Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-09-05
Treasury DEPARTMENT,l
OPFICE OF SECRETARY. !
To, United States Supervising Inspectors of Steam

GENTLEMEN view of wel-grounded
complaints Of the improperly of local in
spectors investigating disasters 10 hulls
and boilers Of steam vessels, after certifca-
tion by themselves that such huls or boil
ers are safe, you are hereby directed,
whenever an accident occurs to steam yes
sels through alleged defects in either hull
or boiler, TO conduct such investigation
personally, under authority conferred by
section 400 of the Revised Statutes, as fol-
lows Each supervising inspector shall
have tuli power In any district, when,
from dIscharge or other cause, it is incon-
venient to resort to the local board to in
spect any steam vessel and boilers of such
vessel, to grant certificates OF approval, and
20 perform all duties imposed upon local
boards" Section 400 OF the Revised
Statutes requires that ii the supervising
inspector has good reason To believe that
there has been, through negligence or
1tilec cause, a failure of the board
which inspected the vessel to do
its duty, he shall report the facts in writ
ing tothe Secretary of the Treasury. The
question OF supervising inspectors 'assum-
ing original jurisdiction in investigating
the Conduct of licensed officers OF steam
vessels, and rcyoking and susp,nding the
licenses OF such officers, independent of
the provisions of sections 4450 and I452 of
the Revised Statutes were submitted TO
the Solicitor OF the Treasury by the Super
vising InspectorGeneral of Steam Vessels,
and the Solicitor rendered an opinion in
writing approving the proposition. You
viii be governed by the terms of this cir
cular letter in case OF accidents to steamers
such rs referred to here, in all cases where
such accidents are to be investigated with
in the jurisdiction of the local Board of
Inspectors who inspected and certiticated
the steamer.
JOHN C. NEW, Acting Secretary.
The Louisiana Lottery Company's Case.
WAsHINGToN, September I'm the case
of che manager of the Louisiana Lottery
Company against the Postmaster General,
an action for $4,000 damages in issuing
an order to prevent the delivery Of letters
addressed TO him, etc, the Postmaster
General to-day filed, by Solicitor-General
Phillips, his pleas. He pleads, first, that
he is not guilty; second, that he is not
guilty under sections 1929 and 404l of the
Revised Statutes, and third, that ON No
vcmber -; 1879, Key, then Postmaster
General, charged plaintiff with con-
Quoting scheme for obtaining money
through the mails by means of false
and fraudulent pretenses, and estopped
the payment of postal orders to him by
the Postmaster of New Orleans, and that
Postmaster-Generala admits that he has en-
forced this order, but says he was
not actuated by malice or a desire to
injure the plaintiff. He pleads further
that the order of Key of November H.
1879, is included in his order OF July Q,
and SAYS he considers it his duty to en-
force il. ,He admits that he was informed
OF the later direction OF Key suspending
the order, and also that the appeal had
been taken to the Supreme Court of the
United States, which was dismissed by
the plaintiff hut considered that any
statement made by Key was only incl
dental for the end that they were made,
and were therefore limited in effect.
Therefore that he might be informed of
anything the plaintiff might have to sug-
gest to the contrary he notified him what
he proposed to do and heard arguments
in his behalf. He admits that he de-
clined TO retry the question, inasmuch
as the plaintiff did not allege that there
had been any material change, and after
the hearing he issued on July 9th last, a
direction which he avows to be all that he
has done in relation to the matter He
states that whatever has been done in the
matter has been done merely in the
course OF his official duty, and without
malice TO the plSintiff, and denies all
allegations in the declaration contained
contradictory to or not admitted by this
plea.