The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-06
WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, Sept 6. 1879.

WASHINGTON Sept 6, 1873,
The Geneva Award.
| The British Minister is expected here on Monday
morning with all the gold certificates received by
Consul Archibald from the bankers, to whom was
entrusted the work OF providing for the payment
OF the Geneva award. 1t is not known whether
| Sir EDWARD Thornton will pay the gold check
before the 18th or 18th OF this month. 1t is under
STOOD the nnal transaction will be very short and
| purely OF business nature
Erection OF headstones I'm the National
Cemeteries.
The Quartermaster General will tomorrow open
DDS for erecting headstones In the national ceme-
teries, the effort made last year to effect the work
having proved abortive through the want OF an
appropriation and the failure OF the War Depart
ment to prescribe any size, shape or material for
the headstones, and the remarkable verbal detects
OF the act of Congress under which the bids were
invited These defects were due to the elimination
by the Senate and House Military committees OF
the vital but vicious parts OF the bill, originally
drawn by stone lobby. At the last ses-
sion OF Congress Senator Logan secured an
appropriation OF $l,OoO,0Oo to pay for the
entire cost OF the $500 headstones, and
the Secretary Of War was enJoined by law to TX
and publish the size, style and material for each
cemetery before receiving the bids A large num-
Der of quarrymen and dealers in stone are here to
be present at the opening OF the bids and to dis
cuss their common interests and business pros
pects though no expectation Is entertained that
the present attempt to decorate the soldiers graves
Will be more successful than the past as the ma
terials, sizes and styles designated BY the War
Department must inevitably carrysthe cost far be-
yond the appropriation granted by Congress, and
the Secretary Is firmly resolved that II Congress
determines 10 erect memorial stones over the
Union dead 1t must vote sufficient sum to pro-
vide slightly and durable ones, or take the direct
responsibility Of putting up something unworthy
OF the government and the dead.
Moro OF the Bench.
The members of the District Bar are accumulat-
ing evidence OF the unftness OF Judge Humphreys
to hold the position Of Justice on the bench OF the
District Supreme Court, and will present their
grievance to Congress in December 1t will be their
endeavor to show that Judge Humphreys Is men,
tally unfit for the office; that his conduct towards
members OF the Bar is tyrannical In the extreme
and his behavior not such as COMFORTS with the
dignity OF the office. One of the favOrite amuse-
ments OF this Nero Of the Bench as he is called by
the District lawyers, is to impose excessive fines
for contempt OF Court To-day, while holding the
Equity Court he commanded member OF the Bar
to amend his bill. To this the lawyer objected, as
the bill was perfect, and he did not
demanded an explanation, to which the attorney
answered. ~ made 1t because the Court had at
tempted to control me in the management OF my
case. consider 1t is my duty to decide whether
to amend the bill or not, and not that of the
Court" For this he was compelled to pay fine OF
$25.
Petermann on tho Polaris Expedition.
The Secretary OF the Navy has received from Mr..
Petermann. the celebrated German ge0grapher, q
complete chart and report OF the Polaris expedi-
ton. The document, however, is all in German,
and is now in the hands OF q translator After
being translated the report will be published.
Governor Cooks Intended Rosignation.
Hon. II. d. Cook, Governor OF the District OF Co.
umbia, on being Intercepted to-day concerning
the report Of his resignation OF that ONCE said the
rumor was premature, although he contempates
at distant day retiring from that position, and
has informed the President accordingly.
The Internal Revenue and Cigar Boxes.
Commissioner Douglass has taken no action rela-
tive to the patent cigar box which he has been
urged to adopt, and to protest against which the
committee OF cigar manufacturers from New York,
Philadelphia and Baltimore appeared before HIM
some weeks ago. The Commissioner has not de-
ternined to order that box to be used, It is not
his intention to force upon dealers an instrument
so dlstasteiu to them. He Is anxious to adopt
some plan by which the frauds now often practised,
in the retail trade especially, may be prevented
and he desires the cooperation OF all dealers to
this end The patent box he is satisfied Is ohjec-
tionable in several particulars, though Its use
would do much to prevent the transposition OF
cigars from one box to another. Retail Dealers
however, must be allowed some boxes in their
showcases to sell from, and the patent box would
be OF no service there. Those who desire to
defraud the revenue can easily refill the boxes In
the case from basket or bundle containing cigars
brought from the mandatory, which had never
been In boxes.
Destruction Of Illicit Distilleries in North
Carolina.
Collector Pinkney Rollins, of the Seventh district
OF North Carolina, informs the Revenue Bureau
that Special Deputy r. II. Patterson ana the SOL
ders under Lieutenant Mast destroyed two illicit
dstilleries IN Haywood county and made twelve
arrests on the 18th OF August. On the 10th they de-
stroyed tour distileries and made eight arrests in
Mcdowell county They then proceeded to South
Mountain, in Burke county, where they destroyed
eight distieries and made seventeen arrests
Those eight distleries were located In close prox-
unity to each other, ana there was reliable in
formation Of twenty or twenty-five more being In
operation In the South Mountain, but further
progress was arrested by the interference Of the
State authorities, Lieutenant Mast and Deputy
Marshal Dearer being arrested upon bench war.
rant from Judge Clark for destroying property.
The Collector says:-
DO not wish to reflect upon the Judges integ-
rity, but believe that he was imposed upon by GER
tain parties, whO besides being generally hostile
to anything looking to the execution OF the laws Of
the federal government, made the move to give
the law breakers time to remove their stills and
get out OF the way. There was no unnecessary or
wantOn destruction OF property, and all law-abiding
citizens will bear testimony that the conduct OF
Lieutenant Mast and his men has been uneXcep-
tionable throughout. This matter should not be
suffered to rest at this stage, but should be pur-
sued to the end, regardless OF expense, else the
lawless and evil disposed persons Will look upon 1t
as check to the federal authority. and take en-
couragement to continue their lawless acts. / in
tend to return with the expedition next week to
the same locality, and to make another effort for
the enforcement OF the law, IN which hope to be
supported to any extent by the strong arm OF the
government.
Supervisor Perry, in transmitting the report to
the Commissioner, says:-