The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-02-04
From the Maine State Press of Feb. 3, 1875.
History of Seven Days.
The News for the week ending Wednesday
Night, Feb. 3.
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Tariff tinkering has begun in good earnest.
Mr.. Morrison has introduced bill which has
been referred to the Ways and Means Commit
tee, and David A. Wells and the New York
Free Trade League have one in preparation.
Mr.. Morrison's bill is not exactly a free trade
measure, but doubtless bears that way as much
as Democratic members who have manufac-
turing constituency care to have it. 1t makes
important changes in the duties on dry goods
and restores the duty to tea and coffee. The
restoration of the duty on tea and coffee is GER
tainly wise measure, for its removal has only
served to put money into the hands of the inn
porter. The consumer has had to pay just as
much and even more than when the duty was
imposed.
Quartermaster General Meigs is having a
soft thing inspecting commissary departments
of foreign armies. He is allowed a full brig
adler generals pay, with fuel and ration allow
ance, his travelling expenses and hotel bills
are paid, and he is furnished clerk at 5000
month. 1t is to be hoped that the information
he brings back will be worth its cost.
CONGRESS-
Sendte-Thursday- amendments to the
District of Columbia interest bill which pro-
hibited any further issue of the 1865 bonds,
and provided that nothing in the bill shall be
construed as binding upon the government of
the United States to pay the interest on those
bonds issued contrary to law were rejected
The bill 10 confirm the presumption and home
stead entries of public lands within the limits
of railroad fronts when such entries have been
made under the regulations of the Land De-
partment was passed, yeas "A, nays 9.
HouSe-Bil prohibiting government officials
acting as counsel, or being interested in any
form for prosecuting either claims or patent,
applications for which were pending while they
were such clerks or employees was passed; also
that any government officer recognizing such
person in any such application shall be dis
charged from service.
Seaate-Friday-The House Centennial bill
was placed on the calendar. The committee
on elections presented two reports the MAORI
ty recognizing Pinchbacks election to the q.
S. Senate from Louisiana and the minority
recognizing Eustis's right to seat. The con-
sideration of the House bill in relation to the
365 District of Columbia bonds was resumed
and Mr.. Sargent submitted an amendment pro-
viding that the certificates of the Board Audit
including those heretofore converted into 365
bonds and those not so connected and those
hereafter to be issued shall not exceed SIS, 0O0,-
900.
House-The consular and diplomatic bill was
reported. 1t approprates $922,S47, making
considerable reductions from the present pay of
foreign ministers. The military academy bill
4la,,& a1r fhn ,hoIo
Mr.. Hale moved to amend by making the pay
of the cadets $500 per annum instead of $540.
A sharp debate resulted between Messrs. Cox
and Hale in which the former applied an abu-
sive epithet to Mr.. Hale and was compelled to
withdraw it. The amendment was lost.
Senate.-Saturday- session.
House.-The day was spent in general debate
and no business was transacted.
iSendte.-Monday.- Wright submitted an
amendment 10 the constitution providing for
the election of President and Vice President
directly by the people, The District of Column
bia bill was further debated.
House.-A resolution was adopted looking to
an investigation of the acts of the District of
Columbia commissioners; also a resolution for
the investigation of the acts of the Pacific Rail-
road Companies. The Military Academy bill
was passed as it came from the committee
The pay of cadets is fixed at $40 without
rations.
Senate.-Tuesday The day was spent on the
District of Columbia bill. Mr.. Sargent's
amendment was adopted. The bill was not
voted on.
House.-Bill was passed granting an Ameri-
Al hos
the morning hour an amendment to the consti-
tuition was reported from the judiciary COM
mittee providing that no person who has held,
or may hereafter hold the Office of President
shall ever again be eligible to said Office. Mr..
Frye in behalf of the minority of the same
committee submitted substitute providing
that after March 4, 1886 the term of Office of
President and Vice President of the United
States shall be six years. and any person hav-
ing been elected to and held the Office of Pres-
dent, or who has for two years held such Office,
shall be ineligible to reelection.
-Wednesday.-The bill to repeal the
law making restrictions in disposing of public
lands in certain states was discussed, but laid
over without action. The rest of the session
was spent in discussing the District of Column
bia bill, but no action was taken.
House-The only action of importance was
upon the proposed constitutional amendmen
limiting the presidential term, which was de-
feated,
CRIMES AND CASUALTIES
@. Lafountaine, a brakeman on No. %, was
run over at the station in Gorham, N. H.,
Jan. 81, and died next morning. No blame is
attached to the company.
At an early hour on the morning of Jan.
9th, the safe of the Northampton National
Bank at Northampton, Mass was opened by an
expert summoned from New York, and it was
found that $670,000 in various securities had
been taken by seven masked robbers on Tues
day night A reward of $25, 900 has been offer
ed by The bank for the robbers. A large part
of the securities taken cannot be negotiated.
The Bank Examiner has examined the bank
and found that the actual loss is BILL ,250 and
as the bank has surplus of 1926, 1873 there will
be remaining surplus of $127, 400. There is
no trace of the burglars.
The house of D. w. Skidmore, at Deer Park,
L. L, was burned Saturday night. Among
the ruins were found the charred bodies of Mr.
Skidmore, Fleet Weeks, an old man who had
lived with Skidmore many years, Mrs. Titus,
the housekeeper, and her husband. Skidmore
was almost constantly in litigation with his
neighbors, and had, it is alleged, great many
enemies. The suppostion is he was murdered
and the house fred.
In New York, on Saturday, Victor Kretz
murdered William w. Simmons for his money
and cut his body up and concealed it in his
house. He made confession after being arrest
ed. The booty for which he murdered his VIC
tim was a watch and three dollars in money.
John Stillwager. Buffalo banker, who sus-
pended last week committed suicide Saturday.
At Columbia, Pa, Saturday morning, Abra-
ham Shixes, Henry Strayer, Cyrus Strayer and
Henry Reader, while engaged in filling up a
lime kiln in this place, were suffcated by the
gas and fell into the pit. Reader was the only
one rescued alive.
Sixty men, thirty-fve of whom are from Bos.
ton, at work in a shoe factory on Warren street
N. Y, are obliged to sleep in the building ow-
ing to threats ofcviolence from the strikers.
The second trial of Piper, the belfry murder
er, is in progress in Boston. 1t is said the man
who saw him climb into the belfry has been
found.
In brooklyn Joseph Burroughs has been &C
quilted of the murdar f he VIZ; 70 IN .1,o oror n