New-York tribune., 1873-02-17
THE GENEVA AWARD.
PASSAGE or TIE BILL BY THE HOUSE-CLAIMS
or The INSURANCE COMPANIES DEFEATED
SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST MR.. EvARTs-A
DISGRACETTL SCENE.

PASSAGE or THE BILL BY THE HOUsE-CLAIMS
or The INSURANCE COMPANIES DEFEATED
SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST MR.. EVARTS-A
DISGRACETUL SCENE.
10y TELEGRAPH TO THE THBUNEI
WAsHINGrON. Feb lG.-The Geneva Award bill
passed the House on Saturday, reported from the
Judiciary Committee. The insurance companies
suffered an overwhelming defeat in their efforts to
obtain admission for their claims for all insurance
paid on the captured vessels They have been rep
resented here by some of the ablest legal talent in
the country for several weeks past. and a number
Of the hest lawyers in the House maintained that
their claims were fully sanctioned by precedents.
The House seemed TO care more for the equity Of
The case than for legal opinions and judicial dec-
siOns, and 10y a very large majority sustained Mr..
Butler in bis position that an insurance company
was entitled to no share in the award unless it could
prove that its total losses exceeded its receipts
from war premiums, and in such a case that
Is should have the excess of losses over
receipts only The companies claimed that they
oeedod TO all the rights of the insured under the
principle Of subIogation as recognized IN municipal
law. and were entitled TO receive the same portion
Of the award that would have accrued to the owners
of the captured vessels and careOes if there had
been 10 insurance upon them. They sought TO Oh
tain a recognition of their claims in two ways-frst,
by an amendment offered by Mr.. Potter, expressly
admitting them. and second, by a substitute moved
by Mr. Poland for Mr. Buffers bill referring all
claims 20 court for judicial decision upon their
merits and prescribing no restrictions TO what
classes should be admitted and what excluded thus
giving the insurance companies the opportunity of
convincing the court of the justice of their demands
II they could.
MI Potters amendment was rejected by Yea and
Nay vote of 35 to 56 aud the Poland substitute was
beaten l,y vote of 65 to 11s An amendment offered
by Mr Eames admitting claims for losses occasloned
by all cruisers bearing the Confederate flag, was
rejected, obtaining only % votes Mr.. MonrOes
amendment, including claims for damages done by
the Shenandoah before it arrived at Melbourne, got
80 votes only. Mr.. PeteTss amendment, allowing
interest from the date of the loss at the rate of five
per cent was also badly beaten. Mr.. Peters showed
clearly that the United States had recovered six per
interest from the date of the losses and the in
ference appeared irresistible that it had right to
withhold all interest from the losers from the time
the losses occurred to the date of the award as pro-
posed by Mr.. Buffers bill. Mr.. Buffers statement
that the award would not be sufficient 10 pay the
claims If interest reckoned back to the date Of
the losses appeared however TO destroy the effect of
Mr.. Peters's argument on the minds OF most MEM
hers, and his amendment got so few votes that be
gave II mp without count of the Nays The bill
was passed by vote Of l22 TO &C.
Mr.. Butler, in his closing speech made a serious
charge agains, the Hon. VIM. NJ Evarts. He said
that MJ. Evsrts. while the agent of the limited
States at the Geneva Conference was the maid
attorney of the insurance companies. and that he
had since admitted it. Mr.. Butler further aecnsed
him OF being on the floor of the HOuse advocating
the claims Of the insurance companies TO members,
ard said that be had not changed the opinion Of any
honest man who had heard both sides of the ques-
tOn. The companies made over $2OOO,OOO ont of the
war and now they wanted TO come in and take
$5OO0OO0 Of the award that belonged TO claimants
who had suffered actual loss.
10 the course Of bis speech, Mr.. Butler got up
quarrel with Mr.. Kerr, during which each accused
tie other Of talsehOod two OF three times. Mr., Kerr