The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-12-23
Last Nights Dispatches.
WASHINGTON.
Greenbacks Will Pay Customs After Jan
uary 1st-Genera1 Williams' Funeral
The Seward investigation

WASHINGTON. Dec. 21.-The secretary
of the treasury has issued a circular to
customs officers authorizing them to re-
States notes as we'll as gold coin and
standard silver dollars in payment Of du-
ties on imports.
The Seward investigation committee was
IN session to-day and Chairman Springer
said the question, whether Seward should
be required to obey the subpoena duces te.
cum and produce the books, papers and
vouchers called for would remain unde-
cided until the house reassembles. Lewis,
consular clerk at Shanghai, who had
charge of the books in which was kept the
account known as the seaman's fund, testi-
fed that although his service with addition
of five percent to disbursements was charged
against the government under the instruc
tions of Seward, who said it was designed
TO cover loss by exchange, at one time the
percentage was increased to 90 but acting
Secretary of State Conger reduced the
percentage to five and required reimburse
ment of the differences. Witness also tes-
titled to his refusal to sign d quarterly
voucher for $500 for services 10 the consul
ar poStoffice on the ground that he had
worked very short time. The explana-
ton given of this was that while witness
salary 10 the consulate was $4,000, bis
nominal salary as consular clerk was only
81 900. and the difference was made up
either out of the postoffice fund or else
Seward's own pocket, Witness specified
two mortgages aRgregatlng some $4,000
that Seward had taken about the time
there was the largest balance on hand
from the seaman's fund Seward was also
owner of forty or fifty Chinese houses in
Shanghai, the aggregate cost of which
could not exceed $4,000, Seward
was lessee of the consular building at
Shanghai and sublet it to the govern
ment at 1896, whereas an equally com
modius building could be obtained at
a much less rate. Witness, after describ-
ing the books at the consulate, in which
the daily transactions were entered. was
proceeding to state how he went to look
for them in the loft of the consular build
kept, and learned what had become of
them, but before he eouid finish the story,
| Merrlck, OF the COUNSEL objected on the
ground that the testimony was hearsay
and therefore incompetent. After long
discussion the chairman oveTruled the OBJ
lection, assigning as one reason that there
had been bad faith on the part of Seward
aud his counsel in withholding these books,
while one of the express conditions on
which Ihey had been continued was that
these books should be produced. Merrick
and Ashton resented the charge OF bad
| faith and claimed that the books were pri-
vate. An appeal from the decision of the
chair was taken by Bundy, and the COM
mittee sustained the appeal-yeas, Bayne,
Bundy and Dunnell nays, Dean and
Idaham. The chairman later modified the
remark which had given offeDse to "A vio-
laton of what in his Judgment was the un-
Iderstanding,
The congressional commission upon the
w ashington monument net at the Execu-
tive Mansion this afternoon. The resolu-
tions of the Monument Society, favoring
alterations in the plan, and letter from
/ w. W, Story, advocating the plan suggest
led by himself. were read. The communi-
cations will be transmitted to congress. 1t
is understood that the commission regard
uufavorably any change IN the plan of the
monument at this day.
The fuueral of Representative Williams
will take place to morrow morning. Gen
.. Sherman and staff will be present. All the
regulars in the district and the Washington
Light Infantry will from the escort. Rep
/; resentative Hubbell, Millets, Cannon
: Aiken, Mayhem, Dickey and TownshenC
will accompany the body to Detroit.