The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-04-25
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-ASHINGTON.
Investigation Courted.

investigation COurted
WASHINGTON, April 23.-Auditor McGrew is
a good deal worked up by reports that he is
connected with the star route iniquity He
has written letter to Secretary Window, re-
questng thorough and searching investiga-
ton into the operations of the sixth auditors
office during the past six years. Mr.. McGrew
said to-day that he had no thought of resigning
and certainly should net with these nsinua-
lions in the air.
Postoffice Clerks Discharged.
Three clerks were discharged from the post
office department to-day. They were not
however. charged with being connected with
star route contracts. The investigation as to
clerks in the contract division is now going on,
and it is understood that at least five are to be
discharged.
The Christiancy Scandal.
In the ChristIancy divorce suit to-day a
sister of Mrs. Christiancy testified that on
Christmas day Mrs. Christiancy was not out of
the house but lay on the sofa sick. Mrs.
Christiancy's brother, DR.. Lugenbeel, testified
thr oughont the entire day, except about 10
minutes, when he went to the post office to
mail q letter, and no one called for Mrs.
Christiancy with carriage or otherwise The
hrst question put on cross-examination was to
whom the letter was addressed that he mailed.
This the doctor declined to answer, claiming
that 1t was entirely personal matter, and had
nothing to do with the case. The question
was written out and certified by the examiner
to the judge of the equity court, with a request
to decide whether or not the counsel for Mr..
Christiancy was entitled to have an answer to
it. The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday
next.
The Senate Deadlock.
WAsHINGToN, April Ex-senator Conkling
and his friends adroitly postponed the RepuD-
iican caucus, which would otherwise have
been held to-day, on the ground that several
Senators desired to go to New York last night.
1t will be held on Tuesday and there will be
determined effort made by those Senators
who are friendly to the President. to proceed
to .the consideration of executive business.
When this is done the nominations will speed
lily be disposed of, and Senators will begin to
leave for their homes, so that election of Off
GERS will have to be postponed until December
The Spanish Claims Commission
WASHINGTON, April 23.-At the meeting of
the Spanish. American commission at the State
department, to-day, MIR. Thomas J. Durant,
the counsel for 1.-THE United States before the
commission, stated that he had been instruct
ed by the Secretary of State to request the UNI
pre- Count Lewenhoupt, to reconsider his re-
cent decision in the Buzzi case, inasmuch as
1t comedies to the Spanish government the
right, in determining the question of Ameri-
can citizenship, to go behind the naturaliza-
ton papers and require evidence to establish
the fact that the conditions required by our
laws to entitle an alien to receive naturaliza-
freely complied with previous to the granting
OF the certificate. He then read to the COM
mission letter which he had received from
the Secretary of State this morning, giving
MIN instructions to that effect, and stated that
he should at once make formal request of
Count LewenhOupt to reconsider his decision.
Pending the determination of that question,
the work of the commission will not be inter
rupted, as there are six cases now before them
in which the question of citizenship or natur-
allZatiOO does Tho rt-
ment holds that, in determining the question
of citizenship, naturalization papers regular in
form and duly issued by competent tribunals
Shall be taken not only as prima facie, but
as conclusive proof of the citizenship of
claimant. This position was conceded by
Baron Blanc, former umpire for the COM
mission, and it is understood that our govern
ment will insist upon this construction to be
placed upon one of the stipulations defining
the powers of the commission. 1t declares: GIN
any case heard by the arbitrator, the Spanish
government may traverse the allegation of
American citizenship, and thereupon compe-
tent and sufficient tproof thereof will be re-
quired." Our government will maintain that
naturalization papers constitute competent and
sufficient proof.
The Star Route Frauds.
A table showing the increase of the annual
pay OF W Star routes out of 1926 whereby the
annual pay of SO routes was raised between the
letting of 1878 and January. 1. 1880, from
7N ,!19 to 2,8O2,214, has been prepared fir ON
official sources.
The Union Pacific Claims Million from
the Government.
WASHINGTON, April 24.-A petition has
been filed with the United States court of
claims by the Union Pacific Railroad Company
representing first that up to and including the
31st day of December, 1876, claims of the rail-
road company against the government for
transportation of mails had been adjusted up
on terms prescribed by the post Office depart
ment which offered compensation to the COM
pany considerably less than amounts charged
to and paid by private parties for the same
kind of service at the same dates. The COM
pany makes claim for other services to the
government for over million dollars.
The Duty on Wooden Goods.
WASHINGTON, April pa delegation of
wooden manufacturers from New York state
was granted a hearing by Assistant Secretary
French OF the treasury department to-day.
The point made by the manufacturers was,
that Scotch caps should not be considered as
part of the wooden goods upon which recent
decision OF the supreme court of the United
States reduced the rate of duty. The
declaration as argued as reason why Scotch
caps should not be subject to a reduction,
that imported Scotch caps are not made on
frames, but are either imported as flat shells,
not in the form of caps, or are manufactured
by the addition of labor and material, so that
they are not, in any sense. caps made on
frames" Judge French reserved his decision
The decision of the supreme court referred to
was in the case of Victor ct. 81. VS.. G. A. Ar
thur as collector of customs at the port of New
York, better known as the stocking case,"
and was the same upon which Senator Blair
of New Hampshire based his recent appeal for
an extra session of Congress.