ORL#ANS, April 15, 1873. His Excellency GILBERT C. WALKER, Governor of Virginia :— DEAR StR—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th inst., transmitting a copy of the joint resolution adopted by the Gen- eral Assembly of Virginia, expressive of the sense of that honorable body on the state of public affairs in Louisiana. In reply permit me, in the name of the people of this State, to return to you, and through you to the people of Virginia, acting through their legal representatives, their deep and sincere acknowl- edgments for the convictions expressed ih said resolutions, and which, sooner or later, must find an active response in the hearts of all true lovers of liberty in this great nation, The people of Louis- jana, who have been unwilling spectators of the overthrow, by fraud and force, of their govern- ment, chosen in conformity with the laws of the State, would be justified in the rightful conclusion that republican government in this State was at an end, and that a precedent had been established which in the future might be cited for the overthrow of their State government were they not deeply and thoroughly imbued with ab abiding faith that the Congress of the United States, reflecting the public sentiment or the country and possessing the exclusive author- ity to remedy the great wrong and injustice in- flicted upon them, would at its néxt session apply the appropriate remedy and relieve the oppressed and unhappy people of the State from a usurpatory overnment unknown to the constitution of the nited States, and palpably at variance with the first principles of American liberty, I trust and hope that the other States of the Union, rising above party clamor and party disci- ee may follow the example of your noble and ustrious Commonweal’h, and not hesitate to pro- nounce in emphatic terms their condemnation of the usurpation and despotism attempted to be fastened upon the a of the State by the wrong- ful, ag iad ex parte orders and decrees of a United States district judge. Never did it enter the imagination of any Ameri- can patriot that a State government, legally elected and erected by the ballots of the people, might, under any state of circumstances, be overthrown and destroyed fe fran judge; and the judge who destroyed the legally chosen government in this State and substituted therefor one not elected by the Votes of the people must and will receive the bitter and unmistakable condemnation of the whole American Republic, With sentiments of the highest regard, l am Your Excellency’s very obedi- ent servant, JOHN McENERY, Governor of Louisiana, A NEW YORK TRAVELLING JEWELLER ROBBED, St, Lovts, Mo., April 25, 1873. Berdelle Johnson, @ travelling agent for a manu, facturing jeweller of New York, reports to the police here that his sample trunk was robbed of $2,000 worth of cluster and solitaire diamonds and $1,000 worth of gold chains. Johnson thinks the robbery was committed between Kansas city and St. Louis, by Leroy Smith, whom he met on his travels, and who represented himself as an agent for a New York Orm, SHIPS WITHOUT SAILORS. Effect of the Enforcement of the New Shipping Law. Thirty Vessels Ready for Sea Want Crews—Sea- men’s Landlords at Loggerheads with the Shipping Commissioner—Why Vessels Are Delayed—Native Commerce Likely To Be Driven from Our Ports— Foreign Craft Obtaining Precedence on Account of Shipping Fees. Arrest of Fifty of the Boarding-House Keepers. A war is being waged between the United States Shipping Commissioner of the Port of New York and the Landlords’ Association—a body which is particularly interested in matters maritime with reference to providing “poor Jack” with a berth or with obtaining his discharge when he returns from @ voyage to far-off foreign lands. The persons most aggrieved are those merchants and ship- owners Who desire to obtain crews for their ves- sels which are loaded and ready to sail for foreign ports. The captains of these craft complain that though they can find plenty of sailors ready and willing to ship with them, they are unable to take them aboard in forma propria on account of the peculiar action of Captain Duncan, the Shipping Commissioner, and the boarding-house keepers. Consequently there are at present about twenty- eight vessels now lying in harbor, ready for sea, which are debarred from sailing for want of crews, From the statements given below the reader can draw his own deduction, which will most provably be that Captain Duncan does not fully understand the intricacies of the legal power he wields, and that both shipowners and seamen have a common cause of complaint against the course he is at present pursuing. The HERALD reporter called yesterday at the office of Messrs, Boyd & Hincken, No. 3. William Street, for information, and was there introduced to Captain Holloway, of the American bark Eureka. The following is this amtable skipper’s statement :— “As far as I can understand the affair, we are in- debted to the Shipping Comniissioner for all this trouble. I, as master of the Eureka, can get as many men as I want, but the authority will not aillow them to go with me unless they ship before him, and this their landlords will not allow them to do, Captain Duncan wants the advance notes to be paid before the vessel is cleared, and this I don’t Want to submit to, as the men may run away. Duncan won't cash the DUEB ILLS OF THE SAILORS within twenty-four hours, even if they are properly endorsed, and the landlords, who mostly hold these notes, kick against this. The Boarding-House Keepers’ Association, consequently, have sus- pended Captain Duncan, and wil) not allow their men to ship. This only holds good with American vessels, Craft under other flags ship men before their Consuls, and there is no diMcuity about their obtaining crews. There is my vessel, the Eureka, the Jacob A. Stamler, the North America, the Argus and about twenty-five others, now lying in harbor, some even in the stream, ready to sail, yet they cannot get away for lack of men to man them. Under the oid shipping law [could go to any shipping master, and he would furnish me with men and put them aboard my vessel, Now | have to find them for myself, take ®hem before Duncan, and look after them until they are aboard and clear of the land, This new law, as construed by Captain Dun- can, is an outrage upon shipowners and masters of vessels. There are plenty of men willing to work and go to sea, but the present regulations militate against their so doing.” The reporter then wended his way to the office of F, Atexandre & Sons, 31 Broadway, This firm own the New York and Mexican Mail Steamship line, and have vessels arriving in port every week the crews of which have to be paid off on arrival and shipped betore departure. In answer to the reporter's interrogations Mr. Alexander said :—“Since the appointment of Cap tain Duncan as Shipping Commussioner of the port of New York we have had very much to complain about. His system is especially objectionable and expensive to merchants and shipowners, as each of our crews have to be paid offand reshipped be- fore the Commissioner. This entails an expense of at least $5,000 per annum upon us, as We have to pay $2 for each man shipped and fifty centa for each man's discharge; whereas’ formerly, and, as we Claim, we are still ENTITLED BY LAW to do, it did not cost us more than $10 per week. We only sup our crews by the voyage, consequently they are always discharged on arrival in port, though most of them ship again when the vessel is ready to leave; in fact the majority of sailors em- ployed on our steamers bave been sailing in them Jor years. We don’t want to have untried men, but prefer those perfected in their duty, men whom we can trust, and, they, being willing to continue with us, it is simply extortion that we should be compelled to pay shipping tees at the termination of every voyage of one of our many steamers.”? At this point Mr. Alexandre’s son entered, and the reporter was referred to him as more able to give precise information, Upon learning the reporter’s mission this gentleman declared himself willing to explain the cause of the trouble, as he understood it, to the interviewer. “There {8 something radically wrong with the administration of this new Shipping law,” said Mr. Alexandre, ‘‘and it concerns us very materi- ally, not only on account of the unnecessary ex- pense which it creates, but also on account of the detention of our steamers. We claim that we can ship men as we please under the amend- ment of the new law, but Duncan de- clares we have not the power, and on two occasions has stopped our steamers when on the point of sailing on account of this. Let me explain, As you are perhaps aware, a shipping act was passed by Congress June, 1872, which put the absolute control of the shipping, paying off, &c., of all the crews going in American vessels bound to foreign ports into the hands of the Ree, Commissioner, and which Was not only a cause of great annoyance to all con- cerned with the management of such vessels, but also causing a great loss of time to owners, agents and crews by the very unnecessary forms and way it was done by the United States Commissioner here, One of the worst features were the EXOKBITANT FEES exacted by the Commissioner; for instance, charg- ing $2 for each man shipped, and fifty cents for each man discharged, besides extraneous fees for papers, &c., which made, in the aggregate, a@ great loss to American shipowners, whose property at present 18 not in the most flour- ishing condition, and (ghchgteg when engaged in ioreign trade, in which they have to compete with vessels sailing under other fags. t onus yaa amendment to section 12 of the Shipping act was passed by Congress, It reads thus:— Be itenacted, &c., That section 12 of the act, entitled mAnactto authorize the appointment of Shipping Com. missioners,” fo. approved une 7, 1872, be amended by adding to said section the following proviso :— Provided turther, That this section shall not masters of vessels when engaged in trade betw: United States and the British North American Provinces, or the West Indian Islands, or the Republic of Mexico, Now, you observe this amendment placed our vessels Which trade to Mexico on the same footing with coasters and lake-going vessels, and the Sec- retary of the Treasury issued a circular to the COLLECTORS OF CUSTOMS, notifying them that all the American vessels bound to ports in the places I have mentioned did not require any certificate of clearance from the Shipping Commissioner. We had no hindrance, nor heard of any to other firms similarly situated to us until March 22, during which time we shipped and paid off ourselves all our crews, which was done, 1 believe, by all those connected in trade with those ports mentioned in the amendment. On March 22 Captain Duncan suddenly libelled our steamer City of Havana for $400 fine, on account of our not shipping our crews through him, We thought it @ test case and did not very much object to the proceeding, though it caused us considerable expense and much apnoy- ance, as the skip was just about to sail; but when he libelled the City of Merida, on the 10th inst, at a quarter past two, when she was to sail at three o’clock, We could not but consider it an act of pre- medidated spite and ill will on his part. Since then it has also come to our knowledge that Cap- tain Duncan ree to the District Attorney for the Southern district to libel the steamer, but that official refused to do so, as he considered that Cap- tain Duncan ought to rest his case on the previous libel. ReEPORTER—This new law does not affect foreign vessels, I believe ? Mr. ALEXANDER—NOot at all, and the consequence is that it is doing a very great amount of damage to the mercantile marine of America, hy, Mr. Pendergast, of Beaver street, who owns quite a fleet of as fine vessels as ever floated, puts nearly all his ships under the British flag now, so that he may have no troubie and expense about shipping crews. The fees are a mere nothing for foreign vessels, and conseqnentily it is DRIVING TRADE AWAY . from native bottoms altogether, We have done all wecan to foster shipbuilding in America and re- cover the Old prestige which our clippers held 1873.—TRIPLE SHEET. before the war, as safe and speedy freight carriers, We build all our vessels at Greenpoint—we have one nearly for launching now—and we seek to give every stimulus possible to native trade, but what can we do when our object 1s defeated by an arbitrary commissioner like Mr. Duncan, who is too obtuse to understand or too arrogant to admin- ister the law in its proper form, REPORTER—But Mr. Duncan is acting on behalf of the sailors, Mr, ALEXANDRE—Not at all. If he was trying to benefit them we could say nothing, but he is act- ing entirely against their wishes and interests, He wants them vo consider themsetves his chil- dren; to own that they are uncapable of taking care of themselves, and to put their money in the bank under the Exchange. He knows how man seamen never return to claim funds deposited. Ventilate this matter In the HERALD and I promise you that you will benefit shipowne: sailors and the maritime commerce of the United States in a ver, great measure indeed, Sm: thanked Mr. Alexander for his elucicda- tlon of the casus bellt, the reporter proceeded to the Shipping Exchange, in Cherry street, and in- terviewed the oficial who temporally supplied the place of Captain Duncan. This urbane gentleman Saw the state of affairs through an entirely different telescope; with him the landlords were totally to blame for vessels being unable to obtain crews; they held poor Jack in thraldom and refused to allow him to take his “dunnage”*out of their houses or to ship aboard any vessel unless he did 8o under their auspices. According to this oficial’s story, the disagreement between the Shipping Commissioner and the Boarding Masters’ Associa- tion was on account of advance pay notes, The boarding masters wanted to have ~ ADVANCE NOTES cashed, even if they were not endorsed by the sailor interested, and also wanted them to be paid within twenty-four hours of the departure of the vessel, whereas the law allows ten days. Of ab yt in this establishment Jack was not sup- osed to have a’will of his own at all; the orale Ing house keepers could do what they liked wit! him, unless he came into the fold of Captain Duncan, where he would be treated as a poor, lost sheep and kindly cared for until he became one of the crew of a vessel whose officers were pledged to abstain from the too free use of belaying pins and the viands were of the choicest description obtain- able beyond the precincts of the Fourth wara. ARREST OF THE BOARDING-ROUSE KEEPERS. Captain Leary, of the Twenty-sixth precinct, with a detachment of sixty policemen, arreste fifty of the boarding-house keepers last evening and conveyed them to the Twenty-sixth precinct station house, From there they were transferred to the charge of Captain Uiman, at the Fourth pre- cinct station house, and loeked up. The men com- plained loudly of the way they were treated, and denounced United States Commissioner Duncan in unmeasured terms. Several of them have not been connected with the business of sailors’ boarding houses for years, and yet were arrested because they say they belonged to a benevolent society composed of men belonging to and who have been connected with sailors’ houses. Mr. Keigan, ex- President of the society, says the difficulty be- tween the boarding-louse keepers and the author- ities arose entirely from the action of Commis- stoner Duncan, He insists in issuing due bills to sailors, When the privilege properly belongs to the owners or consignees of vessels, e throws every obstacle possible in the way of Repro nraey houses getting their money, and endeay- ors, y every means at his command, to make the business profitable to himself, Mr. éam- eron, & milk dealer, and several others, corrobor rated this statement, made to a HERALD reporter last night, and added that Mr. Duncan had bought up bills irom the boarding-house men for less than the sums on the face of them, The cells in the station house were crowded to suffocation last night, and the scene created by the unusual influx of prisoners was more than paintul. The following 18 a list of the names of the men locked up:—Nicholas Lorenzo, Richard Pr. Hixbe, Thomas Higgins, Henry G Christian Lieber, Thomas Melville, Patrick Farr William Reneberg, James Galvin, James S. Collins, Hans Spangler, Michael Shelley, Juin Nolan, Henry Shepherd, Thomas Ruske, Jolin Brophy, John Field, James Durrin, Charles Duval, Lawrence BE. Peterson, Alexander Greenwall, David Jones, Wil- liam Lewis, Henry Miller, Nealis Nelson, Frederick Smith, William Payne, John More, C, D, Cameron, James Liegan, Patrick Williams, Alfred Dick- son, James’ Newell, John 'D. Sanders, ries Hallman, David E, Pert, Charles A, Holiert, William Lund, W. B, Dixon, Peter Ferron, Barnard Case, Benjamin Craig, Albert Nelson, Jacob Sharke, William Hughes, W. H. Jenkins, Henry Quaid, James Hughes, Peter Madden and Charles Patterson, r Captain Ulman used every means at his com- mand to make them comfortable during the night, ‘They will be sent to Court this morning, TROTTING AT FLEETWOOD, There was a fair attendance at Fleetwood Park yesterday to witness the three trots announced, of which the following are summaries :— FLeEeTwoop PARK, April 25.—Match for $200; mile heats; best two in three, in harness, £, O'Dell’s b. g. Frank.... D. Piifer’s b. g. Flower Boy..... ‘TIME. Quarter, Half. First heat... 46 13h Second heat. 43 50 Third heat. 2:58 43 1:26 SAME Day—Match $250; mile heats; best twe in three, mm harness. H. Kelly’s 8. g. Star Henry. oa Sep | J, Murphy’s s, g. Basil.. -2 2 TIME ~ Quarter, Half. Mile. First heat. dig 1:24 2:59 Second he: ood SAME Day te three, in harness. A, O’Dell’s b. m, Teaser G. Kelly’s b. g. Dandy... iy 43 1:30 2:67 300; mile heats; best two in First heat. Utica, N.*Y., April 25, 1873. ‘The directors of the Utica Driving Park Associa- tion publish the following regramme for the Fall meeting, beginning Aust 12.—Premiums aggre” gate $40,000, horses, $5,000. Second day Firgt day—2:34 horses, $4,000; 2:27 $6,000; four-year-old colts, $1,000; 2:50 horses, $2,500, Third day—2:30 horses, $6,000; 2:34 horses, $5,000, Fourth day. 38 horses, $3,000 colts, $1,600; free to ali, $6,000, ‘the entries will close on Saturday, July 26. Rule 36 of the National Association will govern in awarding premiums. THE CLEVELAND CLUB RACES, CLEVELAND, Olno, April 25, 1873. ‘The races of the Cleveland Club begin on the 29th July and will continue four days. The premiums aggregate $30,000. The entries will close on the 2ist July. The series will include three running races, THE MOBILE RACES. Mosie, Ala., April 25, 1873. ‘The attendance at the races to-day was good and the weather fine. The track was heavy with dust. First Race,—Cotreil Cup, mile heats, for three- year-olds; won by Sallie Watson, beating Meta H. in 1:47!¢ and 1:5234. John McCormick was ahead a few inches in the first heat, but was distanced for foul riding. Second Race—Best three in five, mile heats, was won by © O D, beating Jonn McDonald and 10 U in the order named. 25014, 1:48%, 4g and 1:53. John McDonald won the first heat. 10 U was ruled out at the end of the third heat. PIGEON SHOOTING. ohn Townsend Forfeits to Miles Johnson. “qhe pigeon shédtitg match between John Towhs- end, of Fairview, N. J., and Miles Johnson, of Yard- ville, N.J., at thirty-five single birds, for $250 a side, resulted, as had been expected, in a forfeit by Townsend, who fatled to appear, the temporary stakeholder paying over to Johnson the $50 put up by Townsend at the time of making the match, As there was a pleasant party present it was de- cided to shoot a sweepstakes at seven birds each, which, after some good shooting, was divided be- tween J. Ryan, of Ingleside, N. J., and Jesse Smith, They also divided @ second sweep, while Ryan, after a tie with Miles Johnson, won a third, the following being a summary of the shoot- ing:— ‘Bexren's Snoorta Grovnps, Long ISLAND.— Sweepstakes, $5 each, at 7 birds, 21 yards rise, 80 yards boundary, with 1‘ ounces of shot. J. Ryan—1, 1, 1, 1,1, 1, 1—*7. 1,1, 1, 1, 1, 1—*7. i—1, 1, 1, 1, 0, out—4, M. Johnson—2d, 1, 1, 1, 0, oat—3, J. Aldrich—1, 0, out—1. Ireland—1, 0, out—1, Paine—0, out—0. Moore—0, out—0. *Divided. Sweepstakes, ¢5 each, at 5 birds, 21 yards rise, bed or Shs boundary, 144 ounces 0) slot, . Ryan—l, 1, 1, 1, 1—* J, sinith—i, 1, i, i, 1—*5. M. Johnson: 1, Paine—1, 1, J, Aldrich—1, 1, 0, out—2,° *Divided. Sweepstakes, $5 each, at 5 birds, 21 yards rise, 80 yards boundary, 144 ounces of shot, 4, Ryan—1, 1,'1, 1, 0, 1—Killed, 5, M. Johnson—1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0—Kitled, 4, J, Smith—1, 1, 1, 0, out—Killed, 3, L Paine—1, 4 0, out—Killed, 2, J. Aldrich—1, 1,'0, out—Kiligd, 2, Pigeon Shooting in Maryland. BALTIMORE, April 25, 1873. A pigeon shooting match for $100 and the championship of this State took place at Crumpton, Md, Thursday, between Henry Eng and Abra- haieCrazer. Engles killed 19 birds Oat of 25 and Cruzer 17, the former winging by 2. A CRISPIN. CONSPIRACY. The Cordwainers Plotting in Secret to Increaag the Cost of Boots and Shoes and Aug- ment Their Own Wages—The New List of Prices—Indignation “of the Dealers. A STRIKE TO BEGIN ON MAY 1, For some time past, during which the attention of the general public has been drawn to the doings, actual an@ prospective, of the trade classes by tha troubles originated by the gasmen, there have been indications of movements in other branches of labor in this city which tn all likelihood would be unfolded to the ight as soon as the workingmen had girded up their loins for their new bat. tle. They seem never tired of making aggressiona on capital to secure concession of better pay, and it 1g now said that it every day is becoming plainen thatevery step which they gain marks a new ac, cession to the TYRANNOUS POWER which they seek to exercise. The cry of tha capitalists, or rather the dealers in manufactures: is beginning to be identical with that of liberty against oppression. The former say that tha workingmen are never satisfied with the present blessings which they may enjoy by dint of industry, but always ambitiously grasp for more than they, possess, and, if humored in their unbent passions, would set no mit to the exactions of their em~- pirical régimé ) One of the strongest and most indomitable or anizations of “the sons of toil’ is that which ars the name of the United Society of JOURNEY MI CORDWAINERS, otherwise known as “Crispins.’? This society is independent of the rest of the world. It ignor all interes{s but those of its members. It Is mo: secret in its doings, when oc the Masonsyoreven the An Order of Egyptian Monks. For some weeks pas all the meetings of the different iodges in this city have been conducted very mysteriously, and little inkling of what was being done in theni leaked out until within avery few days. The secrecy with which the plot has been conducted shows the come sciousness of the workmen that their movement is not destined to be pépuiar, Yesterday the principal dealers in shoes and boots on Broadway and other leading thorough. fares which are resorts Of fashionable purchasers of the leather habiliments of the light fantastic toe and the unpoetical heel, received visits trom com- mittees of the Crispins, who presented to them a@ NEW AND REVISED LIST OF PRICES which they demanded for the work of the trade. As yet, however, but one branch has thus been represented—that of the werkers on “bottoms,’? The following is the list of prices, the first one which has been published in six years :— LIST OF WAGES OF THE UNITED SOCIKTY OF JOURNEYMEN, CORDWAINKRS ON THK MEN'S BRANCH, FOR THE CITY OB NEW YORK, FOR THE BESPOKE DEY’ ENT, AGREED TQ APRIL 14, 1873 :— Boot Bottoms. First Second Third Rate. Rute, Rates Patent Leather Boots, plain. $502 BOW $4 3F Patent Leather Footing, pl 562 500 438 Patent Leather Ladies’, p| 562 500 438 Kid Leather Boots, plain 562 500 437 Patent Leather Short Boots, plai 410 375 Grain Leather Boots, plat 4c ic) ft Boots, plam.. $38 378 Calf Footing, plain. 4360-375 Napoleon Boots, plai 546 4M 4 OO Long Hunting Boots 60 54) 45 Military Short Boots, plain. 545 4 Bk 48 Shoe «ne \ Patent Leather Gait . D $375 $3 50 Prunella Gaiters... 375 3.58 daiters with Kid Galoshe. 375 85 i 353° 32% 5) BaF y le © 6 : Invisible | Double s bi @ 50 Double soles, it nailed on th 5. ie ee It treble soles 197 112 Spur boxes 62 62 Fitting spurs, wi 7 8 Spur carriers. 8 5 8 8S Plates tor toe, skates cncn.. 35 © 3585 Stitching seats and shanks On shoes A RN cea ;? @ w titching seats on shoes, Kaiters and short patent boots..... 3 OS Toe taps... ; cag 1 8,8 Quilting singie soles, three rows around ‘ ME WOES. o2 ere eens 3 8S Every addition 8 8 5 Nailing two rows und BoB oo Marseilles botioms...... 1260125 «135 Wrinkling on boots, shoes or gait 7% 7S % BS | i 10 100 leather on short work or ‘ Py 2 1B 13 oy 2 (5 a 2 BS in this list, to be paid in proportion. ‘The separate columns given above represent the prices for three grades of work, called respectively “tirst rate,’ “second rate” and “third rate.’ Only one of the shoesellers on Broadway has paid here- tolore the “first rate’ prices for work; but, of course, they all claim to have “first rate’ stock and that its quality does not gauge the wages which they pay. The sophistry of these state- ments, of course, is easily detected: but the cause of their objections to the new list is found in the following jact, namely—that the Crispins now claim the right to designate the deaiers which they choose to compel toypay the first rate prices, These are called FIRST KATE DEALERS,” and are supposed to ve selected because of the exe traordinary prosperity of their business, The sec- ond rate dealers are not ‘quite 80 prosperous, and thereiore cannot aed to pay such high prices, So, also, with tie tiird rate dealers proportion- ately. ‘The increase of cost in the construction of a pair of boots for a first rate dealer will how amount to about one dollar and a quarter, Under this press- ure the retail prices o1 these dealers must perforce be raised, and the tendency would then be to cause them to lose some portion of their trade to the poorer and thereiore cheaper establishments, In the end these might grow prosperous enough to afford (according to the judgment of the Crispins) the first rate of prices, and so the system might resuit in a levelling of the condition of all shoe dealers, m accordance with the principles of the Commune, pot unknown in the counsels of the Crispins. But meanwhile THE GENERAL SHOE-WEARING PUBLIC would be oppressed by the increased cost of cloth» ing their teet, or else the profits of the dealers would be much decreased, The purchasers already complain—as the dealers contess—of the exorbitant prices of boots and shoes, and it is doubtiul if they would submit to any fresh extortion, A HERALD reporter yesterday asked the principal shoe and boot dealers jor au expression of their intentions in view of the proposed strike of the Crispins, which has now nh ior some time in ex- pectation, and was assured that they had no idea of yielding to such unconscionable demands, and it is not likely that they w ‘They assert that they can employ plenty of non-soctety men to do their work in the event of the retusal of any of their old hands to continue at the ola rates. They take the matter very coolly, and seem conscious, or at least think, that they will have the public on their side in a fight against the alleged tyranny of the Criaplus. an ORISPINS' STRIKE IN CINCINNATI. CIncINN ae, Ohio, April 25, 1873. ‘The strike of the Crispins has substantially ended, It is understood they had stormy meetings last night and this morning. To-day a number of the strikers made application to shops they had left for their old situations. ‘The manufacturers to- night believe there Will be no further trouble, THE ATLANTIC WRECK. The Divers Ageia at Work—Great Danger in the Operations=Cargo and Corpses Inextvicably Mixed=The Bodies of Two Stecrage Passengers Recovered. . Lower PRospEct, N. S. Via HALIFAX, April 26, 1873. To-day, for the first time since last Friday, the divers have been able to explore the wreck of the ill-fated steamer Atlantic. Even now the ground swell and undertow is tremendous, and all opera~ tions are attended with great danger. Captain Merritt, of the New York Coast Wrecking Com- pany, is here, with the steamer Lackawanna and the schooner Meteor, and to-morrow he will blow away the several decks of the sunken vessel, re- moye the cargo and débris, and then tt 18 possible a portion or ail of the two hundred and more mis3- ing bodies may be recovered. me of his divers, wno have been down to-day, report that the corpses are jammed up among tie cargo ina most hideous and indescribable mass, and until the obstructions are removed it is impossible to recover them. Only two were re- covered during the day—one @ man and one & young woman, and both steerage passengers, Tie woman had ona beautiful gold wateh and chain, which slipped from her neck and sunk just as the corpse was brought to the surface. Stray frag- ments of baggage and freight are constantly com- ing up and floating ashore, New York parties who were looking for the ree mains of lost relatives and friends have all ree turned, and the only parties who remain and still have hope are Mr. Dorr, of Vermont, and Mr. Wel- | lington, of Boston,