Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-17

morning. He Will return next week.
AT THE CABINET MEETING to-day the Post ONCE
department was represented by Mr.. Hatton. The
Secretary OF the Navy was not present, being still
confined to his home by slight illness. All the
other members OF the Cabinet were present.
THE NEW FRENCH MINISTER Edward King
writing to Boston paper from Paris, says OF NJ.
Roustan, who has been made French minister to
this country: ''In NJ Roustan the diplomatic
corps at Washington will have added to it an
adrot and subtle agent. and you need not be sur
prised If you find that he takes marked interest
He is an enthusiastic ana able worker, and wher-
ever he is will push his country's interests with
zeal and untiring energy
THE REPORT that Police Commissioner French
OF New York, is to succeed Collector Robertson
is authoritatively denied. Mr.. Robertson has not
resigned.
AMONG THE CALLERS at the White House to-day
were Senator Platt, Representatives Henderson
Aldrich, Jones, Neal, Horr, Pettgrew, Jacob and
Pierce.
THE PRESIDENT has signed the commission OF
Frederick Solomon, OF ST. Louis, to be U. S. sur
veyor general for Utah.
MAJOR WIN. B. SLACK, quartermaster Of the ma
rine corps, is ordered to Annapolis to inspect the
new barracks and quarters there.
USING THE POSTAL SERVICE FOR FRAUDULENT PUR-
PosEs.-The Postmaster General has instructed the
postmaster at Butler, Pa, to refuse the payment OF
money orders or the delivery Of mall to d. z. Sell
don, telegraph operator, charged with sending
through the mails petitions for aid on the pretence
or his having been afflicted with blindness. Simf-
lar instructions have been issued in the case OF
Wynkoop & Harper No. 4s Bleecker street New
York, charged with attempting to defraud the Post
Once department.
THE Treasury department yesterday purchased
10000 ounces OF silver for delivery at the different
mints.
THE TOBACCO oCoNvENTIoN.-Atth the meeting OF the
national convention OF tobacco manufacturers
yesterday afternoon they agreed upon memorial
to Congress, protesting against the passage OF
the 'leaf tobacco bill" and declaring that IL Con-
gress decides to take Off the tax on leaf tobacco,
justice and honor requires that 1t shall also abolish
the tax on manufactured tobacco The PROPOSE
tiOn now pending before Congress to allow rum
and other distilled spirits to be withdrawn free OF
tax fOrS In the manufacture of tobacco and other
Industries was endorsed by the convention. The
members of the convention called upon the Prest-
dent In body at II O'Clock this morning to pay
their respects. They were accompanied by Mr..
LOrin Palmer, OF Brooklyn. The president OF the
convention stated that their object to protest
against the reduction Of the tobacco tax, and par
ticularly that Of leaf tobacco. The President, in
response, simply SAID he was pleased to meet
them. Another meeting of the convention was
held this afternoon to consider the project OF ex-
tending the organization and making it perma-
nent.
PERsONAL.-Ex-SecretaryB Blaine Is spending the
week in Pittsburg, and its vicinity looking after
the interest OF his coal lands there.-Hon. A. A.
Sargent, the newly appointed United States Min
lister to Austria, was passenger on the overland
train to arrive at San Francisco last Monday
John Drake, the famous Chicago hotel man, is at
the Ebbitt accompanied by his famlly.-Gen. How
ard left the city last night for West Point--Sen-
ator Cameron, of Pennsylvania, and his wife have
returned here from Florida, both greatly improved
IN IN health and spirits-Mr Robert Randall,
yesterday to Miss Alice Luning, of San Fancisco.
The Case Of Sergeant Mason.
THE INTERVIEW OF HIS COUNSEL WITH THE SECRE-
TARY OF WAR.
1t was mentioned In yesterdays STAR that Mr..
Bigelow, the counsel for Sergeant Mason, had
had an interview with the Secretary of War In
reference to the case. Mr.. Bgelow, in that inter-
view, claimed that Mason was not only not guilty
ne faaged aGnst nm put that the
citing the grounds set up in the petition for the
writ Of habeas corpats. The Secretary replied that
he had not examined the case. MI. BgelOw then re-
cited the details Of his visit to the Washington bar
racks when Mason signed the petition and said that
he understood that Immediately after he left with
the notary preparations were made to take the
prisoner TO Albany. and that before the petition
had been placed in the hands OF Judge Wylie the
prisoner was on his way under guard to the rail-
road depot. and was passing through Baltimore
while Judge Wyle was considering the petition.
Mr.. Bgelow said that the first intmation he had
or the prisoners departure Was the notice pub
lished In the evening papers, and he supposed that
the Secretary had ordered his being sent away at
that time The Secretary replied that he had no
knowledge that the prisoner had been removed
until he read of it in the papers, and that the de
partment had never exercised any control in the
matter further than approve the designation Of
the penltentiary.
PETITIONS FOR MAsoN's PARDON
are being signed in several cities. There are
number of such petitions in circulation here. One
In the store OF Mr.. H. B. POlkinhOrn received over
500 signatures in two days. There are many peo-
pie, however, who would prefer seeing Mason re-
leased on writ OF habeas corpus, for pardon
presuppOses guilt
POSSIBLE PROCEEDINGS IN NEW YORK.
1t is the intention OF Mr.. Bigelow in few days
to renew proceedings under an application for
writ in the circuit court for the northern district
OF New York.
GEN. HANCocK's LETTER.
The following Is the letter authorized by Gen.
Hancock concerning the surrender of Sergeant Ma
son to the civil authorities for trial:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF TIE EAsr,l
GOVERNORS ISLAND, N. Y, Sept 19, 1881.
Coz; s. b. AWes, Second artillery, Commanding
Washington Barracks
SIR: The MajOr-General directs me to say as fol-
lows: In the case of First Sergeant j. A. Mason.
and specifications have been preferred for trial by
general court martial 1or attempt to kill prisoner
&C. j. Guteau) In the Washington Jail, the depart
ment commander desires to know II any reQuiSi-
tion has been made by the civil authorities for his
rendition for trial by the oyer and terminer for
'attempt to kill" Such requisition should be COM
piled with.
You will please call upon the United States at
torney Of the District OF Columbia, and ascertain
whether he proposes to bring the case before the
grand jury, with view to MaSOn'S trial by the
civil authorities lin which he will not be tried
by general court martial, but held to await such
action.
II, however, the United States attorney does not
propose to take this action, Sergeant Mason will
be tried by general cOurt-martial under the 62d
~
as prejudiciai to good order and military discfp-
the circumstances OF the case.
Please telegraph your reply to this cOmmuni-
cation.
Very respectfully your obedient servant,
w. g. MITCHELL, Assistant Adjutant General
After sundry formal letters on the subject the
correspondence closed with letter from Judge
Advocate Asa Bird Gardner, to the effect that as
the civil authorities had been offered an OppOr-
tunity to try the prisoner and had declined, the
trial by cOurt-martial would proceed. No reQui-
s1t!on having been made by the civil authorities,
and no indictment found against Sergeant Mason,
the Secretary OF War, on February II, wrote that
he could with prOpriety be tried, and q general
cOurt-martial was accordingly appointed, as such
tribunal has under the law concurrent jur!Sdic-
tion when crime not capital is committed by
soldier.
Giving Practical Effect 20 the Sugges-
tiOm.
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR.