New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-05-21
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
STAMP SALES AT SMALL OFFICES.
WASHINGTON, May 20, 1877

Ever since the new mode of compromising
postmastcs Of the fourth class by commissions On the
amount OF sales Of stamps stamped envelopes and postal
cards was adopted It has been Of endless trouble
to the PosOiice Department, and has made work
for every special agent who could be spared TO look after
the frauds which the system makes easy Of preparation
Hundreds of pOstmasters have been removed, aud to
make their punishment greater their names nave been
furnished to the press for publication and yet so strong
is the temptation that all the efforts OF the department
have proved Unequal to the suppression OF the Illegal
traffic There seems to be only Oac mode put stop
ia H. and that il by the repeal OF the law, and return to
the old plan Of adjusting salaries the basis Of the
stamps &c actually Cancelled in the respective offices.
Illustrations as to the in which the present law
opcratcs were given lately in these dispatches.
The following facts will furnish further illustrations
A special agent who has bocn engaged IN the SOhth-
Wcs, for some time past send to the Department an
affidavit made by a merchant Who II engaged IN regular
business in tia, al.ty, in which he states tiat he "'
received very large amounts Of postage stamps Of tie
denomination OF one cent, two cents, three cents six
cents AID ten cents from persons whose names aie
given with the Sans received from each There are
ci t ID. ten NAMES given, with the amounts received
aud dates etc. one Arm alone, member OF which Is
rn.trst.r has paid him ~ $50 In stamps, IN values
IAN .tn from - TO 5000 at payment In every case
vir auus have thus been used the person IS either
,,os.,ua-trr or . member OF finn in which ti,rr is
Uo.,ut.strr fu sOua discount WAS ma Dy The
Ia r.pr Ing of h'' OF from i've % seven pr ut
.,,. ~ M stamps thu, received by this merchant
~ owe. Gu' which tAt government is gult "Ia"5
mad. Ia iy M IN. T,sci salaries acJuni,-On OF ion
=. zoo ~ 81 800. when gor, INFO the poc OF tree,
Inv "A a iIo dihcrty in Cbti.Tp" the u,re,aaI, c,.-
I,, k. ctor, 10 punish the offender, Uc,gad l,-
naval f..tlr.-. ami even Wien removal l0 made there
t, t,,r his pred .rc. ors. Notwithstanding. o.,
H.. effort, 90 pres tle ti .H nom Inc al. te d
the r.-. g. compelled 10 constantly pth' l"e "ei-l'
Nth O. p
A PR!ZE-MUNEY CLAIM DEFEATED
The Supreme Court OF the District Of CO.
lr,,,i,. in General Term on Friday d.eiieI the c,l.-
b,,tei SUIT uf Aimirl Potter AID the officers and men
OF the North Atlantic squadron FOR p.iz; money On ae-
count OF tie slptue OF Richmond. In ls7l nine years
after the conclusion OF the war; suits were entered n the
courts Of this District in bentf of the officers ard men
Of the North Atlantic squadron claiming Ia the agNrc-
gate about - 100000 in prize money for the par taken
IL, tIc -uua,irDH th, capture ut Richmond lu'uicl
U ri,,, suits were claims ior bounty money for every
man captured 90 tD' tou''d'id', o.iL' ""' '. 't'
r me rlf. ut 200 pr he'd, 'H t,I b'Huji Ton an
sam, ana ia tcrc, destroyed by dee tJItcdartcs on thc
Yok and PauuuEy rNers {" prevent ih'n tillns INTO
n. hands OF nc Union forces. luL' money was also
clu..l un account o. tug ctpiur, 90 the Texas 'ut
Beaufort Confederate m,i-o'- 'ui ~ ~. nit u,
y,!ur Of these tvO ships mp raised 20 eSlZ,l2l In
November Es', Ju'se Iim'.lryS. uti'' "h'" ln'
mated tao value OF The two y.,-e.S a. S6',-=J ami
awarded plz money 10 the amount o. t536lO. lie lie
MED all other elaine lor lHL' money me tohH uudh-
m'usl reversed the Conner Pro.' AnS1 ana ni'Sei
All the u.i,. Tic Ihemts stii have tIe Ps.ll,-- oil
appealing to the Supreme Court OF the United states
BOILER EXPERIMENTS THIS YEAR.
About three or four years ago Congress APP
proprated 100000 TO be expended IN experiments to
determine 70! steam boiler explosions During
the then ensuing "a commission, Of which the su
pervlsug Inspector Of steam vessels was the chairman
made a II experiments attempts TO conduct eH
pelincnts ut Sandy Hook ana Pittsburgh during that
summer about one-lali the Whole appropriation was
expended without results Of any scientific yalne. The
next seasOn still hoping 10 accomplish sonethink, the
Secretary II tEe Treasury placed gentleman Of seen
tfc t .umenrs AZ the head Of the commission, bat ts
Tor. during that attended With no more salts