The Portland daily press., 1878-04-11
History of Seven Days.
The News for the week ending Wehnes-
day Night, April9.
NATIONAL CAPITAL,

the Gettysburg claim.
Secretary Sherman is in New York for the
purpose it is said of consulting as to selections
for collector and naval officer in the Custom
House.
The case of the United States against ex-
Assistant Secretary Sawyer, ex.commssoner
of customs, Haines, and f. W. Brooks Charged
with conspiring to defraud the government out
of $4,000 has resulted in verdict of not
guilty.
The House Appropriation Committee has
agreed to the postofice appropriation bill as it
was reported back by the subcommittee. The
bill appropriates in the aggregate $50, 1873,
which is 3,267 1893 below the estimate sent in by
the Postoffice Department, and about $S69, 900
less than the amount appropriated for the pres
emit year. The bill reduces the compensation
of railroads five per cent. and changes the
methods of paying postmasters of the fourth
class back to the old system, that is, to pay
them commission on stamps that they cancel
instead of those they sell, as at present.
A private meeting of the Republican Ma
tional Committee and the old Congressional
Committee was held in Washington Thursday
John A. Logan presided. There were present
2. Chandler of Michigan, E. Hale of Maine,
G. @. Gorham of California. j. A. Hubbell of
Michigan, W. A. Phillips of Kansas, Page of
California. Watt of Connecticut, Sinnickson
of New Jersey, Strait of Minnesota, WE.
Chandler of New Hampshire, Charles Foster
of Ohio, Dorsey of Arkansas, West of Louisi-
any and others. The object of the meeting was
to consult informally about the organization of
the party for the approaching fall campaign.
1t was decided to ask the Republicans in Con-
gress to reorganize the Congressional commit
carry the next Congress.
CONGRESS.
In the Senate Wednesday the naval appro.
priation bill was reported with amendments; a
few private bills were passed; Mr.. Booth, Mr..
Dawes, Mr.. Edmunds and others debated tie
sinking fund bill, and Mr.. Matthews was rec
ognized so as to speak upon it next day In
the House nearly the whole day was spent in
discussing the case of Doorkeeper Polk; Mr..
Cravens, Mr.. Henry, Mr. Eden, Mr.. Cook and
Others, all Democrats, defended the Doorkeep-
er; Mr.. Frye and Mr.. Cox of Ohio, Republic
cans, advocated his removal; no action was
taken.
Iu the Senate Thursday considerable minor
business was transacted. Mr.. Matthews, Mr.
Thurman, Mr.. Hill and Mr. Cooking spoke on
the Sinking Fund Bill. In the House the only
especial business was the casa of Doorkeeper
Polk; after some discussion a resolution to re.
move him was passed by 139 to 80; the duties of
Doorkeeper were devolved upon the Sergeant
alarms; Mr.. Wood did not speak on the tariff
bill as expected.
In the Senate Friday Mr. Bayard and Mr..
Sargent spoke on the sinking fund bill; Mr.,
Thurman proposed that the Senate sit it out,
but Mr.. CoHkling said that there was no need
OF such urgency, and the matter coming to a
test the Senate resolved to adjourn without &C.
ton by vote of % to 81. In the House, Gen.
Butler nominated General Shields of Missouri,
for Doorkeeper; there was opposition to taking
vote thaty day, and lively quarrel took
place between General Butler and Mr. S. S.
Cox.
Neither House was in session Saturday.
In the Senate Monday the Pacific Railroad
sinking-fund bill was discussed, but no vote
was reached. Nearly the entire time of the
House was occupied in discussing the door
keeper question. Finally the Democratic eau
Gus nominee, General Charles w. Field of
Georgia, was elected to the position, by a vote
of 1913 to 101 for General Shields. bill was
subsequently passed authorizing the President
to appoint Gen. Shields brigadier-general on
the retired list.
CRIMES AND CASUALTIES.
boiler in the manufactory'of Seavy & Co.
in Cambridge, Mass, exploded Friday. killing
four men and seriously injuring six others.
through express train on the Texas Pacific
railroad was stopped at Eagle Ford station last
week and robbed. The passengers were not
molested.
Thomas McComb of jersey City went home
one night last week from the primaries,
smashed his mothers and sisters heads with a
heavy glass mug. cutting his mothers face into
shreds and his sisters head and face SO horribly
that she will die. He was arrested.
At variety cempany's performance at Paw.
tucket last week one feat was shooting an apple
from the head or hand of the performer Fri
day night Mia. Vollante, trapeze performer,
held the apple on her head and Mrs. Jennie
Fowler, known on the stage as Franklin, was
to shoot the apple. With uncommon reckless
ness the shooter stood with her back to the
mark, taking aim by the reflection in the mir
Tor. The rifle was discharged and Mile. Vol
lante fell dead on the stage, shot through the
forehead. Mrs. franklin was taken into Gus.
tody by the police
Holt & Bugbee, Boston lumber dealers. sus
pended last week with liabilities of $4,000 to
$175,000 due mostly to Boston creditors The
failure was caused by the fraudulent action of
MIR. Bugbee, brother to the janiqr partner, who
has for several years acted as buying agent for
the firm at Indianapolis, where he holds the
office OF alderman, and is otherwise promi-
nent citizen. he has been largely engaged in
speculation 10 the West and to cover his |
losses has drawn against the firm, using as |
collaterals, notes of parties In the West whose |
signatures are now admitted to be forgeries. |
Bugbee confesses to issuing $4,000 of these
notes. which are now largely in the hands of |
Boston banks but are made payable in Indian
apolis, so that no proceedings on them can be |
taken in the Massachusetts courts
Christopher planning mill and yard at Inger- |
soil, Ontario, have been burned. Loss 3d. |
600.
FOREIGN NEWS.
There are indications that Russia will yield |
something rather than go to war with England. |
She is suffering from the evils of an rredeem- |
able paper currency, and long war would |
probably bankrupt her. She fears too that |
Austria will join forces with England. The |
policy of the British government is very strong
ly supported by both Houses of Parliament.
That policy was set forth by Lord Beacopsfeld |
in the debate Monday night. After
retrospect of the governments past
policy he criticised the treaty of San
Stefano, drawing conclusions similar to those
contained in Lord Salisbury's despatch
Although every article of the treaty was a
deviation from the treaties of 1856 and 1871 he
would not call them violations because had
they been considered at the Congress as En-,
land desired they might have been r=~-rded
as suggestions. He showed that I, possession
of Bessarabia was not trif ;n.i0.oa a interest
nora Jameson nae Is involving the indepen.
eesS,on " noupof the Danube. The Congress
49, = take place after Russia's refusal to
form to her previous engagements and to
the treaty of Paris. He pointed out the
various ways in which the existing situation in
the East imperilled the British empire. The