The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-02-03
Corruption in tne District of
Columbia affairs.
The Pacific Mail Co. Bribes
congressman.
The But1er-Ke1sey Ring.
Election of Ex-Governor
Harvey y. S. Senator in
Kansas.
Accidents, Crime, ETC., Etc.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2-The public debt
statement shows a total debt of So, 262,-
1855, l13; total interest, $30,4l5,576 cash
in Treasury-coin, $95, 359, 1863; currency,
$4, 7Sl ,206; special deposits for redemp,
ton of certificates of deposits, $45, $50, 900
total in Treasury, $l35, 700,575 debt. less
cash in Treasury, So, l57, 470, ia; decrease
during the month, s., l,S45,2ll.
Rumors are afoat that the President
has, for third or fourth time, changed
his mind, and will send a message to Con
gress at an early day, urging action in the
Louisiana case.
Some people hereaway lay great stress
upon the fact that the press of Washington
is unanimous in it's support of the District
Government. However, this is easily ex-
planned. When, two years ago, Gen.
Farnsworth presented memorial to Con-
gress, signed by upward of 400 taxpayers,
asking for an investigation of District af
fairs, he was set upon by the entire city
what ashamed at this, and was beginning
to have misgivings as to the propriety Of
advocating the investigation, but his uneas
mess was soon set at rest. He ascertalned
that the very first act of the ring had been
to put $l50,000 of the first appropriation
where it would do the most good-namely,
into the pockets of the newspaper men of
the city, for advertising The General
who is now in Washington, says, allthe ad
vertising necessary could have been done
for $500 The course of these papers at
the present time would indicate that they
are not forgetful of past favors.
On last Monday, after the adjournment
of the House, the parties who are urging
an investigation of the District Govern
ment, sent to Judge Wilson, and obtained
the memorial which he held for their use.
| If the document is returned by them to
the Judge tomorrow, as it doubtless will
be, he will introduce it, and move the in
vestigation. Much speculation is INDUCED
in as to the composition of the Committee
if it should be ordered. The agitation of
the investigation has reused Congressman,
and they are pretty generally declaring
that unless it is had, and the charges OF
double-measuring of street paving, etc. that
have been so freely made, and for which
the District demands payment by the Gov
ernment, are thoroughly cleared up, they
will not vote dollar of appropriation fol-
the District The Governors Memoria
seems only to have had the effect of con
vincing the doubtful ones of the necessity
for an investigation.
The New York Tribunes sensation il
supposed to have come to light through /;
quarrel between stockholders of the Pacif
ic Mail Steamship Company, the docu
ments referred to being letters and ex
tracts from the Company files and books
Rumor assigns to nearly every prominen
man in and out of Congress a place il
these records, which show them to be gull
ty of receiving bribes from the Compan,
in return for efforts to secure the subsid,
. in which that corporation has rejoiced to
some wears. There has been an unhagginl
interest displayed all day in all circle
here with regard to the matter. Th
Ways and Means Committee began an in
vestigation OF the matter with closed door
last Congress, but soon gave it up. AS ia
as it was carried, however, it disclose'
something very rich 1t is said the frs
man caught was a prominent Democratl
Congressman from the West.
The Butler and Kelsey Ring a
has been stated, have been receivin
!. moities of so per cent in all the places re
ported and collected by them. At first
was supposed that the collections of sue
delinquent taxes made by other partie
- were rewarded at the same rate, but it az
pears that within the last eighteen month
. there has been collected, through the In
ternal Revenue Bureau. about $4,000, 90
of such taxes at an expense of 10 per CEN
This makes the Butler Kelsey job bigge
one than was supposed. By the terms c
their contract, the Butler-Kelsey Rim
have been making their reports and trans
acting their business through the solicito
of the Treasury, and not the Internal ReV
!, enue Bureau, where it would properly bt
long. The proper channel, for some re;
son, did not suit Butler, ,and as it stands
appears that one department of Treasur
. has been bribing another department |
enter into joint conspiracy to defraud til
II people,
d Representative Tyner reported bill
= the House to-day amendatory OF the po
tai laws, which provides for the free ca
. riage of weekly newspapers to subscrlbe
in the counties where published and II
the free carriage of exchanges, and fix
the rates of postage on weekly papers on
side of the counties where published at tv
cents for every quarter pound on pape
published six times a week eighteen cent
and on dailies twenty-one cents. Miscs
laneous matter of the third class. includir
books patterns, samples, cards, ETC.,
charged at the rate of one cent for eat
two ounces or part of two ounces, and fix
the maximum weight of such parcels
four ounces.
Topeka, Kan, Feb 2.-Ex- Govern
James NJ Harvey was elected Unit
n States Senator to-day, the ballot standil
U Harvey rs, Simons lS, the rest scatterin
Governor Harvey is Virginian by birt
lived most of his life in Adams county. il
came to Kansas in 1857, served in the Ia
war, was elected Governor in 1868.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Feb. lon Frid
, night the Both inst, at dancing party
T., the residence of Mr.. Payne, in the Six
District, of this county, Joseph Briley,
years of age, while standing on the fiC
with his partner, was shot through
head and instantly killed by Robert Bat
A difficulty arose as to which Of the t
\. vounp men should dance with a certs