Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-08-01
CITY AND DISTRICT.
The License Tax on Commercial Drumr.e

UPON DISTRICT DRUMMERS-THE AMOUNT OF
REVENUE 1T YIELDS, ETC.
1t is stated that there is a movement on foot
among Baltimore. Philadelphia, New York and
Boston merchants and manufacturers to go be-
fore Congress and ask the repeal OF the law i'm
posing tax of 500 upon drummers for those
business houses who solicit trade in this Dis
trict- The movement appears TO have been in
spired by the Baltimore merchants. who ask the
cooperation of merchants of the other cities
named. who are interested in the repeal of what
they term unjust local laws. which are excess
sive, restrictive. arbitrary and unconstitutional"
circular has been sent by these disaffected
dealers throughout the country for the evident
purpose of working up a sentiment i'm favor of
free trade system in the District of
Columbia On inquiry at the collectors
office it is ascertained that the
revenue from this source since the enactment of
the law has been as follows: For 1879 $50 05S 81:
1880 S19,5oS.51; 1881, S3S,023.54. The jump
taken between the last two named years is attrib-
utabie To the fact that an officer has been employed
to look specially after the violations and eva
sions of this law, and many arrests have been
made, the parties being compelled to pay a fine
or take out license; most of the parties inter-
ested preierrin9 the latter course. From q
glance at the assessors books it is ascertained
that the Baltimore merchants are the ones most
interested in the repeal of this law land that they
areendeayorng to makeit appear that the dsaf-
lection is general. The present year. thus far.
there have been 143 licenses issued for CONNER
cial brokers, at the rate of $500 per annum.
OF these 2 are Baltimore traders.
Philadelphia: 16 New York. and % District
merchants. By the strict enforcement of this
law the revenues have been increased, and will
this year approach to near $4,000. The en-
forcement of it has created this outcry against
what the circular seeks to impress upon mer-
chants as a law which taxes travelling statesmen
only. The law is not local, as will be seen in
Its operations, as the District merchants are
made to pay the same license for the privilege
OF drumming for trade in this District. Nom
their interests by coming TO the District for
traffic, otherwise they would not pay this license
tax. The lberality OF the District laws is evil
denced by the fact that no license is required to
be paid by manufacturers. neither resident or
nonresident, for the sale of their goods. and
that Of the $50 manufacturers who sell goods in
this District. 4S of them are nOn-residents. For
years past the merchants of Baltimore have had
almost unlimited sway in this city drumming
Tor both wholesale and retail trade. and would
honor orders for pound of sugar to hogs
head. or yard of calico to bale of it,
A PRISONERS PETITION REJECTED.-Mr. Percy
Darlington. counsel for William Price colored
who was arrested in this city as Mathews Tay-
lor, the murderer of Violet Michaux, and taken
70 Richmond and committed to Jail last Friday
by Police Justice Richardson i'm default of $500
security. on Saturday petitiOned Judge r. w.
Hughes OF the United States circuit court. for
writ of habeas corpus. The petition alleged
that William Price. citizen of Washington city,
and not citizen of Virginia and having
violated no laws of the state of Virginia and
held on no charge of violation of any law of the
state OF Virginia. was Illegally confined in the
city Jail. Judge Hughes heard the case and dis
missed the petition.
KILLED On THE RAII-John Ioker. AGED *
gears. OF 246 William street. Baltimore brake
man on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad was
struck by the arch over the track at Four Mile
run, on the Alexandria railroad Saturday night
and Instantly killed The deceased was attached
TO the train following engine 81 and was stand
Ing on the top of a car when portion of the
arch under which the train was passing struck
and killed him instantly His remains were
aiken to Baltimore
BOLD AND CARELESS MISUNDERSTANDING
night gang OF coiOred burglars raised consid-
erable of disturbance in South Washington.
having visited the residences of Dir. Fenwick on
9th street: Mr.. Lord. on street, between 9Th
and 9TH streets southwest. and Mr.. Samuel Ben
singer, No. COS street, carving away from the
two former places all the movable articles that
were within easy reach. At Mr.. Bensinger's the
mtruders RECALLED themselves on some bottled
beer found on the premises. Subsequently one
them. in striking match, set fire to a cur
IAN and the family was alarmed Sergeant
Leach, Officer Carter and Detective McDeyitt
quickly responded to the summons for the
police, and after extingushing the fire went in
scar OF the ourgiars One of the party, Peter
Ian, was arrested in vacant lot near ST. Dom
mics Church. He had his plumber CONSISTING
OF Clothing and provisions with him. Later
pave Underwood, supposed to be a member of
The gang, was arrested.
EXCITEMENT on SIXTH SrREEr.-About 81
o'clock this morning sharp report apparentlv
rom fire arm. was heard on 9th street below
he b. and p. railroad depot. and caused con-
siderable alarm and the collection of large
crowd Of people. who thought there had been
another attempted assassination It was soon
sscertained that the cause of the alarm was the
running OF a wagon over rifle cartridge
which exploded it.
An ATTEMPTED OUTRAGE NEAR MANASSAS.
VA--Last Tuesday morning Miss Lena Weldon
eldest daughter of Mr.. c. H. A. Weldon. living
in the country about half mile from Manassas
~. was assaulted by white ruffian while gath
ering apples in the orc,raru o1o was legged
some thirty or forty yards, and then dsengaging
the Villains hand from her mouth uttered loud
screams. He thereupon struck her and ran
away. She describes him as being white man
about FIVE feet nine inches i'm height, of rather
spare form, red complexion, with beard of sew
eral days growth, light or linen clothes, sOiled
aud wearing coarse straw hat. and about
twenty-three or four years of age. person
answering this description was tracked by way
of Dunlfries TO the railroad wharf on the PotO-
mae, which he reached about the time the Ex-
ceisior left for Washington
MARRIAGE LICENSES have been issued to
George Evart Fisher and Mary Ann Loveless;
Peter sehlosser and Katie Varnell; Frank A.
pea ana Matte f. Doyle: Reuben Smith and
Sinon Z. Burnett, of Port Royal. Va and
Nellie o. West; Owen Murray and Mary j. Cady:
James I; Sim and Jerusa X. Finch; James II.
Barr and Margaret Webb; Robert Lias and Ellen
Sos,esi Francis Godfrey and Mary F. Burnett:
W. H. Arnold and Missouri c. Nelson.
WELL PRESERVED CoRPsE.-Mr George r
McGiue who has contracted for disinterring the
bodies IN the Old Hoimead cemetery. in the pros
ecation OF his business last week opened crave
containing cast iron casket made in the shane
OF a mans body, II was taken out and with
considerable difficulty opened. when the corpse
OF the man it contained was found TO be In AZ
perfect a state Of preservation as when buried
The lid was replaced aud thorough search
made on the outside OF the casket for some clue
e IS to who the person was, but nothing was
found to throw any light upon the matter From
all appearances the body had been buried there
g many years. and there was no head stone nor
outward marks to show who the person was
= neither could there be found any record In the
imperfect books kept by the sexton Ii charesuof
= he cemetefy.> The remains were re-lnferre7x11
>otxf IL w.