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Eben H. Hubbard writes to Secretary of the Treasury Shaw that the reports against Mobile collector William Frye Tebbetts are inaccurate. The president of a Mobile bank sent a letter to Senator William P. Frye to vouch for Tebbetts’s character, as well.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-27
President Roosevelt stands next to Uncle Sam who is sitting on a stool in a “U.S. Custom House.” Roosevelt has his left hand on Sam’s right arm and is gesturing to the left, toward a customs official who is inspecting the bags of a Filipino man just inside a door labeled “Philippines” and “Prohibitive Tariff.” The door is locked and barred by “Seventy-Five per cent of Dingley Rates.” In the background, a woman exits through a door labeled “Cuba” and “Reciprocity” and a man exits through a door labeled “Porto Rico” and “Free Trade.” Caption: President Roosevelt–You’ve been fair to the other two. Now, keep faith with this one.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1903-02-04
A customs official ushers a titled member of the nobility on board a steamer, as a wealthy American woman, with thoughts of a royal wedding, holds up a bag full of money. Caption: Deport the vagrant nobleman as we deport other vagrants.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1900-12-05
President Roosevelt sends President-elect Taft a number of letters, including one from Edwin C. Burleigh, the former governor of Maine, on behalf of William Wingate Sewall. Roosevelt reminds Taft that Burleigh is a strong friend in Maine, and has informed him that Taft already said that he was going to reappoint Sewall. Another of the letters which Roosevelt has forwarded deals with Taft’s upcoming trip to Panama, and he says that unless Taft objects, he will contact the named engineers to accompany Taft on his trip.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-23
President Roosevelt received Alice Lee’s letter about his nominating Russell C. Allen to be Collector of the Port at San Diego. He would like to learn more about Allen, and to nominate him, but the Senators in California support former state Senator Martin Luther Ward. Ward has strong local backing, and Roosevelt does not want to have a fight between himself and the Senators.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-28
President Roosevelt forwards to the United States Civil Service Commission an anonymous letter that he has received, and asks them to look into the complaint. The writer claims that a customs inspector in Port Huron, Michigan, is required to pay political assessments each month.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-18
President Roosevelt discusses a variety of judicial appointments with Senator Foraker, who has recently sent a petition to appoint Judge Adams. Roosevelt reports that Senator Charles Dick and Secretary of War William H. Taft presented him with half a dozen candidates and that he will need a few days to give a sure answer. He directs the Monfort and Bosworth appointments to be sent immediately and reports that Amor Smith cannot serve as Surveyor of Customs in Cincinnati.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-21
President Roosevelt explains his recent actions to Senator Platt, saying that he understood that Platt wished for John A. Merritt to be made Collector of Customs at Niagara, and that he appointed Benjamin F. Barnes to succeed Merritt as Postmaster of Washington, D.C., on the recommendation of Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou. If he had known that Platt would take an interest in who would replace Merritt in this position, Roosevelt would have waited.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-04-01
President Roosevelt asks Joseph Robinson Parrott to gather information about M. B. MacFarlane, the collector of customs in Tampa, Florida.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-11-14
While Alice Lee understands the position that President Roosevelt is in, she feels that Russell C. Allen should be named Collector of the Port of San Diego. The man the Senators support, Martin Luther Ward, is a “machine man” who was responsible for ousting Senator Thomas Robert Bard and installing Frank P. Flint. The Collector has been merely a political figurehead for many years, and Lee believes that Roosevelt could change that by nominating Allen, a young man who is eager to work hard.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-03
Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw recommends that President Roosevelt issue an executive order appointing James Campbell as deputy surveyor of customs in Baltimore, Maryland.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-07
Emerson Hough sends President Roosevelt two exhibits to give to Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw regarding the incident involving gambler Tom Powers that led to Roosevelt’s dismissal of Pat Garrett from his position as customs collector. Hough believes Roosevelt should reappoint Garrett. He also writes that gambler Billy Sims was present at a San Antonio banquet, which shows the President’s hosts failing to protect his public image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-19
Booker T. Washington informs President Roosevelt that the Commerce Committee in the House has appointed Dr. William Demos Crum as U.S. Collector of Customs. Washington will, if necessary, use his influence on the Senate selection of Dr. Crum as well.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-02-22
In this vignette cartoon, William Dorsheimer is seated at center in the “Office of the U.S. District Attorney and Editorial Rooms of the New York Star” where he receives a letter from “Daniel Manning Sec’y Treas.,” asking him “to stop the acceptance of bribes by the employees of the Custom House, without delay.” The surrounding cartoons all show instances of customs officials being offered bribes by travelers returning from abroad, including a “sketch by our special artist,” i.e., Puck, showing a customs official headed home, laden with merchandise in the form of bribes.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1885-10-14
Customs official Edward L. Hedden holds a balance scale labeled “H.O. Thompson’s Pat. Scales.” Weighing heavily on one side of the scale is a man wearing a pin-stripe suit, holding a bottle of “Rum,” and with papers extending from his pockets that state “Spoils-man, Ward Politician, Rum-shop Keeper, [and] Vote of the B’ys.” On the other side is a man with papers that state “Reputation, Integrity and Fitness, Navy Officer War Record, [and] 16 years creditable Service.” The center of the balance shows the face of Thompson. A paper that states “List of Removals by Order of H.O. Thompson” rests on a desk in the lower right.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1885-09-23
In an interview with U.S. Senator Knute Nelson, Nelson believes that Republicans will vote for confirmation of Dr. William Demos Crum as U.S. Collector of Customs.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-01-20
Representative Rodey recommends Pat F. Garrett for collector of customs at the port of El Paso, Texas.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-12-13
The name of the employee requested by President Roosevelt is Dudley F. Phelps. If Roosevelt speaks with George C. Tichenor, Tichenor will likely mention that Phelps confessed to wrongdoing during an investigation of the customs department in 1891.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-11-11