The New York Herald Newspaper, January 30, 1873, Page 3

WwW The Executive Order Concerning Federal Offi- cers in State Offices Modified. A FIELD DAY IN THE HOUSE. Exciting Debate on the Admission of Colorado and Utah. THE TWO TERRITORIES LET OUT. A Oontumacious Witness Before the Poland Committee Hauled Up. A LOBBYIST ON HIS DIGNITY. The Saintly and Shameless Patterson Job- bing in the Senate, SCHUYLER OCOLFAX’S LAST OARD. The Senators and the Lost Franking Privilege— Phelps, Dodge & Co.'s Case Not Yet Decided— Resumption of Specie Payments Dis- cussed—Losses by the Theatre Fire. WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 1 Modification of the Executive Order of @anuary 17—What State Officers May Hold Federal Offices. The following official order has just been promul- gated :— DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 1873. Inquiries having been made from various quar- ters as to the application of the Executive order issued on the 17th of January, relating to the hold- ing of State or municipal offices by persons holding civil omces under the federal government, the President directs the following reply to be made :— “It has been asked whether the order prohibits a federal officer from holding also the office of an Alderman, or of a Common Councilman of a city, or of a Town Councilman of a town or Village, or of appointments under city, town or village governments. By some it has been sug- gested that there may be a _ distinction made in case the office be with or without salary or compensation. The city or town offices of the description referred to, by whatever mame they may be locally known, whether held by election or by appointment, and whether with or without compensation, are of the class which the executive order intends not to be held by persons holding federal oftices, it has been. asked whether the order prohibits federal officers from holding positions on boards of education, school committees, public libraries, religious or eleemosynary § iustitutions, in- corporated, established er sustained _ by State or municipal authority. Positions and service on such boards or committees and proiessorships in colleges are not regarded as offices witnin the interpretation of the Executive order, but as employments er ser- vice in which all good citizens may be engaged without incompatibility, and in many cases with- out interierence, with any position which they may hold under the federal government. Officers of the federal government may therefore engage in such services, provided the attention required by such employment does not interfere with the regu- and efficient discharge of the duties of their office under the iederal government. The head of the department under whom the federal ofiice is held will in all cases be the sole judge whether or not the employment does thus interfere. The question has also been asked with re- gard to officers of the State militia. Congress having exercised the pewer conferred by the constitution to provide for organizing the militia, which is liable to be called forth to be em- ployed in the, service of the United States, and is hus in some sense under the control of the general government, and is, moreover, of the greatest .yalue to the public, the Executive order of the 17th of January is not considered as prohibiting federal officers from being officers of the militia im the States and Territorics, It has been asked whether the order prohibits per- fons holding office under the federa' oyerument being members of local or municipal Fire Depart- ments; also whether it applies to mechanics em- ployed by the day in the armories, arsenals and navy yards, &c., of the United States. Unpaid service in local or municipal Fire Depart- ments is not regarded as an _ office within the intent of the Executive order, and may be performed by federal oficers provided it do not interfere with the regular und efficient discharge of the duties of the federal oMee, of which the head of the department under which the office is held will in each case be the judge. Employment by the day as mechanics or laborers in the armories, arsenals, navy yards, &c., does not constitute an office of any Kind, and those thus employed are not within the contemplation of the Executive order. Master workmen and others who hold appoint- ments from the government, or from any depart- ment, whether fora fixed time or at the pleasure of the appointing power, are embraced within the operation of the order. By order of the President. : HAMILTON FISH, Secretary of State. Excitement in the House of Representa- tives—A Lively Debate on the Admis- sion of Colorado and Utah and a Re- port from Poland’s Committee—A Lob- byist, Refusing to Testify, is Called Before the House—-A Colored M. C. Ousted. The House of Representatives is a peculiar insti- tution. It is given to surprises and contradic- tions; it is as uncertain as law itself where ques- tions of law are concerned. Considering that it is Jargely composed of lawyers, this result should not be so much a matter of astonishment. The House to-day was a surprise to itself, as it ap- parently was to the lookers-on in the galleries which were packed to an unusual extent, as theugh by some mysterious means which “no fellow can find out,” its occupants had learned of what was going to transpire. - But, whatever may have been tho cause of their presence, there they were wait- ing for the drama to commence. The large gallery had its full quota of the ragged and filthy colored male population of Washington, who spend their nights in the alleyways and shanties and indulge in “nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep,” in the galleries of the Senate and House between the hours of ten A, M. and four P. M, There Was also a full attendance of the feminine love- iiness which adorns Washington throughout the year, but more especially while Con- aress is in session, There was the «sual Sprinkling of brides and grooms, who make Wash- ington, in the Winter season, the objective point of their travels duriag the honeymoon, and there was an usual attendance of the sleck, honey-tongued and red-faced members of the third honse—the gilded maggots who infest this capital and under- mine the virtue ef Congressmen, many of whom left their constituents with unsuilied reputations | and the best intentions. And, as the sequei showed, | the lookers-on were well repaid for tieir attend- ance; for, contrary to the usual course of Congres- sional events, there were two performances of most startling interest. Immediately after the reading of the Journal and ‘the reception ofa few resolutions the bill for the admission of Colorado to the sisterhoed of States braska, who had charge of it, took the floor, and in a very silly, rambling ud = inet. lective way, proceeded to plead came up for final consideration. Mr. Taife, of Ne- for the measure. Mr. Tatfe’s management of this Dill has been impolitic and Weak in the extreme. If there was any chance ofits success at any time dur- ing the debate his action would have killed it. One of the unwise moves was to permit the representa- tive of Brigham Young to attach an amendment for the admission of Utah. ‘This called forth yester- day a very bitter and eloquent speech froin Clag- vett, the de.egate from Montana, which aroused the ire of Hooper, the delegate from Utah, who sought the floor to-day to reply to Claggett and to defend Mormondom. Others also struggied for tne floor to show how mach they knew about admitting Territories, with two-fifths of a population of a Congressional district, to all the nights and immu- nities of States, including the right to neutralize great States like New York in the Senate of the United States. A further extension of time was asked for, but Mr, William K, Roberts objected, ASHINGTON. clients, saying that the House had already wasted valuable time upon ® measure that could have been decided quite as well several days ago. He withdrew his objection, however, to permit the delegate from Utah to reply to the at- tack upon his territory, and, no objection being made by the House, the venerable representative of Mormonism commenced bie defence with an at- tack upon Claggett, by saying that he did well to signalize his departure from Congress by vilifying the people of Utah. He proceeded in a carefully prepared statement to defend the people and ralers of Utah, but never ence alinded to the peculiar in- stitution. As Hooper 1s rather popular than other- wise with the members, they crewded around him, more with the desire to encourage the tawny and venerable apostie of the Latter Day Saints in his oratory than throngh any desire to hear him mum- ble his defence of Pasha Brigham and his saints. ‘The old man is a strange compound of cunning and apparent simplicity, and to judge him by his looks you would never select him out of a crowd asa man of many wives, nor as preacnér or believer in pelygamy. After hearing the venerable old apostle the House concluded it was but fair to hear the delegate from Montana in reply, whereupon Mr. Claggett proceeded to dance an Indian war dance around that solitary and veperable Mor- mon in a way that will not sqon ‘be forgotton. During its continuance the face of Brigham’s friend was a@ picture to behold. The few straggling hairs on the back of his head stood out in evident indignation ; the skin on his forehead rolled up in little waves to the shining surface on the crown. His eyes glared; his mouth essayed to utter de- nials; but his words were unheeded, and the eio- quent delegate went on pouring broadside after broadside of terrible facta into what he termed the spiritual and political despotism of Utah. He wound up with one of the most eloquent perora- tions that have been heard for a long time in the House, and which brought forth the applause of the gallery and the members on the floor, During his remarks Claggett showed that it was impossible for an American citizen to open even a butcher’s shop without a license from Brigham; that he had a monopoly of all the whiskey manufactured in the territory; that the poor whites brought from Europe were his spiritual, political and social slaves, and that it ‘was a disgrace to a civilized and Christian nation to permit within its midst an institution which de- graded the sacred character of woman and raised children upon whose brow nature stamped in in- effable letters the word “Bastard,” Soon Hooper made a short reply, but it was no use. The House had enough of the discussion, and particularly of Mormonism, and Mr. Eugene Hale, of Maine, moved to lay the bill for the admission of Colorado on tht table, which was carried—as your correspondent foretold, by a large majority—117 ayes and 67 nayes. Aiter the announcement of the vote the Com- mittee on Elections reported, through their chair- man, Mr. McCreary, unanimously in favor of the right of Mr. Niblack to the seat now occupied by J. L. Walls, colored, of Florida, The report of the committee was unanimously concurred in, This was no sooner settled than the second great feature of the day commenced. Mr. Wilson, chair- man of the Crédit Mobilier Investigating Commit- tee No. 2, rose to present a unanimous report from his committee, which he sent to the Clerk’s desk tobe read. All at once a death-like stiliness per- vaded the House. The galleries were hushed, the reportersleaned over the rail behind the Speak- er’s desk and looked down at the paper in the hands of the Clerk as though trying to read its contents in advance. The Clerk proceeded to read the report, which recited the cause of its Presentation. The committee, for the rst time during the investigation, found a witness who would not plead loss of memery in answer to im- portant questions, and who, with the fate of Colfax and Patterson before his eyes, could not, or dare not, swear against the facts and the proofs, but refused point-blank to answer what he had done with the quarter of a million doliars worth of Pacific bonds and $60,000 in cash which he acknowledged he received in order to influence iegislation in Congress. The question was put ts himin various iorms, but to no purpose. He refused to answer, on the ground that, a8 an attorney, he was bound to preserve secret the communications and names of his This man’s name is Stewart, and he is believed to be one of the most unscrupulous lobby- ists in Washington. The report of the committee, after reciting the repeated refusal of Stewurt to tell what disposition he made of so large a sum of money, proposed that the House order Stewart to be arrested by the Sergeant-at-Arms, and to be held in his cus- tody until such time as he snould purge himself of contempt of the Heuse and answer the questions propounded by the committee. On the conclusion of the reading of the report a scene of great confusion ensued. Every lawyer in the House was on his feet, each with his own intepre- tation of the law and the rights and imnfanities of lawyers. Wilson expounded; Shellabarger ex- plained; Maynard put a point in a drawling tone with his bony finger; Eldridge asked a question with a stump speech; Hoar split the atmosphere of the chamber with his falsetto voice, while his nose, which was at an angle of forty-live degrees with the ceiling, pointed im the direction ef Susan B, An- thony, who was an interested spectator in the gal- lery; Wood was sensible and clear; Potter became red in the face and indulged in violent gesticula- tion, while Bingham offered an amendment that Stewart be brought betore the bar of the House to answer for his contamacy. This was finally agreed to and Stewart is happy, in view of this latest honor conferred on him and the publicity which his name will receive throughout the country. se I democrats voted against permitting this | man to appear at the bar of the House, believing it too complimentary to him, and thinking also that if this is done with others, who may refuse to tes- tfy, the se n will terminate before the commit- tee can report, Vice President Colfax's New Line of De- fence=What a Good Criminal Lawyer and the Right Kind of Witness May AccompUsh for Him—Perjurer Patter- son in the Senate. Colfax is not cornered after all. Realizing the truth of the old proverb that “he who pleads his own case has a fool for his eclient,’’ he determined to engage counsel, and retained the burly, jovial agent for the United States before the Mixed Com- mission, Robert 5S. Hale. The venerable Poland has a parental affection for Hale, who ts a Ver- monter by birth, and used to have at Elizabeth. | town great good luck im getting clear people who had been arrested for crimes aud mis- demeanors. Baie commenced operations to- day by showing that while his smiling client deposited $1,200 in bumk on the 224 of June, 1868, he drew out $1,000 on the same day in the form of a draft, whi was sent to Indiana. This was ap- parently an innocent disposition of ten-twelfths of the sam Which Ames swears was paid Volfax by check on June 20, the receipt of which Colfax de- nies, Bul now suppose some ebiiging friend of the Vice President, here or elsewhere, is prought for- ward and swears that he paid fim this $1,000 on the 2ist of June, to be used in Indiana for electioneer- ing expenses, and that then Colfax will swear that he received this $1,000 on the 2ist of June, de. posited it with other funds on the 224, and on that same day remitteed $1,000 to A. H. Connor, of Indiana, to be used ia carrying on the cainpaigny and then Ames’ story about paying Colfax the $1,200 check will be deprived of its sting. So per- haps Lawyer Hale thinks of the damaging cireum- | stantial evidence supplied by the certificats of deposit. Whether this programme will be made thick enough to bear the reputation of Colfax, or Whether it will be too thin to keep him from piunging into an abyss of infamy, remains to be seen. Should it prove stecessiul poor Pat- terson will aiso retain a sharp criminal lawyer, and endeavor to clear himseif from the perjury which his own receipts show that he committed. In the meantime, he comes into the Senate eham- ber with unblushing effrontery, and actually brings up his Ijttie District of Columbia jobs as theugh he had never written, read and sworn to a false state- ment. Wouldn't it be appropriate for Wilson, Col- tax, Patterson and Ames to sing the chorus to the old gice, “’Twas you that Kissed the tailors this merry catch wonld go round! how the oratori- | and Union Pacific Railroad frauds. How can LE cal Kelley would address the assemblage! and how the venerable Poland, beating time with his foot, would turn over the warblers to the lower com- mittee, which would at ence order Ordway to ar- Test them and take them before the bar at Whit hey’s, to enjoy a smash, typical of their’ own po- litical tortunes! The Result of the Abolition of the Franking Privilege—The Senate Deter- mined to Make the Most of Its Conces- sion to Public Opinion, The Senate has demonstrated today how men dislike to yield power. It has beena delightiul thing tor a Senator to just write his name ona book or a package of seeds or a letter tog sure its free transmission to any post office between Alaska and Key West, or Madawaska and Brownsville. Ladies supplicated for franks, constituents begged them, and even newspaper correspondents were conciliated by them. But puslic opinion has made the Senators relinquish this cherished “privilege,” and great is their wrath. Cresswell did the business by asserting that the abolition Would save $3,500,000, and now they mean to make him save this sum. They have cut down his ap- propriations for clerk hire to-day, and they mean to continue their reforms, even depriving him of his “riding privilege,” by which he goes to and from his home in Maryland Iree, under the depart- ment deadhead clause in the contracts for mail service on the railroads, Meanwhile these reforms will benefit the public and warrant a single letter postage rate of two cents, although the Turvey- tops of the Upper House may be deprived of their cherished privilege. Resumption of Specie Payments Dis- cussed. The Senate Committee on Finance and the House Committee on Banking and Currency held a joint meeting to-day, at which the question of resump- tion of specie payments, contraction or expansion of the currency, and other kindred subjects were discussed informally, without action, gimost as many plans and theories being advanced on each subject as there were members of the committee present. No Decision Yet in the Phelps-Dodge Case. The full returns of the investigations from the officers of the Treasury in the Phelps-Dodge case have not yet been received, but are daily expected, and a final consideration of the case by the Soli- citor and Secretary will be had upon their recep- tion. There is, as. yet, no decision which may be regarded as final. The Washington Theatre Fire. The following are the losses at the fire yester- day :—Theatre—W. W. Rapley, owner of the theatre building, $80,000, insured for $40,000; J. G. Saville, lessee, $9,000, partially insured; Miller & Jones, billiard saloon, $15,000, insured; Abraham Wam. bold, $1,000, no insurance; the Oates Company, $3,000, insured; the National Stock Company, $5,000, no insurance; H. Koppel, tatlor, loss un- known, supposed to be slight; Gross & Sheehan, stage carpenters, $500; J. L. Lockhead, $3,000; Joln Roscoe, confectioner, slight loss, Little Rhody in a Forgiving Mood. Senator Sprague to-day moved to repeal the Morrill amendment adopted yesterday for cutting off those who rendered aid and comfort to the re- bellion from the payment of judgments from the Court of Claims, unless by special act of Congress, and nothing but an adjournment saved it, To- morrow the old threadbare argument on this sub- ject will be again aired, A Railroad Controversy Settled. The controversy between the State of Wisconsin and the city of Duluth and the Northern Pacific Railway has been compromised by Governor Wash- burne, who is now in Washington with a committee from Duluth and the President of the railway. The Northern Pacific agrees to extend its road to the city of Superior within eight months and te give that city the same facilities of business as Duluth; the dyke to be removed, and the Bay of Superior to be dredged out from the natural entrance tothe docks at Superior and Duluth, Nomination by the President. The President sent the following nomination to the Senate to-day :—J. Madison Case, to be chiet engineer in the revenue marine service. Nomination Centirmed. The nomination of Pay Director J. 0. Bradford to be Paymaster General, United States Navy, has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate, iS POLAND'S COMMITTEE, ——-_———— Scenes and Incidents Yesterday—Hoax Ames Very Fergetful—Another Receipt from Patterson—Colfax’s Counsel—Hoax Anxious to Save Garfield. Judge Poland's Investigating Committee spent three hours to-day in trampling upon the political | corpses of Brooks, Garfleld, Kelley and Colfax. Oakes Ames acted as undertaker and drove the last nailinto the coffins of the distinguished dead. James Brooks’ ghost is not content to restin peace but revisited to-day the scene of its torture, in order to make another statement, which did not materially change th¢ case of the defunct. Thecom- mittee kept harping for half an hour on the old theme of Brooks’ fitty stares, and examined the | white-headed Dillon on the subject. Dillon, who professes to be not a man of details, told the same story of forgetfulness as he did when he gave his | testimony before. Congressman elect Hale, from New York, a fat, good natured looking old gentleman, then appeared before the committee and stated that he came as the friend and counsel of Vice President Colfax, who, he said, was now engaged in A THOROUGH BXAMINATION OF HIS PAPERS, and would personally come before the committ ina few days to make another statement. ‘I riend and counsel” did more harm than good to the case of his client. Swain, the cashier of the First National Bank, was again put on the stand at the request of Mr. Hale, but his testimony was | quite immaterial. It appears that Colfax’s line of | defence will be that the $1,200 deposit on June 1868, was not derived from Crédit Mobilier | stock, but was a contridution for electic purposes, Oakes Ames looks pityingly upon | the desperate efforts of the champion smiler | to extricate himself from the meshes of deceit which he has woven, and the committeemen regard Colfax’s case a hopeless one. { Oakes Ames was in a sulky, uncommunicali mood, He was put on the stand, but the truth was | drawn from him only by piecemeal, SENATOR PATTERSON'S CASE is so bad that he could not make it worse by pro- duciug another receipt for $2,528 As Hit Mobilier dividends, in the handwriting of the New Hampshire patriot, Ames’ account in the books of the Sergeant-at-Arms was agai! examined. | Judge Poland interrogated Ames with regard tothe diferent checks by which he drew ont the $10,000 deposived with the Sergeant-at-Arms. Upon sev- eral of these checks, which were simply made out to bearer, Ames could give do information, except that they were handed aa dividends to those Co gressmen who had Crédit Mobilier st » Gartield | among the number; ‘for,’ said Ames, “they all | received their dividends.” But the most interest- | ing part of hia testimony was his account of different CONVERSATIONS WITH GARFIELD AND KELLEY. He related how these gentlemen came to him and implored him to make his testimany in accord- ance with theirs, and call the Crédit Mobiller transaction merely a ‘loan. Garfield in particular desought him to save his reputation by not making the damaging exposure of the facts. For the sake of form he gave Oakes Ames a check for the amount received by him as dividend, in order that he might say he had paid back a loan. Ames tore the check in his presence, and had no objection to saving Garfleld’s reputation provided he was not called upon to sacrifice his ewn. There is daylight wanted yet on Dawes’ Crédit Mobilier transaction. Owing to the tacit connivance of the committee Oakes Ames has so far succeeded in his efforts to screen Dawes, whom he wants to see elected to the Senate froma double motive—firstiy, Ames is a personal friend of Dawes, who is a friend of the Union Pacific Rajlroad; secondly, Ames bears no good will to Boutwell, who has done his Eife 7’ How Alley’s ferret eves would twinkle ap | best to stem the tide of the Crédit Mobilier | either the holy Dawes or : THE CONGRESSIONAL PAWNROKER explain the discrepancy between their statements as regards dates and figures? If the truth were known it would be found that the old maidish, sanctimonious chairman of the Ways and Means Committee belongs to the same category of saints as Garfield, Kelley and the rest, Ames has gone home for a week, and during his absence he hopes to be able to get evidence that will be in- teresting. KELLEY, OF PENNSYLVANIA, TO POLAND. ‘The following appeared in @ New York evening paper yesterday :— WASHINGTON, Jan, 29, 1873, Representative Kelley sent the following letter to Judge Poland, chairman of the Crédit footer Committee, to-day: “WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 1873. “Luke R, POLAND, Chairman of the Committee on Crédit Mobiite: “DEAR SIR—Please find enclosed my check on Jay Cooke & Co., bankers of this city, lated Janu- ary 25, 1878, to your order for three hundred (300) dollars. It is certified by the house on which it is drawn, and is for the amount of the balance of a loan irom Hon, Oakes Ames to me, but which, on rounds made known to you in the course of the investigation before a committee, he has been Pleased to disclaim, It does not belong to me, nor do the ten shares of stock in the Crédit Mobilier of America, the power to transfer which to me he executed in the presence of your committee on Friday last, when, at my request, he was about to deposit it with you, ner do any ot the dividends thereon, ut, inasmuch as he disclaims all ownership therein, and de- clares that they belong to me, I beg you to transfer said check and certificate of stock and all dividends now due, or that may be declared thereon, to the United States, to whom, in the light of recent revelations, I believe all said property rightfully belongs. Permit me further to request you to embody this note in the record of the pro- ceedings of your committee. Meanwhile I remain yours, very truly, ow. KELLEY,” NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. Reports from the Narragansett in the South Pacific. CaLLao, Peru, Jan. 6, 1873, The United States steamer Narragansett, Com. mander Meade, arrived at Callao, Peru, on the Ast ofJanuary, 1873, in sixty-five days from Sydney, Australia. She had pleasant weather most of the way over, as she passed north of New Zealand, and she made the voyage of 8,000 miles under canvas entirely—the screw not being once lowered until four miles from San Lorenzo, ‘wo days out from Sydney the whaling bark Germany was signalled, bound west-southwest. ‘The Narragansett went into commission in Octo- ber, 1870, at Portsmouth, N. H., and sailed soon after for New York, where she was some time de- tained as flagship to the Port Admiral. In March, 1871, she sailed from New York for this station, since which time she has been incessantly cruising among the various islands of the North and South Pacific and the Coral Sea as far as the coasts of New Zealand and Australia, Traversing this im- mense fleld, she has surveyed and examined some of the portions least known, and looked into the existence of numerous reported dangers, Many places have been visited where our men-of-war had not touched for many years, and some places where the flag of a United States ship of war had never been shown before, Through- out the cruise the health of all has been good, and there has not been an accident, death or casualty ofany kind, notwithstanding the long, arduous and varied service the vessel kas performed. Since leaving New York 418 days have been passed at sea—an extraordinary amount of sea duty, never before exceeded in the history of our navy. During this time the ship has sailed nearly sixty thousand miles, almost entirely under canvass, has surveyed iifteen harbors or islands and examined numerous reported dangers. Treaties have been made, as at Tutuila, and treaty stipulations enforced, as at Apamaina, in the Gilbert Islands, where a promised indemnity tor inju- ries inflicted and American property destroyed was collected without any resort to furce of arms, and simply by making a firm demand, coupled with the prompt appearance of the vessel in a state to en- force it. With all this duty the exercises have been constant, but so divided as to tall lightly and easily upon the crew, who miss their accus- tomed drill and exercises when the weather is adverse, This ship at sea, with everything set alow and aloft, has shortened all sail in twominutes and made all sail again in three minutes—reaucing sail from royals. She can double reef her topsails in two and a half minutes from the order in ror until topsailyards are hoisted, and with all sail on. she can shorten sail, shift all three topsails and make all sail again in fiiteen minutes, In port with royal and topgallant yards across she has had her yards and topgallant masts on deck in one minute and twenty seconds, all her lower yards and topmasts down in jour an@ a half minates—all ataut again in sixteen minutes and royal yards across. Jt takes four minutes to send up topgallant masts, topgaliant and royal yards and loose sails, and all boats have been manned and armed for service in less than five minutes. ‘To prepare to extinguish fire never takes over one and a half minutes after the crew reach their quarters, and she can prepare for battle by day in two and a half minutes and by night in five minutes, All this has been taken irom the actual time made without any previous notice of the character of the exer- cise being given. She has badly beaten in exercise every other vessel, American and English, In one case Where competition was going on, the Narra- gansett’s hight yards and topgallant masts were on deck betore her opponent's topgallant masts were “untidded” even, and this was the champion ship, too, or at least she claimed to be until the Narra- gansett beat her in every exercise. The Narraganset, besides her battery, carries a torpedo attachment, and is manned by seventcen omc and 138 bluejackets and marines, The period of service of all the marine guard and of all the petty oMcers expires within a few months, when they hope to be relieved. Most of the crew shipped for the cruise out of the men comprising the crews of the wrecked Arctic whal- ing fleet, and many men are shipped as ordinary seamen who ure well able to do the duty of able- bodied seaman. The following is a list of the Narragansett's ofi- cers:— commander—Richard W. Liewlenant Commander. tive officer). Lieutenants—i sing. Master—H. O. Handy. Midshipmen orge officer), M. F. Wright, favor. Passed Assistant Paymaster—G, H. Assistant Surgeon—H. C. Eckste First assistant Engtneer—J. B. Gunner—J, G. Foster. Boutswain—Thomas Savage. Clerks—Y. K. McGren and George B. Reinman. Meade. H. Wright (execu- L, Tanner (navigator), E. D. Tan- Calhoun (acting watch . J. Ray and FH, Le- iriting. Naval Order. Porrsmours, N. H., Jan. Commander George E. Dewey, now her ordered to the command of the United States steamer Narragansett, at Callao, ARMY INTELLIGENCE. Santa Fk, N. M., Jan, 29, 1873. First Lieutenant J. W. Sartle, Adjutant of the rir ith United States Infantry, died suddeniy on the evening of the 27th inst. THE GRAND JURY AT THE TOMBS, The preseat condition of the City Prison is con- sidered to be so faulty in itself that strange and, if true, interesting rumors are beginning to be cir- culated about it. It has been said that the feod is bad and insufficient, and also that the cells and beds are damp and unhealthy, which seems to stand with reason, as the structure, to the knowl- edge of every citizen, is built on aswamp. The site of the building, some old Knickerbockers say, was a filthy marsh, which gave rise to the mala- rias, fevers and epizootics of the time, The at- mosphere of such a locality, espociaily to the prisener, can never be wholesome, and the story withal must have some truthin it. George Francia Train is not the only one who complains of its hor- | rible condition, and no one can pass the dismal | hole without pronouncing it a lit living grave. is true Warden Finlay has lived in it and | Deputy Wardens Kendall, Daly and Cunning- bam, each for @ number of years; but it must be remembered these a officials, not doomed prisoner: hey can close their room windows when op provide them- selves With suitable bedding to keep out the cold, use means for cleansing the dampness of the walls, and do away with the sickly air which surrounds then of Wholesome food, but ail these the prisone} mnot have. ‘The visit and recent investigation of the Grand Jury, the prisoners expect, and so do many others, will be the first step towards a total rejormation in the wretched prison. A narrow cell and bare walls ought to be sufficient punishment without any other concomitant evils. But itis feared the Grand dury’s work will end in no beneficlal results unless the issue of the investigation be made public. The HERALD man yesterday could giean very little on the subject except from these current reports, niy trustworthy Comptroller Green yesterday made the awards for $2,600,000 city improvement stock, the bid which were opened on , the lowest rate being 103, and jrom that upw: to 105, SEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 1873—TRIPLE SHEET. CENTENAIRE AT THE UNION SQUARE THEATRE. ~———_+—__—_ The play of “Le Centenaire,” angticé, “One Hun- dred Years Old,” produced last evening at the Union Square Theatre, belongs to a class of dramas as familiar to the stage as the footlights or the drop curtain, The villain works his measure of evil and is finally sent to the devil, while suifering tnnocence and unrequited chivalry are in the long run triumphant and recompensed. This drama has been adapted from the French of MM. D’Ennery and Plouvier by Mr. Hart Jackson, He might have contrived to preserve for us in the translation more of the brilliancy of dialogue and quaintness of hamor in the original and saved us at least from hearing the most vulgar of common- place hypocrisies in American forms of grecting, “go glad to see you,” with extravagant emphasis on “#0,” As for the construction of the plot, while bizarre and strained in various situations and conceptions it shows an uncommon de- gree of skill, but all that is truly original sin making the characters of the drama refer in turn to a central figure who is advanced to the rare standard of longevity, one hundred years, This old chap, from beginning to end, is a subject of curious interest to the audience. They went to see how one who has reached so far past the ordinary limits of age bears himself through the ordeal he is forced to pass by a singular combinatien of ciream- stances well calculated to test the mettle of any centenarian. Jaques Fauvel (Mark Smith), the head of tho Fauvel family, celebrates, in the first act, his 100th birthday. The village children and maidens, sing- ing gleefully and bearing flowers, come around the old man and make & sweet picture of love and reverence for old age. There is also assembled on this eventful occasion his abated Juliette (Miss Mary Griswold), whose husbands at sea, and Camille (Mra, Clara Jennings), unmarried, who is idolized by the old man; his son, Georges Fauvel (Mr. Welsh Edwards), a prosperous banker, the father of the girls, and Richard (Mr. Montgom- ery), a friend of the family and young dector, who watches over the centenarian, and pretends to be a lawyer, in order to humor the grandfather's whim of studied aversion to medicine and its professors, ‘The birthday is the occasion of two noticeable incidents—the reconcilia- tion with the Fauvel family of Réné d@Ally (Mr. Claude Burroughs), secretly in love with Camille, and the introduction of Max de Maugard (Mr. George Parkes), a determined-looking and sarcastic man of the world, who has saved Camille's lite in a carriage accident. The prologue over, the serious interest of the play commences with an in- terview between the married and unmarried sis- ters. The extreme melancholy and depression of Juliette have to be explained to her sister Camille, and the story is profoundly sad. Juliette, during her husband’s absence at sea, has ylelded in an unguard- moment to the advances of Max de Maugard, who is no other than the new arrival at the house, and also the passionate adorer of Camille, whose life he has saved. The situation is terrible for all who would preserve the life of old Fauvel, and to whom that life is most precious; and it is all the more overwhelming since a child will soon be born, and Juliette’s husband is on the point of returning home. Jacques Fauvel, who prides himself on his reading of character by the face, has taken a sudden and violent hatred to Max, and when the latter proposes for Camille to the head of the family his offer is indignantly re- Jected&, The determmed Max has heard that the slightest excitement will kill the old gentleman, 80 he proceeds with relentless cruelty trom cring- ing deference to vulgar threats. For a moment the old man is taken off his guard and worked up | into a violent passion; but, suddeniy reading the true character of Max, he detects his intention, changes trom violence to supreme calm, declares that he will not die such a base death as is planned for him, and, buttoning wu his coat, orders Max dé Maugard out of the house. In this scene Mr. Mark Smith drew down a round of well deserved applause ; but the trouble with his acting last evening was that he started out with too much voice and vigor for an old man of a century, and consequently when he came vw where a tour de force was expected in a person of such advanced age he had already dissipated the delusion that he was any more than three score or less. The childis born, and something must be done to conceal her shame, Camilie deter- mines she will take the sin upon her own shoulders and save her sister. Acting on a sudden impuise, she leaves her lover Réné, to whom she is to be married lel Camille is absent many days, and on her return is silent on the subject of her absence, She will tell nothing, say nothing, own nothing; and she is the more obstinate in her determination since Juliette’s husband has come home. For the sake of old Jacques Fauvel this compromising absence is in part forgiven; but last the secret of the child is discovered to Camille’s father, and Camille, before the whole family, deciares that she is the mother. While Camille has been suspected ail along Jacques Fauvel has protested the in- nocence of his darling. When alt have been inclined to turn against her, he has tottered back to comfort the child with a grandfather's kiss. But now the sorrow is almost greater than he can bear, so he declares that his time has come at last. Not only to the grandiather but to the whole family Camille’s innocence is soon contirmed, and the play ends with a happy dénouement. Mrs. Clara Jennings, as Camille, acted with ail her accustomed care. Miss Mary Griswold showed somewhat of a lack of stage training; but she has all the voice, presence and spirit tor a reat actress, Miss Imogene Fowler suffers a rawback in her elocutlam. Messrs. Parkes, Mackay, Montgomery and BufPoughs sustained the utation ef this stock company for ability to render the higher class of plays, and if Mark Smith would only consider himself one hundred years old in place of thirty or forty he might carry this drama along successtully for some time, i] RELICS OF THE REBELLION. | Malliefert Clearing Up the Obstructions in the James River and in Charleston Harbor—A List of War and Other Ves- sels Ratsed—Thoasands of Tons of M terial and Machinery Recovered. CHARLESTON, 8. C., Jan. 29, 18' The wrecking operations in the harbor here, under the direction of Professor Malliefert, which have been in progress nearly twelve months, have | been signally successiul. Monsieur Malliefert, who | isa French engineer, in 1871 obtained tne contract from the United States government for clearing | the obstructions in both the James River, in Vir- ginia, and the harbor of this city. From the James | River he removed the wrecks of the iron-clads Virginia and Fredericksburg and the sieamers | Jamestown, Northampton, Patrick Henry and Raleigh, besides seven schooners and twenty-three stone cribs, which made the James free and sale | jor all navigable purposes. Upon arriving bere he first turned his attention to the wreck of the rebel iron-clad Palmetto State, | which was sunk off the mouth of Town Creek inlet | by the Confederates to prevent it falling into the hands of the United States naval forces, then in | strong orce off Charleston Harbor. All the boilers, | guns aud machinery of this vessel were | He next took out of the wrecks of the ‘narleston and Chicora, sunk off Cooper River, two | other rebel iron-clads, 2 tons of machinery, boilers, engines and guns. The operations of the Professor were next turned to the wrecks of the Beatrice and Flora, two iron’ blockade runners, sunk in Mafit’s Channel, with the success of raising he entir L 's and engines of both, After this the steamers Comme, Randolph and a torpedo boat, 126 feet long, were taken uy The vessel involving the gre: ger in taking up was the W hawken, & United States iron-clad whick was accidentally sunk off Morris Island while being loaded with shot and shell. Nearly everything was recovered, and the skeletons of many of the crew who weat down were st Jabor and dan- ster coffin in which they had tombed. The wreck npon which Professor Malliefert is now been so long en- engaged is that of the ill-fated Patapsco, which was sunk off Fort Sumter by the bursting of a torpedo, which sent down the unfortunate vessel and all on to a watery grave. Out of this out four hundred tons of material ay been taken, including the boiler, machinery, pertions of the turret, twelve plates thick, and er material. This can moved by the most powerfal explosions. ‘The onty those of the board the bar and near it the torpedo boat that sent it e latter lies near the Lighthouse Inlet. and a great number have be: ‘al cemetery near Fort Moultrie. moval of these last two vessels all (ie obsiruc in the harbor will be removed. SALTING THE TRAGKS AGAIN, Charge Against the Third Avenue Rail- road, To THK Eprtok or THE HERALD ing for a Third avenue car to go home after leav- ing the oMce, one arrived after a long delay, drawn by tour horses. On going to the rear plat- form I found, to my great surprise, that it was bar- ricaded by iron gates. Going to the front I found the same, and was told by the driver that it did not carry passengers. L then asked him what it wus for, but received no reply. Looking in I found it divided into three compartments, and hb piled up with salt to the height of three feet. Several men were inside, all a bed of the company, and they with the driver looked as suspicious as if they had committed a felony. It must have been that they were salting the entire track, cont to law, and from the im which they acted were conscious of their guilt. The car was @ very old one and numbered 170, New Youk, Jan. 29, 1873, found in a good state of preservation in the mon- } At a quarter-past two A, M. to-vlay, as I was wait. | | each, some rice and one dumpling only be re- | about eleven 3 THE ABSCONDING CASHIER, Flight of Shute, of the National Granite State Bank. OVER $120,000 ABSTRACTED. The Bonds of the Defaulter Forfeited and Large Rewards Offered for His Arrest. Exeter, N. H., Jan. 29, 1873, Nothing definite has yet been ascertained of the whereabouts of Mr. Shute, the defaulting cashier of the Granite State Bank of this city, and likewise defaulting treasurer of the New Hampshire Savings Bank. The last heard of him was in Boston, and where he went from that city is still a mystery. Some are of the opinion that he has fled the coun- try, and others that he is lingering in some Jarge city. CONDITION OF THE SUFFERING BANKS, The Bank Commissioners have just completed an examination of the affairs of the Savings Bank and find that by its books the amount of deposits is $401,817 20 and its surplus $12,064 83, makinga total of $413,881 03, They also find property to the amount of $293,229 27, making the amount abstracted $120,651 76. The Bank can pay about seventy-three per cent on ita deposits, with its own property, and about eight and seven-tenths per cent additional upon the payment of the treasurer's bond of $35,000, making a total ofabout eighty-one and seven-tenths per cent. In the above estimate all the stocks are reckoned at par value, which is a little less than ‘their real value, No account is made of items of interest due the bank upon its notes, which would, perhaps, amount to $1,000 or $1,200, The investments of the bank are excellent. Every note ana security is believed to be entirely good. All concerned in its management, save its defaulting treasurer, are men of character and ability, and up to the time of his leaving the treasurer even had the entire con- fidence of the community. SHUTE'S DEFALCATIONS OVER FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THE GRANITE STATE BANK. Later developments show the losses of the National Granite State Bank to be greater than at first reported. It was believed that the amount embezzled from this institution would not exceed forty thousand dollars; but discrepancies have since been evolved which, as | am informed by one of the bank directors, will bring their loss to fifty thousand dollars or mor TUE BONDS OF THE RUNAWAY CASHIER. Thave to-day been able to get access to the do faulter’s bonds, Which show that the Granite Stato’ Bank has sureties to the amount of $20,000. The bond bears the signatures of N, A. Shute, Nathaniel Shute (detaulter’s father), Harvey Kent, Isaac 5, Shute, John F. Moses, Luke Julian, Joseph Getchell, Woodbridge Odlin, Amos Tuck and Thomas Conner, The bond of the Exeter Savings Bank, for the amonnt of $35,000, it appears was temporarily placed in the private trunk of one of the officers of the bank, kept in the bank vault. This trunk was opened with a dupiicate key by the absconding treasurer and the bond extracted, but the require- ments of the law that a Calg of the bond should be deposited in the office of the Secretary of State at Concord, and also entered on the books of record of the bank, leave the bank secure; for, although it has not been ascertained that the Secre- tary’s ofiice has a copy of the bond, yet it seems the criminal failed to destroy the recorded copy in his own handwriting in possession of the bank. This copy bears date November 8, 1869, and bears the names of Nathaniel A, Shute, 8S. W. Dearborn, Wil- liam B. Morrill, William P, Moulton, Nathaniel Gordon, G. A. Wentworth, William A. Stickney, Edmund El- liot, John J. Bell, J. C. Hilliard. HOW HE WORKED MATTERS IN GENERAL, It is evident that the unlawiul use of the banks? funds has been going on an indefinite time and it is believed that, being tne managing officer of the two institutions, when an examination of the affairs of one institution was being made he pro- duced the securities of the other to make good the deficits, and vice versa. Shute had @ salary as cashier of the Granite State Bank of $1,200 a year and house rent, and a8 treasurer of the Savings Bank of $800, besides a private brokerage busines# from which he netted about fifteen hundred dollars annually. Yet with this comiortable income the temptations of stock speculations were too much lor his weak nature and he cast his die and lost. Each of the suffering banks has offered $2,500 reward lor Shute's arrest and conviction and de- scriptions and photographs of him have been sent all over the world, INVESTIGATION BY THE COMMISSIONERS OF EMIGRATION. eineehegoaaeah Alleged Charges of Brutality Against tho Captain of the Argonaut, from Bre= men—seventy-eight Days on the Occan— Passengers Cémpeiled to Work and Live Five Weeks Without Water—Afi- davit of Marianna Tubolska and Testi- mony of Julius Brorbreck,. An investigation was held yesterday in the atter- noon by the Commissioners of Emigration into the | case of the captain of the Argonaut, against whom charges of ill-treatment approaching to brutality | have been preferred by several of the recently ar- rived passengers, who «are almost all Poles by birth, and many of whom were brought over trom Wara’s Island yesterday to give testimony. About thirty of the bewildered and haggard-looking foreigners filled the seats around the desks in the outer office of the Commis- sioners, and seemed totally unconscious of their situation. shivering with cold and apparently ina most pitiable condition, The Argonaut, the sailing vessel in which all crossed the ocean, sailed from Bremen on the sth of November and did not reach New York narbor until Monday morning last, the 27th instant, with 190 passengers on board. No sooner had th imuigrants disembarked than they be-~ to complain of the conduct of the tain towards them and the ill-treatment which they claim to have received at his hands during the voyage. The Commissioners took the case into consideration yesterday in order to afford them an siplestnl ot sneing the ship for damages. Mr. jed, assisted by Commissioner Wallach and Mr, Banks, counsel for the witnesses, Mr. tudd was present on behalf of the captaim of tie ship. Juitas Brorbreck, the first witness called, testi- fled as follows:—I Was @ passenger in the secomdl cabin of the Argonant; there were 190 passengers on board; the vessel sailed trom Bremen on the 8th of November, 1872, and arrived in New York on the 27th of January, 1873; was sick some time during the voyage; i considered 1 was not well treate there wi very smali place set apart for sick persons; carpenters worked in it almost every day; 1 was sick of fever and indigestion, brought about by bad food, which con- sisted of salt meat, about two inches square to each day; | got cotfee in the morning without sugar or milk, and tea in the evening; after five weeks there was nu drinking water to be had, and nothing was sub- stituted during the remuinder of the voyage in its place; we had to work for the captain; some re- ceived better rations on that account; the captain struck one Man—a baker by profession; witness knew him; he lived in Bingham, Baden; be could not give the whole particulars. Marianna Tubolska, another of the ill-treated passengers, a rather handsome looking woman, with a child in her arms, @ Pole by birth, and totally ignorant of the English language, Was next ex~ amined, She said she was a native of Poli twenty years old, was married and mother of child four years of age; that she embarked in. Bremen, with her husbaud, Peter Tubolska, weeks ago, on board of the sailing vessel Argonaut; that @ passage ticket had Heen sent her husband from her sister | and at the pumps. residing in Aivion, Mich., a deponent’s passage. Her husband, after six weeks of the voyage, was compelled to work by one of the mates on board the sbip, on the deck, at the suiis One day, January 3, oO | working at the pumps in the afternoon, he sud- deniy disappeared, aud she never saw him since. Deponent, a% soon a8 she missed him, sent one of the passengers to search for him, who, upon returning to. her the next day, in- formed her that he had fallen overboard. The captain afterwards asked her if she knew what, became of her husband, and, although replying in the negative, the captain gave her no information about him and did not allude to his death, ‘This afternoon the following witnesses will bo brought } for examination, namely—Caristopher Lisraul, Wilh, Frish, Peter Wiesnewski, Micse Chitenski and others, from whom some more defi- nite information, it is expected, will be elicited. ‘The investigation will be continued until the wholo case is thoroughly understood, A BARK BUFFETED BY THE STORM. PORTLAND, Me., Jan. 29, 1873, A private letter states that the bark Caro, of Bucksport, hence on the 6th December for Mat- tinique, experienced a severe gale on the 10tl December. Her boats were stove in and part of the deck load was carried away. A. L. the first officer, was washed overboard and — were also washed overboard, but were ress cue ' a