Press Release Issued by the Department of State, April 13, 19331
David P. Johnson, American Collector of Customs at Port-au-Prince, has confessed that he has been guilty of defrauding the Haitian [Page 789] customs and accepting bribes from Zrike Bros., importers and merchants of Port-au-Prince. The fraud consisted in underweighing the bales of merchandise consigned to the importers, duties being payable on the weight of each package. Suspicion was aroused several months ago that these frauds were being committed, as a result of which a thorough investigation was instituted by the General Receiver of Customs, Mr. de la Rue. This investigation indicated that Johnson was implicated in the frauds.
As a result of Johnson’s confession, the Department of State on April 11 instructed the Legation2 to inform the Haitian Government that it was willing to waive Johnson’s immunity as a treaty official and surrender him to the jurisdiction of the Haitian courts. Johnson has accordingly been surrendered to their jurisdiction.