The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-03-06
IF TRUE-ALLEGATIONS WITH
REFERENCE TO THE JEAN
NETTE EXPEDITION.
Brutal Deserti0n of Freezing and
Starving Men by Chief Engineer
Melville After the Wreck.
VERY LIKE A CRIME, 1T SEEMS
THE NAVAL INVESTIGATION
ROTTEN TO THE CORE.
The Senate Passes all Appropriation
Bill for Public Buildings
Bayard's Cannon Factory.
HOUSE.

L
burn offered preamble reso
luton reciting that petition haC
been presented to the speaker concern
ing the Jeanette arctic expedition
the conduct of the surviving members
and the'manner of investigation by thu
naval court of enquiry; that the fact:
presented involve the honor and hui
manity of officers of the United State.
service, as well as proper respect tt
those who persisted in the expedition
and its alleged that the court of en-
quiry refused to admit valuable testi
mony, to be given to bring out the
facts in the case, and directing the
committee on naval affairs to inves.
tigate the facts connected with sale
expedition, and Said unofficerlike an6
unseamanlike conduct therein, and
send for persons and papers. Adopted
In condition with the resolution
Washburn presented, for printing in
the record, the petition of DR.. Daniel f
Collins, brother of Jerome j. Collins
of the Jeanette expedition, setting
forth that after the month of Septem-
Der, Jerome Collins, together with
others, was treated with every indig-
nifty and outrage, even to being de
prived of all semitic instruments
and appliances of his position as me-
teorologist of the expedition; that on,
or about the end of the year 1879,
while the Jeanette was held in ice,
Jerome j. Collins was placed under
suspension, or arrest, by the COM
handing officer, and remained so
on the bank of the river Lena, in
| f&oc
an attempt by officers and crew in
the loss of the Jeanette, and the loss
of two par les, while the third, under
Chief enginet Melville, found places
charges that Melville made no effort
to obtain information as to the condi-
ton, or location, of the missing par
ties, and he refused permission to any
fSof his party to make a search. DR..
Collins alleges further, that evidence
offered to the naval court, and that
which will be given by the survivors
go to show beyond any reasonable
doubt, that had Melville performed
the duty devolving upon him as COM
mander of the party, and obeyed di-
rections given him by Lieutenant
belong to Immediately communicate
with the Russian authorities, and
gone to the rescue and conducted a
search for the captains party, each
and every member of that party, with
the exception of Erickson, would
have been rescued and alive
to-day. The petitioner further
charges that the naval court of in
quiry into the loss of the Jeanette
refused to admit or allow to be given
valuable testimony, and that court
ruled out nearly every question that
would bring out the true history of
the expedition; that many witnesses
were, it is alleged by competent au-
thority, dependent upon and under
the jurisdiction of the army, afraid of
the persecution of the naval depart
ment; that the official stenographer
Of the conrt publicly declared in writ
ing that important and valuable testi-
mOny was suppressed, and that the
Proceedings of the court were calculated
to cover up all matters relating to
the expedition.
Collins offered preamble and reso-
luton reciting that a memorial had
been presented by the share holders of
the Pacific national bank, Boston,
charging frauds and misconduct on
the part of certain United States Off
Gals, in combination with the direc-
tors of the bank, and directing that
the committee on banking and curren-
cy consider the expedlency of making
an immediate investigation of said
charges, and so amending the banking
laws as to prevent such fraud and
misconduct in the future. Adopted
Bills introduced and referred-By
Caldwell, to prohibit the importation
into the United States of pauper labor.
ers, lazzaroni and beggars.
| Wellborn, for the erection of pub.
lie building at Fort Worth, I exas.
Hancock (by request) to liquidatt
the national war debt in gold and
silver bullion, to increase the circula-
ton of the national current money
to discontinue the collection of inter.
nal revenue, and to establish the ma
rine. The means by which these re
suluts are to be obtained is the issue
of $2OO,OOOOOO in greenbacks.
Townsend moved to suspend the
rules and pass the bill pensioning the
survivors of the Mexican war. The bill
does not apply, like that pending be
fore the house, to soldiers of thu
Black Hawk war, and other 1ndiaI
wars.
Randall, under instructions from thu
committee on appropriations. reported
back the letter from the secretary o.
the treasury in relation to rebates OF
tobacco.
Randall said The claims could b,
paid in three months. An intlmatioI
had crept into public notice that per
SONS having claims, by the employ
ment of agents at per cent. commits
sion, could get the precedence. Il
consideration of the claim he woult
say to the house and claimants
that there is no occasion whatever TO
claimants to go to any expense to sc
cure the payment of their money. Sc
if they employed agents after thi
statement they would do so Of thei
own Volition.
Townshend explained the bill an
stated that it combined in so ia
as they related to the soldiers O
the Mexican war, the essential fea
| lures of bill introduced by himsel
first bill day this session, and bill re
ported from committee on pensions
and the suggestion of convention G
the Mexican soldiers really held /
this city. 1t was confined exclusivel
!, to those who had served sixty days
the Mexican war, or who had actual
served with the army and navy, c
had participated in any battl
in that war, and widows O
such soldiers who had ma lie
before their discharge. The Mex "a
war had ended So years ago, and b
average age Of survivors was now
wears. This bill was in line with til
: precedents established in pensionin
the soldiers of the revolutionary wa
|, and the war of 1872.
, Browne, of Indiana, opposed the BIZ
: because it would put on the pensio
: rolls all who actually appeared on tt
, muster roll of the army of the Unite
States in the war with Mexico.
! would put on rolls men who neversa
: a living or dead Mexican, and nevt
/ heard the discharge of gun, unless
, was fired by accident. 1t woul
. roll those who did NJ
need pensions. He was wi
willing to give pensions to every ma
who actually served in Mexico,
who participated in any battle in tt
Il Mexican war without regard to tin
e of service, and to put on the rolls tt
. name of every man who was on I'll
1. muster rolls for sixty days, who cou-
9 show he was in such pecuniary como
= ton as to need the assistance of Il
y government. How did the gentlems
. of the majority forget 100000 m'
who served in a war of equal impo