The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-04-21

Lewis Othrens, Veteran Reserve Corps Of the
Freedmen's Bureau, and attached To General
Howards staff. He Was native Hungarian,
ann il il stated he was of noble family. He
was recently ON duty in North Carolina, and
leaves : wifs ID Nichigan. No ose l. eble TO
assign any reason for the ACT, but his friends
say that for several days he has threatened
suicide.
The Tribune Washington special says that
Detective Major has made very voluminous
report in reference to bounty jumpess, and
frauds perpetrated under calls for troops. He
traced Jumpers from the time OF being sworn
in till their reaching the field. He shows
that offive hundred thousand men called out
and sworn in by the Government, only one
hundred and sixty-eight thousand reached
the field as soldiers, although thousands Of
others received bounties. This wholesale
system Of fraud is shown to have been perpe.
trated in nearly every loyal State.
The Senate Committe on Commerce to-day
agreed to report in favor OF 4. P. Parker, as
Surveyor of the port of New Orleans and
reject Elmore, as Collector of the port Of
Mobile, on account of participation in
the rebellion. All payments Of rewards or
prize money in claims upon which no sums
have yet been paid, have been suspended for
the present, until certain rules for payment
shall be determined BY decision Of the Su-
preme Court, before which several prize cases
are now pending. The concurrent testimony
of certain officers stationed on the Canada
frontier, show that Notwithstanding the pre-
dictions of smuggling, operations have de-
creased since the termination of the Recipro-
city Treaty.
The Herald Washington special says the
WAYS and Means Committee have finally
overcome the obstacles which presented
themselves in relation to imposing tax of
FIVE per cent on cotton. The bill was agreed
upon o-day, and will be reported sd soon IS
it can be arranged. The difficulty has been
in regard to collecting the tax, but this has,
in the minds Of the Committee, been obyia-
ted. The general tax bill, with all its reduc-
tions and notifications, will not be ready to
report before the first Of next week. 1t is q
very elaborate bill, and has cost a vast deal of
time and trouble, and it is made as near per-
feet as such q measure can be.
The steamer Arizona, from Aspinwall, has
arrived with $4,000 in specie. Al terrible
disaster occurred at Aspinwall on the Sd
inst. There was fearful explosion on board
the steamship European, destroying the ship
and four hundred feet of her wharf. The
cause of the explosion is supposed to be from
nitro glycerine on board. Abont fifty per-
sons were killed, among them the Captain
and officers.
xxxIx COSGREss---FIRsT SESSION.
WASHINGTON, April 20.
HOUSE
The first business in order today, being
Friday, was the call Of committee for re-
ports of private nature.
Mr. Ward, from the Committee on Claims,
reported bill giving to lishmal Davis. Of
Baltimore county, Nd, an annuity Of S42l
as a recognition of his heroism in defending
the National flag from Gilmore rebel raid
ers, on the 18th of July, 1864, and for his
loss of properly on thet occasion, Accord
ing to the report which was read twice, Mr..
Davis is pa,riarchal patriot, "A years of age,
and when two of GiImore's raiders attempted
to haul down the National flag over his
dwelling he shot one of them dead, and pu,
the other to flight. The consequence was,
his property was destroyed by large party
of rebels.
Mr. Ward made an appeal to the House in
support Of the bili.
MF. Epson wanted TO know on what prin-
cpie of law the bill could be sustained
Mr. Ward replied that it was on the great
principle that we sustain every man who sus-
tains the flag in that way.
Several members here exclaimed, 'sgood!
you are right"
Mr.. Delano, chairman Of the Committee
explained the question. He said the rule in
the Committee was to reject all claims for
DAMAGES the result Of the ravages of war
Mr. Havis was the loser TO the smonnt Of
seven or eight thousand dollars, but the
Committee felt it could do nothing to COM
pensate him for that loss. Still the circum-
stances were SO peculiar, the act SO noble,
that the Committee agreed to submit to the
House the question of giving to the old man,
for the five remaining years Of his life, in the
last Of which he exhibited this high degree Of
gallantry and patriotism, small pension of
S4OO year. If it was too much the House
might reduce it.
Mr. Washburne, Of Illinois-We under
stood from the reading of the report, that the
bill was put upon the ground Of the loss Of
property.
Mr.. Delano said he knew that the question
had not been understood, and therefore he
had made the explanation.
The question was then taken mp Of the pas
sage of the bill, and resulted as follows: