from circulation, up to the present time, of the counterfeit $2 and $5 silver certificates which these two gangs handled. On March 30, 1896, an arrest was made by the police of New York City, which proved to be one Emanuel Ninger, alias Joseph Gilbert, who, since 1882, has been executing the most remarkable pieces of pen work in similitude of $100, $50, and $20 United States notes, known to the service as the "pen-made notes." Ninger afterwards pleaded guilty and was given a six-year sentence. He is also under indictment in New Jersey for a similar offense. This man came to this country from Prussia in 1882, and, according to his own statement, he has been making these remarkable counterfeit notes ever since. He did all the work himself, besides passing every note he made. To prove that he thrived by this criminal work, he owned a house and farm as well as United States bonds and money in amount more than $7,000. He led a plain life and worked only a few hours each day, doing this work without the aid of glasses of any kind, which demonstrates that his great gift, if properly applied, might have brought him fame and fortune. By your direction, this service rendered assistance to the United States attorney for Nevada in the matter of the Carson City mint shortage in obtaining evidence against the assayer and several others, who were subsequently found guilty of robbing the mint of some $78,000 worth of gold bullion. Since my last report we have been successful in securing the convic tion of Mrs. Tinsa McMillan, alias Mary T. Mack, for making and having in possession counterfeit 2-cent United States postage stamps. This is the person whom the Secret Service extradited on the President's warrant, and procured, without assistance from any other Department, all the evidence, and assisted the United States attorney's office for the northern district of New York at her final trial. She received an eighteen-months' sentence. Since then agents of this service have found zinc-etched plates for counterfeiting $10 silver certificates, which were among her effects in Chicago. The records of this service show that she also attempted to counterfeit United States coin during the World's Fair. Taking her career altogether, she is a very remarkable woman. Before the gathering of the national political conventions, various rumors were circulated as to the large amount of counterfeit money that was going to be floated. Corps of men were sent, and in connec tion with the police department made vigorous efforts to discover counterfeit money, but no reports of any were received. I ask for your recommendation to Congress of an act that will restore to this service its former purview, which extended to all frauds upon the Government. This is not intended to in any way interfere with the special duty of other agents of the Government, but that we may have authority to take up cases for the investigation of which no special provision in law is made, and which are usually of much importance, requiring prompt action. The field force has faithfully attended to its duties. The several promotions at your hands have caused redoubled efforts. The President's order, upon your recommendation, placing the division under civil service rules, will have a tendency to bring about the best results, both in the field and office, by causing a feeling of security among the employees, which will greatly add to their efficiency. The cutting down of estimates of appropriations by Congress causes a restraint on our field operations, and necessitates the asking for a deficiency appropriation, which is also pruned by the Committee on Appropriations. While the population of the country is ever increasing, the amount appropriated for the sustenance of the division remains at a standstill, and as this branch of the Government service comes directly in contact with the great body of the people, the necessity for a full force and ample means to sustain it becomes daily more apparent to this office. As it is, a number of judicial districts receive no assistance from this service-a matter of constant complaint. I therefore most respectfully urge your recommendation in the sum of $100,000, which I have estimated for "Suppressing of counterfeiting and other crimes," for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1898. I desire to thank you for your kind consideration and advice to this office. All of which is respectfully submitted. The SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. WM. P. HAZEN, Chief. (No. 16.) REPORT OF THE BOARD OF UNITED STATES GENERAL APPRAISERS. NEW YORK, November 25, 1896. SIR: We have the honor to submit the following report of the work of the Board for the twelve months ended October 1, 1896: REAPPRAISEMENTS. The following tabulated statement shows the number of reappraisements received, decided, and pending from October 1, 1895, to September 30, 1896: Reappraisements from October 1, 1895, to September 30, 1896. The grand total for the year ended October 31, 1894, was 1,879. The almost fourfold increase of reappraisements under the present tariff is in some measure attributable to the better diligence and efficiency of appraising officers, but is chiefly due to the enlargement of the scope of ad valorem rates of duty. The cases, however, have been disposed of with reasonable dispatch, the number reported pending being 387, as against 518 last year. CLASSIFICATION. The number of protests covering classification for the period intervening between August 1, 1890, and October 1, 1896, reaches 189,955, Of these, 20,848 for the current year, and 146,612 in all, have been decided by the boards organized by the Secretary of the Treasury. Four thousand three hundred and ninety-eight protests are now on the fall docket, which is undergoing consideration at the present time and will be concluded on December 18, next; 4,298, covered by decisions already made, are in the hands of the boards awaiting disposition, and 34,724 have been placed on the suspended files, the issues having been decided by the Board, and, on appeal, awaiting determination by the courts. There has been but little change in the number of suspended cases from year to year, new questions arising almost as fast as old issues are determined. It is proper to say, however, that there appear to have been no serious delays in the decision of protests. The boards are always ready to expedite cases by giving special hearings when there is any good reason for such action. APPEALS TO COURT FROM THE BOARD'S DECISIONS. In the southern district of New York the whole number of appeals taken from decisions of the boards since October 1, 1895, is 219, as against 153 appeals for the period covered by the report of last year. Many of these appeals are upon like claims and contentions, having been thus taken to save the rights of appellants. The number of cases tried in the circuit court during the same time is 74. The number of cases in which the decisions of the Board of General Appraisers have been affirmed after trial, or in which the appeals from the decisions of the Board have been dismissed, is 174, as against 144 for the period covered by the report of last year. The number of cases in which the decisions of the Board have been reversed is 42. Of these, 19 were reversed without argument or by consent, some being so reversed in accordance with decisions rendered in other cases by the circuit court of appeals. The number of cases in which the decisions of the Board have been affirmed in part and reversed in part is 10, of which 5 were without trial. The number of cases in which appeals have been taken from decisions of the circuit court to the circuit court of appeals during the same time is 21, only 1 of which has been decided, and in this the Board was affirmed, the appeal being dismissed without argument. The number of cases heard and decided by the circuit court of appeals during the same time is 28, all of these being cases appealed prior to last report. Of these 28 cases, the circuit court of appeals sustained the decisions of the Board in 15, reversed the decisions of the Board in 11, and in 2 cases the decision of the Board was sustained in part and reversed in part. Besides these 28 cases, the Board has been sustained in 2 cases by the reversal of the circuit court on stipulation and without argument, and 3 cases have been certified to the Supreme Court on questions of law and are still pending. The number of cases in which orders for further evidence have been obtained since last report is 227. The number of cases in which further evidence has been taken since last report is 61. The number of returns made by the Board to the circuit court since last report is 133, as against 120 for the period covered by the last report. The number of days given by the circuit court to the consideration of Board cases since the last report is 38. We have not this year collated similar statistics from the districts other than the southern district of New York. We are aware that such statistics would be very meager, as the great bulk of customs appeals is made and heard in New York, and in many districts there is none. In a few districts, other than New York, the United States attorneys have lately made efforts to bring their cases to trial, and the pending or approaching terms of the courts may be expected to produce results not now in a condition to be reported. In regard to the work of supervising appraisements and classifications at the several ports, with a view to securing uniformity, we have to state that the reports and samples received from the several ports have been as a rule satisfactory. Some important results of our work in this direction were reported to you in the Board's letter of April 13, 1896 (R. & S. 2780). We do not desire at this time to make any new or special recommendations, but would respectfully refer you to the views expressed in the Board's previous annual report. The appended tables are respectfully submitted for your information. Yours, respectfully, THAD. S. SHARRETTS, WILBUR F. LUNT, HENDERSON M. SOMERVILLE, The SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, Washington, D. C. General Appraisers. |