Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-03-11
ConsPirators to Defraud the Govern
mens Arrested.

L
defraud the government of $28, 900 on tn
alleged loss OF train while transportin,
government freight between Leavenworti
and Fort Tula. 1t is stated by parties il
interest, that this claim had been under in
vestigation for the last ten years, and wa
passed by the different departments withou
suspicion OF fraud, payment being delayet
in consequence only of supposed want o
Jurisdiction. In November last, however
that question was decided satisfactorily Il
the Second Comptroller, who passed tn
claim. 1t appears that suspicion was frs
excited as TO thejusticc of the claim by th,
clamor of representatives Of persons who ex
pected to share in the award. A judicial in
vestigation will take place tomorrow.
Charges against OrviiIe Grant.
ST. LOUIS, March Cit is stated that Or
vile Grant, brother of the President, ha.
been interested with Belknap in disposing o.
trading posts for money Grant, shortly of
ter the appointment of Belknap as Secretary
OF War, visited most of the posts on the
frontier and cancelled all the licenses by Sec,
rotary Rawlins. Durfee g. Peck extensive
Government reighters and merchants on the
frontier, held the principal sutlerships al
this time, and were astonished at this unex
pectcd change. Mr.. Peck investigated the
matter, and found Oriville Grant had full
authority from the Secretary of War to dis
pose of all trading posts as he thought fit.
Peck applied to Grant for authority to retain
certain post where his firm had invested
large sums in buildings and goods, and he
| would agree to 1t only on the terms of so
much cash down and certain share of profits,
practically the same arrangement that existed
between Marsh and Evans & Co. at Fort Sill.
Peck refused to comply with these terms and
| others received appointments at Fort Brad.
ford and Fort Peck Leighton was appointed
sutler upon the the terms proposed by Or
vile Grant. The bonus required was so
large that be lost money, and afterwards
offered to sell to Durfee & Peck He had
first to obtain permission to sell from Grant.
This Grant refused and made easier terms
with Leighton.
The Fort Sully leadership was taken from
Durfee u Peck and given to John Il. Athey.
Athey paid oil the money he had to get the
post, and was obliged to make terms with
Durfee & Peck to run 1t.
House.
WASHINGTON, March 7-Walling, from
the committee on public lands, reported a
bill to amend the homestead act by authOri-
zing proofs of residence, occupation, cult
walton, etc., to be made before a Judge of
any court of record in the county and State
in which the lands are situated. After dis
cussion, the bill passed.
Crounsc, from the same committee, repor-
ted bill declaring subject to State taxation
the land heretofore granted to the Pacific
railroad companies. After some debate the
bill was amended so as to make it applicable
to land grant companies and was passed. i
Clymer, rising to question of. privilege,
stated subpoena had been served on him
last evening, issued by the supreme court of
the District of Columbia, setting as a crimi-
nal court, to appear before that court and
hrip with hin, oil ne nhnnlyo 40
etc, and to testify with regard to the charges
pending in that court against the late Secre-
tary of war. Two of his colleagues, Robbins
and Bla ckburn, had been similarly subpoena
ed. He (Clymer) had appeared before the
court and had stated before it that in obedi.
ence TO law he appeared at its bar to obey its
order; but that as member of the commit
tee of the House, he felt it would be prejudi.
cial to the highest interests of the country
compelled to state what had transpired in
their committee room.
Senate.
WASHINGTON, March S.-Cameron, of
Wisconsin, presented the petition of over
10000 persons IL regard to secret societies.
The petitioners declare their opposition to all
secret organizations and ask Congress to
withdraw the charter granted to the Ma
sonic Hall Association of the District of
Columbia, and that q law be passed making it
unlawfulto appoint any person to office un-
der the government and that any one who
is a member of an organization may be chal-
lcnged as juror. Cameron, in presenting
the petition, said lie had been informed the
petitioners were residents of every State or
Territory and city in the United States He
asked that the petition be read, printed and
PLACED on the record; so ordered.
Sensational Report Denied.
Secretary Chandler says the story of an in.
terview between him and Gen. Belknap and
wife on Thursday morning and the purported
full confession is all made up.
District Attorney Dyer has telegraphed to
Attorney General Pierpoint that neither him
self nor Gen. Henderson Is In any way re-
sponsible for the publications relative TO the
Babcock trial.
Wclknap Arrested
WASHINGTON, March S.-To.day at noon
Maj Richards, Chief of Police, made o for
NAL arrest of Belknap, ex.Secretary of War,
and brought him into the police court. Bel.
Senator Carpenter, who said they waived
examination and were prepared to give bail
for Belknan's appearance before court, Judge
Stoll fixed the amount of the bail at $25, 900,
when parties retired to arrange the bail.
Famine and starvation I'm Iceland.
CopENHAGEN, March.-Last mail from Ice
land reportf 500 inhabitants of Westmanna
Islands, q group lying to the south of Ice
land, and belonging to Denmark, are prob
ably dying of starvation. The fisheries
there last year were unsuccessful, and the
inhabitants foreseeing that their food would
not last them through the winter, sent to
Iceland asking for supplies Accordingly a
small quantity of supplies were dispatched.
military Telegraphic Line.
In connection with Genl. Howard's tele
gram the war department has sent to con-
gress letter from the army staff officers of
Portland stating there is no possible military
necessity for the proposed line of telegraph
70 Fort Candy and protesting against Its con-
struction being allowed to swell the amount
Of appropriation charged to the army.
The London Press on the Belknap
- Scandal.
LsNDoN, March 4.--The Times says edit
orally of the Belknap scandal: This event
Is more grave, because 1t Is confirmatory of
1T xl~ Ill