Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-12-07

THR CLAIM OF THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT
ON CONC Washington correspondent
OF the New York TYiJune writes to that paper on
Thursday as follows.
''Gov. Cooke, and the other members of the
board OF public works Of the District OF Cclum-
bia, were before the House committee of ap.
propriations, O-day urging an apprOpria alton ~
reimburse the board for the amount eNpenie5
upon street improvements in front OF squares
reservations, and buildings owned bv the gov
eminent. The amount they represent to he due
Is 81 24l 900, which is to paw the entire liability
of the government, so that no further claim
shall be made upon il, and this sum, they saw. l.
no greater than would have TO be ultimately
paid by private citizens II they had owned thu
property, but the United States is asked 10 nav
the whole amount at once, instead of by install
ments. IL is understood that the committees are
satisfied that the claim OF the board upOn the
government is an equitable one, ami that they
viii report legislation topay It Immediately"
Mr.. GRERLRY's MENTAL AlLNRyr.-Dr. W
A hammond, surgeon general of the army, Wa
called to see Mr.. Greeley shortly before hi-
utaID' and gives the following account OF the
condition he found him in: His delirium wa
characterized by All indifference OF expression
ana by extreme disorder in the arrangement OF
MS ideas. The delirium was OF very low char
acter, and clearly indicated his approaching
dissolution. He exhibited marked tendency 70
iepeat certain expressions which appeared
aDl'uat 10 him. liz was evident to me tina no
g'eam of consciousness remained. He very
rarely answered the questions | askC q him, an.
whenever he did the answers we're wrosg.
who saw Mr.. Greeley Immediately before he
became deranged says He suffered the same
depression OF spirits on Friday, and seemed to
be continually dwelling or some unpleas an.
subject. He thought himself a ruined IN an
and believed that he dragged his friends down
Win him. But | do not think he was insane al
mar time. he was very slow in giving hi,
answers, and appeared very unwilling to com
munlcate with us. He gave correct answers
however, TO all our questions about his health
Inc only thing abnormal about him was that ne
TOOK very gloomy view OF his present and f.
lure condition. He thought be was g ruined
man, and had ruined his friends.
THE GREAT DIAMOND SwINDLE-This grea
fraud Is ankle wonderful for ingenuity, tie in
Yestmentof capital and the patience with whicl
IL has been deliberately carried out. The pTiuci
pal coEspirators in il appear to have beer
ARNOLD, Harpending and Slack. There may
nave Oeen some others, but these were the
chiefs They went to London and bought there
from sI5,OO0 TO 500, 900 worth OF precious stones
Ihey selected gravelly valley in the Rocky
mouhtalns as the scene of their fraud. There
they scattered with a free hand in the snot
whlch they deemed most appropriate, some OF
ole diamonds. rubies. sapphires and amethyst
~hch mad cost them so much. The rest they
carried back TO San Francisco to exhibit a. =
specimen OF their discovery. So successfulIy
was the scheme managed that the sharpsst auS
most experienced men in California were take,
IN oy II; The swindiers struck at high game anG
succeeded.