Morning journal and courier., 1882-12-20
News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. Only a Spasm, A Change Comes Over the
 House. A Holiday Recess Voted. Good Progress With the Appro-
 priation Bills. Changes iEa tlae Tariff Recommended by the Ways and
 Means Committee.
Changes iHl tlae ,TariG
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

l The Star Route Trtals--Opening Argu- ment by Counsel For the Defence-Ths House Reconsider and Vote to Take B Recess-IIappenings of the Day About the Capital.
 l WASHINGTON, Dec. 19.-In the Star route l case to day Mir. Bliss concluded his opening I argument. He spoke of ex-Senator Spen- cer's flight into Canada and of the efforts I made by the government to secure his pres- 1 ence in court. He said Spencer's was the only evidence to which he had referred that ! was not entirely within the coatrol of the prosecution. In closing he promised to show an understanding between Brady and the other defendants, which would insure 8 ] prompt verdict of guilty against the defend \ an4s. Mir. Chandler then opened for the de- fence. He proceeded to analyze the indict- 1 ment, holding that there was no crime in the making of contracts with the government or in asking for increase of service. He gave a statement of the organization and regulation of the Pcstoffice department, holding that Brady had no power in himself to make or change contract Court adjourned at 4 p. m. Mir. Chandler will occupy all the session to morrow.
 The Improvements just completed at the White House and shown to visitors today are the most elegant specimens of interior decoration ever seen in the city. The Presi- dent hopes to be comfortably settled in the
 executive mansion by the first of the year, though he will probably eat his Christmas dinner at the Soldiers Home.
 The new army appropriation bill reduces
 the number of aidesde-camp from 37 to g,
 provides for the payment of officers on the retired list at the rate provided by law for
 the rank held when they retired from the
 army, that army supplies and transportation over roads having land grants or other aid in construction from the government shall be charged at rate 50 per cent less than that charged private citizens. This is all the i'm portant new legislation in the bill.
 In the Dickson case to day Brewster Cam ers2 said he had never gone to any disrepu- table den lu meet Bowen or Dickson. He said he was present when Dickson made the request of Mir. Bowen that he CDickson) be introduced to Brewster Cameron. He thought at the time it was for proper pur- pose and never questioned the motives until later developments. MT. Hooker was then discharged. Governor Welles asked that Bowen be put under $1, ,OOO bonds for ap- pearance and that ha be given until to-mor- ernor Welles then announced that the gov ernment's case was closed. Dickson will be the first witness tomorrow.
 The probability is being strengthened that there will be contest over the confirmation of James Olmstead the Presidents nominee for commissioner of the District of Colum- bia. The opposition grows partially from letters sent to different Senators calling at tention to the fact that Olmstead was former ly connected with the real estate Of the Dis trict He is still in that business and has large speculative interests in the District con- jointly with Halistt Kilbourne, the old time partner of Boss Shepard. These letters had the effect of setting Senators to make person al inquiry into the matter and the result is doubtful.
 The Ways and Means committee made sev- eral important amendments to the tariff con- missions report ;this afternoon. The duty on lead was made 1a pound instead of and lead ill pigs and bars cents instead of II cents nickel in ore or other crude form not ready for consumption in the arts-- --15 in stead of 20 cents pound; zinc spelter of I tutenage or blocks or pigs or old worn out zinc fit only to be remanufactured, instead of II cents pound zinc spelter or tutenage in sheets 2 instead of cents pound; pen knives and pocket knives of all kinds, swords, sword blades and side arms 35 per centunl instead of 50. The committee adjourned un- ! til to- morrow morning, when the paragraph concerning pins will be reached. The com mittee turned to the classification of lead chemicals while lead was under considera- tion and made the following alterations :: Acetate of lead brown B cents pound from 3; acetate of lead white 51 cents from ,; white lead when dry or in pulp ? cents from ?, when ground or mixed in oil cents from Representative Watson has prepared bill to increase from $S. 50 to $50 8 month the pension of Simpson Harris of Putnam Co.,, Ind. He is 105 years old, was private in the war of 1872 in North Carolina volunteers and is the oldest man now on the pension rolls.