The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-02-08
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


To the Editor Of The Statesman:
The February docket of the United
States court of claims will be called
next Monday. 1t includes 100 cases,
which are ready for trial. The claim
of Shipman against the United States
government for constructing railroads
in Texas and other southern states
will be among the first called. Ship
man has large pile OF documents
and able counsel, but little else to
prove that he built so many
miles of railroad in the cotton
states while armies were invading that
section. \ few years back so-called
patriotism caused Uncle Sam to pay
many of this class of claims, but able
lawyers will be employed, and Ship
mans case given a thorough ventila-
ton before he is allowed to draw
money from the treasury.
THE STAR ROUTE TRIALS
are becoming daily more interesting.
Judge Wylie has completely lost his
temper, and peremptorily refuses TO
sustain thenumerous objections of the
lawyers. And now, when Mr.. Ingersoll
and his assistant barristers attempt
to interrupt testimony unless they are
well sustained by facts in their objec-
tions they are quietly ordered by the
judge to cease. The leniency allowed
them at the last trial caused the law
yers for the defense to he uncommon
ly old and they INSTRUCTED the pro.
gress of the trial by their numerous
objections and bullying tactics to-
wards the judge and jury. They
fa.aW yRtfaW aaA n fNYI.a
of doing bushes. this win
ter, but Judge Wylie distinctly
told him that he, the government and
the eople OF the country were anX-
ious TO have the trial brought TO a
speedy close, and that could be done
only by allowing the necessary
amount of eloquence. But Brady and
Dorsey's retainers defied the judge,
and several days ago he ordered Mr..
IngerSoll to sit down and cease talk
ing. or he would call in a
constable and force him
The great pagan obeyed; but not
until he had Knocked Wylie into a
foam of rage and caused him to rise
from his seat to procure force. Will
Jams, the young lawyer for the de-
Tense, patterned after his superiors.
4 few days ago he rose in his seat
while Wylie was giving an opinion,
and laughed in his face. 1t is need
less to say that he was prompt
ly reprimanded in language more
forcible than gentle, and he
has managed to keep very quiet since
The treasury department Is receiving
startling number of
CONSCIENCE contributions
nowadays. Not day passes without
shamed officials. Some of the con-
tributions are considerable in
amount, one OF $500 being handed in
to-day from Boston official who Saws
he allowed himselfto lie overpaid.
LITTLE PERRY BELMONT.
of the New York delegation, has
caused an intense ripple Of excitement
to roll over the country by his report
in regard to Hawaiian Islands sugar
trade with this country.
If his report be true, the matter
should have thorough investigation
at the hands of congress. Dir. Bel
mont contends that the treasury was
defrauded, between the beginning of
Mr.. Sherman's responsibility and the
summer of 1882, of no less than seven
millions of dollars of duties on sugars
| imported from the Sandwich islands.
That certainly is the most gigantic
and stupendous revenue fraud ever
known in the history of our govern
ment. The evidence on which this
charge rests is carefully set forth in
report which, if printed in
full, would consume some five
columns of the STATESMAN.
Every sentence of it is essential
to full and minute understanding
of the subject. The fraud was accom-
plished, rs witnesses say, between the
Hawiian government or its officers
and American diplomatic, consular
and customs officers. In place of
so STARTLING AN ACCUSATION,
Mr.. Belmont advises that all further
consideration of the question whether
or not the treaty shall he abrogated or
shall be postponed till the president
can inquire into the facts and report
to congress-. Mr.. Belmont's report
closes with the suggestion that a joint
resolution in the form proposed by him
shall be Immediately adopted by con-
gress in place of the joint resolution
requesting revision OF the
treaty that had been reported by a
majority of the foreign affairs COM
mittee. ,
Never in the history of the federal
capital has
THAT PRECIOUS BIvALYE,
the oyster. been so scarce and dear as
this winter. The regulation price Of
former wears was twenty-five cents
per busbel, but seyenty-iive cents has
been the standard price this winter;
consequently, at the restaurants and
hotels where oysters used to be looked
upon as common article of diet, they
are now regarded as luxuries to be
enjoyed only by the rich. The floating
ice in the rivers and bays tributary to
the Chesapeake may be one cause, but
the principal reason is an allied mon
opoly among the dredgers- Some
times there is as high as five
thousand at the wharves ut one time
but the owners keep them concealed
in the schooners and refuse to sell or
dig more until they are worked oil at
high figures. A certificate of incor-