The Portland daily press., 1875-02-01
WASHINGTON.
Pacific Mail Investigation.
Denial of Some of Irwin's Statements.

Denial of Some of TWINS Statements.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3O.-The Ways and
Means Committee resumed the Pacific Mall
subsidy investigation this morning.
James D. Smith, director of the Pacific
Mail Co., explicitly contradicted the statement
made by Irwin last Wednesday, imputing to
him some knowledge of Twins employment
by Stockwell, and Twins receipts or the ex-
penditure of money. Mr.. Smith gave in detail
denial of some of Twins statements. He
said it was explicitly understood that Stockwell
was to expend between $4,000 and $4,000 to for
ward the company's interest and subsidy, and
swore that Irwin was never known to the board
in any other capacity or employment than as
the San Francisco agent.
Sergeant-at-arms Ordway produced his books
and said he had made a careful examination OF
every credit to members of Congress during
the months of May and June, 1872, and found
that only thirteen members mace deposit OF
any sum during those months amounting to
500; of these thirteen depositors, only two
were credited with more than $500, and that
neither of these members voted for the Pacific
Mail subsidy. He did not find single entry
of $1,000 to the credit of any member during
those two months, and of the other depositors
the amounts ranged from 800 to $500, and
were mostly drafts deposited in the regular
course of business for collection. He therefore
stated in the most positive manner that to he
best of his knowledge and belief, the books OF
the Sergeant-at-arms will not disclose anything
that will aid the investigation now before the
Ways and Means Committee. Ordway also
swore that there had never been to his knowl-
edge one dollar paid to any momber of Con-
gress in or through his Office to influence legs-
laton during the eleven years he has been IN
office.
Richard B. Irwin was recalled, and having
asked for the reading of Smiths testimony this
morning, declared that according to his reeOl-
lection every word In his Urwin's testimony
was strictly true. He thought that he had told
Smith enough to enable him to follow up the
matter.
!, The charm an informed Irwin that the COM
mittee yesterday decided to allow Clark Bell,
counsel for the Pacific Mail Company to ask
him such questions as they might deem unob-
jectionable
Mr.. Beck expressed surprise and said if he
had been present at the meeting he should
have objected to it or to any similar request
from any outsider.
Mr. Bell asked Mr.. Irwin number of ques'
tions, mainly relating to the character of the
instructions given Irwin by Stockwell, but
nothing particular was. elicted. Recess.
Concerning Bills.
The House Committee on Appropriations in
their report on the post Office bill recommend
ing an appropriation of $17, 47S,000 for the in
land mail service next year, making reduc-
ton of $514, 796 from the estimates.
The Senate Committee on Military Affairs, to
whom number of bills have been referred for
the relief of states on account of ordnance and
ordnance stores furnished to them during the
late war, have reported that relief should be
granted, and report bill for that purpose
Another Planet.
The Smithsonian Institution has received an
ocean telegram announcing the discovery of
new planet at Berlin in the right ascension, %
dogs. decination Is degrees 26 minutes north,
of the 18th magnitude.
Proceedings i'm the House Saturday.
The proceedings in the house were brought to
close at half past four by adjournment on
motion of Mr.. Butler of Massachusetts. Up
to that time nothing was heard in the House
but the voice of the reading clerk drawing out
the names of members who had voted on the
various motions during the fillibustering pro-
ceedings.
Several Democrats kept scanning over the
record containing the official report to see that
the clerk did not skip any names or omit any
thing. In this way some II or Is roll calls had
been made throughout of the " taken, so that
it would have been daylight on Sunday morn
ing before the journal would have been con-
cluded.
A motion to adjourn. made by Mr.. Eldridge
of Wisconsin, was voted down, simply because
it came from the Democratic side of the House
but Immediately the same motion was made
by Butler and carried.
That was the easiest and shortest way to
dispose of the long journal of Wednesdays
proceedings, and when the House meets on
Monday the only journal to be read will be the
few lines of to-day's proceedings.
have bill passed to pay the interest on the
1865 bonds of the District of Columbia, but Mr..
Holmes of Indiana objected, and it consequent
ly failed.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3O.-Postal changes for
New England:
Offices established: North Lubec, Washing
ton county, Me-. Watson Reynolds, Postmas-
ter; South Turner, Androscoggin county, Me-,
G. HI. Morrill,, Postmaster.
Name changed Fayette Ridge, kennebec
county, Me-. to Fayette Corner
Postmasters appointed: George A. Hewett,
Kingsbury, Piscataquis county, Me; Rufus
Holton, North Boothbay, Lincoln county. Me;
@. L. Allen, South Auburn, Androscoggin
county, Me; Paul South, Scion Somerset coun-
ty, Me.
The Alabama special committee expect to
bring their investigation to close this week.
OF the five members Buckner and Littrell will
make a minority report.
The Secretary of War has forwarded to the
House the report of the Quartermaster General
and Commissary General OF Subsistence, Civ
ing in detail the cost to these departments of
the Modoc war, amounting in the aggregate to
$411 900.
The Secretary of war has sent to the House
the estimate Of Majors Comstock and Weitzel
of the corps of engineers, of the expense of
deepening the navigable channels of rivers
connecting Lakes Erie and Huron, to admit
the passage of vessels drawing % feet of wa
ter. The figure is nearly $4,0O0,000.
Arrest of the Supposed Incendiary of the
Navy Building.
NEW YORK. Jan. 30-A messenger in the
Navy Department at Washington has been ar
rested on suspicion, he having when younger
been detected in incendiarism which was a
,nonomana with him.
The King of Italy gave an audience Friday
to Garibaldi, and cordial interview took place
ON fine subject of the unhealthy condition of the