Morning journal and courier., 1882-12-21
News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. Rushing the Work. Both Houses of Congress
 Working Hard. THE EVIL OF SPECULATION. A Bank Forced to Close Its
 Doors. The SuItan's Wretched Life. His Palace Turned Into d
 Fortress.
The Sultan's Wretched Life
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL,

The Star Route Arguments Further Talk for the Defense-Size and Value of the Pension HoIl-The News Summa- ry From the Capital.
 WASHINGTON, Dec. 2O.-In the Star route trial this morning MT. Jefferson Chandler continued his opening to the jury on the part of the defence. His argument for the first hour was to the effect that the oAly criterion as to the propriety of increasing service on the Star routes was the judgment, the discre- tion of the Postmaster General. If there was (according to the prosecution) an honest man connected with the Star route matter, it was the immaculate Walsh. Mr. Chandler inn pressed upon the jury the fact that in no case had the compensation for additional service been increased beyond what the low allowed. There was no allegation that the law had been violated, but the jury was asked by the prosecution to say that the compensation had been unduly increased. MT. Chandler occupied the entire afternoon, and Colonel Ingersoll will begin sometime to- morrow.
 The commissioner of pensions has forward ed to the Senate communication regarding the subject of pensions in which he states that there 291 ,656 pensioners, to whom is paid annually $50, ,O13, ,O0O. The number of applications pending December 1st was 376,78 and the number on tho re- jected file was 7s, ,5S0 The total number of increase of 22,122 since January 25, 1879. The amount pad for arrears from January 25, 1S79 to December 1st, 1882, is 1897, S91, ,5O69s. There now on l the files 253, GAS pending and rejected claims which were filed prior to July l, ESQ., and allowing 20 per cent. for rejections, there would be POP, ,91S for admission and entitled 1 to the benefit of the arrears act. If these should be placed on the pension rolls the value of these cases would amount in round l numbers to $2O4, 795, 900. In the same pro- portion it would increase the number of pensioners from 291 GUS to 494, ,575 and the 1 annual value of the whole roll to $50, OOO,- l 900.
 1 The Senate to day confirmed the nomina- ! tions of J. Bancroft Davis to be 8 member of l the court of claims Clayton E. MacMichael l to be marshal of the District of Columbia :; Commodore E. R. Calhoun to be rear admiral | in the navy; John P. Baker to be paymaster l and major in the army. Several army and ] navy nominations and about sixty postmas l ters were also confirmed. Among the post
 masters were the following: 1T. l.. Roberts, Winsted Ct.; F. A. Shumway, ,Danielsonville, | Ct.
 The defense began taking their testimony | in the Dickson case before the court at Wash l 1ngCOn tO-Qay. The C9TenOanG, WllIa14 1 Dickson, saidithat he had neverl tried to in fuence Juror McNelly aad gave g detailed | account of the occurrences in the jury room.
 Mir. Smith asked Dickson when he had con- cluded his testimony to repeat that part that referred to Bowen, when the court interrupt | ed and said 1t was not necessary, he be-
 lieved that Mir. Dickson had stated the exact l truth in the matter. ,
 l The following message from Lieutenant Harber, which reached Irkoutsk by mail from Yakoutsk yesterday, was telegrephed
 to Minister Hunt at St. Petersburg today ! Chandler: Arrived at Yakoutsk. Harry Hunts party delayed few days. Anfquia I ill; not seriously. The rest well. Made search of coast from Lima to Jana and I Oguenek. Ran several routes through the | Delta. Communicated with the natives, who l during this summer visited every portion of
 the Delta. No traces of Chipp were discov- l cred. Orders to bring bodies just received l Must await permission from the Russian gov l ernment to remove bodies. Hunt and party 1 proceed to Irkoutsk. Scheutze and return
 to the Delta. Sixty days necessary to bring 1 the bodies here. Sent caskets to 1rkoutsk. (Signed) HARPER, Lieutenant. The Secretary of the Treasury to-day sent ! to the Senate a comparative statement show l ing the pilot, wharf and other charges at the l various ports of this country. At New York vessels pay an average rate of $G.37 per foot ! draft for inward pilotage and S3.72 for out 1 ward pilotage between April 1st and Novem- Der 1st. At other times the rates are S6. 7S per foot. At Boston inward pilotage is $3.32 per foot, at Philadelphia $4 per foot inward
 pilotage and S3 per foot outward
 The Ways and Means committee at it's ses-
 sion this afternoon considered all of the
 schedule of wood and wooden ware. The first paragraph was amended to read: Tim 1 Der hewn sawn and timber used for spars
 and in building wharves, 15 per cent. 0d 00 l 1orem. The second paragraph was amended
 to read: Climber squared or sided, not specially enumerated or provided for in this act, f per cent. per cubic foot ;' sawed
 boards, plank and other lumber of hemlock, l white wood, sycamore and bass wood amend
 ed to 95c. instead of $1 per thousand feet,
 board measure pickets and polling 15 per
 cent. a6 YGI0rem instead of 20; laths 10
 cents per thousand pieces instead of 15c.
 on casks and barrels, sugar box shocks, etc,
 25 instead of 30 per cent. Gd 00l01em. The
 committee turned back in the report to iron
 and steel screws one inch less in length, and
 increased the duty to II instead of cents g
 pound.
 Interest about the Capitolsto day centered
 in the Supreme Court where Senator
 Conkling made a three hours argument for
 the Southern Pacific railroad company in the
 presence of the largest audience that has l been seen in that court room since the cleo
 toral commission times. There g great
 deal moro oratory than law about Mir. Conk
 ling's argument, yet on it's conclusion he was
 warmly congratulated by Attorney Genera
 Brewster, Judge Jere Black and many Sena
 tors and members who heard him through
 out. Senator Edmunds will argue tho
 same side of the case tomorrow.
 !