The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-04-14
BY TELEG R AP b.
ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT.
By the Western Union Line, office North
west corner OF Main and l2h streets.
WASHING TON,
WASHINGTON, April Is.
Ihs District Investigation.

Ihe District Investigation.
The District OF Columbia Investiga-
ton Committee examined several wit
nesses this morning. J. W. Hopkins
testified that he had pever offered to
get any contracts Tor Qaimby, as the
latter had testified before the commit
tee.
0. ". Gibson, correspondent OF the
New York Sun, said that last spring
he heard Hopkins ask c. II. Parsons If
he wanted any contracts if he did he
being superintendent OF the Board OF
Public Works for the eastern division
OF the city, would control them. Hsr-
riugton, one OF the counsels for the
District Government, gave notice that
he desired TO cross examine Gibson at
length tomorrow.
The Ganborn Case.
Ex-Congressman Kelsey, recently
connected with the contracts 10 collect
derelict taxes, similar 10 the Sanborne
contracts, was tne only witness examiE-
ed this morning by the Committee on
Ways and Means. He drafted the
clause in the appropriation bill
under which these various
contracts were made. lie
had spoken on the subject 10 various
members Of the House Committee on
ppropriations. Messrs. Dawes, Beck,
| Ni6lack and Hale OF Maine, but had
received no sort OF encouragement from
them. lie had then spoken TO Senators
Cole, Logan and, he thought, Sawyer,
all members of the Senate COMMITTEE
on Appropriations. He thought that
some OF them favored the proposition.
He was not sure, but he did not recol-
lect speaking to any member OF that
committee who did not favor It.
He, himself thought it g good law,
and had no hesitation in pressing It,.
Before its enactment he he'd q brief
conversation with Assistant Secretary
Richardson, and one or two conversa-
tons with Bantield the solicitor Of the
Treasury. He had also asked Secreta-
~ Boutwell's opinion about il, and
Boutwell, had told him he did not
haye much confidence in the collection
OF taxes which the officers Of the gov
ernment had failed TO collect as they
became due The witness did not be-
! lieve that the proper construction O!
the law would authorize a contract to
collect legacy and succession taxes, be-
cause they were matters OF record IN
SURROGATE Courts, and the law only
contemplated the employment OF three
persons to assist in the discovery aud
collection OF the taxes. THESE taxes
could not be said to be discovered as
they were already matters OF record.
He testified a'so, that before tIe
passage OF the law OF 1872 be had
gone o the treasury department TO
make inquiries az 10 whether 3 pre-,
existing law to collect abandoned and
derelict property in the South could
not be construed as to be made to ap-
rlv to the collection of derelict taxes
ali over the United States. The par
ties TO whom he transferred his con-
tract, Campbell, Ebert and Gloss, were
OF the opinion that this might be done
either by the insertion or omission OF a
coma. Although he didn't agree
with them, be went at their request to
INQUIRE about it and hsd met Mr.. Saw
yer, then a Senator, in the Secretary g
Office, and Mr.. Sawyer and himself had
gone 10 the Solicitor office to get his
opiuion on the subject, but the SolIci-
tcr's opinion, like their own, was
adverse 10 it. 1t was after that that
the law OF 1872 was got up. lie
denied that any person in the treasury
department had any interest whats
ever in The contracts with which he
was connected. The committee Will
continue its investigation tomorrow.
The New Chief Justice.
Tie Chief Justice delivered his frs:
opinion on the bench Of the Supreme
Court to-day in case from lllnolF,
touching the right of the State to tax
non-resldeut national bank sharehold-
era at the residence OF the bank. The
IN embeIs OF the bar who heard 1t and
his brethren on the bench speak OF 1t
in eulog,stic terms. Reyerdy johnson
was complimentary in his remarkS;
both as to the merits OF the opinion and
the manner OF ils delivery.