Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-12-12
The District Bond Hill Investigation

cnarge OF corruption In connection with tie
passage of the s.65 District of Columbia asses
ment bond BILL
"A PARTY BY THE NAME or JOHNSON
Clarence NJ. Barton, OF the Post. testified that
he was the news editor of the Post, and that
in July last communication was sent to that
paper containing the charge of fraud. The let
ter was signed San Indignant Citizen" and
over In one corner the real name of the con-
tributOr which was johnson" The initials of
Mr.. Johnson's namewere given, but Mr.. Barton
fatied 10 recall them. He said. however that
the writer had vcritabie existence, because
he tRarton} had consulted the directory and
1ouhd that there was name in 1t corresponding
with that given by the contributor. Mr.. Bar
ton said that the article in question was lar 5ety
made up of the letter Of Mr.. johnson tn the
Paper, but to which lie tBarton) added certain
District OF Columbia commissioners.
The committee called Mr.. Earon's attention
10 me 1act that there were seventeen columns
OF JohnsOns in the city directory.
WHY NH. BARTON WAS DISCHARGED Ri THE
DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS.
Mr.. Eenkle asked MI. Barton ii he had not
been employed by the District government
lie replied that lie had.
by did you leaye?" asked Mr.. Henkfe
II was discharged said the witness, sbe-
cause J was told it was necessary, to reduce the
force, but in Il few weeks my place was filled
by resident Of Alexandria"
THE BAROMETER fell to 2S.75 in this city on
Tuesday night, the lowest known here for some
years.
NAVAL PAYMAsTER ARTHUR BURTIS has been
ordered to temporary duty AT the League Island
navy yard January lst; Pay Director II. II. NJ.
Denneston, from League Island, January iSt,
ana ordered TO settle accounts.
THERE ARE TWO RIVAL ORGANIZATIONS In the
city cOntending for the position before Congress
and the country OF Il national board OF trade.
Ore, called the 81. s. Board of Trade met
ceedings We're published in THE STAR. The
other, known as the d" National Board OF Trade.
met to-day at the Riggs house, and discussed
its prospects and the legislation it is intended
10 ask OF Congress. Its members refused to
allow reporters in Or TO give anything out for
publication concerning what was done. The
rival organizations will fight it out this winter.
THE POTTER COMMITTEE did not meet to-day.
When the committee last adjourned it was to
meet to-day, conditioned upon the arrival OF
Gen. Butler. He Is still absent. Chairman Pot
ter has not yet decided whom he will appoint to
accompany him as the chairman of the sub
committee to continue the Investigation in New
Orleans The republicans will be invited to
make their own selection. and it is probable Mr..
Hiscock, OF New York. will be chosen. Mr. Nc
MahOn. member OF the committee, said today
that 1t was not the desire OF a majority OF the
committee TO get actively at work until after
the holiday recess.
OFFICIAL TESTING OF MEDICINAL WHISKY
The Office OF Commissioner of Internal Reve-
nue. Raum every few days resembles the shop
OF whisky refiner and tester Last summer
the commissioner decided that .'medicated H.
qu0fS" were subject To pay q special tax
the same as whisky, when it was evident that
the compound was not medicine but whisky
disguished only by Il name. This decision has
had the effect Of driving from the market a
large quantity OF such stuff. There are, how
ever, many patent medicines which While con-
tanning a goodly quota OF the "crayther," are
so compounded with drugs that they may be
exempt from the ion. Upon such cases the
commissioner is personally called TO decide. a
bottle OF the medicine is sent him with the pat
ent, and an analysis of the mixture. He tastes
1t and has an NJ ID. TO taste it also and analyZe
Upon the result Of this investigation depends
whether the special tax is to be paid, or only
The tax on proprietary medicines. ANY one
who happens in during the tasting is asked to
participate III the Investigation. Some OF the
tasting is not bad; but some is enough to make
mule sick. 1t has, however, to be gone through,
and the ..nedicine" is doomed TO the special
tax or allowed TO go under the proprietary
class. quite number of decisions favorable
TO the prorretOIS have been made; but nothing
that is medicine only as Il gIiSe for selling Spir-
It's mtaXed comes clear from such experienced
Investigators
THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE he'd a
meeting to-day. at which several uncontested
nominations were ordered to be reported TO the
Senate for cOntirmatiOn; but the New York Gus
tom mousse nominations were laid over until
next Thursday. The chairman and four other
members making just a quorum were the only
ones present at the meeting to-day.
MEMORIAL Of the watchmen and laborers
employed in the several executive departments.
asking to have their former salaries restored to
them, was presented in the House to-day by MI
Vance, OF North Carolina.
DURING BRIEF DISCUSSION in the Senate to-
day as to the order OF business, it was agreed
that vote on MIR. Edmunds' bill in regard to
counting the electoral vote should ba taken to-
morrow.
SENATOR'S BLAINE AND WINDOW had little
tilt In the Senate this morning. The latter is
chairman Of the committee On appropriations
He asked the Senate to take up the fertilization
appropriation bill. Mr.. Blaine wanted the Sem
ate TO consider the Hot Springs bill which he
reported yesterday from the appropriations
con committee, the object Of which is to remedy
the omission made in the sundry civil bill at the
last session. MI. Window pressed his motion,
and the Senate decided to consider the fortiiica-
tons bill. This aDgered the Senator from
Maine, who argued energeticaly With Mr.. Win
dCm FOR few moments and then arose and
said that the Hot Springs bill had priority from
the appropriations committee, and that he did
not approve OF the chairman dlsplacing the
order OF business from his own committee Mr.
Window denied that he had displaced the order
of business, and Mr.. Blaine said he had At this
juncture the Vice President called the Senate
W OfucT, anu tUe lOflcailOnS Olll Was speedily
passed.
CABLE "HIsPERS.-England is said to be ne
go'iat1ng for a protector over C0nstantinopie
nd the occupation Of several neighboring prov
inces: -: Russia regards the reconstruction OF
ne Turkish ministry as favorable to the pro-
posed definitfNe treaty. The London Times
severely criticiSeS Mr.. Gladstone. The Brit
ish Parliament Will probably adjourn Tuesday.
The Italian chamber Of deputies defeated
an order OF confidence in the government
queen Nictoria's physician has gone to Darm-
stadt to attend her daughter, the Grand Du.
chess OF Hesse. A reorganization of the
FreLch cabinet is m0Oted. -. 1t is said that
MahmC I'D Damad Pasha and others banishetI
IT pm Turkey, had conspired to dethrone the
sultan.
THE BONANZA S35. .OO0, 900 SrIT.-J. C.. Flood.
,JOhn Mackay ct al. pleaded the statute of iimi-
tatlOnS at San Francisco, yesterday, in the
SUITS brought by Burke ct al. stockholders in
the California and Consolidated Virginia mines
Tor accounting for So, ,OOO,O
LIQUORS SEIZED.-At Portsmouth, n. H.. Tues
day, Collector Howard seized several eases Of
choice liquors on board the United States steam.
ship Guard. Some of the cases were dfreeted
TO prominent naval officers.
IN BOSTON nine OF the twelve aldermen. the
street commissioner and all Of the school com.