Evening star., 1868-02-22
Tn, District in Ceugr,,s.


In last evening" STAR we published brief
fstracr of the bill to amend the usury laws of
tie District. as reported by Mr.. Harlan from
the DIstrIct Committee In the Senate yesterday.
A. the matter is an important one 70 the citi-
zsns OF the District, we this evening lay before
eur rs2ders ats principal provisions more At
length There are seven sections, the first of
which provides that the rate of interest shall
be six cents on the hundred by the year on
money due by express contract, unless a differ
snt rate De e1 pressed in writing; on all money
Aitsr the same becomes due where there is no
contract fixing the rate of interest; on all judg
mtnts and DEGREES 1or the payment of money
Wfsre no other rate is expressed, or money lent
without n contract fiXing the rate; on money
reeeiyed for the use of another and retained
beyond reasonable time without the own
er's consent; on money due upon matured
accounts from the day the balance is ascer-
tanned, on money due upon open accounts after
SD months frern the daIte Of the last item, and
on all money, due OF 70 become due where there
rs DO contrrct 70 pay interest and no rate stipu-
lated. The second section pI DIVIDES that parties
may agree in writing for the payment of inter
srt not exceeding the raie of 10 per cent per
mum; and che third section provides that in
terest shall be allowed on all moneys d le on
judgments and DEGREES of any competent
court OF uibanal al the rate of per cent per
annum, unless different rate is fixed by the
eontraei; bat no judgment or decree shall draw
more than 10 Per cent. per annum, which rate
must be- expressed in the Judgment or decree
The fourth section provides that person
shall directly or indirectly receive in money,
the loan of money, contracts, sales, &e. than
prescribed by the act, 40 per cent? and any
violation of the law shall work a forfeiture of
fO per cent per annum upon the amount of
such contracts &c. such forfeiture TO 20 TO the
school fund Of the district in which the de-
fendanr resides and the plaintiff shall have
Judgment for the principal sum without IN
trest or costs and the court in which said suit
i> prosecuted shall render judgment for the
amount of interest forfeited as aforesaid,
against the defendant: in favor Of the cities of
100 rha
whether the said suit is contested or not: and
In all cases where the unlawful interest is not
apparent on the contract the person contract
ing 10 pay the unlawful interest shall be a
competent witness to prove that the contract
Is uSuriOus- In no case where unlawful in
tsrest is contracted for shall the plaintiff have
judgment for more than the principal sum-
whether the unlawful interest be Incorporated
with the principal or not The sixth section
provides that nothing in the act shall be con-
strued 20 prevent the proper, bona fde assignee
OF any usurlous contract recovering against the
Insurer the full amount of the consideration
paid by him for such contract less the amount
of the principal money, but the same may be
recovered Of such Insurer in the proper action
before any court having competent iurisdic-
bon. The seventh section repeals the act en-
sitIed IAN act against excessive usury," passed
by the Assembly of Maryland Oct g. I7o4 and
All other acts inconsistent Herewith
Hon. John Covode. from the Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds, yesterday pre-
sented report giving the result of the inyesti-
eaaon Of the matter of the new Jail, and bill
amendatory of the act authorizing the con-
srUction of the same. The bill declares the
contracts attempted 10 be made by the Secretary
OF the Interior with W. II. Allen mill and void
and that the plans and specifications presented
by l. Faxon be abandoned as unsuitable The
second section provides that Bartholomew
Oeruy, Sayles j. Bowen, and j. NJ Edmunds
be appointed board Of commissioners at q SAL
airy OF el,tsV each for the construction of the
new jail, and authorizes them TO select ssite on
United States land in the District; pro-
cure plans and specifications for Jail suitable
Tor the accommodation OF 800 persons. to an
prove and adopt the same; TO advertise for pro
poSals, and 10 effect contract with the lowe =
and The best bidder, who shall give bond in II,
suIn OF slU,OcO; SAID board are required TO re-
lect all bids above the sum of $4,000. The
fourth section provides that the unexpended
part OF the original appropriation shall be
USED, ana IN addition thereto Is appropriated a
sum 10 make the entire sum Of S2O0,OOO The
contract price shall be paid in monthly install
me ents. as the work progresses, upon the GER
uhcate OF the supervising architect: ~ per
cent OF all estimates being retained as security
until the completion Of the entire work The
NTH section authOriZes the appointment of a
supervising erchitect al such salary rs shall
not exceed the rates usually paId for such
work. The SIKH section authorizes the board
10 receive from Charles A. Weidner, TO be used
in said Jail, much Of the iron which he here
fOfore contracted 70 furnish, provided the
same be suitable 20 he used under the new
plans and specifications. TIE eighth section
provides that for the purpose OF reirnbursing
The United States for part Of the cost of said
JAIL II shall be the duty of the proper au IA critics
of the city of Washington 70 levy and collect
taxes TO the amount of S7S,6OO to be paid into
the U nltsd States Treasury before July l. iSSa-
that the city OF Georgetown shall be taxed for
Sl2tOo and The county of Washington tor
$1,000 The total amount 20 he thus Collected
n Sl0J,OOO OF One-half of the entire cost of the
structure. The report OF the coInmittee Is QuiLe
long. After quoting the several laws in regard
10 the construction of the Jail. the committee
arrive AZ The conclusion that the Citizens of
the District will ultimately be responsible
for slOAOS: and IL is. therefore. not only
the Government but the citizans of the Dis-ric,
who are interested in the matter. The commit.
tee agree that the site is inconyenient. N is m
Seeeming, being In full view OF the Capitol: the
accepted plan does not provide for q building
large enongh % accommodate three hundred
prisoners and 20 allow one thousand cubic feet
TO each, and is theret0na in utter disregard of
the law; the appearance Of tse building is IN.
slightly, and no stone to0ys 70 prevent tunnel
ang, ana no means OF escape in case Of fire; n
for separating into different Depart
rns nts the hardened criminals and those whose
offences are their first and trifiing &c
FIFTH WARD REPUBLICAN CLuB.-Last
evening a meeting Of this cIub-the first this
year-was held at Israel Bethel Church, south
Capitol street There were about one hundred
and nfty persons present, among them Messrs
ArTisOn, Clark, Grinder, Welles, Slater and
four OF five other white men and about twenty
colored females- The remainder were eoiored
men. Mr.. Il. X. Arrison took the chair with
hT. A y. Clark secretary. and Rev w. III.
Hunter, the cOlored pastor OF the church, Of
fsrsd fervent prayer.
MAJOR Welles remarked that Colonel Fornay
had been expected 10 address the meeting but
he was addressing meeting in GEORGETOWN
Hon. Mr.. Mullen. OF Tennessee, was intro
duced- and tor nearly two hours spoke on the
political questions Of the day, in the course of
his remarks urging his colored friends 10 do
their duty. for these Were ominous times Iney
had fallen upon; man the ship and keep the
compass Congress- well boxed, and you'll see
the ship Of State proudly surmount the waves
OF trouble. At the conclusion Of the address
The club adjourned 20 meet next week 10 reo--
ganize tor this campaign.
SUDDEN DEATH OF AN INyENToR.-About
three o'clock yesterday afternoon, while Mr.
u Washington Wood, formerly editor of the
Richmond (ILdiana) Tsiegrdm, was proceeding
mp Third street, a few steps from Pennsylvania
avenue, and opposite the entrance to the St
Charles HOtel- he fell upon the pavement, and
was AZ orse taken up IN an insensible condi-
ton and carried into MIR. Jones drugstore,
corner OF Third street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue., where he died in a few minutes DR. o.
M Dove subsequently examined the body,
and pronounced the death to have been from
disease OF the heart brain. The body was
afterwards conveyed TO the Fourth Ward sta
fion- house, under the direction of Hon G. w
Julian and Mr.. ID. w. Holladay, to await ar.
rangsments for its transmission 70 the home of
the deceased. Mr.. Wood was about forty-fiye
years Of age, and had been in this city ABOUT
three weeks 10 attend TO some business before
The SsOusr of Patents He he in