The New York herald., 1879-08-23
United States Mediation in South
America.
BACK PENSION CLAIMS.
The State Department and the Murder OF
Dahan Pacha.
FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.

ing the receipt of the instructions OF the departments
to tender the friendly offices of the government
Of the United States to these nations engaged in
war. with the view of bringing about settle
ment Of the causes which had led to this
unhappy struggle. From our representatives
the gratifying information comes that while no OIL
cia action has been taken it is understood that an
informal conference had already been held and that
the proposition was received kindly and entertained
not unfavorably. There is therefore reasonable
assurance that the pending difficulties may be ter
minated by the mediation Of the United States. but
what form the arbitration will take is yet
known. Y
THE BACK PENSION CLAIMS TO BE PAID Bf
THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER.
The officials at the Pension Bureau say that they
will be able dispose every claim under the act
allowing Of pensions by the middle Of Octo
Der. The amount already disbursed is nearly
O0o leaving $l3 900 to be paid 1t is said
that IL the amount had been available after the
passage OF the act every claim would have been
settled by the Let Of July but the Pension Bureau
has only been able to adjust the claims according to
which the Secretary of the Treasury could
allow from month to month their settlement has
becn necessarily slow. Now, however. there Is no
for delay. and they being paid at the rate
OF ive hundred day. No special order is observed
In the order in which they reached They will
aggregate. rs the Commissioner estimated, about
fortyhve thousand claims. requiring $25.00OO00 to
pay them. The largest amount paid to any pen
sioner has been $4.5OO and in some in
stances certificate has been issued for 81 Gu.
The daily disbursement averages $3.50. 900.
Some idea may be formed Of the extraor-
binary interest taken in the subject when It is known
that beforca certificate bad been issued there
received upward Of twenty thousand letters, making
inquiries about the subject. The total number Of
applications fled is $4,000. Of which fully 10000
not entitled to the additional payment. The
rapidity with which the work has been transacted
Is an evidence of good management and the efficient
system OF the methods employed in keeping the
records of the Bureau. Both the number of cases
be allowed and the amount required for their sete
mont fall within the estimate made by Commissioner
Bentley, and disprove the statements frequently
made during the discussion Of the question in Con-
gress that would not less than 800 100 600 to
pay the pension
THE MURDER OF DAHAN PARLIAMENTARY
COMING TRIAL
The oficial report Of N. d. Comanos. tho Vice
Consul General ut Cairo. to the State Department
regard to the murder of Dahan Pacha by o natu-
rallied American citizen named Miriam, which oc-
curred at Alexandria. Egypt tho afternoon Of the
18th OF July. received to-day. 1t is short de-
spatch giving the main points Of the affair. which
have already been published in the HERALD. As 1t
contains matter requiring the official consideration
Of the State Department its exact contents not
made public There is nothing additional, however,
In regard to the murder of Dahan Pacha. Tho Con-
sui General to Egypt. Mr.. E. Z. Farman. is in
this country on leave of absence He left Alexan.
dria two days before the murder and
knows nothing of tho event save what he
has read in the newspaper accounts and in
the official report Of Mr.. Comanos. On his
arrival in New YORK last week Secretary Evarts
graphed him to come to his summer residence in
Windsor. VT, whittier Mr. Farman went to talk with
the Secretary in regard to tho powers given our
Consul IN Egypt to try criminal cases. At the re-
quest OF Mr.. Evarts Mr.. Farman has come to
Washington for further consultation with the
State Department officials upon this subject,
and to-day he waS engaged for several
hours with Mr.. Henry O'Connor. the law officer
Of the department. in informing himself about the
legal status Of the Nearly three weeks ago
Secretary Evarts telegraphed the Wee Consul Gen.
eral that. under laws and the treaty with Tur-
key. he fully empowered to proceed with the
trial of Miriam. 1t is understood that the trial
will not proceed until the return OF Consul General
Farman to Cairo He says ut this OF the years
1t is oppressiveiy hot in that country anu that
there will be necessarily delays in the case which
would not bring it to direct trial before the
1st Of October next In the meantime. as there
is every probability Of his acting in judicial ca-
pacty during the trial. he excused himself fromnot
expressing opinion in reference the merits Of
the The claim OF Mirx to protection on the
ground that he Is q naturalized citizen is admitted
by tho State Department. he having been furnished
With passport on his naturalization papers. It
thought for time that ne had expatriated him.
self. which would release our government
from the responsibility Of proceeding with
the trial, but examination OF tho files of the War
Department dispellcd this hope. The important
point yet to be settled is in what manner shall he
be tred There has been but one other case similar
TO Il in the history OF criminal procedure in our
consular courts. II the trial of James Webb an
American seaman at Nagasski. nearly year ago. for
the murder Of Russian subject named Constan-
tine Kaskine. Tho Consul assisted by
several assessors who acted in o semi-judicisl
capacity and the accused was sentenced bo hanged
A review Of the proceedings by the Attorney Gen.
eral raised tho question whether an American citi-
tried by civil officer could bo condemned to
death without trial by jury. The assessors. as
they were called. were not regarded in any sense
~ jury. and tho Attorney General thought tho
matter too serious to recommend an approval of
the sentence. The President. therefore, commuted
1t to imprisonment for life. Tho of Miriam in
wolves the question whether he is not entitled to
have Verdict found by jury. and this will prob
ably be ordered as his right American citizen
on trial for his life.
PUBLICATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE
PORTER COURT MARTIAL.
The proceedings andreport of the Board of Army
Officers convened by the War Depar in the case
OF General Fitzjohn Porter. of which General Scho-
hcld was president. have been published accord
ancc with tho order of Congress- and the documents
sent to tho War Department make three large VOL
umcs. one of which is entirely devoted to maps of
the battle ground. The publication ordered for tho
use OF Congress- will be yet more voluminous. in
cudng. as IT WILL tho original report OF the court
mhrtial and all tho accompanying papers. This was
done in order that the subject might be fully under