Morning journal and courier., 1881-06-13
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

The Agricultural Department. - Plans
Entertained by the New Commissioners
"A Strange Suicide-Other Matters.
WASHINGTON, June 12.-Dr. George B.
Loring who assumes his duties as the new
commissioner of agriculture in July, has
plans for the extension of the department,
which if encouraged will make it one of the
most important under the government. These
plans include no particular revision of the
force of employees, but an extension of the
scope. The new buildings to be erected will
be pushed rapidly TO completion and no time
is to be lost in developing the ideas which are
to raise this bureau above its present level.
DIR. Loring hopes to make the Agricultural
department universal authority among far
mers, and bases his hopes upon the success
full cooperation of farmers and agricultural
experiment stations in the States where es-
tablished. The report that DR.. Loring's am
bition is to secure for the Agricultural Com
missioner position in the Cabinet is dis
credited by his friends, who think they know
him well enough to attribute his zeal to pure
scientific motives.
Judge Advocate General Swain expects to
begin at once the revision of the voluminous
evidence submitted in accompaniment to the
verdict of the court martial in the case of
Cadet Whitaker. 1t is officially stated that
the government is well pleased with the con-
duct of the court martial just concluded after
sitting long in New York and it is to be
hoped the verdict will be found in full accord
with the justice of the proceedings. The ex-
animation of evidence can scarcely be conclu
ded in less than two weeks, after which it
goes to the President for approval An an
MT of jcto ho
expected before July 1.
A peculiarly complete suicide occurred
here Saturday night Peter G. Neff was
found dead in his lodgings with an empty
laudanum bottle near by. Three letters
were also found, one detailing his history as
a soldier of the late and explaining his
suicide while few dollars remained for bur-
1al purposes fulfliment of his desire to
avoid being dependent cripple. Another to
his landlord regretted that bad weather COM
PEELED him to take life indoors, else the same
annoyance might have been saved. The
third letter directed the Washington medical
college to take charge of his body and give
the desirable information as to his birth and
physical history. Deceased was forty years
of age and had been for some time an inmate
of the Soldiers Home.
The signal corps station at Cape Henry,
Va, reports as follows: The boiler Of Ba-
kers wrecking steamer exploded at a. m,
killing Fireman Frank instantly and scalding
Joseph Turner and Sam Ward terribly. The
steamer was laying at anchor abreast of life
saving station No 1 and getting up steam to
continue the work on the schooner D. F.
Keeling ashore here. The pilot tug is towing
the unfortunate steamer to Norfolk, display
ing her ensign at half mast.
All the members uf the Cabinet were in the
city to-day for the first time in several weeks.
The last to come was Secretary Lincoln, who
arrived from West Point this morning. Post
master General James went to New York to-
night and will return Tuesday. Secretary
Blaine is suffering greatly from rheumatism.
Yesterday he was unable to leave his house.