The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-12-10
WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.-Supreme court |
decisions: No. 84-Henry Elcox ct al, |
plaintiffs in error, against Sarah a. Hill, |
administrative, executrix, etc, in error to |
the circuit court of the United States for |
the northern district OF Illinois. The con-
troversy in this case relates to the liability
of the inn-keepers. The court holds it as
settled that wherever property is lost or
stolen in hotel through the personal neg
ligence of the guest the liability of the
inn-keeper does not exist; but If the guest
has valuables in safe provided by the
inn-keeper he n.ust bear his own loss un
less it occurs by the hand or through
the carelessness of the landlord or his EN-
ployes. judgment affirmed with costs,
The senate confirmed postmasters: G.
W Hutton, Auburn, iii; Samuel FL Web
ster, ShelbyVllle, ILL., VIM Bell, Washing
ton, Iowa; Fl Talmadge, West Union,
Iowa; John D Wilson, Belle Plaine, Iowa;
John j Steadman, Crestop, Iowa. w L
Spottswood. West Side
-Four per cent. subscriptions to-day, ST.
574,65O.
The senate confirmed Halbert E Paine,
or Wisconsin,, commission of patents; AL
| gernon ; Badger, postmaster at New Or
leans; Mrs A j Il Thompson, Memphis.
| The secretary Of the treasury to-day
Isent bill to speaker Randall which was
referred to the ways and means committee,
Icontaining the draft Of bill to regulate
the duties on certain classes of goods and
for other purposes. The bill puts the rate
lof tax on sugar at 4-l00 cents per pound
higher than heretofore, guided to that by
the fact that coioring has been done to the
!: lower grades. He hopes that action will
be taken at an early date, The bill allud-
ed to provides for the following rates: On
all sugars not above No. thirteen Dutch
standard in color, and not exceeding ninety.
four degrees strength, two cents and
: four mills per pound, provided such sugars
shall pay the rate duty chargeable on
: sugarsEabove No. l3, but not above No
3 l6. color and strength to be tested by ;
r polariscope or its equivalent, as pres cribeG
. by the Secretary of the Treasury. L
S amends section 253, Revised Statutes. Il
S allow the Secretary to discontinue ports o
a entry whose revenue is less than $lo,00C
: annually and TO consolidate the districts
: and place subordinates there for the prop
i er collection of revenues. It repeals tht
laws authorizing allowance in assessmen
: of duties for damage on imported merch
: andise. For the purpose Of securing uni
b formity, the Secretary may in cases 0
II variance between the appraised value a
It two or more ports 10 the United State
n direct board of general appraisers to de
e eide the matter, and, subject to the ap
= proval Of the Secretary, to establish regu
= lations tending to uniformity. Any pei
lson, not government officer. furnishin
d evidence of fraud upon the customs reve
L nue., which shall lead to the recovery Q
d duties unlawfully withheld or misappliec
L such person may receive one third of th
u gross amount SO recovered. The Secre
tary is authorized to pay an amount DC
to exceeding 100000 annually for the dt
ID lection of such frauds and for prevention
y The Secretary is authorized to prohib
10 shipment into the territory of Alaska {
he molasses or any article which in his iud,
he ment may be intended for the manufactur
Is of spirits in that territory.
ct Speaker Randall laid before the Hous
ty of Representatives to-day a communici
re ton addressed to him officially by Pcs
OF master General Key, 10 which he inform
at the House that in order to keep the tot
1g expenditures within the amount of the al
th preparation he will be obliged to cause ii
er use Of railway postal cars to be disco
ed tinued on and after the lst of next Jan
be ary, unless congress shall in the meantiu
ch make an additional appropriation.