, 1872-10-19
How Merchants Eyade the Stamp Tax
on Bank Checks,
Developments Concerning The Chicago Ma,
rino Hospital Frauds.
Outline Of the Report Of Revenue Com
missioner Douglass.

NAAAe~
the Liberal movement, General Fairchi1d, like
General Logan, Was one Of the most prominent
OF the opponente Of General Grant, but lately
; ne mas been convinced, and nov raaps reward.
NEGLECT OF DUTY.
Judge Edmonds, the Postmaster Of this city,
'devotes so much OF his time to the Grant Com
missions in fixing assessments, regulating dis
: bursements, distribution Of documents, superin~
tending the forging Of Congresamen'a
names to the same, and other
work Of the campaign, that the
Post F)fice is without head, and is running at
loosn ends. To such an extent has he neglected
'hls uties, thAt all the Administration papers in
the city have censured him, exceptthe Chronicle,
VII ose editor has REASONS for maintaining silence.
mail azriveB at Q o'clock at night, it is not
q istributed till the next morning, and 1t fire.
quent1y happens that the New York and Western
mail is not distributed for several hours after it's
arrival. Mails for this city are frequently al
lowed to pass through the Office, and go into
the Southern mails.
BAN DOMINGO AGAIN.
Senator Cole, Of California, whose term ex-
pires with the present Congress, is making
himself particularly useful in the Grant Cause,
and is taking such course IS will best COM
mend him to the personal gratitude Of the Presi-
dent, who has, it is said, intin1ated his inten-
tian to take caro- Of Mr. Cole in case the Admin
istration is reelected. The Senator is now
engaged in an effort to popularize the santo
Domingo scheme. His speech in Sacramento,
on that question, and in g1oridcation Of General
Grant, is being sent broadcast through the coun-
try, which is taken as IN indication that the
President will renew his efforts at annexation.
General Babcock recently advised friend to
invest money in San Domingo, as it would cer~
tainly be annexed.
EVASION OF STAMP TAX.
A very ingenious plan has been devised, and is
now in extensive operation, to evsde the law re-
qui1ing revenue stamps on bank checks. The
last Internal Revenue act abolished all stamp
relating to papers, such a. receipts, ETC.,
except On bank checks, which is still
in force To escape the payment Of
two cents on each check many
business men have their checks in the form Of
receipts On which the banks pay the money. The
Bureau has been frequently appealed to by tho
bank 9, but is powerless to make any change OF
stop the practice.
JUDGE DE1AHrs CASE.
Thta Judiciary Committee OF thb House will not
proceed with their Investigation Of the charges
against United States Judge Delahy, OF Kansas,
of drunkenness, corruption, de-, until after the
November election The testimony thus far
taken in this impeachment case is very dauag-
ing% and the House, at the last session, directed
the,C Com mittee to continue the inquiry by visit
ingi K1nsas, and conducting the investigation
tn sre.
THE GENERAL ORDER sw1NDLEs.
The four large volumes Of the testimony and
r ~ In n+1n
md Custom House frauds in New York have at
tast been printed at the Government Office and
bound. On the back Of each volume the word
"allcged " has been inserted. so that the title
reads alleged frauds" DC.
THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
General Garfield has called meeting of the
House Appropriations Committee for Nov: 10,
when it is expected that all the estimates OF the
Departments will be in. Thus far none Of the
Department reports have been begun, but it is
known that they will all be unusually brief.
CHICAGO MARINE HOSPITAL.
The Treasury Department has to say Of the
recent exposures Of corruption in the Chicago
Marine Hospital that there is no news in it but
considerable truth. According to Architect
Mu1let, the story is q short and simple one. The
information first came here through New York
firm, who wrote that foreman Ford, in charge Of
this improvement, had made advances tothem
to the effect that If they would pay
hiura commission he could secure them profit
able Government contracts on the building un-
der bis control. The discharge Of this indi-
vidual WIS at the time Immediately ordered,
when it transpired that q clerk named Miner
had written the letter to the New York party,
and the foreman's name was signed thereto
1ry11Y ID
but the clerk hah been implicated, and 80 his
peremptory dismissal was insisted upon. When
the next pay-ro1ls came around to the Treasury
Department it was found that Miner had
not been dismissed. It was then shrewdly sus-
pected that the officials in charge OF the Hospital
dare not discharge Miner, and parties we're sent
from here to- watch the whole outfit and report
back observations ITO headquarters. Finally Sup
erintendentB Dickinson and Ford became fright
ened and discharged Miner. The latter there
upon turns around, duplicates his superior, and
claims the reward and exemption Of an informer,
but the Treasury Department: has other sources
Of information than Miners statements.
The facts on which the United States
District Attorney'will present this case to the
Grand Jury will be about 80 follows; When
the bids for the stone work for this building
e1s could have AN opportunity to examine the
bids, Dickinson and Ford, in collusion with Mc-
Keon, Kelly Il Co. raised the bid of the latter,
which WAS the lowest, to the amount
Of s9,5oo, "Shich sum was equally diyid-
ed between all Of these parties.
There are other considerations, but not explicit
enough to figure in the Courts without further
testimony. architect Mullet has further to say
that the real Significance Of Mr.. Parker's visit to
Chicago was the fact that the local rings md
cliques were so strong that it was impossible to
make any headWay with Government work with
out the intervention Of an outside man, and one
who was entirely disconnected with local achem-
ers.
COMMISSIONER DOUGLAS REPORT.
The Commissioner Of Internal Revenue states
that his forthcoming report will contain no
recommendation Of apg eResIsl importance to