Evening Star Newspaper, February 8, 1894, Page 2

we THE EVENING STAR, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1894-TWELVE PAGES. perhaps the railroad company had been secured on by a resolution introduced the other day by Senator Butler ordering com- to erect just such structure. He said he had seen the building and would characterize it as being very convenient ted that transfer ell be given to pas- new of Capitol t the top necessary, he said, arrangements made on the herdics treasury building when finished would an ornament instead of an eyesore. Authority of Law. Senator Chandler explained to Mr. Veor- hees how it happened that Hancock Circle was occupied Dy the railroad company. He read from the sundry civil bill of 1892, in which there occurred a paragraph trans- ferring Hancock Circle to the corner of should be found to be inappropriate for in- convenience or unsightiy, the railroad com- pany be compelled to hire a for this purpose. He said that Congress should find a The Commissioners Defended. Senator Faulkner took the floor to defend the Commissioners and to ask that the resolution be referred to the District com- mittee, which has the same subject now un- der consideration. “This structure,” said he, “ts erected under the authority of the Dis- trict Commissioners, who have exercised a wide discretion in the selection of the place where they have located it. “The transfer station was originally lo- cated on the opposite corner, and at times the crowd collected there almost blocked on to explain that the transfer- not be done fn the cars because cars must make schedule time and e perfect connections. took occasion to complain that and herdics of this city are far “They are so dirty and foul at it is almost impossible for me to much less to take a lady into ie street cars in my city ure al- § H ‘ 3 ; WH nae egie j i 2 only insist upon it.” A3 ho one made the -notion to refer the Fesolution to the District committee Sena- tor Piatt’s objection operated to postpone its consideration until tomorrow. ——__—__-..____ AFTER WARDEN BURKE. The Attorney General Wants His Re- moval—The Supposed Reasons. The officials at the Department of Justice are Ieath to say anything about the trouble which has resulted in the request by At- torney General Oimey for the removal of Jerome B. Burke, the warden of the United States jail in this city. It is learned, how- ever, that the request for Mr. Burke's re- moval ts mainly caused by his positive re- fusal to permit Mr. Howard Perry, en offi- cial Of the Department of Justice, to make interrogatories of the officers of the insti- tution in connection with the customary imspection of the jail. The letter of the Attorney General and the po nem of Mr. Perry are in the hands of the o1 '3 of the court. The following extract from the last an- nual report of the Attorney General throws @ good light on the principal questions in- volved in the controversy between the war- den and the officers of the Department of — “I am obliged to repeat the recommenda- tion made by several of my predecessors, that this institution should be placed un- der the management of some one authority. The Attorney General ‘being required by law to pass upon the accounts of the jail and to supervise its expenses, it is believed that he should have control of the institu- tion in order that this duay may be prop- erly and thoroughly performed.” A letter signed by the justices of the Dis- trict Supreme Court, dated April 4, 1892, and addressed to the Attorney General, is printed in the report. In this letter the opinion is expressed that no part in the Management of the jail should be assigned to the court. THE BIG STAGE Pronounced by the Bullding Ivspector to Be Perfectly Safe. The inspector of buildings today reported that he had made a careful examination of the big stage in Convention Hall and found it perfectly safe. He added that it had been put to a severe test last night, and showed no signs of weakening. —___ A NEWS BUREAU Which Alleged to Have Given Wrong Information. A Maurice Low, by F. P. D. Sands, today filed a bill against the National Bureau of News and Inquiries, C. H. Boyle, E. G. Youngs and C. H. T. Collis, for an injunc- tion from interfering with, obstructing or injuring the business of complainant as the National News Bureau, to require Boyle to account for moneys received from com- Plaimant and to require of the others an account. The bill states that the place of business of the national bureau of news and inquiry is alleged to be at 719 Pennsylvania avenue, with John H. Soule as its chief agent, and others, defendants, reside in New York; that complainant has been engaged in fur- nishing information regarding tne course of Congress, its committees, &e., of a char- acter of news not supplied by the daily journals and to properly furnish the “fore- cast of pending and contemplated legisia- tion,” he had proposed a pecullar shade of pink paper, with distinctive headlines, &c., and for the purpose of protecting himself he filed with the Hbrarian of Con; an application for a copyright on es shest, and prior to January 23d they had more than 100 subscribers at $100 per year and were steadily increasing. He charges that on January 23 the defendants, who had been engaged to procure subscribers, conspired with Soule with intent to injure him under the corporate name of the national bureau of news and inquiries, with Boyle as gen- eral manager and treasurer and Youngs as assistant treasurer. He alleges that they issued and sent to the subscribers of the National News Bu- reau, stating that Low was no longer con- nected with the National News Bureau, and the new incorporation had succeeded it. and to still further injure him and prac- tice fraud and deceit issued a sheet of the color and similar imprint of complainant, and frightened many of his subscribers. and many of them have been misied by the reports sent them; that on January 31, by threats, promises and misrepresentations they prevented the firm of Arthur Moun- tain & Company from filling an order, and charge they have collected money on his account, which they have failed to account for. A temporary restraining order was granted by Justice Cox. ee DISTRICT GOVERNMENT. Liquor License Granted. X& Nquor license has been granted by the ‘@xcise board to Ellis M. Clark of No. 807 North Capitol street. The applications of W. 8. Carter and T. Daly of 408 Ridge street northwest have been rejected. ——__ New Congressm: From New York. Congressman-elect Quigg of New York @fty, recently elected to succeed Represent- ative Fitch, resigned, appeared for the first time on the floor of the House today. Being the only republican from New York city, he ‘was escorted about and introduced by Rep- Tesentatives Cummings, Covert and other New York democrats. Mr. Quigg took a peat alongside Mr. Reed. He expects to be sworn in today along with Congressman- elect Strauss of New York, recently chosen to succeed Mr. Fellows, resigned. The cer- tifcates of election for Quigg and Strauss have not yet been recefved from the New York authorities. Col Wm. Brown, the democratic candidate against Quigg, was also about the House corriders today. LATE NEWS BY WIRE. Mrs. Lease Wins Her Oase Against Gov. Lewelling. BALMACEDISTS IN CHILE ARRESTED Suicide of a Baltimore Young Lady. ROBBED OF $15,000 DIAMONDS MRS. LEASE WIKS. The Supreme Court Decides Against — I guess I am on to my ————_ $15,000 DIAMOND ROBBERY. A Deft Thief Who Left No Ciue. SPRINGFIELD, Mass, Feb 8—H. C. Barnum, « travelling salesman for a New York jewelry house, was robbed this morn- ing of diamonds and jewelry to the esti- A Well-Known North Baltimore Girl Cuts Her Throat. BALTIMORE, M4., Feb. 8—Despondency, caused by failing health and with the specter of death always in her mind, Mis8 Bessie Bants Ebert, a well-known young lady in North Baltimore soctal circles, com- mitted suicide at the family home this morning. With her brother's razor she al- most her head from the body. Palins: aaa WILL FIGHT TO THE END. Gladstone Has No Intention ef Re- signing. PARIS, Feb. 8—The Patriet today pub- Mshes an interview had by one of its cor- respondents with Mr. Gladstone, who is Spending part of the British house of com- mons’ recess at Biarritz, the French water- ing place on the Bay of Biscay. According to the correspondent, Mr. Glad- stone stated that he had no intention of re- si He had decided to fight the house of lords to the bitter end and was ready to show that the future belongs to the democracy. Mr. Gladstone, the correspondent added, declared that there was no discord in his cabinet. <n COULDN'T FIND WORK. A Newark Bagmaker Driven te Sul- cide by Discouragement. NEWARK, N. J.. Feb. &—Discouraged by his inability to secure employment of any kind, Gottfried Bestle, a bagmaker, fifty- five years old, shot himself in the right temple at 7 o'clock this morning at his home, No. 82 Bremen street. He was re- moved to the city hospital, where he died half an hour later. Before making the at- tempt upon his life, Bestle called his six- year-old son Emil to his bedside and prayed fervently with him, after which he caressed the child fondly for some time. He then drew an old-fashioned pistol from under his pillow and sent a bullet into his head. ——_—>—_—_ EXCITEMENT IN CHILE. Arrests of Balmacedists and a State of Stege at Santiago. SANTIAGO, Chile, Feb. 8.—The utmost uneasiness continues to prevail here and the air is full of sensational rumors. A number of Balmacedists have been arrested and it is said that the government ts in possession of information which leaves no room for doubt that a plot of a dangerous nature against the state has been discovered. As a result, a state of siege hag been pro- claimed and further arrests are expected to follow in the near future. —— Mr. Childs’ Property Left to His Widow PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Feb. 8—The will of George W. Childs was admitted to probate this morning. The document is very short and was executed on August 1 last, one month after the death of Anthony J. Drexel. Mr. Childs be queaths his entire estate to his widow absolutely. The ex- ecutors are George W. Childs Drexel and James W. Paul, jr., and they place the valuation of the estate at “over $100,000 real and over $100,000 personal.” ——_——— An Alleged Professor at Princeton. NEW YORK, Feb. 8.—Charles Stirk,forty- two years old, a German, who claims to have been a professor of languages at Princeton, was arraigned today, charged with being a boarding house swindler and getting money on the strength of a worth- less check, drawn on the Fifth National Bank. The complainant was Marie La Tafie, a French boarding house keeper, who loaned Stirk $1.50 and boarded him for three days. Stirk insists that he was a professor, but has been in the New York hospital with a sore leg. —_—_—. Four Sons Die by Violence. Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. BRISTOL, Tenn., Feb. 8—A private letter from Harlan Court House, Ky., tells of a double murder committed there Monday. Dr. W. T. Nolan shot John and Will Tur- ner through their hearts, and death ensued instantly. The boys were quarrelsome, and it 1s claimed that the killing was done in self-defense. Nolan was cut by one of the murdered boys in several places, but none of the wounds will prove serious. These make four sons of George Turner's that have been killed at Harlan Court House. — Another Chicago Race Track. CHICAGO, Feb. 8.—Chicago is to have another race track. It will be located on the West Side, outside the city limits. The grounds have been secured and work will be commenced at once. It will be known as the Chicago Fair Grounds Association, It is claimed that there will be racing cn the track only thirty days each year. The people behind the scheme decline to allow their names to be made public. —._—__ Deposed From the Ministry. KNOXVILLE, Iowa, Feb. 8.—The pres- bytery of Des Moines, in session here, has deposed Rev. George W. Baxter from the ministry of the Presbyterian Church, he having been convicted a year ago of im- moral conduct. The case has @xcited great interest, and the final outcome has split the church—nearly all the officers have re- signed and most of the members will go into the recently organized Congregational Church, —_—. Assignment of Godey’s. NEW YORK, Feb. 8.—The Godey Pub- ishing Company, publishers of Godey’s Magazine and various books and periodicals in this city, assigned today to Benjamin S. Harmon. The company was incorporated under the laws of New Jersey two years ago, Henry J. Davidson being president, and had a capital steck of $600,000. The megazine is one of the oldest in the United States, and was published in Philadelphia up to a couple of years ago, when it was transferred to this city. ——— Time for Chinese Registration. SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 8.—Secretary Car- Usle of the Treasury Depratment has in- structed Collector Welborn that the time within which the Chinese may apply for registration will expire May 3 next. pe The Bank of France. PARIS, Feb. 8.—The statement of the Bank of France, issued today, shows the following: Treasury accounts, current, in- creased during the week, 25,250,000 francs; gold in hand, increase, 4. 000 francs; sil- ver in hand, increase, 50,000 francs; notes in circulation, decrease, 66,925,000 francs; bills discounted, decrease, 6# 0 francs. Senator Stewart's Resolution Discussed at Length Today. Mr. Teller om the Deficiency That Can- mot Be Denied—The Matter Goes Over. In the Senate this morning Senator Per- kins (Cal) presented memorials of the San Francisco chamber of commerce praying for the annexation of Hawaii, the laying of @ cable from the United States to Hawali and for the completion of the Nicaragua canal under governmental control. Senator Wolcott (Col.) presented a resolu- tion providing for the submission cf a con- stitutional amendment prohibiting the states from denying suffrage to any person on account of sex. A memorial of the wool growers against the Wilson bill wag presented by Senator Sherman, who stated that the finance com- mittee had refused the wool growers a hear- ing, and requested that the memorial be printed. It was so ordered. Senator Wolcott presented, without read- ing, several amendments to the Wilson tar- iff bill. The Transfer Station. Senator Hale (Me.) protested against the Proposed erection of a transfer station at the corner of the Treasury Department by the street railroad company, without any authority, and presented a resolution di- recting the District Commissioners to re- port by what authority this building was being erected. This precipitate quite a long discussion, in which Senators Voorhees, Hale, Sher- man, Platt, White (Cal), Butler and Faulkner took part, and considerable at- tention was given to street railway mat- ters in the District of Columbia. Immediate consideration of the resolution Was objected to, and it went over under the rules. The Question of Strikes. Resolutions of the Order of Railway Con- @uetors, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen and the Switchmen’s Mutual Aid Association and American Railway Union protesting against the ruling of United States courts off the question of strikes Were presented by Senator Voorhees, and ordered to be printed for use of the Sen- ate. A le from the Secretary of the Treas- sury was laid before the Senate in reply to the resolution of Senator Peffer, adopted some days ago, calling for the names of bond bidders, amounts of bonds issued and rates of interest. On motion of Senator Voorhees it was ordered that when the Senate adjourns to- day {it be until Monday next. Mr. Stewart's Bond Resolution. ‘The resolution of Senator Stewart denying the rights of the Secretary of the Treasury to issue the United States bonds and ques- tioning their validity came up as the regu- lar order with various pending amendments. Senator Butler said the legal questions in- volved in the resolution and amendments were of such importance that he believed the resolution should go to the judiciary committee. Senator Stewart, after some colloquy, ac- cepted the amendment of Senator Dubois, adding to the resolution a declaration of the Senate that “There is no present necessity for the safe of bonds for any purpose speci- fied under the resumption act.” The point was made by Senator Morrill that the effect of the adoption of such a resolution would be to deny the power of the Secretary to reissue the United States notes that are returned to him in the course of the treasury business. Senator Quay opposed the reference of the resolution to the judiciary committee. “The Senators from South Carolina (Butler) and Ohio (Sherman) well know,” said he, “that to refer it to that committee means simply to give it a decent burial. “That result will go out to the world as a justification of what the Senator from Ohio knows to be an fillegal act.” Senator Teller said the recent purchase of United States bonds was a “forced” pur- chase. The Secretary of the Treasury had im New York stated to the bankers that if these bonds were not floated there would be a panic—a greater panic than the one of last fall—and it was to avert that panic’ that they reluctantly purchased the bonds. Senator Teller's Speech. “I am not speaking as a partisan or a Senate silver man,” sald Senator Teller, “put I want to know what the American Congress is going to do with this question of a deficiency. Everybody knows from the experience of the Secretary of the ‘Treasury that no more five per cent bonds on a three per cent basis can be sold. It is morally certain that if another $50,000,- 000 were offered it would be a failure. We are face to face with the question of wheth- er there is to be a continued deficiency or whether there is to be some effort to meet this deficiency by some sound system of finance. “The credit of the country 1s threatened, and the men who have been the loudest in denunciation of our system of finance now stand up and declare that they have not the skill or the will to devise a way out of these difficulties. I am not one of those who believe that the entire responsibility is with the dominant party. I believe that I, as a Senator, cannot divest myself from my share of duty and responsibility in solv- ing this question, and I do not believe that any one of my colleagues can divest himself of Ris due share of the responsibility. I say this as a warning to my colleagues, and especially to such of them as are members of the committee having control of this financial question.” Senator Call of Florida opposed the ref- erence. He presented a resolution declaring it to be the duty of Congress to pass a law legalizing the recent issue of bonds, as he believed without such a Jaw the bonds now being sent out would be without validity or legal effect. In opposing the motion for reference Mr. Peffer contended that the Secretary of the Treasury had not even pretended that the money derived from the bonds was to be used for redemption purposes. The Matter Went Over. At 2 o'clock, the matter being still un-" disposed of, the unfinished business of the day came up. Senator Stewart was granted unanimous consent that the resolution re- tain its place on the calendar. The unfinished business was House bill to require railroad companies operating railroads in territories over a right of way granted by the government to establish stations and depots at all town sites on the lines of said road established by the Interior Department. —-o+——______ OVERFLOW MEETINGS. Arrangements Made by Mr. Moody for the Present Week. The details of the program for the meet- ings for the balance of the week were discussed this morning by Mr. Moody and members of the local committee. The ex- perience of iast night made it evident that additional facilities must be provided for overflow meetings. Hundreds were unable last night to gain admission either to Con- vention Hall or to Assembly Church. In} addition to the latter the edifices of the| Mcunt Vernon Church, th and K streets, | and of the Central Presbyterian Church, 3d and I streets, will be available for over- flow meetings this evening. ‘There will be no meetings on Saturday, but Sunday afternoon there will be a women’s meeting at Convention Hall, and} a meeting for children in one of the) churches. The latter will be conducted by Miss Tyson. Sunday night the meeting at Convention | Hall will be for men only. | In speaking about the meeting last night, | Mr. Moody said this morning that the spec-| tacle of the hall and the great audience | had, perhaps, never before been equaled in| this country. | | ——————— | Marriage Licenses. Marriage licenses have issued by the clerk of the court to the following: Arthur Nichols and Celeste Bruff; Basil W. Nichol- son of Montgomery county, Md., and Emma C. Cannon; Scott Brown and Rosanna Jef- ferson; Burr Pollok and Josephine Neale, Arthur Sullivan and Roberta Armfield, | Arthur Johnson and Lizzie Hill, Preston B. | Wright and Sarah T. Dyer, John Howard and Nellie Cornell, John H. Tiernan and | Kate Murphy, Jacob Simms and Rena War- | fleld. Mr. Bland Trying to Get Up His Coinage Bill. LACK OF A DEMOCRATIC QUORUM Ex-Speaker Reed in Charge of the Opposition. WHAT ROLL CALL SHOWED The parliamentary battle over the Bland silver seigniorage bill was resumed immedi- ately after the reading of the journal this morning. Mr. Reed sought to challenge the right of the House to pass the resolu- tion to arrest absentees, which was car- ried just before adjournment last night, on the ground that the last call of the House showed a quorum. The question as to whether a quorum was present on the call was disputed, as it did not appear in the journal, and Mr. moved to amend ‘the journal so as to make this fact appear. This motion was lost. Mr. Bland then renewed his motion of yesterday to go into committee of the whole. ae Mr. Reed’s Point of Order. Mr. Reed forthwith took charge of the filibuster. He made the point of order that the only thing in order was the re- port of the sergeant-at-arms, who, when the House adjourned last night, was given warrants for the arrest of 164 members. ‘The Speaker held that the order for arrest was a continuous one and until fully exe- cuted it was not the duty of the sergeant- at-arms to make a report. He stated a hypothetical case of where a single mem- ber, who was contumactous, living in a dis- tant state was ordered to be arrested. Such an order having been made the whole House could not be held up until the arrest was made. He overruled the point of order. Mr, Reed then moved as a question of privilege that the sergeant-at-arms be in- structed to make his report. A Motion to Reconsider Tabled. This being declared out of order, he shift- ed his ground and moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolution to arrest ab- sentees was passed. He explained that he did not believe it competent for less than a quorum to pass such a resolution. The Speaker held that the motion to reconsider was in order, whereupon Mr. Bland moved to lay it on the table. This motion was carried on a rising vote, 121—68. Mr. Reed demanded the ayes and nays and the rolf was called. During the progress of the roll call the secretary of the Senate appeared and an- nounced the e by the Senate of the bfll to repeal the federal election laws. The announcement was greeted with a burst of applause from the democratic side. “Now,” ejaculated Mr. Reed, as he listen- ed to the applause, “ballot box stuffing is at last a recognized art.” The vote resulted 182—80; the motion to reconsider was laid on the table. Mr. Bland Renews His Motion. The committees were called and re- ports and other unimportant routine bust- ness was disposed of. Mr. Bland then again renewed his motion to go into committee of the whole for the consideration of seign- forage bill. The motion resulted, 166—6, and was lost for lack of a quorum. It was seven short, notwithstanding the fact that all the pop- ulists and nineteen republicans (mostly from the west) voted with Mr. Bland, and six democrats voted against the motion, thus refusing to join with the filibuster. Only 134 democrats voted for the motion. At least thirty democrats joined with the republicans and declined to vote. Upon the announcement Mr. Bland moved a call of the House. The non-voting republicans and demo- crats answered to their names, and the call developed the presence of 228 members. The vote then recurred on the Bland mo- tion, FEDERAL ELECTIONS REPEAL. It Will Go to the President Tomor- row or Saturday. The bill to repeal the federal election laws will be sent to the President probably tomorrow or Saturday. Representative Tucker, who introduced the bill in the House, has procured a new gold pen, which he will ask the President to use in ap- proving the measure, intending then, he says, to keep the pen and make it an heir- loom in his family. Respecting the attitude of President Cleveland toward the bill, a gentleman who conversed with him on the subject some weeks ago reports him as saying that he would rather sign that bill than any one that could come to him. For a man that was said to be opposed to the bill, the gen- tleman said, that seemed to him to indicate that he really was in favor of it. ———_—+-e+______ GRESHAM AT THE CAPITOL. He Consults With Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committeé. Secretary Gresham was at the Capitol today. He sent for Senators Morgan, Gray and Sherman of the foreign relations com- mittee, and members of the subcommittee that have had under consideration the Ha- wallan resolutions, and who have made such an extensive Investigation of the mat- ter. It could not be learned what was the occasion of the Secretary’s visit, and before he went into consultation with the Senators he sald that there was nothing for publica- tion in the conference he was to have with the members of the foreign relations commit- tee. + e+ CAPITOL TOPIGs. A New Antt-Option Bill. The new Hatch antt-option bill, devised by Representative Hatch of Missouri, was ap- proved by the committee on agriculture yes- terday and introduced in the House. This is a measure designed to yield the govern- ment a revenue from the operations of bro- kers in agricultural products. The taxes imposed are such that it is ex- pected to yield a large revenue. From the license required of every dealer it has been estimated that the government would re- ceive $150,000 at the beginning of its opera- tion. Representative Hatch intends to press the bill for consideration as soon as the important bills now before the House are disposed of. It was referred to the committee on ways and means and it is certain that the agri- cultural element in the House will at an early opportunity make a determined effort to secure a change of reference to the com- mittee on agriculture, whereby a favorable report on the bill is almost assured. The bill is a very long document, embracing eighteen sections, and has been drawn to meet the principal objections that were made to the original Hatch and Washburn bills. The Antwerp Exposition. The House foreign affairs committee agreed today to favorably report a resolu- tion authorizing the appointment of five commissioners to the Antwerp interna- tional exposition. ——___—_+-2+____—_ DISTRICT IN CONGRESS. Rented Buildings. ‘The House committee on public buildings and grounds this morning took up the Coombs resolution, directing the committee to investigate the safety cf the buildings in this city rented by the government and oc- cupied by government employes. The reso- lution was briefly considered, but action upon it was postponed until the next meet- ing. ———__—__+ 2+—______ Treasury Cash Balance, The available cash balance in the treas- ury today is $117,115,325; national bank nctes received for redemption, $406,685. Government __receipts—Internal revenue, 95; customs, The Naval Observatory. The House committee on naval affairs | has adversely reported the bill to effect a change in the control of the naval observa- tory by taking it from the management and direction of the officers of the navy. $582,307; miscellaneous, | They Are Exempt From the Operations of the Income Tax. Opinions on the Subject by Chief Justice Taney and Attorney General Hoar. One clause of the federal Constitution provides that the compensation of the justices of the United States Supreme Court shall not be diminished during their terms of office. The Constitution also de- clares that the President’s compensation shall not be increased or diminished during his term. In view of these constitutional provisions an inquiry has arisen as to the power of Congress to make an income tax applicable to these high officers of the gov- ernment. The inquiry into this question has developed some interesting information, the tenor of which is that the President and the judiciary would be exempt from Justice Taney of the Supreme Court wrote a carefully prepared letter to Secretary Chase relative to the income wer tex. This letter is on file among the letters of the clerk's office of the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice called attention to the clause of the Constitution referred to and said of the income tax: “The act in question, as you interpret it, diminishes the compensation of every judge 3 per cent, and if it can be diminished to that extent by the name of a tax it may in the same way be reduced from time to time at the pleasure of the legislature. The judiciary is one of the three great depart- ments of the government created and es- tablished by the Constitution. Its duties and powers are specifically set forth, and are of a character that requires it to be perfectly independent of the two other departments. In order to place it beyond the reach and above even the suspicion of any influence the power to reduce their compensation is expressly withheld from Congress and excepted from their powers of legislation. * * * “Upon these grounds I regard an act cf Congress retaining in the treasury a por- tion of the compensation of the judges os unconstitutional and void, and I should not havé troubled you with this letter if there was any mode by which the question could be decided in a judicial proceeding. But all of the judges of the courts of the United States have an interest in the question and could not, therefore, undertake to it.” “I am, however, not willing to leave it to be inferred from my silence that I ad- mit the right of the iegislature to diminish of the judges when once fixed by law, and my silence would naturally, perhaps neces- sarily, be looked upon as acquiescence on my part in the power claimed and exercised under the act of Congress, and would be regarded as a precedent, establishing the principle t the legislature may, at its pleasure, regulate the salaries of the judges of the courts of the United States and may reduce their compensation whenever Con- gress may think proper.” Refanded to the Judiciary. Chief Justice Taney’s letter seems to have had its effect, for after the war, when Hon. William A. Richardson, now chief justice of the Court of Claims, was the Secretary. of the Treasury, there was refunded the mon- ey which had been withheld from the sal- aries of the judiciary under the income tax act. The same question was passed upon by Attorney General E. R. Hoar in October, 1869, in response to an inquiry from Secre- tary Boutweill of the Treasury, “whether the law is constitutional which tmposes a tax upon the salary of the President of the United States and upon the judges of the Supreme Court.” The Attorney General wrote in effect that a tax upon the salary of an officer, to be deducted from what would otherwise be payable as his salary, is a diminution of his compensation, and, In the case of the Pres- ident and the judges of the Supreme Court and inferior courts of the United States, the diminution would fall within the prohibi- tion of the Constitution if the act levying the tax was enacted-during the official term of the officers effected by it. When Congress imposes a tax upon the salaries of all civil officers, the language, although general, must necessarily be construed to mean civil officers except those whom Congress has not the constitutional power to subject to such a tax. Referring to the salaries of a President or judges, whose terms of office began after the tax law passed, Attorney General Ho: wrote that there would be no constitutional difficulty in the application of a previously existing law, but said he was of the opin- ion that this would not be a safe and just Tule of construction, since statutes impos- ing salaries are in their nature temporary. As Applied to the President. “If the income tax law was supposed to apply to the President,” said Attorney Gen- eral Hoar, “the singular result would fol- low that, as the Constitution prohibits the increase as well as the diminution of his salary during his term of office, if the time when his official term commenced his sal- ary was subject to a deduction in the na- ture of a tax, it would not be competent for Congress during his term of office, by any repeal or diminution of the tax, to increase the amount paid to him. So, if the law imposing an income tax were repealed, the President alone of all the citizens of the country would continue liable for its pay- ment during the term for which it had been originally imposed, if his official term so long continued. And, in the case of the judges, as the amount of the income tax laid upon salary should be varied from time to time, one judge might be liable only to the amount of part of the income tax which the law imposed on salaries general- ly, and different members of the same court would be receiving different rates of compensation.” Opportunity was given for the Supreme Court to pass upon a similar question De- cember, 1870. A collector assessed $81.50 on the salary of Judge J. M. Day of the pro- bate and insolvency court of Barnstable county, Mass. The judge resisted, and the case was finally carried to the Supreme Court, where Justice Nelson delivered an opinion, declaring the levy unconstitutional, a decision from which Justice Bradley dis- sented. Justice Nelson quoted, in his opin- ion, authorities to the effect that an official an instrument of the government, and his salary could no more be taxed than could the United States mail,the government mints or any instrument of the government. ———_2—____.. FROM SHEA’S COURT. The Affairs of Two Residents Venti- lated in Judge Miller’s Court. The case of Mrs. Shea was nolle prossed in the Police Court this morning, but there were two echoes of the care in Judge Mil- ler’s room. Two women, denizens of Shea's court, were before the court,one as a prose- cuting witness and the other as a defend- | ant. The first was a dissolute-looking white woman, Bridget Rust, who charged a white man with assaulting her last July. The evidence showed, however, that the woman tried to drag the man into her house, but as she failed in this she relieved his pocket of $2.50. The man took the money away from her, and pushed her off. An effort was made to find out how many times she had been sent to the jail or workhouse, but Bridget’s memory was not sufficiently com- prehensive to take in such a large number. The second damsel was young and biack, by name Martha Brookes, and she was charged with keeping a house vf ill-fame just back of Mr. and Mrs. Shea’s residence, | which was also used as a thoroughfare to the Shea house and as general distrib- uting point for the beer of the neighborhood. The testimony was anything but delicate, and reflected sadly upon the character of Martha as a housekeeper and upon the neighborhood generally. She admitted that she rented the house from Mrs. Shea, «nd paid $12 a month for it. She sublet two upper rooms to young ladies, and if they did anything improper it was “unbe- knownst to her.” It took the jury less than a minute to decide that Sarah knew more than she ad- mitted and find her guilty. Judge Miller gave her thirty days in jail, with the re- | mark that in being sent to the work house | before she had had sufficient warnin; against living in such a neighborhvod an | in such a manner. ——— The Elsmere Thief Convicted. Before Justiec McComas in Criminal Court, division 1, this morning, Annie Coomes, a white woman, was convicted, with a recommendation to mercy, for the larceny of a watch, chain, two pins and 3167 from Mrs Emma Banigan at the Els- | mere on October 4 last. . February 16, 1863, Chief | evine he ee - | silver and grain markets than to stock in this or any other mode the compensation | — T AND JUDGES/FINANCE AND TRADE. Speculators Buy on Receiving Wash- ington Advices, ADVANCE IN SUGAR AND WHISKY) Favorable Treatment by the Senate } Expected. GENERAL MARKET REPORTS. Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. NEW YORK, Feb. 8—Speculation this morning presented no new features, the panicky condition of the Chicago grain market directing attention to that center and intensifying the local dullness. Lon- don is now paying more attention to the speculation and believes that stocks must of necessity be the last to reflect any per- manent improvement. ‘Wheat fell to 61 3-4 cents @ bushel, and at that price cannot stand the ordinary freight charges and shows practically no profit to producers. Western road# have nothing to hope for fn the way of a profitable freight traffic ‘Washington nd ‘Trost, 322 bid, 330 meked. American Security and Trust, 182 bid, 185 asked. athena nanvhannd kets. .. 3 éof, op 11,615 barrels: shipments, 14.- i! iaip barrels Went steady id Co%n66%,; Be ‘No, 2 red. rcelpte, 13 ee ia, stock” LGA TII bambtias “aabes : i ‘ fi f | Agreement Said to Have Been Reached ‘The sugar schedule is receiving more at- tention at present from the democratic sub- committee engaged on the tariff bill than any other feature of the bill, The commit- tee has not yet Gecided upon any definite recommendation and the outlook is not quite as bright for the sugar men as it was yesterday. The chances are still favor- able, however, that some duty will be levied upon sugar. One of the members of the subcommittee morning, FE s z i : i i west is extended by a restoration of grain rates. St. Paul and Burlington sold off fraction- ally in @ small volume of business, but no decided decline followed. Western U: was marked up 1-2 per cent in the trading, but immediately gave way” the pressure of renewed selling to 82 1-4, net decline of 3-4 per cent from the opening. ‘The bear talk on this property, in view of decreased earnings and a probable rival in the Bell Telephone » shows no signs of abatement, and considerably lower are predicted. Should the present schemes for can‘ the floating indebtedness of several of branch lines in the Richmond Terminal L i i i t cf th shove nhethn were Strene at nOvane- figures. Refined sugar is again under discussion and may get the tax so anxiously sought for by the trust, as rumor says they will if the amount added to refined is subtracted from the proposed 1 per cent on the raw product. The foreign exchange market is a trifle easier, owing to an almost entire lack of The clearing house statement reports ex- changes, $71,143,226; balances, $4,043,766,and the subtreasury’s debt balance, $468,162. ‘The general market steadied up slightly during the last hour, and prices were mark- ed upin the neigh! figures. The tional concessions from last prices. —__—>_—_ FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL. iE He a ie o Pi Eowisvils § 3 Long Island.. i: i ne Fr bs) fee] * _ ef St BE gy Chicago Grain and Provi: Reported by Sileby & Co. Metropolitan Bank Bafe Deposit, 15 at ‘Guverument Bonds. Cai elt ie iby bid, 114% ask District of Columbia Boude aos 5, 105% bid. Water stock currency To lool, 116 bid. carrey boa 1B tia Swe Pusiing ee rency, 109 Bid. Stis, reg. 2-108, 100 bid = SU Miscellaneous ‘Bonds, -W. George- town Rallroad conv. 6s, Ist, 125° bid It town —United States registered. 114% asked. “United States a bid, 150 asked. Wi fon and Ralirosd conv. Gs, 2d, 125 Did 180 naked, Kfasmatc ete eye: 102 bia! Market Con y 85 bid, 95 asked. Railroad conv, 101 bid, 105 asked. United st ra, 12 Satay bs ~ tag Electric Light ‘National tocks.—| of Washi bid, 350 asked. Bank of Republic, Bes bide eee Politan, 200 bid. | Central. bid. Second, 135 Farmers’ and Mi . 191 bid, 205 asked. Columbia, 320 bid. Capital, 110 bid. West End. 100 hid. Traders’, 100 bid. Lincoln. 91 bid, 98 Railroad Stocks.—Washingt. 250 bid, 305 asked. Met: Columbia, 55 asked. Arlij Columbia, 14 bid. 15) German ag ge go Potomac, 75 wae Ee etchant ‘Title Insurance Stocks.—Rea} Estate Title, 110 bid, 125 asked. Columbia, Title. 6% bid, 7% asked. Washington Title, asked. jas and Electric Light’ Stocks.—Washington Gas. 45 bid, 48% |. Georgetown Gas, 48 bid. United States Electric Light, 120% bid, 125 asked. Telephone Stocks. Pennsylvania. ‘47 asked. Cheaa, and Potomac, 46% bid, 50 American Graphophone, 2\% bid. Miscellaneous Stocks.—Washington Market, 13 bid. Great Falls tee, 120 bid. 140 asked. Bull Run Panorama, |. Pneumatic Gun Carriage, .20 | bid. Lincoln Hall, 100 asked. Inter-Ocean Buflding, 100 asked. Bate Deposit and ‘Trust Companies.—National 129 bid, tekea. “Washington "Sate Depest HICAGO, Feb. 8, 1804. as a Low. Close. Me 4 SRK 8 Gs &% Gk Gm Gz By se Cy Tre? “sy 87% 88% 87 Be 88" BTN BS 3% 38 By 2s 2a 12. 12. "3 124: 12.40 1257 1287 1252 737 737 737 T3T Tat Taz 727 632 6.82 6.32 637 6.42 642 New York Cotton. Open. Hi Low. Close. February. rie a i Tm Ts tos Ee tio aa T98 798 7:90 790 ig is ib is Sor 810 Sos Sus oN 1 Bank e ‘at 225. Citizens’ Na hae Cr a United States Electric Light, ® at 122% National Ge. | t Y | Lieut. Heiner, Lieut. Meriliat 56 | son and Mr. Douglas Cornell aye re gee & i F ft BREF ites Ht Fl a artfe t Fist 8 E [ g f E e 8 g 8 é pptcee lie et itll ane iutl Hi *E e & i ef B83 l g i i & e § Hi gf i } | g i & get | i é e & 8 i i gee i i i i i $ H i : | & Lf g ‘ i i a F i § r t ul é : | & f zg . B | e i RE ae A MILITARY-SOCIAL EVENT, Mrs. Lamont Visi Fort Myer, Wit- messes a Great Exhibition and is En- tertained. Misty and muggy and rainy as it was, this day was brighter than are most days at Fort Myer. Even had the weather been very much worse than it was, it would have had no effect on” the combined mil- itary-social event for which the post—al- Ways in what seems to be perfect condi- tion—this morning put on its best bib and tucker. Exercises in the riding hall are quite com- mon at Fort Myer, but it is only at rare in- tervals that the wife of a Secretary of War, @ distinguished party, riding It was rot a surprise party, though, Col. end Mrs. Henry had imvited Mrs. La- Mont and her friends to breakfast, and had | ranged imatters so that their guests | Should see how well trained and how agile are the soldiers who ave at Fort Myer, be- cause they are especially deserving of the honor of being stationed at the “show PT. of the army. ie equestrian exercises were competi Irstead of ordering but one troop into the | hall, Col. Henry had the troop commanders | cock ——~ the twelve men who would be mos ely to do their troops | credit, and the result was o performacne | that fairly rivaled the widely advertised | military tournaments over which Chicago and New York went in = ent into spasms of admi- First to pound over the tan bark were the twelve men and horses from A | first cavalry, commanded by Lieut. J. F. R. Landis; then came the delegation from K of the ninth, under Lieut. Alexander W. | Perry; the twelve from H of the eighth, un- force Lieut. —y C. Merillat, and then the | Tepresentatives of F of the seven | Lieut. Robert Sewell. <3 | They Did Wonderfal Things. Details of the feats that were performed | would bear close resemblance to the pro- gram of a four-ring circus. There was hur- | die jumping by files, by twos and by fours; there was mounting and dismounting in all | Sorts of fashions and while the horses were moving at all varieties of gaits. Some of the men jumped from a > over the backs of one, coe eee three animals, and one acrobatic trooper - the feat with a finale to it which includ- on the bark. Then the horses were without any apparent effort on the part of those who did the throwing, and it didn’t seem to be at all hard for one horse to car- ry three or four soldiers around when such | an exhibition was called for, Occasional! ere was some especially | clever work that would bring out « round | Scopes from the deeply interested spec- rs. When Col Henry's whistle notified the last twelve to retire the arena Lieut. Landis took command of the consolidation and then ensued a troop drill that had in it innumerable opportunities for confusion— not one of which was taken advantage of. At was exceiient throughout, the circll by fours beimg marvelously accurate the more wonderful when it is rem that the men were from different | and are not drilled in that mixed-up way - | very frequently, if ever before. Breakfast With Col. and Mrs. Henry. Tt was noon when the exercises were over and then the invited guests proceeded to the commanding officer's quarters, where Mrs, Henry awaited them and where, after the formal courtesies were attended to, break- fast was served. : The decorations were tasteful throughout | and the menu all that could be expected of \a skillful chef. Those present were Mrs. Lamont, Miss Sanders, Miss Lockwood, | Mrs. Collamore, Miss Cornell, Miss Scott, Miss Blackburn, Miss Breckinridge, Mrs. | Kennon, Mrs. Benton, Miss Ruggles, Miss Slocum, Miss Huddleston and Miss Brice, Lieut. Benton, Lieut. Kennon, Lieut, , | Lieut. Landis, Lieut. Sewell, Capt. Pitcher, - Mr. Steven- eee peep Range of the Thermometer. The following were the readings of the ther mometer at the weather bureau today: 8 a m, 42;2p.m., 48; maximum, 48; minimum, 30 panes aise The barn and outbuildings of J. L. En | wood, six miles from Sycamore, Ill, togeth- er with 150 imported Percheron horses, have been burned. The barn cost over $7,000 and the horses’ value will bring the total loss above $50,000. Judge Anderson of the common pleas court at Kansas City, notwithstanding the United States statutes, has granted nat- uralization papers to a Chinaman residing