The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-02-14
WASHINGTON.
Department. of Agriculture.

department. OF Agriculture.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13-The House commit
tee on agriculture have adopted the report OF
the subcommittee upon the proposition to
make the Agricultural Department an execu-
tive department, and instructed Mr.. Anderson
to report it fayorably to the House at the next
call of the committee.
Discontinuance OF a Mail Train.
The fast mail train from Washington south
at IL 80 q. M, has been discontinued. 1t took
the Boston mail of $50 p. m. of the day previ-
GUS, as well as the Springfield and Hartford
mails.
Expenses Of Garheld's Illness.
The time set by the committee on the ex-
penses connected with the illness of President
Garfield, in which claims for services, supplies
claims whatever have been presented, and the
committee, which will begin the consideration
of the business to-day, will have to proceed
without any sort of an itemized account from
anybody.
General Sheridan's Departure.
Gen. p. FL. Sheridan, who had been for
some time in Washington in reference to GER
tain changes in the army, left for Chicago on
Saturday night, by way OF Philadelphia.
Coroner's Verdict on the Death of Soteldo
The coroner's inquest on the body of A. M.
Soteldo rendered the following verdict
That Antonio M. Soteldo came to his death
Feb. 18th, at the Providence Hospital, city of
Washington, ID; O., from pistol shot wound
of the neck, inflicted with pistol in the hand
of Augustus G. Soteldo, the night of Feb. 9th.
at the Republican office, in the city OF WASH
ington, o. G..
Attempt to Grab $4,000.
The House elections committee has decided
not to further consider the case of Ball, who
claims to have been elected delegate from
Alaska. There was no possible legal ground
upon which Ball could shave beed recognized
as delegate. The territory is not organized,
an enabling act has not been passed anthoriz-
ing authority to hold an election, and the pa
pers which Ball brings, claiming to show that
he was elected, are'Signed by no one who has
authority. In the course of inquiry by the
committee, it appeared that if Ball had been
recognized he would have LAID claim to some
$4,000 mileage, enough to pay. for the dis
lance between Alaska and Washington twice
each session, by way of Cape Horn.
Defective Sut poenas in the Star Route
1t is stated that subpenas served upon sever
al witnesses for the prosecution of the Star
route cases, purporting to bear the signature OF
The clerk of court, were not signed by that
person at all The presumption is that they
were issued by parties connected with the con-
duct of the Investigation, without taking the
trouble to have them properly signed by the
clerk of court. How many have been sent
forth in this manner is unknown.
Opposition to Major Rochester's Nomin-
alton.
The Senate in executive session confirmed
several naval nominations The nomination
of Major Rochester to be paymaster general of
the army was recommitted to the committee
on military affairs for examination of certain
charges to the effect that he was guilty of
gross neglect of duty in allowing Major
Hodges, the defaulting Washington paymaster
a number of years ago. to turn over to him an
unverifed account of money then nominally
in Hodges possession without requiring the
money to be counted and delivered.
200 New Bills.
Under the call of states to-day 200 bills and
resolutions were introduced in the House.
Bills for the Abolition Of the National
Banks.
Among the bills introduced to-day and re-
ferred to the committee on banking and cur
rency were two, having for their object the
extinction of national banks 1t is hardly
probable either bill will ever reach vote in
the house. One is by Mr.. Brumm of Philadel-
phia, the other by Mr.. Warner of Tennessee.
Reduction Of Internal Revenue Taxes.
Mr.. Carlisle of the subcommittee on inter
nal revenue thinks that there should be a re-
duction of at least $50000,000 internal revenue
taxes, and believes the committee will favor
such reduction. The amount, he believes, will
be saved by reducing the existing whisky tax
to 90 CENTS and by making large reductionein
the tax on cigars. MI. Carlisle also thinks
that the tariff commission dill will certainly
be defeated in the House. La that case he
says the ways and means committee will con-
slider the vote as an instruction to proceed to
prepare general tariff bill.
Miscellaneous.
According to the new rule, the President re-
ceived no visitors to-day, and devoted his time
exclusively to the consideration of pending ex-
ecutiye business.
Last evening the President gave dinner
party to a delegation of friends from New
York