The Portland daily press., 1877-01-15
WASHINGTON.
The District Police Commissioner.

The District Police Commissi oners.
WASHINGTON, Jan. IS Detective McDevtt
was cross-examined this afternoon by Judge
Wilson, counsel for Murtagh, before the House
asked and answered:
Q.Have you, at any time in the city,
Rambled within two years?
Al decline to answer, that is my private
business as detective and [ do not propose to
give it away to the newspapers. 1t has moth
ing to do with the Whitthorne conspiracy case
and therefore decline to answer.
Mr.. LemOine chairman of the committee
1t is the opinion of the committee that you
should answer unless it would tend to crimi-
nate you.
Defective McDevtt--It will only show why
I went there and will open new investigation.
know the object of asking the question, it is
to force my detective business before the pub
lie.
Judge Wilson said the United States statutes
decided that even if Els answer did crminate
him he must answer.
Mr.. Lemoine-I think you should answer the
question.
Mr.. McDevitt-I still decline. The counsel
for the Republican wants to draw me so as to
increase their subscriptions. If I answer it
will lead to the question to know why went
and for whom l went.
Q.-You spoke of the Whitthorne conspiracy
1t takes more than one man to make con-
spiracy. Name who were in it.
A.-Wiiliam j. Murtagh 1 don't know who
was behind HIM You are trying to get away
from the Whitthorne conspiracy to distract the
public mind from it, l propose to keep you up
to it.
Mr.. Wilson-You will be kept up to it,
Witness said he knew of gambling houses
and gave the location of several of them,
Detective Miller was also examined, his tes
tlmony corroborating that of Major Richards
and McDevitt, concerning Murtagh's alleged
plot for inveigling Congressman WhitthoTne
into house of lll-repute.
The Legislative Appropriation Bill
The House committee on appropriations have
completed the legislative appropriation bill and
it will be reported to the House on Monday.
The bill as ordered to be reported for passage
provides for reduction of about 10 per cent in
the salaries OF nearly all the civil officers
throughout the country and also for reducing
the clerical force to about the number propo sed
by the House last year.
Secretary Chandler Declines 10 Answer.
The special committee on the privileges.
powers and duties of the House in counting the
electoral vote, held long session to-day and
examined several witnesses, among them Sec
rotary Chandler. He was asked whether he
had sent any dispatches to Florida since the
late election, in reply to any, and he replied
that he had not Being asked whether he sent
despatch to Florida stating that troops would
probably be sent there to keep the peace he an
sWered that he probably had. He was then
asked whether he sent it upon his own motion
or upon the motion of some one else and he
declined to answer this question, basing his re-
fusal on the ground that he is a cabinet officer.
The committee decided that he must answer
and gave him until next Wednesday to comply
with their decision.
The committee also examined Representative
Purnam of Florida, and several other witnesses.
but imposed an injunction of entire secrecy IN,
on the entire proceedings.
The Presidenps Views.
The President expresses the opinion that in
case no declaration Of the ltof+ bo
presidential election is made before the 4th of
March, the President of the Senate will become
President of the United States, and will he
recognized by the cabinet