Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-13
Society.

the "Wonders of the Yellowstone National
Park" delivered by Major o. NJ. Wilson, of
Indiana, at Mr.. Kings residence.
The first of Mrs. Rosa Vertnor Jeffries'
Friday receptions took place yesterday and a
large number of callers took the opportunity of
paying their respects to the hostess and her
charming daughter.
The ladies interested in the "Children's
Hospital of the District of Columbia" propose
holding bazsr for the benefit of this laudsble
charity on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
evenings of next week. There will be a depart
ment of useful AID fancy goods, suitable as hon
day presents. lunch room in which lunch may
be procured by day and supper by night, and a
tea room in which some of the prettiest girls in
thing in the style of the Centennial celebration
of the historic tea fight to take place next week
in Philadelphia. In another room a band will
play dance music, and some OF our beaux and
helles will enjoy their favorte amusement.
suit of apartments in Vernon row has been
engaged for the bazar.
Last evening Mr.. and Mrs. H. Nj. Hutchin-
son gave musicale at their elegant resi-
dence on street. Their large parlors are ad-
mrably adapted for music, and Mrs. Hutchn-
son, it is said being patron of the art, intends
to inaugurate a series of musicales for the win
ter. Among those present were Mr.. and Mrs.
Hallet Kilbourne and the Misses Kilbourne;
Mrs. John o. Evans, Attorney General and
Mrs. Williams Justice Miller, Mr.. jenkins, of
Chicago; the Misses jenkins, Mrs. Camp, Mrs.
Neagle, Mr.. and Mrs. Hastings, Mr.. and Mrs.
Samuel G. Young, MIR. Morris, Mr. Corwine,
Mr. Coffin, Mr. John NJ; Young. Mr.. Franklin
brated cornet performer from Covent Garden,
London. The programme was quite long
one. Mrs. Camp, Mrs. Neagle, Mrs Has
tings, Mrs. Hutchinson, and Mrs. Kilbourne
each sang charming selections. The solos OF
Mr.. Page were particularly enjoyable, and
called forth the praise of the audience. Alto
gether the musicale was most enjoyable, and
for an inaugural was great success.
The nC tv,a asonH,.
AN IMPORTANT PRECEDENT ESTABLISHED.
The fact was noticed in yesterdays STAR that
injunctions were obtained by L. j. d. Fuller
and other parties, from Judge Cartier, to pre-
vent the L. S. Treasury from paying to Mrs
Eliza A. j. Atocha, administrative of the estate
of Mr.. A. j. Atocha, the sum of S207 ,000-that
being the amount of a judgment obtained by
her from the U. 5. Court of Claims some time
since, for damages alleged to have been sus-
tanned by Atocha in being Illegally expelled
one OF considerable interest, the following par
ticulars are given:
According to the statements of the friends
If the claimant, in May last the United
States Court of CLAIMS gave Mrs. Eliza
A. j. Atocha a judgment for S2O7 800 under
special laws of Congress referring the case to
hat court. The Attorney General made mo
ton for an appeal. which was refused by the
Court of Claims on the ground that the special
laws of Congress made their decision final.
This was considered by the United States Su-
preme Court and the position assumed by the
Court of Claims was sustained, and an order was
issued by the Court of Claims for the payment
of the judgment. The payment of this judg-
ment was deferred for some ten days on account
Of the position assumed,b by First Controller Tsy
Ter, OF the Treasury department, who refused to
give his assent to the payment of the money
until Mrs. Atocha bad given larger bonds for
The settlement Of the estate of her deceased hus
band.
The friends of the claimant represented that
The Orphans Court of Prince George Comfy
Maryland, where Mrs; Atocha resides, had
already placed her under 5000 bonds and tn
the Controller had no authority in the matter
but must pay the money. They held that by
assuming this attitude he was usurping the
functions OF a Probate Court: that this money
ives no longer the property of the United States
and that the latter had no right to interfere in
the settlement of accounts between Mrs Atocha
and the creditors of the estate. Controller Tay-
Tor declined to modify his views and rendered an
opinion to the Secretary in support thereof, In
which he stated that although there is no spe-
cifc law on the subject, it has been the prac-
Use for many years 10 require of all administra-
tors and executors to whom money may be due
by the government, bonds double the amount
due the nj by government He further stated that
his was simply an executive rule of the de-
partment, which cOuld be modified or AFRO
gated entirely by the Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of the Treasury. upon hearing
III the facts in the case, decided that the posi-
ton assumed by the controller was wholly I'M
tenable by law; that the Treasury department
of Claims, and that the Orphans Court of
Prince Georges county, Maryland, was the
proper authority to determine the amount of
bonds which Mrs. A tocha must give.
Relating to certain claims supposed to exist
against the estate of A. J. Atocha, friends of
claimants assert that in that represented by L.
j. ID. Fuller no suit existed, nor was there any
authority ior bringing suit. The claim repre-
sented by W. W. Boyee was thrown out in the
United States Court of Claims some two or three
years ago, and suit was brought about two
months ago in the United States district court
At Baltimore, where the case is now pending;
and the claim that of NJ. Hargous, is pending
before the same court, based upon a supposed
assignment of certain part of the claim.
No claims against the estate OF any kind il is
said, have been filed in the orphans court of
Prince George county, Md, the proper tribu-
nal for their settlement. Letters OF aiministra-
ton were taken out there on the 18th Of Noyem-
Der, 1870. more than three years ago.
Should this precedent be followed, the di fer
ent departments of the government cannot
hereafter require executors and administrators
TO give bonds, but this must be done by the
proper courts.