Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-05

49, NSA~S AoNAh$ oAOPtCu klAb
the amount of such material must be re-
ported to Congress. The compromise pro-
Vided that the old material should not be 90
reported, but that before any old ship is
sold 1t shall be examined and appraised by
naval board, and the facts reported to Con
gress. The clause giving discretion to the
Secretary OF the Navy to close certain navy
yards, was insisted upon by the House con-
ferees, and was now the only matter in dis
pute.
Mr.. Peelle, Of Indiana, inquired as TO the
difference In the amount appropriated by
the bill as agreed upon by the conference
committee and the amount as IL originally
passed the House.
Mr.. Robson replied that the bill as it
passed the House had been reduced $780,
OOO, and that as 1t now stood 1t appropriated
$175, 900 less than the bill of last year
Mr.. Hewitt, Of New York, expressed his
qualification that the House conferees had
insisted upon the claim relative to the navy
yards, but pointed out the fact that 1t gave
the Secretary of the Navy discretion which
might be exercised in political and partisan
manner. He did not believe that the pres
ent Secretary of the Navy would do so, but
he Mr.. Hewitt) wished to give notice that
If he should he would be held to account
by the country.
The report was agreed to, and further
conference ordered.
The House proceeded to the consideration
OF the Senate amendments to the sundry
civil appropriation bill. Matters ran very
| smoothly for awhile, and the amendments
were concurred In or non-concurred in, ac-
cording to the recommendations of the
Committee on Appropriations. The first
stumbling block encountered was the
| clause relative to the National Board of
Health, the Senate amendment Increasing
to the amount of $4,000 the sppropria-
tions made for that body.
Messrs. Dunn, OF Arkansas, Reagan, of
Texas, and Manning, of Mississippi, ad-
vocated concurrence in the amendment
Messrs. Butterworth, Of Ohio, and Cox, Of
New York, argued In favor of its rejection,
| the latter declaring his belief that there
was plot on foot to work up yellow fever
scare In order that the salaries of members
| Of the board might continue.
Mr.. Hiscock, OF New York-There is not
a doubt about it.
Mr.. Cox referred to an article In a New
Orleans paper to show that the National
| Board OF Health had attempted to get up a
| yellow fever excitement over q case which
afterwards turned out to be case of alco-
hol and jaundice, and said that 1t was by
such means that the board sought to per-
petuate its salaries and its inutility. II the
board were given power to upturn local
quarantines the government would have q
stupendous institution, that would do moth
ing but interfere with commerce and bring
trouble upon the country.
Mr.. Manning denied that there was anv
plot in existence which affected the integ-
rity OF the national board, and dwelt upon
the Importance of maintaining that body at
the highest degree of efficiency.
Mr.. Reagan favored the Senate amend
ments, and deplored the fact that the House
should engage In a cOntemptible hfgplinp
scramble over $4,000, which was not
the one thousandth part of the sum
which would be lost should another
yellow fever epidemic spread through the
South. He criticised the position taken by
Mr.. Cox, Of New York, declaring that that
gentleman would be willing to see the peo-
pie die constitutionally, or to see the coun-
try devastated constitutionally. That was
his craftsmanship.
Mr.. Hiscock opposed concurrence in the
Senate amendments, and in the course of his
remarks said that sixty days ago
the lobby bad commenced. Agents
of the board had been sent every
where, and the force and power of patron
age had been brought into requisition in
order to carry this matter through the
House. He would not for the sake of Great
ing psltrY patronage. for the sake of Sc
curing appointments for the purpose of
giving employment to another army to
feast upon the Treasury, vote for any meas
ure, even though his vote was invoked in
the sacred name of humanity.
The debate was continued in support of
the aTnendm ents by Lynch and Messrs. Sin.
gletoD, Of Mississippi, Tucker, of Virginia,
Lord, of Michigan, and Blount, of Georgia
Mr.. Kobeson, OF New Jersey, contended
that the provisions made for the board by
the original House bill were ample, and
hoped that the Senate amendments would
be rejected. The amendments were finally
non -cOncurTedfn.
10 I'D "a
sumed In the dull work OF cOncuTring or
non-concurring in the Senate amendments,
the proceedings only once or twice being
diversified by noisy but brief and unim-
portant discussions upon some of the items
1t was nearly five O'Clock when the amend.
ments were all disposed OF and the bill was
sent to the Senate.
Mr. Hiscock, of New York, moved that
the House adjourn, but the Speaker stating
that II the House remained in session
few minutes longer, the legislative bill
could be enrolled, the motion was with
drawn.
The House disagreed to the amendment
of the Senate to the bill providing for
printing the agricultural report for 1881 and
a conference was ordered.
At $40 the House took a recess for half
an hour, at the end Of which time the legisla-
tive bill was signed by the Speaker.
Messrs. Hiscock, of New York, Butter
worth, of Ohio, and Blackburn, of Ken
lucky, were appointed coDferees on the sun
dry civil bill, and then at $50 the House ad-
iourned.
THE STAR ROUTE TRIALS.
In the star route trials to-day Harvey NJ.
Vaile, one of the defendants, was placed
on the stand. He said his principal busi-
ness was farming, but he had also been en-
gagged in mail contracting. He first met 8.
VrT r. ,.f-,. r.
cember, and John A. Dorsey In the same
month; had never paid Brady or any pub
lie officer for any of the things charged
against him. His first interest In any
of these contracts had been acquired
in the last days Of August, 1873. That
agreements had been put In writing but it
was antedated:some eight or ten days. His
interest had been continued up to March or
April, 1879. There was then an agreement
or division Of the Miner, Peck and Dorsey
mail routes Those routes were more than
one hundred in number. Their value was
first fixed upon the basis of compensa-
ton given and the length of time
the contracts were to run. II
the route was an aggregate loss, it was
so charged. They were then divided, and
the party securing the largest share paid
the others. Witness drew 40 per cent, Mi |
ner 30 per cent, and j. w. Dorsey and s.
w. Dorsey for Peck, drew 30 per cent.
This transfer was arranged in the depart |
ment by q system of sub-cOntracts made |
between the parties. Witness identified |
paper presented to him as the articles of |
a partnership entered into by Miuer,
Peck, j. w. Dorsey and himself for the pur- |
pose of carrying the mails. 1t is dated |
August 16, 1878, and names Vale as Treas |
urer and Miner as Secretary. The proceeds |
from the routes in the Indian Territory were |
to be divided as follows: Vale one third, |
Miner one-sixth, Peck one-sixth, and j. w. |
Dorsey one-third. In other States and Ter |
ritories Vale and Miner were to receive |
each one third. and Peck aud j. W. Dorsey |
onelthird between them This partnership |
continued up TO April, 1879, his control as |
absolute over those routes which fell to his |
share as II he had himself bid upon them. |
Miner was also interested in them. Their |
chief agent was L. P. williamson. After
April LIST, 1879, none of the defendants, ex-
eept Miner, were in any way whatever in
terested In his (the witness') six contracts,
nor was he interested in any of their routes.
He had never been concerned in the presen.
tation of any fraudulent claim against the
United States Government. He did not
know when he first went into the business
that routes were losing contracts. He did
know 1t when he signed the contract, but
he had then already sent out his men to put
the different routes into operation. There
had been some sort Of verbal agreement be-
fore the signing of the contract. On August
20, 1873, witness received a telegram
from Brady, asking him what routes
he intended to put into operation. he an
swered that he would start out all the
Watts routes on September LIST. de had