Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-02-24

OF inc treasury shall prescribe.
SEC. III. That no adjustment or pay
mens OF any claim of any non-comis-
stoned officer. musician, artificer, wag-
oner, or private soldier, or his proper
representative, under the provisions
OF this act, shall be made, unless the
application be fled within five years
from the passage of the same.
| WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. o.,
| Feb. Goth, 1875.
Dear Courier.-On last Wednesday
about O'Clock P. NJ, our city was
shocked by the intelligence thata man
had jumped from the top of the dome
of the Capitol and was terribly crushed
and mutilated. Both Houses of Con.
gress were insession at the time, and
throngs Of visitors were about the
Capitol. Az may be imagined, the ex-
element was intense. People could
be seen standing in groups on the
streets near the Capitol gazing upward
to the dome to measure by the eye the
hight from which he had made the
fearful leap. 1t was truly startling
and horrible to contemplate!
The leap of the renowned Sam Patch
over the Genesee Falls sank into ut.
ter insignificance In comparison with
1t, for Patch had . soft place to light
upon, and the hight was not half 60
great. The man who had the courage
or the desperation to perform this
startling act was named James Nc
Mahon, an Irishman about IS years Of
age, and resident of this city.
Previous to performing this feat he
| was noticed on the main roof of the
| main building, clsmbering about in
| dangerous places. lie afterwards a..
cended the tortuous winding stair
| ways to the top of the dome, and went
on. on the upper gallery, which encir.
cles the crest OF the dome, directly
under what Is called the "Lantern."
As many of the readers of the CouR.
1UR are, no doubt aware, this is the
highest point to which visitors are
permitted to 60. After taking . view
Of the different sections Of the city, he
finally halted on the east side, directly
over tho eastern entrance to the Ro.
tunda. Herr be wac seen by many
persons on the ground. to Chamber up.
on the balustrade around the gallery.
After Strengthening himself up and
looking around, he made . leap out
ward into space. He turned % he de.
scended and came down head foremost,
striking on the copper roof of the
main building, Ito feet from where he
started. The body was taken down
a. soon 40 possible, and placed ia what
Is known as the "crypt," under tho
Rotunda. It presented . sad appear.
ance % I saw it abouttwo hours after
ward.
The head was badly crushed, the
skull split and brains oozing ont, the
nose crushed fiat, the teeth all knock.
ed gu. big Bsck do aiSc.GG isSii ii III I'll
was not known ct the time who the
unfortunate man was, but during the
holding of the inquest his father, Ed
ward Mcmahon, appeared and identi.
fed him. Ho was q carpenter by
trade in the city, but had lately been
studying for the Catholic Ministry at |
Baltimore, and the supposition 10 that
either over-study or religious excite
ment may have have produced tenn.
porary insanity. His father stated
that at times he thought he noticed
that his language was rather rambling
and disconnected, but that his sanity
had never been a subject of conversa-
ton in his family. On the next day
policeman were stationed on the dome
to prevent the repetition Of the daring
feat by any other person who might
be foolish enough to try to out-strip
Mcmahon in the jumping business.
Happily NO one attempted It although
many persons were attracted up to the
dome with no other object In view
than to gaze down from the fearful
height from which the insane leap was
made.
The past week has been more than
usually interesting In Congress- great
portion of the time having been taken
in discussing the resolution to admit
Pinchback, Of Louisiana 10 . seat in
the Senate.
The fillibustering in that body, al
most equalled that Of the House on
the passage Of the Civil Rights bill.
The principal difference was that in |
the Senate there is more Of that awful
and dignified decorum than in the
House, and there were mot so many
colored folks swarming in the CALLER.
ies, and those who ware there did not
sleep 20 soundly or snore 20 loudly,
and yet in justice to them, il must be |
said that "The colored troops fought /
bravely."
Pinchback is, or claims to be q COL
ored man, and his admission to the
Senate would be almost % much of .
triumph for the cOlOFed race ~ the
passage of the Civil Rights BILL
After q prOtrActed session of 80
hours, commencing Wednesday noon
aud ending on Thursday evening at 1
about 5 O'Clock, the resolution was
killed, for this session, by being laid
on tho table by vote Of 80 TO -.
Many Of tho leading Republicans, with
Allison and Wright, Of Iowa, voted to
lay the thing on the table. Thero 10
no doubt this was the best disposi.
ton that could possibly have been
made of this vcxed question, under |
the circumstances.