Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-05-17

GEN. GEORGE A. SHERIDAN ExoNERArED.-
The committee OF Post O1ice officials. Thlrd
Assistant Postmaster General HaZen chairman.
recently appointed to Investigate the charges
alleging lmproprtetle3 In contract held py
Gen. George A. Sheridan to supply the depart
ment with fasteners for canvas sacks. have
presented their report to the Postmaster Gene.
raj, stating their conclusion that there Is no
evidence showing that Gen. Sheridan corruptiy
influenced official action In securing the con-
tract.
While the report OF the commission (Gen.
Hszep, Chief Inspector Parker and Private
Secretary Van We1meT eXoDerates Gen. Sheri-
dan 1t ts quite severe On the course OF James
and Langley, two former p. o. D officials. for
engaging 1n the transaction. The commission
sustained in the matter, recommend that no
more fasteners be ordered and that the ques-
tion whether the contract can te annuiled and
tween the amount paid and the amount at
which the inventor (Mr. G. II. Fayman) offered
the fasteners be considered by the law officers
OF the government 1t Is for this latter pur
el ais Office.
OUR FISH AND FLOWER PONDS, Rrc-The
national carp ponds are becoming more and
more Of picturesque feature In the monument
grounds. There are now there TWENTY-FIVE
varieties of the water lily. from different
countries, Of which many win soon be In bloom.
One slecles is from Mongolia
IlOcoSOI DdlIu expects 10 nave Unefc the
best exhibit OF aquatic plants In this country.
There are also, In addition to the carp, several
other varieties Of fish, some Of them purely
ornamental Among these are some from
Japan. DR.. Hessel, the superintendent. has so
tender feeling for the fl5h he raises tn at
nothing would induce him to eat one Of them
The same Ia true OF Professor Baird. When a
very tine specimen OF one OF the species of fl5h,
TO the breeding OF which he had paid some at
tentiOn, was sent him for his table some time
ago, he sent 1t away, Indignantly, saying he
Would as soon eat baby. The carp are doing
very well indeed this year and several hundred
thousand will be ready for shipment In the
autumn.
PERs0NAL--Chief Justice Waite was the re-
cipient OF handsome informal reception and
supper at the hands OF the Atheneum Club of
Baltimore last evening.-Mr. Lapouchere. ed
1tor OF London Truth, is said to be contemplat.
Ing lecture tour In the United States next
faIl.-Dr. Cabeu, president OF the National
Board OF Health, 1s In the city to- day ON bust
ness connected with that body.-Rev. Henry
ward Beecher has gone west on three weeks
lecfurlDg tour-Ex-Senato Piatt went over
to New York yesterday afternoon.-Mr Wen.
dell Philips Is to give the Phi Beta Kappa ora
tlon at Harvard this year.-It is ANNOUNCED
in New York that N. Outrey, the French Minis
Ter here, and his wife, will sail from that port
for Europe o-morrow.-District. Attorney
Corkhlll will deliver the Grafton at Soldiers
Home on Decoration day.-Gen. Babcock is In
New York.-Count Lppe Weissenfeld, Charge
de- Ana1res OF the Austrian legation here has
rented cottage at Newport for the summer
COL. ThOs. A. Scott Is sufficiently recovered
to leave Philadelphia for his country residence
hear that city yesterday.