The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-02-22
Congress i'm Brief.
from the Courier-JOurnal.l

"A COu1CICuCS COILlHiIbUCS us dppOLlUCu
on the new sl0ops of war. The Presi-
dent was directed to make inquiry con-
corning Mexican official records relat-
ing to lands in Arizona and New Mexico.
The credentials OF Senator. Dorsey, of
Arkansas, were presented. A bill
| passed removing the disabilities of A. B.
| Hardcastlc, of Mississippi. The House
adopted a resolution that it is neither
wise nor expedient to cede any part Of
Goat Island in San Francisco harbor to
the Central Pacific, and concrirred in
the Senate amendment to the bill max
ing appropriations for the Mixed Claims
Commission and the New York post
office. An attempt to fix a time for
considering the cotton tax failed, but
days were assigned for sundry other
matters. The bill to divide the State
of Ohio into three judicial districts
passed.
TUESDAY, Feb. 4.-The testimony ia
ken by POland's Credit MObilier COM
mittee in reference 20 certain members
OF the Senate was sent to that body by
the House, and, on motion of Senator
Patterson, of New Hampshire, a select
committee of five was ordered to
consider the matter. The Senate
debated John Sherman's bill to
retire g~reenbacks and authorize free
national banking, and voted down
an amendment providing for the
free interchange of greenbacks and
bonds, which would leave the volume
Of currency to regulate itself. The
House ordered printed the testimony ia
ken by Poland's Credit MObilier com
mittee. The conference report on the
Indian appropriation bill was cOncurred
in, and 8 bill passed for the payment Of
the Montana war claims.
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 5.-The Senate
cOncurrcd in the conference report on
the Indian appropriation bill. Messrs.
Morrill, Q2ep.. Me.), Scott (Rep., Pa.),
Stockton (Dem., n. j., Wright (Rep.,
IOw&) and Stevenson Dem, ky.) We're
appointed Il select committee to investi-
gate the Credit Mobilier matter. Shcr-
mans bill for free banking WAS killed
by a vote of 20 to 81. The conference
report on the bill for the construction
of six new steam slOops of war was
agreed to-. The House passed a bill
amending the internal revenue laws,
allowing producers of tobaccOand home
made wines to retail to q small amount.
A large number Of pension bills passed,
including one allowing claims barred
by statutory limitation to be granted
within two years after the passage of
this act.
THURSDAY, Feb. 6.-The Senate re-
Kentucky, and Stockton, of New Jer.
sey, from serving on the committee to
investigate the Credit MObilier. The
conference reports on the mint and
assay bill and on the bankrupt bill were
concurred in. The following bills were
passed by the Senate: To transfer Ger
tain powers in the Territories to the In
terror Department; to give the Court Of
| Claims jurisdiction in the case of Car0n-
delet VS.. the United States; the diplo-
matte and consular appropriation bill,
and the Vienna Exposition bill. The
latter provides that no more than $4,000
shall be paid to any one person. The
House authorized Wilson's Credit Mo-
bilier committee to act or the testimony
taken by Poland's committee. Bowen,
who failed to get a seat from South
Carolina, was voted $500 for his ex-
penses. The conference report OIL the
bill providing for eight new steam
sIOOps Of war was c%oncurred in, as was
also the conference report of the bank
the disabilities of Robert NJ. T. Hunter, of
Virginia, apprOpriating $4,000 for ex-
penses of investigating the elections in
Kansas, Arkansas and Louisiana, and
the pOst-Office appropriation bill.
FRIDAY, Feb. 1.-The Senate ordered
the Secretary of the Treasury to report
the earnings and expenses Of the Union
and Central Pacific railways during 1870
and 1871 in detail. The Geneva award
was debated. 1t was proposed to m
nesty JEFF. Davis. The House passed
the West Point appropriation bill.
SATURDAY, Feb. 8.-The Senate was
not in session. The House passed a
large number of private bills reported
by the Committee on Claims, including
some of the Southern Claims Com
mission for quartermaster's stores, etc.
The Senate bill appropriating $4,000
for a public building at Covington, KY,
passed, as did also what is called "the
Hubbell Relief bill"
AN EXTRAORDINARY INCIDENT IN A
BROOKLYN COURT.-One of the most
dramatic and romantic scenes Of Rip
Van Wrinkle was revealed Wednesday
in the Brooklyn Courthouse. Mrs.
Elizabeth Speyer, who brings suit in a
Brooklyn court to recover $40 600 as lfer
dover Of the estate of the late John
Speyer, was crOss-examined to-day.
She said: 81 was born in Maine.
When fifteen years old | left my par
ents, who were poor, and was employed
in a millinery store in Boston. There
I met Mr.. Hugh Miller, to whom I was
married. We lived for a while in my
native town, then removed to Jamaica
Plains. It was at this place, owe thirty
years ago, that my husband abandoned
me. I sought for him everywhere.
Four years after he abandoned me !
was informed that he was dead" She
/ 4HoA, wo104n1 tho cAogr 1E how ~ a-n- a No
with Bell, whom she had arrested and
convicted for bigamy, and her marriage
to Mr.. John Speyer.
As Mrs. Speyer descended from the
stand, Mr.. Speyer's lawyer arose, and
in a loud voice, called the name OF
Hugh P. Miller. Mrs. Speyer stood
amazed and overwhelmed with cOnfu.
sion. Her counsel were thunder-struck
and all the audience arose and viewed
the old man who arose in answer to hif
name. His appearance is that of a we'll.
t0-do farmer. He testified that instead
of abandoning his wife she abandoned
him. He said: ave Left Jamaica
Plains and came to New York tt
live. Two weeks after I returned
home at noon my wife was gone anG
all the furniture. ] found a note, stat,
ing that she had left me and woulC
never return, and thatI need not looI
for her. I met her after that one dag
on the street, and she told me she haG
married a man named Bell. / accepted
the situation, and went to sea, which
] followed for ten or twelve years.
then went to Woreester,~Mass., where
I now reside"
During the examination of this wit
ness, Mrs. Speyer never removed he.
eyes from him. She seemed str1lcl
dumb with amazement. It was the frs
!, time she had seen him since the day OF