The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-08-20
BY TELEGRAPH
WASHINGTON.


| WASHINGTON, August 2O.-General
Jeh, U. Davis, commanding the denart.
| ment Of Columbia, has autbo,ized tba
| post-quartermaster at Fort klamath to
issue to the Modoc Indian prisoners now in
confinement at that post such small .oIan-
titles of clothing as can be spared from the
supplies on hand to prevent Unusual
suffering among them, damaged clothine 10
be used if practicable. "
A number OF letters have been rece;ved
mere from Quakers aud other friends of The
indian peace policy throughout the conn
ny, asking executive clemencv in bebaIf Of
the MOdoc Indians lately on trial for ,ba
murder of General Candy. Manv Of these
letters raise the question that the trial was
illegal under the decision of the supreme
court in the Milligan case that he civil
courts being open, the military tribunal
had no jurisdiction. Another ouas-
ton raised is that General Canbv was
killed while acting as peace comm;s.
sloner and not as an officer of the army ;n
war. Theae questions will come directlu
before the President for his action &c ~
court for the trial Of the Modocs was or or.
ganized in pursuance of The opirion or tbe
encouragement that a military court had
jurisdiction in the premises. The Judge
encouragement of the army takes The
same view as the Encouragement and
Wni approve the findings of the
ooVt, r rs VIII also the secretary of
war. Inc President however, must
approve and order execution of the
sentence. and upon him will be pressure
70 set aside the findings. Friends of the
peace pofcy declare that when all the areu-
menus are presented the President will not
9ruer inc execution Of the sentence of
deatn, IN view of the doubtful legality of
place. ''''' 'ooA
On the other hand old army officers de-
clare that the President will be guided by
lhe OPINION OF the encouragement, already
rendered, and his own sense of Justice
.hat the prisoners were guilty of every VIC.
iation OF civilized warfare by violating n |
nag OF truce, and therefore were subject |
to trial by military law.
investigatiOn of the wawasset Dis.
aSteF.
!. WASHINGTON. August 2O.-The inyes.
tlgatIon into the cause which led to The |
Wawasset disaster is still going on before
the supervising inspector-general of |
steamboats, in Washington. Yesterday |
Thomas II. Massey, Of Westmol Gland
county, virginia, who was one of the |
passengers, testified that in his opinion |
the officers did everything that il
was possible to do under the cir
cumstances. The pilot headed the boat !
TO the shore, and the men threw water on |
the tlIler ropes to keep them from burn
ing. There We're plenty of life-preservers
In convenient places, but in the panic no
On, one mad presence ofmind to put them on.
Inc testimony of Mr.. Charles He
b6ron,, OF Prince Georges county.
Maryland. was to the same effect.
lie jumped overheard Nth his daughter
ana swan with her to the shore. The
testimony seems to establish the fact that
Ihe oficers behaved well. r. d. Beckley,
;;olored, a special agent of the postofiice
department., who was one of the passen-
gers. when closely pressed, testified that
.he engineer had waited ON him at the bar
n the absence of the bar-keeper. No new
acts were developed.
Items
William Hessler, formerly hotel keeper
,f Washington, d. c., has been arrested in
Milwaukee for deserting his wife. 10 this
MINOR charge, when brought to Washing
on, IS to be added those Of bisamy and
arceny.
Henry johnson, colored, hack-driver,
and Kate Bowling, white, and sixteen years
1ld, have been married in Washington.
bowlng's mother caused johnson to be
'rrested for abduction, but the above facts
he was discharged.
Lieutenant-Colonel Fred. Grant, son of
he President, left Chicago on Wednesday
asst for Long Branch.
On Monday the naval court-martial for
he trial of Naval Medical Director Marius
Cuvall met at the Naval academy. AMMAN.
Ills, Mar, land, Rear Admiral Goldsboro.
president, and Captain VIM. b. Remev'
United States marine corps, Judge adyo,
'ate. Medical Director Duvail stands
'h!aIrged, with assaulting and wounding
With deadly weapon enlisted men of the
marine corps, and with scandalous conduct
n other respects. Accused pleaded not
,uilty to the charges.
During the past week 4,034 900 postal
ards We're shipped, showing a falling off
i ,250, 900. This is Wing to the lack
u facilities on the part of contractors to
,repare all packages for mailing ordered by
he smaller postoffices.