Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-12-21
The stoweIi Envestsxation,

MYSTERIOUS DlSAPPEAEAHCE OF A WITNESS
The investigation OF the charges against Rep
rtsentatve StOweil, OF Virginia, was pursued
this morning by the House Committee on Navs
Affairs. State Senator Geo. W. Graham, the
principal witness for the prosecution, was miss
ing, and there were many conflicting stAtemsuts
a. 20 his whereabouts. Two witnesses we're
willing to swear that he came up from Rich
moLd on the steamer keypOrt last evening
Another witness l. Also willing ia swear that n.
did not come up on the KeypOTt, that he is npt
In Washington, and that he Il not now iu the
state OF Virginia. Where he has gone is a su6-
ject OF lmmt dlste inquiry on the part of Ser
geant- alarms Ordw8y.
MIR. McGeorge was examined this morning,
and testified that the boy SChOolCr6ft boarded
with him at kevsville, Charlotte county, GH
StOwells distTict,l for i've weeks before he wa
appointed to tho Naval Academy from the 4th
district. Beyond this he knew nothing.
Hon. Charles II. Porter, eX- Con greSem IN from
the Sd Virginia Congressional district, stared t.
the committee that he knew nothing OF his O9u
knowledge. The committee decided not TO take
any evidence upon hearsay until Mr.. Graham
was heard from. and as that gentleman was not
"cOme at able" the committee adjourned.
The following is the statement OF Mr.. Porter
upon which the charges against Mr.. StOwel'
were principally based: " / wish here to make
q statement which believe, but which 90 nor
know OF my OWE knowledge TO be true, though
have il from source which is entitled 70 my
entire tTust. About one year a.o St0well sold
the naval cadetshIp of this district for si 0l0.
The circumstances were these A step-son or
DIR. Beatty, named SchoOlcratt, living a shOrt
distance from Richmond, went to Charlotte
county and boarded with man namei Nc
George about thirty or forty days, and was APP
pointed TO the Naval Academy from the fourth
district. This in violation of the law Of
Congress on tie subject, and would subleCt him
to expulsion from that body; while White
more's case showed well enough what course
would be pursued when a cadefship hsd been
sold. | make these statements boldly; and il
Mr. Stowell feels himself aggrIeved. he can ini
liz remedy before the court ty q suit for SLAM
der. and let the evidence shOS what the truth
really is. StOwell has sold himself, and he will
sell you ALL"
PRESIDENT GRANT ard King K.lakala will
he present at FOrd's Opera House tonight to
see Clarke, the comedian.
NoNINATIoEs The President sent the fol
loving nominations 20 the Senate to-day: Lewis
f. ParsOns, United States district judge OF Ala
hama. John L. Linth'cum. appraiser Of mer-
ChanGise, Baltimore. John y Mott collector
of in'eI nal revenue, 6th district \. U, TJJm A.
VI. HauI. pension agent, WGse!iDs, ". Va;
also large number OF poStInasieTs.
The REMAINS OF the late John =. Rice, II.
from the Chicago district, left Baltimore lsst
night on the II 80 train for Chicago, Gccom
panied by Mrs. Rice, and Mrs. j. b EIimhsll, OF
Norfolk, Va, daughter OF the deceased il
whose house he died, Mrs VS. Smith, Mrs
nrPan Smith, and Mrs. George l.. Dunlap. of
Chicago, all daughters OF Mr.. Rice. The fol
lowing members of the House OF Represents
VI ,j.
Southland, Ohio; Hon. Hester ClymeT, Penn;
Hon. q. l.. Fort, Ill; Hon. j. w. BagOle, Mich,
and Chss. Y. Duner, deputy sergeant at arms.
ASSIGNMENTS OF SALARIES In tia Hous
this morning Mr. Frye, OF Maine, introduced
the following, which was referred to the Judi
ciary Committee and ordered to be printed:
whereas there are doubts existing as to the
vallOlty OF the assignments by way of antic'pa-
ton OF the instamGnts of the pay of employee. in
The clyhservice OF the United Stat s: There
fore; BE Il enacted, &C., That the assignment
by way or anticipation of the pay, Compsnsa-
ton, or emOlument of any officer and employe
in the civil service shall pass a full and valid
title therein to the assignee or assignees: Pro-
ridtd, That the said Assignment shall be for the
current term OF payment OF the assignor then
running and no longer. and provided there
shall be paid Tor the said assignment sufficient
consider alton, and it shall be the duty of the
psymsster, disbursiDg officer, or pay clerk.
when the said assignment shall be for the full
term Of the said current term of payment, to
pay tie sss gnee or assgnees without extra
compensation therefore provided, that the
said assignment shall have been Acknowledged
before An officer authorized to take acknoWl-
edgmen;s."
TIE PACIFIC MAIL IEvssTIG AT1oN-The
cub Committee CT Ways and Means engaged In
the examination of Irwin in regard 10 the Pa
cifc mail subsidy, met with a check Saturday
the witness refusing TO give inform alton As TO
the specific use of the money which lie &C
knOWledged to have used to obtain the subsidy
ne DdS Dtc0 very 1rhllk IN MS testimony here
tofore, and has answered all questions in regard
10 StOckwells management and the general af-
fairs OF the company with great readiness, bat
has refused to answer questions bearing directly
upon the disbursement in Congress OF the fu nd
entrusted 10 him OF s. 90 900. The sub commit
tee, consisting OF hessrs. Dawes, Beck and
kasROn, upon consultation, determined to in
tTeduCe resolution in the House 70 dsv that
Irwin b6 brought before the bar af the House
to show cause Why he stall not be committed
for contempt.
.g1 mn
The Committee on Ways and Means this
morning held an open session, when Richard B
Irwin was brought before them and asked by
Mr. Dawes: "WllI you state with reference to
your testimony before the sub committees last
Friday whom you did employ to help you in
procuring the Pacific mail subsidy"
A. neither employed, nor promised, nor
agreed &c pay, nor had any understanding with
any person, that he should pay to any member
or Office OF ulis Congress or the 42d Congress,
or any person subject to the jurisdiction OF this
House.
2. Plesso give the names of those persons
whom you did employ?
A. / must decline TO answer that question for
the four reasons given ID the sub-cOm nJttee,
and also for an additional reason which 1 will
now state.
Some discussion at this point arose in the com
mtt'ee whether Twins statement to the suo-
committee, including the four reasons referred
to, should now be read TO the full committee,
ard thus be made public. It Was finally deci-
ded by vote that they should not be read at
the public meeting, and Irwin then proceeded
10 stEte his Mi reason Tor declining 70 answer
this question: that the WAYS and Means Com
mittee have hot been authorized or empo aered
by the Houee to ask 1T.
q. VIII you state to the committee what por-
tcn OF the seven hundred and fifty thousand
dollars you put in the hands Of other persons to
aid you in your work?
A. paid the whole amount tha received to
the other pers0ns whom L mplOyed.
.. Will you state what was the largest sum
paid to any one person?
A. / decline.
Witness then, in response to other questions.
testified that he paid no money to any persons
except for their own personal services, and hat
he had list CONTAINING the names of such psr-
sonst but that there Is not among them the
name of any person who is now or ever has
been member or officer OF the House. Wit
ness reiterated bis refusal to disclose the names
OF any persons whOmsOsyer employed by him.
on the ground that all counsel and other per-
sons whose services were secured were EN-.
ploy ed In the same confidential character.
The chairman then stated that Irwin could
be excused for the present, while portions OF
the record of his examination were being writ
ten out for presentation TO the House; where
upon Irwin said: 81 am in q very weak con
dition. The committee have crowded me this
morning and rowded my memory. and desire
tn ha u1l -, sfoo,