The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-03-25
WASHINGTON.
The Case of Benjamin Noyei

The Case of Benjamin Noyes.
WASHINGTON, March 24.-The action of
Senator Eaton in introducing "a resolution in
the Senate, asking the appointment of COM
mittee to investigate the kidnapping of Benja-
min Moves of Connecticut in Washington,
March H. created great excitement.
The general impression was that Hayes was
too smart to accept bail, and preferred to take
this means of getting even with his enemies.
1t is believed that the county prosecution over.
stepped the bounds in entrapping the prisoner.
The prosecutor believes that his actions were
right aud feels confident that the resolutions
will come to nothing. The assertion of Judge
Wright of New HaVeu, that Hayes was kid
mapped from Washington is declared untrue,
and the prosecutor is preparing an answer to
the statement,
Senator Eaton's resolution declares that it
was alleged that Benja amin Noyes Of Connect
cut was on the 1th uf March in Washington,
arrested and imprisoned without due process of
law and 10 violation of the rights of citizen;
that his kid nappers took from his person
papers and refused him the privilege of con-
sulting with friends or counsel; therefore that
the committee be directed to enquire into the
subject and report thereon to the Senate, and
thaIfthe committee have power to send for per-
sons and papers.
An Abused Privilege.
1t is said that the Speaker aud Committee on
Rules have under serious consideration a revoca-
given to ex-Representatives. This is OCCASION
ed by the discovery that many of these men. as
well as ex-Senators, exercise their right to &c
into the House as lobbyists.
The Death of Leonard.
1t is stated that Secretary Evarts has order.
ed that the cause of the death of Representa-
tive Leonard at Havana be investigated. 1t is
rumored that he was poisoned.
Ewing ON Resumption.
Sc
that his interview yesterday with the New York
bankers bad strengthened his own views that
the Secretary Of the Treasury will not be able
to carry out the resumption act.
The Charges Against Patent COmmiss
sioner Spear.
The charges against Commissioner Spear of
the Patent Office, will in no sense result in auy
i'll feeling between that afficer and Secretary
Schultz AS far as the Commissioner is aware
they grow out of discussion in an interference
case in which the disappointed contestant not
only charges incapacity upon the Commissioner
but also alleges mutilatOn of the record. 1t is
also stated that we'll known patent attorney
is believed to be the accusing party. Com
missioner Spear states that he had occasion
during the hearing to.alter the phraseology Of
one Of his rulings in an interlocutory question,
but in doing so he in ne sense changed the
meaning of the ruling, and it is upon this that
the charge of mutilatlon Is brought.
The Coming Debate ON the POLICY
Senator Howe, Republican, will speak
several hours tomorrow in arraignment of the
administration in q carefully prepared speech.
Important Decision of the Postmaster
General.
The Postmaster General has issued an order
amending the regulation of the department
governing the transmission of printed matter,
which is very important in Its bearings mas
much as it overrules long established practice
in the department. Heretofore but business
address was permitted on wrapper of printed
matter. The Postmaster General has now
given Instructions that any matter in print
which may be transmitted within an Enclosure
may also be transmitted at the same rate as if
printed upon wrapper or envelope. This in
cludes business cards, directions for returning
and any printed matter on the outside of the
wrapper or envelope. POstmasters, however
are instructed not to regard requests for return
of such matter unless stamps to pay return pos
tage are presented.
The Fisheries Award.
Mr.. Babson. who was the principal witness
on the American side before the Halifax tri.
bunal, yesterday had a long talk with Secretary
Evarts on the general features of the adjodica-
the award was not only most extraordinary,
but seemed to have been arrived at less by con-
sidering the value of the privileges Obtained,
than by looking to a return of the unexpended
balance of the Geneva award to the British
government.
Evarts asked Babson what effect it will have
on American interests if the fishery provisions
of the treaty of Washington are surrendered at
the expiration of the time fixed. He replied
that it will have no effect, as there was plenty
Ut valuable fish in our own waters.
Army Reorganization.
The committee of thirteen appointed b. the
last Democratic House caucus to consider and
AxTf5 tk,aa l. -
said, completed their work, and the bill will be
reported next week. The caucus was thnly at
tended. 1t is not supposed that a bill so radi-
cal and sweeping in its provisions can pass the
House. 1t is essentially the same as that here
tofore proposed by Representative Banning.
Colored Woman's Claim.
The House Committee on Claims have decid-
ed rather curious case of a colOred woman of
Richmond, named Sally HaIdeman. She states
that BY request of officers of the Freedmen's
Bureau she took care of poor colored people at
her house during the years from 1865 to 1872,
and that she had sometimes as many as hun
bred a day at her house, and paid large sums
Tor physicians and medicine for them. For
this she asked Congress to grant her the sum of
$4,000. The committee have decided adversely.
They say that they have no dohbt the claimant
was actuated by the best of motives, but if Com
gress should open the door to such claims there
would be no end to them
Inc Zen 1Aour Law
A circular issued from the Navy Department
today provides that the hours in the several ma
w yards and shore stations throughout the
United States will be from March 81 to Sept.
81 from a. m. to y. m. /; from Sept. % to
March 20 from 7.40 a.. M. to 4. 80 o. M, with
the usual intermissiOn of one hour for dinner.
The department will contract for labor of me-
chanics, foremen, leading men and laborers on
the basis of eight hours day. All workmen
electipg to labor ten hours day will receive a
increase of their wages. The
will notify the men employed or
to be employed of these conditions, and they
are at liberty to accept employment under them
or not. III, l....-.-..s ...t-~' -
The Montana Timber Seizures.
WASHINGTON, March 24.-Hon. Martin Ma
ginn is, delegate from Montana, has received
the following despatch from Helena, March %:
U. 5. Marshal Wheeler reports that $4,000
have been collected from seized wood and lum-
per IN Montana, mostly from wood in the hands
OF lsoorers who live by cutting and hauling
wood 10 market The tax has advanced on
lumber. Only consumers have suffered. not
the saw mill men, as erroneouslv stated hv the
Nowlan letter to the Secretary of the Interior.
The timber has been used only for specuIation.
The low price OF wood now is entirely atrrib-
utable to the remarkably mild winter. which
has been like autumn weather since Octobar
(Signed.) III. M. PACKARD,
President of Helena Board of Trade
Various Matters.
Ellis Spear, Commissioner of Patents. saws
there is no truth in the statements of his resio
nation, and as far as he knows he is on the best
terms with the President and Secretary of the
Treasury.
The Secretary of the Treasury has received