Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-16
Outstanding Claims Against the Dis
lYict.
REPORT OF CHAIRMAN NEAL CT THE HOUSE DIE
TRICT COMMITTEE.

| 1YlCts
REPORT OF CHAIRMAN NEAL OF THE HOUSE DIE
TRICT COMMITTEE
In reporting TO the House last week bill to pro-
vide for the settlement Of all outstanding claims
against the District, and comforting jurisdiction On
the Court OF Claims to hear the same, Chairman
Neal submitted the following report:
"9he bill Is intended tn remove an ambiguii y
which plainly exists in section nine OF the act en-
titled An act TO provide for the settlement OF all
outstanding claims against the District Of Column
bia, and comforting jurisdiction On the Court OF
olalms % near the s1 ne, and for ether purposes
tn redemption by the Treasurer OF the United
~ itS or all the outstanding board OF audit certif-
Gates, with the interest accrued upon said certih-
Gates, in what are known the 3-65 bonds of tn
District of Columbia, which are authorized by sec
ton seven OF the act entitled 'An act Tor the gov
eminent OF the District OF Columbia, and for other
purposes approved June Goth. 1874.
'This board of audit consisted OF the First and
Second Controllers Of tl.e Treasury, and were re-
quired to adjust and audit all the outstanding in
debtedness OF the District. enumerated in SAID
at, and to issue cert .ficdtes TO the respective
creditors OF the District These certificates bear
the legal rate Of IL te est. viz six per centuf.
adiudged by the Supreme Court OF the District in
number OF actions brought upon certain of said
certificates by the lawful holders thereof. The
Treasurer OF the United states does not question
tae correctness OF these decisions, nor does he
fuse TO pay that rate OF interest far he feels
authorized by the ninth section OF the act afOre-
said OF June Ii, 1880. Since the passage OF this act
authorizing the delivery of 3-65 bonds at par for
these certificates, with accrued interest Congress
has authorized the Treasurer to sell these bonds,
and to redeem in money the certificates, whenever
for the interest OF the District to do so; in other
words, when he can realize more than par for the
bonds, as has been the case for a year past.
line ,rh,I uS ~ ne n lou,u III .ne iaSi
coupons from said bonds up to the date of such
certificates To be more comprehensive, it may
be well to state that. by the act OF June 20 1874,
the bonds were TO run fifty years, all dated Au-
gust !. 1874. and interest payable annually.
Under this clause Of said section the coupons must
hi,-h hpfxy RI ,..f dltp
OF the bonds and the date OF the certificates. OF
course the inference is warranted that coupons
which had not become due were to be delivered
with the bonds to the holders of the certificates
and therefore, by the letter of the section double
interest would be paid the holders, to wit, six per
cent, the accrued interest, and the interest cOu-
ponS upon the bonds. This could not have been
the intention OF Congress, and therefore the ac-
counting officers We're compelled to determine
what course they would pursue. They have taken
The responsibility of being governed by the last
clause OF said section, and have refused TO redeem
the accrued interest, as plainly required by said
act The committee are or opinion the ambiguity
or the section should he removed, and therefore
recommend the passage OF the substitute herewith
reported.
AS good and sufficient reasons for this action.
they beg leave to say: First That the Supreme
Court OF the District have uniformly given judg-
ment for the amounts due, with interest at 6 per
cent, Whenever suit has been brought upon any
OF the certificates. Second. That Congress has
uniformly appropriated money to pay such judg-
1nthtS. Third. That 1T is right. AMI this Congress
Should never require any other incentive toNction
supplies and performed labor for the District.
they were, in many cases compelled to contract
ds6ts To pay these debts they borrowed money
at high rates OF interest and it would be only eX-
act Justice II they were reimbursed the interest
they have been compelled To pay by reason OF the
failure OF the District to comply with its obliga.
tons TO them. 1t Is gross injustice to ask them to
take less than the legal rate of interest. Fourth
me writer OF this report was member of the COM
mttee OF conference which engrafted this section
upon the act OF June 10. 1880 and he knows that it
was the hxed purpose of that committee to provide
iCr the payment OF legal interest upon said certii-
Gates to the date Of the conversion. How the am
bguty crept in he is not able to state. but it may
have been that in transcr1bng from the minutes
OF the committee TO the report. the word certifi-
Gates was used instead OF the word 'conversion,'
and in the hurry and hustle the last days of the
session it was not noticed.
''That committee was cOnlDOSed of persons too
well yersed In law to be guilty OF the abSurdty OF
asking the creditors OF the District to take less
award them, and toe strongly impressed with
sense of justice tn require them to take less than
was absolutely right. TIE District nor is the gov
eminent pauper, that it cannot afford to pay it's
creditors all they have the legal right To demand'
AsnuseMemts. &c.
THE THEATERS.-Mr. Emmett, In ssFritZ IN Ire
land" is drawing crowded houses ut the National,
The Electrical DOLL" at the Opera House affords
source Of great amusement to the-loverS of music
ana pur1eSque, and Viola CiiftOnS female min
s;reis are winning the applause Of big audiences at
the Capital Theater
THE SMUGGLERs.-The first of the three perfor-
f0rIl&nces OF 1.-THE Smugglers" by the Washing
ton Operate Association, for the benefit OF the
National Rifles will he given at Lincoln hall TO-
morrow evening.
THE TABERNACLE In South Washington will be
the scene OF musical entertainment Tomorrow
evening, when public Xhbtlon OF the powers OF
The new organ VIII be given.
The ORIGINAL FISK JUBILEE SINGERS, whose
delciOus melodies have won the applause OF the
most critical audiences in Europe and America,
VII! give the first of series OF four concerts at the
Congregational church this evening.
Two NIGHTS IN ROME" one of the most faSci-
ntel ar
F0rG's next week by excellent com any
MAsOS1C TEhPLE--The annual charity ball for
Tue Denet or the children'S hospital. which will
signaze the close OF of the most brilliant So
cial seasons ever known in Washington, Will take
place this evening at Masonic Temple.
ABNER's Music HALI--The fourth dress ball OF
the tnlon Fratelanza ltaliana, for the benefit of
The society, will be given at Abners this evening.
FOLLOWING CREDITOR WITH HoRsEwHIP-In
the Police Court yesterday an elderly German
named August Rupert, was charged with pro-
against Robert q. Edmun1Sto a grocer. The
latter stated that he sued Rupert and got q jufg-
day. When ne attempted To leave tn, ONCE Rup-
pert said that il he (E.) got the money he N;)
would take it out OF his hide. and followed him
with horsewhip. Witness SAID he got on car,
and Rupert followed the Car several squares with
the whip in his hand. The court took Mr. Rep-
perts personal bonds to keep the peace, and lined
him = Tor the profanity.
LANDLORD AND TENANT CAsE.-An old white
man, named CaSpar Herbert, and young cOlored
woman named Addie Brown, were in the Police
Court yesterday. each being charged with assault
ing the other. Adde Brown said that she rented
rooms from Mr.. Herbert and upon her refusal to
leave the house he tried to throw her down the
steps, striking her and cutting her head with his
cane. Herbert showed the court a bad cut on his
head. The court remarked there We're no out
side witnesses, and both parties had swOre
equally hard, he would have to dismiss the case
APPRAISEAENT OF FIRE DAMAGES ON JEFFERSON
SCHooI--Ihe appraisers OF damages by the late