The Press., 1883-04-12
wa.htmgton Letter.


 l Washington Letters
 | Washington, D., o., April s, 1888.
 On Wednesday the president, returning
 from his usual evening drive, stopped at a
 bookstore to look up some reading matter
 with which to beguile the tedium of his
 long southern journey. Before he could
 step from his carriage to the door he was
 observed, and in a few minutes crowd
 gathered and blockaded the sidewalk to
 the extent of compelling passers-by to take
 the middle of the street, and the services of a policeman were required to prevent the crowd from invading the store. Truly,
 greatness and distinguished position are subjected to ordeals terribly trying to 8 satiated appetite. do not wonder that the president pants for little obscurity, for the depths of some vast wilderness, and is betaking himself to the dense shade of the Florida orangegroves. And yet, if he is still an object of curious inspection in Washington where presidents have always lived, moved and had their being, what may be expected to remain of him on his return from his trip to the far south, where the natives have no conception of real live president? Thing of the excruciations in store for him during the next few weeks, when even for some time past-Ae has been sickening and turning liyid at the sound of the airs s'Hail to the Chief and ssSee the conquering Hero comes" He left the city Thursday morning at Il :5O o'clock, on 8 special train, accompanied by Secretary Chandler, Mr. Miller of New York, and private Secretary Phillips, and many kind wishes that his journey might be pleasant and his fishing good.
 Before his departure he named the new cabinet officer, Judge Walter 0. Gresham of Indiana. The appointment is extreme ly well received in Washington. Judge Gresham has the reputation of being 8 man of decided force of character and has been mentioned for positions of the high est prominence for years. His courage on the field during the war attracted the mo- tice of General Grant, and the warmest personal friendship has existed between the two men ever since. He says his ap- pointment was entirely unsolicited and un- expected by himself. His political en- emies accuse him of intense partisanship, which means that he is 8 strong repubi- can. His home is in Indianapolis, and he is said to be an unsuitable reader of books.
 On Tuesday, the close of MT. Merrick's oss-examination of Ex-Senator Dorsey, l ;,, o4c In spite of MT. Dorsey's evasions, conven- tent memory, and partial blindness, MT. Merrick succeeded in extracting from him some important admissions for the govern ment. It is claimed by the prosecution that Dorsey was the instigator and organ izer of the conspiracy, and the cross-exam- nation developed good deal in support of this theory. It has shown that Dorsey furnished the money out of his own pock- ct to start and equip the combination. The headquarters were in his own res idence on street, and he personally watch ed and directed the preparation of bids. In carrying out the scheme he had devis- ed, he sent to post-masters whose contin- uance in office largely depended upon him, even if they did not owe their original ap- pointment to him, certain bonds, in blank, with the request that they procure sure ties and certify to them, without even knowing the character of the bonds. In one case at least postmaster indignantly refused 10 compromise his honor, even at the request of U. S. senator who might be able to put him out of office.
 Senator Jones of Nevada positively de- nies that there is any foundation for the rumor that he has had disagreement with President Arthur, or that he expressed himself as having made his last visit to the white house. He further says his re- latlons with the president were never kind Her or warmer than at the present time.
 The citizens of Washington were shock ed Wednesday morning on learning of a ghastly crime that had occurred the night before in quiet neighborhood of Capitol Hill. A drunken husband by the name of de Frouville, who. had been separated from his wife for seven or eight months, forced an entrance to her house, shot her down, and placing the pistol to his own head fell at her feet. The lady was well and favorably known by many persons here. She possessed more than ordinary personal attraction, and was an accomplish ed linguist, being employed as translator in the agricultural department The re- port of the tragedy rapidly spread, and the house was soon surrounded by cu- rious >throng.. On the floor of the taste fully furnished parlor lay the wife in an attitude indicating that she had tried to escape from the. threatened death. Her fair face was bespattered with blood, and a small stream rckled to the floor from the death-wound. Her husband lay upon his back at her feet, his vest torn open expos ing his shirt, and over his face rivulet of blood flowed