Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-11
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
THE STAR ROUTE ROGUES FREE.
The Information Quashe d---The
Lesser Thieves still IN the TOiIs--
WindOm's What He
Claims to Have saved.

WASHINGTON, November 1O.-Judge Cox,
In the Criminal Court to-day, delivered his
decision, quashing the information in the
star route cases and dischsrging the de-
Pendants. The principal reason given by
Judge Cox for this action is that Congress,
in the act establishing the Police Court in
the District Of Columbia in 1870, by i'm
piieation, drew the line between infamous
crimes and misdemeanors, any offense pun
lsnaOle oy imprisonment in the peniten-
uary, being an Infamous crime.
After careful review of the acts of Con-
gress hearing thereon, Judge Cox ruled that
the o11enses charged in the information are
certainly Infamous crimes, and as such can
not be brought before the court in this
manner, the proper course being by pre-
sentiment or indictment by a grand jury.
The defendants therefore are discharged.
Col. VIM. a. Cook for the prosecution,
made statement, explaining why proceed
ings had been begun by information, say
ing that in the excitement and delay caused
by the Presidents assassination the grand
jury had been adjourned without the
knowledge of the prosecution, thereby, pos
sibly, giving the defendants the benefit of
the statute of limitations II the proceed
ings had been brought in the usual way.
Col Cook afterwards assured a reporter
that the other cases would be proceeded
with without delay.
Secretary Windom's refunding operations
have now been entirely completed, the few
remaining suspended cases having been dis
posed of. The total Of the bonds continued
at 80 per cent is $579, $50 050, and the total
cost TO the government was about $4,000,
of which nearly $4,000 was for paper and
printing the bonds, and for all other ex-
penses, including the cost of making
exchanges of about $45 600, 600 Of bonds
in London, S4 ,499 sThis makes the expense
of continuing" each million dollars worth
Of bonds about seven dollars and eighty one
cents. Secretary Window says that his re-
funding operations will result in much
greater saving to the government than
would have been effected by the refunding
measures of the last Congress, for the fol-
lowing reasons:
The bill passed by Congress appropriated
One-qusrter of one per cent. for the ex-
penses of refundipg, which would have
amounted to Sl4 4S9 as against less than
$4,000 by his plan. As a part Of the re-
funding measures OF c Congress, and in order
to induce the banks to accept a per cent.
bond, bill passed the Senate unanimously
repeating the tax on bank deposits, which
would have reduced the annual revenues of
the government sc. 569, ,4S6, as shown by the
receipts or 1881. Inc House COmulltb'e e OF
Ways and Means of the last Congress for
like reasons reported favorably a bill re-
pealing the tax on bank deposits and also
the two cent stamp tax on bank checks,
drafts and orders, amounting in the aggre-
gate to IS, GO .679 This sum added to one
quarter Of one per cent. for the expenses of
the three per cent. refunding measure
amounts to $40, 1875 500
The difference between 81 and 3 per
cent bonds on the entire amount refunded
is 81, ,S97 500 per snnnm, which, deducted
from the total OF $40, l25, ,599 as above
stated. shows an advantage to the govern
ment for the first year of 81, 227, 799 by Mr.
WiudOm's operations over the refuuding
measures proposed by the last Congress, and
as It was proposed by the House
Committee of Ways and Means to reduce
the annual revenues derived from banks
IS sc 500 in order to induce the banks to
take a per cent. bond, the 80 per cent.
plan Of Secretary Windnm shows a perma-
neut advantage of IS, ~, ,8q9 per annum to
the government over the measures proposed
by the Ways ard Means Committee.
Another advantage of this measure over
thai proposed BY Congress is that the loan
Is payable at the discretion of the govern
ment, and hence msy be paid at any time
that the government has funds, whether it
be this year or hundred years hence.