Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-04-24
WAIFSFROM WASHINGTON
ENGLAND's EYE ON THE PHILA-
DELPHIA CONVENTION.

COurt-DiSCOVery OF an ATTEMPT tO
Secure Fraudulent Patent and Its
FrustratiOn.
WASHINGTON, April 23.-The National
Land League Association will hold a
large convention in Philadelphia, COM
mencing next Wednesday. The British
Government is somewhat exercised over
what is being done and said by the Irish
agitators in this country. 1t appears
that it is particularly concerned about
the coming Philadelphia convention. The
British Minister here has directed three
or four confidential agents to be present,
and report not only what is done, but
obtain what is talked privately among
the delegates.
The Treasury Department has prepared
for Il change i'll revenue laws affecting the
stamps to be placed upon articles from
which internal revenue will be collected
after May 1st, by shipping to Col
lectors throughout the United States
stamps of new denominations to
the value of $30O00,000. The
shipment was made to-day so that the
stamps may be in the hands of the collec-
tors for sale by May T. The stamps
shipped to-day of all denominations were
made up in ,l40 packages, weighing in
the aggregate fifteen tons, and requiring
200 of the largest sized mail pouches to
accommodate them.
decision was rendered by the SUI
preme Court of the United States to-
day in the case of John B. Slaw-
son against the Grand Street, Pros
pect Park and Flatbush Railroad Com
pany, of Brooklyn, n. Y. This was a
suit brought by Mr.. Slaw son for infringe
ment of patents on an improved and
very extensively used form Of fare
boxes for horse cars. The court
holds that the patents are void
for the reason that they do not embOdy in
yentions within the meaning of the patent
laws. The decree of the Circuit Court in
favor of the railroad company is affirmed
The opinion is by Justice Woods.
* decision was also rendered by the
court to-day in the case of the Baltimore
and Potomac Railroad Company against
the Fifth Baptist Church of
Washington, d. c., which was
suit for damages brought by the
church trustees against a railroad COM
pany on account of alleged injury to the
property of the former, caused by the
erection and maintenance of an engine
house t and machine shop on land adjoining
the church editice. The court holds
that the railroad company is liable
In damages, and the fact that Congress
had given it authOrity-tO bring its track
within the limit of the city and construct
such works as might be necessary cOnsti-
tutes no defense to the suit brought by
private individual whose property has
been injured. The judgment of the Dis
trict Supreme Court IS affirmed. The
opinion is by Justice Field.
A decision also rendered by the court
| / of Il
against the State of South Carolina,
brought here by a writ of error to the Su-
preme Court of that State. Davis. the
plaintiff in error, a Corporal in the United
states army, while assisting a Deputy
Marshal to arrest person charged with
violating the internal revenue laws, acci-
dentally shot the latter and killed him.
lie was arrested under the State authOri-
ty, tried and convicted of manslaugh-
ter. Upon being granted new
trial, he filed a petition
for the removal of his case to the Circuit
Court Of the United States. This petition
was granted, but the State refused to re-
coSnize the legality of the removal, and
its Supreme Court upon appeal declared
1t invalid. This court holds that the Mar
Shal or Deputy Marshal of the United
States engaged officially in a lawful at
tempt to enforce the revenue law by the
arrest of persons accused of offenses
against it is an officer acting under the
authority of that law, and is entitled.tO
trial in the Federal court. Tennessee
VS.. Davis, 100 u. S. 257. That the pro-
lection which the law furnishes to the
Marshal and his deputy also shields all
IwhO lawfully assist him in the perform
ance of his official duty, and that
therefore. the case and person of
the plaintiff in error were properly re-
moved to the Circuit Court of the United
States. The judgment of the Supreme
Court of South Carolina is reversed with
costs, and the cause remanded with in
structions to enter judgment, reversing
the judgment of the Circuit Court for the
county of Spartanburg, and directing that
court to dismiss the proceeding for want
OF jurisdiction. The opinion is by Justice
Matthews.
A forgery OF patent was discovered
at the Patent Office to-day. On June s,
1873, patent for nut locks was issued to
William Sutton, of Purdy, Tenn, now
OF Paragon, Ark. Recently Sutton
transferred to p. j. Bennett and f. NJ.
Threadgill, of Little Rock, for a con-
sideration of $4,000, what purported
to be a patent for nut lock
issued in January s, 1888, and the
document, together with letters of trans
fer, were sent to the Patent Office to be
recorded upon the reference books. 1t
was readily ascertained that no patent
was issued to Sutton in January, 1888,
and an investigation showed that the pat
ent was not genuine, and that in order to
make the transfer Sutton counterfeited
a patent bead, forged the signatures of
AlonZO Bell, Assistant Secretary of the
Interior, and E. NJ. Marble, Commissioner
ST Patents, and took from the genuine
patent the seal of the Patent Office which,
together with his original specification,
he attached to the fraudulent certificate,
thereby making it appear that the patent
has seventeen years to run. The fact that
the seal has been removed from a genuine
patent renders it invalid. The case will
be promptly prosecuted.
The committee to investigate the
charges against Mr.. Hill, Supervising
Architect of the Treasury, met to-day. AS
neither the witnesses nor the accuserS
were present the committee, after wait
ing half an hour or more, adjourned till 10
O'Clock Wednesday morning.
The National Board of Health is inform
ed that terrible plague has appeared in
some Persian villages, near the town of
Sulcimania, in Turkey, and that physi-
clans sent there by the Turkish Govern
ment to investigate the nature of the dis
ease had been driven away by the eXiled
inhabitants.
The pending question as to whether
Georgia is to get that $4,000 claim
paid, has attracted the attention
of the Treasury officers to the sub
ject of the present condition of the
direct tax. You know the question is
whether or not the $50, 500 shall be placed
to the credit of Georgia on account of the
direct tax of 1861, not cent of which she
ever paid. An investigation is being made
as to how much of the direct tax was paid
by each State and territory, and as to
which failed to pay anything. 1t takes
some time to get at this information,
but it can be had from the Treasury
books. 1t will when compiled be put in
tabular form and handed over to Judge
Lawrence, the First Comptroller. That
official will incorporate it in his decision
upon the question in which Georgia is in
terested to the consideration of $35,555.
There is an evidence that the proper
way to conduct an investigation is being
grasped by government officials. To-day
the committee appointed by Secretary
Folger to investigate the charges against
Supervising Architect Hill CON-
menced its work. 1t began with
open doors and will continue
to conduct a fair investigation. The pub
lie is furnished daily with an account of
the evidence offered. There is thus but
little chance of a whitewashing report.
When the investigation is held with closed
doors the charge is always ready to be
made that the findings of the committee
are not in accord with the facts as de-
duced. More idle and injurious gossip
and more slander has been caused by star
chamber investigations than by any other
agent. Allowing the proceedings to be
open to all as in the Hill case is
a departure in investigations ordered bv
of orfY 70