Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-05-06
DUB WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., May LIST, 1876.
EDITOR lNTELLIGENCER: Nothing new
appears to be going on just now in the
house, and news is very scarce.
The story of the Freedman's Bank, which
details the method of swindliug the
blacks. has been partly told. 1t is quite in.
teresting, and discloses u state of facts, in
regard to the management of that institu-
ton, which is surprising.
The Irregularities of the government print
ing office are still receiving attention. A
son of the superintendent of that otic was
examined IL few days ago, and finally ac-
knowledged that all errors and discrepan-
cies in the accounts discovered by the COM
miitee could not be explained, and said that
lie could only propose to make good the en-
tire amount of the deficiency out of his own
pocket. These little discrepancies are sup
posed to amount to a sum somewhere In the
neighborhood of half IA million do liars.
Davenport, OF New York, has also been
here to tell how much he spent in the inter-
est of the republican party. to assist in car
rying the state of New York when Grant
was reelected.
A long story is gong the rounds about
Mr.. FitZhugh. the efficient d0orkeeprr O!
the house. They have found copies Of in
dictments which were found against hin
flew days since, charging him with arson
in causing the Crab Orchard Spring, Hotel.
in Kentucky, to be burned. They refrain,
however,, from publishing the most impor-
tant fact that one of the indictments was
nIInSI,aI law thu nrurf and tb,t ~, tlo ,,L.o
the jury, alter being out but Il few minutes,
a verdict OF not guilty. The evil
dence advanced by the defendant on the
trial showed most concluslvely that it WAS
a conspiracy on the part of some Of his en-
emies to injury him, and the only evidence
aguinst him was the alleged confession OF u
negro, which WAS eXtorted from him after
he had been three times hung up by the
neck. This stale story will do Mr.. FItzhugh
injury, as he has ample proofs in his pos
session to counterfeit it, and satisfy the pub
lie of his innocence.
Among the many Investigations, is that of
he Insane Asylum, which is situated just
south OF Washington, on the bank OF the
AnacOstia river, which is a branch OF the
great Potomac. There one Dr. e. H. Mich
OILS has been the superintendent for a num-
Der OF years, and has been u member of the
district RUG for nearly al equal length of
time, and when one reads the atrocious cru
elites practiced upon the unfortunate luna
who were cOnided to his care, it Is
almost impossible to refrain from wishing
he SHOULD be dealt with according to
lynch law. The asylum is In u shocking coll
dilion, the patients have been beaten and
kicked and cutfed about US if they
were not human, and then thrown into I'M
foreground rooms to languish in cold and
cells, while yermin preyed upon their
unfortunate bodies. Nichols is the same
man who about a year ago sent an omnibus
Dad OF helpless lunatics, who had been
placed under his care, out of the District,
Inder charge of policemen who abandoned |
hem iq the woods of Maryland, u lonely |
pot, and then reported that they had
stolen out OF the vehicle and wandered off.
It was an act of barbarity which should have
:aused his immediate removal from the re-
office which he now holds
The post office appropriation bill is about
eady TO be reported to the house. 1t re-
an expenditure Of about Sd, 300
100 less than last year.
Secretary BristUw comes to the front, not
IS an investigator, but rs one of the victims
If investigation. He tells all he knows about
he MARY Merritt" and will no doubt ap-
rear with clean hands.
Roscoe Conkling seems to be the coming
nan in the republican party for the presi-
nomination. He has distanced Mr..
lett Morton, Hayes and others away
II the rear, with the balance yet to be heard
ROM. LAFAYETTE.