The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-11-08
WASHINGTON.
News Gathered About the Capital
City.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.-Lieut.-Gen.
Sheridan, accompanied by Col. NJ. n.
Sheridan, his military secretary, and
Lieut.-Col. Gregory, aide-de-camp, ar
rived in Washington this morning
from Chicago. Gen. Sheridan and
party visited the war department at
noon, and paid their respects to Secre-
tary Lincoln, Gen. Sherman and Adjt.-
Gen. Drum. The transfer of the COM
mand of the army from Gen. Sherman
to Lisut.-Gen. Sheridan will be made
tomorrow morning. There will be
no formal ceremonies on the occasion
of the change Gen. Sheridan is the
guest of Maj. Liedker, and will remain
with him until his new residence is
ready for occupation. Col. Sheridan
is the guest of Gen. MacFeeIy.
The funeral of Hon. &. V. Fox, eX-
assistant secretary of the navy, took
place this afternoon. The palI-bearers
were Admirals Warden, Howell, ROg-
ers and Murray, CommodoreS Temple
and Walker, Surgeon General Walter
and Medical Director HomitZ. The
remains were placed temporarily in
the vault of Hon. Montgomery Blair,
at Rock Hill cemetery. The navy de-
partment closed at l o'clock in respect
to the memory of the deceased.
The war department issued Especial
order appointing court Of inquiry to
Investigate the cause of the failure Of
the Greeley relief expedition and re-
port whether the conduct of any officer
of the army in the premises calls for
further proceedings before general
court-martial, and reasons for the
conclusions they may reach. Details
for the court: Brigadier-General st.
Bennett, of the chief ordinance; Col.
r. B. Ayres, second artillery; Lieut.
Col. o. NJ. Poe, corps of engineers.
Maj. Henry Goodfellow, judge advo-
cate of the United States army, will
act as recorder. Court will meet in
Washington on the 9Th of November.
1t is understood the navy department
will not take any further action in the
case of Commander Frank WildeS,
commanding the Yantic, for the part
taken by him in the late expedition,
unless it shall be deemed as an expedi-
ent as a result of the testimony which
may be developed in the proceedings
of the court of inquiry appointed by
the secretary of war.
Secretary Folger telegraphed Bell,
new supervising architect, requesting
him to take charge of the Office as
soon as possible.
It is estimated at the treasury de.
partment that the statement of the
public debt tomorrow will show a
reduction for the past month of about
$10,50O,O00. The amount disbursed by
army pension agents the last fiscal
year was 59,906,s01. OF this there
was disbursed at Washington, d. c.,
$3,440,610; Indianapolis, So, 154 ,845;
Chicago, 1886, 779; Columbus, Ohio,
$685. $50. The total amount of ar
rears OF pensions disbursed by agents
during the year of $79,980,O0O.
The secretary of the interior has
sustained the commissioner of In
dian affairs in his decision to the eff
feet that the department does not rec
ognize the courts in Indian territory
as court of records within theimeaning
of section 2103 of the revised statutes,
which requires certain agreements
made with the Indians, shall be ex-
ecuted before the Judge Of the court of
record. The secretary holds that it
was not the intention of the law
makers that the agreements should be
executed before judges having such
limited knowledge of the laws and
treaties affecting the rights of the In
dams, and such limited general infor-
nation as the judges of the Indian
courts within the Indian country usu-
ally possess.
A company of nine persons, citizens
of the Cherokee Indian nation, has
been organized for the purpose of
establishing a national bank at Veni-
ia, l. T., with capital of $4,000.
The secretary Of war has written a
letter to Gen. HaZen, chief signal
officer, IN reply to a communication
transmitting Lieut.. Garl1pgton's re-
port OF the relief expedition to Smith
Sound. The letter in referring to the
| disastrous failure of the expedition,
and expressing regret that stores were
not left at Littleton on the way up,
says it would seem from the directions
contained in the memorandum men
| toned in your letter, known as sup
Elemental orders, that Lieut.. CARING
ton should, on going up, establish a
base of supplies, was a most prudent
measure, the omission of which,
| after it had been once thought OF, it
was difficult 80 understand. It's now
clear that it was never an order to
Lieut.. Darlington, but it is equally
clear that, having seen 1t, and having,
under your orders, a discretion, he
could not have done more wisely than
to follow the particular suggestion
contained in it as above mentioned,
The secretary goes on to say that after
the Geographic reports of the disaster
were received, he directed the acting
chief signal service officer to furnish
the secretary of the navy with a copy
of Garlington's instructions, and the
list, as furnished, contained, among
other things, a paper called supple
mental orders. These papers were OF
course supposed to be as stated, al
authentic copy of the instructions tC
Lieut.. darlington, and the secretary
of the navy and secretary of war, in
their conference, formed an opinion
as to his having disobeyed an order.
which it now appears he did not, il
fact, receive. AS an order, the secre'
tary requests that an explanation be
made of the discrepancies existing il
the papers furnished, and what thu
records of the signal Office show. Tn,
secretary concludes his letter by in
forming Gen. Hazen that he has sub
mitted the case to the president, will
the recommendation that he direct
the appointment of court of inquiry