Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-03-21
WASHINGTON.
Alabama Claims.

New York, March 20. Washington specia
to the Bulletin has the following; There is reason
to believe that the insurance companies and thu
claimants suffering damage from the ex-confcder
ate cruisers, will be admitted by Congress to the
benefits of the Geneva award. The war premium
people will no doubt be thrown OFT.
Personal.
Ex-Minister Schenck declines to talk with re-
porters, but says all things will be made clear be-
fore the committee. He leaves here to-day fol
Washington.
The English Mission.
A special says President Grant has decided not
to withdraw the nomination of r. ii. Dana, Jr.,
from the Senate, but will support it and leave it
for the Senate to confirm reject. II is under
stood that Messrs Boutwell, and Dawes will de-
fend Mr.. Dana before the Foreign committee of
the Senate, and that Senator Conkling heartily
supports Mr.. Dana.
Fitzpatrick Wanted.
The kilograms Washington special says a sum-
mons has been issued to Gen. Fitzpatrick, for the
purpose of finding out what he knows of Butter
field offering 800, 200 for the collectorship.
Pilots Fees.
Washington, March 20. The House committee
on Commerce has decided to withdraw its report
on the bill concerning the payment of pilots fees
by coast trading vessels and on Friday will give
hearing to all parties interested.
Secretary BrlstOw.
Mr.. Bristow appeared before the War Expen-
diture investigating committee, to-day, and made
the same denial, under oath, of completely in an
LEGGED fraudulent mule case, as he stated to the
newspaper men Saturday. He further stated his
belief that the story was sent from Washington,
not Louisville.
The Postal Frauds.
Bradbury Barlow, of the firm Of Barlow &
Sanderson, was again under examination by the
House Postal committee, to-day. He testified the
firm had in several instances, last year, bought on
lower bidders for mail contracts, in order to OBJ.
tain them at the iii ms highest figures, but denied
that any money had ever been paid by him or his
partner to any official in the post office department
He admitted in reply to questions that he loaned
considerable sums, not exceeding S2o,ooo in the
aggregate, tie Gen. Morgan II. Smith, brother of
Giles A. Smith, the Second Assistant Postmaster
General, but swore that these loans were not
made for the purpose of influencing the latter.
He (witness) did not believe that Gen. Smith
had any influence with his brother Giles; In re-
spouse to further inquiries witness stated that he
had loaned money TO good many people, simply
because he would rather have their good will
then their Ill WILL and not that he expected or be-
lieved they could or would render him any as
sistance in securing mail contracts. The firm had
large vested interests in stocks, &c, on various
routes, land it was in the power of disappointed
bidders sometimes to cause them trouble and great
pecunary loss by groundless charges and investi
cations, etc. He gave some details showing how
the Erm QaQ teCuTeu CcTlaiu SOnuoSes
last year. He paid to Grant j. Taggart of Cal,
to Corbett & Reekman of Oregon, and to a MIR.
Blanchard, several thousand dollars to withdraw
their bids for the service between Roadway, Cal.
and Roseburg, Oregon.
AT the afternoon session, Barlow swore he paid
to Gov. Thompson of Idaho $4,000 for relin-
gushing his lowest bids in Oregon. He never
asked or expected any man to whom he gave or
loaned money to convey any such suggestion 10 a
government official. He was not responsible for
,F mi nd
party to whom he had ever paid money. They
must testify themselves, and he had no objection
to their doing so. He had employed Mr.. Earl to
act as an attorney for him before the treasury de-
partment, during his absence from Washington.
lie admitted that the fact that Mr.. Earl had for
merly been q law partner of Postmaster General
Creswell partly influenced him in making his Sc
lection of an attorney, on account of the latter s
facility of access to Mr.. Creswell and his ability
to obtain information affecting his interests put
he paid him less than $1,000 in all for his SER
vices. His employment commenced after he
ceased to hold the office of Assistant Postmaster
General. Mr.. Barlow's examination will be con-
tinued tomorrow.
Financial.
The treasury department will receive during
the present week, from San Francisco, IA tons Of
silver CON- in anticipation of the period for COM
mencing the circulation Of silver. This amounts
to $500 900. The amount Of silver in the vaults
Of the easury here is less than $4,000.
Orders were received at the department to-day
for $4,000 of fractional currency, and that
amount will be shipped tomorrow to the various
points from which acquisitions are made
There are S2000000 of fractional currency still
in the vaults though none has been printed since
the middle of last month. Since that time the
acquisitions ON the treasury from banks and from
government officers, requesting to be supplied
with fractional currency, have amounted to about
| s., 100000.
Several parties have visited the treasury recent
~ with various amounts Of silver coin that they
have been boarding, wishing to have It exchanged
for notes The department has in all cases de-
| clned to make such exchange, the law declar inl
this class of coins neither redeemable or ex