The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-04-24
WASHINGTON WHISPERS.

The Charges Against General Swaim-A
| Missouri River Commis-i Ion Constitu-
| tional Observation-Disclosures Claim
! Fighting Ex-Governor.
| WASHINGTON, April 19.-Judge AdvO-
cate General Swain said that he intended
! to say nothing at present about the charges
| preferred against him by Mr.. Bateman. He
added that the matter was one for civil
courts to decide, and that the contractors to
whom he had given the due bill had sued
| Bateman for the amount it calls for. and in
| the trial everything in connection with the
matter would become known; that he was
willing to stand by what would come out
then. Mr.. Bateman, banker, who furnished
the copy of his charges against General
| Swain, says: The $1,000 due bill men
toned therein having been returned to his
firm and suit against them based upon it by
parties to whom it was transferred having
been withdrawn, he has written a letter to
the Secretary of War as follows:
DEAR SIR-The suit against our firm on the
due bill mentioned ia my charges yesterday
against General ID. G. Swain having been
withdrawn and the diferen"e s between Gen.
eral Swain and myself satisfactorily settled
hereby Withdraw the charges contained in
my letter of April 10 agalnS: said General ID.
G. Swain, he claiming they were made under
! misrepresentation of facts, which I concede.
Very truly yours,
IA E. BArEMAN.
4 MISSOURI RIVER COMMISSION.
The Committee on Commerce in the
House held a session yesterday, Representa-
tive Clardy, OF Missouri, acting as Chair
man, to hear discussion in favor of the eS-
lichy of
The committee was addressed to that end
by Representatives Alexander, Graves, Cos
grove, BurneS and Dockery, of Missouri,
Pusey, of Iowa, and Perkins of Kansas, all
of whom presented the necessities of the
case, asking that a permanent policy with
respect to the Missouri River be established.
A commission of two army officers, one Off
Ger from the Coast Survey and two civilians,
is asked for. which will only increase the
present expenses So, 600 year. 1t is desired
that the commission so established shall
take charge of and superintend the expendi-
ture of money appropriated for the Missouri
River, they to adopt systematic plan for
its improvement.
A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
At meeting of the House Committee on
the Law Respecting the Election of Presi-
dent and Vice-PresideRt, a proposition to
limit to twelve months the time during which
a Cabinet officer may perform the duties of
President was acted upon favOrably. 1t
provides if the duties of the Presidency fall
upon a member of the Cabinet for more than
twelve months before the next ensuing Pres
identiaI election, he shall issue prOclama-
ton for a special election. Mr.. Eaton was
directed to report the proposition to the
House as an amendment to the Senate bill
providing for the performance of the duties
of the Office of President in case of removal,
death, resignation or inability of both PreSi
dent and Vice-PreSident
WHEELOCK'S CLAIM AGAINST VENEZUELA.
The House Committee ON Foreign Affairs
directed Representative Lamb to report to
the House the following: RESOLVED, That
the President be directed to bring to the at
tention of the Governor of Venezuela the
claims of John E. Wheelock, a citizen Of the
United States, for indemnity for a gross
outrage and tortures inflicted upon him by
an officer of the Venezuelan Government,
and to demand and force in such manner as
he may deem best, an immediate settlement
of said claim. The report accompanying
the resolution says: Your committee is of
the opinion that more vigorous measures
than diplomatic correspondence are neceS-
sary to secure justice for the citizens of the
United States thus previously wronged."
Wheelock's claim is S50.00s.
CRAwFORD'S INDIGNATION.
A lawyer in this city named Wolf in Civ
ing his testimony before committee of
Congress relative to the Cherokee Indian
fund.- INDUCED in some reflections upon
Governor Samuel J. Crawford, of Kansas.
Yesterday morning both of the parties met
at the Interior Department. when Governor
Crawford roundly denounced Wolf, and
would have given him a thrashing, but for
the interposition of some of the gentlemen
who had been attracted to the spot by the