The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-03-13
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, d. G., March 7th, 1877.
Intense excitement prevailed at the Cap
itol the last few days of the Session, but at
last the agony is over and we may very
soon look for peace and quiet throughout
the country. Congress remained in session
throughout the whole of Thursday night
and it was not till between four and five
o'clock Friday morning that the last State
was counted and Hayes declared elected
When the formal declaration of the cleo
tion was made, the announcement was re-
ceived with but little demonstration, the
assembly evidently remembering the in
functions that had several times during the
night been impressed upon them, to alb
stain from any marks of approval or dis
approval. One man Kissed and another
clapped his hands-so ended the greatest
and most threatening struggle for the
Presidency that has taken place in the his
tory of our nation. May we never have
such another.
1t is to be regretted extremely that some
of the scenes that have lately been enacted
at the Capitol should have occurred, dis
graciug the country as they have, by the
shameful acts of several of her Representa-
tives. For instance, Friday quite prom
inent Congressman got into a regular rough
and-tumble, tooth and nail fight with one
VI OhO llOuoO uOOlkCCpOlS. Ilo utdIu J0dD
Mr.. Harris (the doorkeeper) had refused to
take card from visitor TO him during
the debate on the Presidential count, and
in high dudgeon made for the door and
without word pushed Harris from his
seat on to the floor. AS the surprised door
keeper rose to his feet the gentleman (?)
struck him a blow on the chest which Har-
ris returned with one under the eye of the
puglistic legislator. The affray was there
put an end to by the interference of other
Representatives aud the man who fights
carries black eye for his folly. Again
Thursday member of the House utterly
refused to obey the Speakers ruling, ,leaped
upon the top of desk screaming at the
highest pitch of his voice in frantic effort
to make himself heard amid the tumult
that prevailed, and finally was forcbly
pulled down from the desk, and queted
only by the appearance of the Sergeant-at-
arms with his mace. During the counting
of the electoral vote it has been the custom
of the Representatives to rise as the Sena-
tors entered the hall for joint conventions;
but Friday morning, when they were an
nounced for the last time, the majority of
Representatives lin a childish pet because
their game was up and they saw them
selves defeated), remained sitting. Now
are not such actions and such demonstra-
tions as these utterly unworthy a United
States Congressman, no matter what his
State, color or political sentiments?
The city was plunged into state Of
tumultuous excitement the last week by
the announcement that a horrid murder
had been committed in the Treasury
The facts of the affair." as they have since
appeared, are as follows: About noon
Thursday a man entered the Treasury
ht1ildipn and can't q nar1 tn Mrc MqrU
Storer, widow who has been employed as
clerk in the Redemption Bureau for some
ten years past. The card bore the name
of John Dits and Mrs. Storer immediate
ly stepped into the passage to speak with
him. Very few words had passed between
them when the man seized her-for what
purpose is not known. She struggled,
screamed, broke away from him and ran
along the passage, Dilts following and
finally firing two pistol shots at her,
neither of which were effective. A watch
man and messenger secured the man after
hard struggle and presently turned him
over to an officer of the Metropolitan po-
lice who took him at once to the station
Here he acted in a strange way, apparent
ly half unconscious and it was soon dis
covered that he was under the influence of
some drug or poison. Dilts is just what
he appears to be, we'll to do farmer about
forty years of age. He is widower with
family, from Michigan. He met Mrs.
Storer some months since, fell violently in
love with her, proposed and was rejected,
hence his attempt to end both her life and
his own. He refuses to take any medicine,
but is still living.
President and Mrs. Grant gave fare
well dinner to the Cabinet Saturday
evening, at which Mr.. and Mrs. Hayes
we're present. No inaugural ball nor pub
lic reception was given last evening, but
there was grand torch-light procession.
fireworks and illumination. Pennsylva-
mia Avenue was illumined by calcium lights
furnished from New York.
M. NJ. w.