Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-05

d. c., TUT
Washington News and Gossip.
GOVERNMENT REcE1PTs To-DAY-Internal reye.
nue., 316s, ,7s4.11; customs, s5i6, ,ea6.22.
Mr.. EDWARD MCPHERSON, Of Pennsylvania has
decided to accept the secretaryship Of the republ.
can Congressional committee, to which he was
| elected two weeks ago. He has SO Informed sena-
Tor HaWley, chairman OF the committee and will
take charge In q few days
HARD TMEs.-The United States Treasury was
overdrawn: March 81, 1862 s30,s91 ,627 rs; Septem-
Der 30, 1852, 81 709 4al .6s; December 81 1852
1890 March 81, 1863, s29OS3 .4Ss57: September 90
1863, $40 049 246 12 December 81, 1862 81
september 30, 1864, $27 81 6a071 These balances
show Ihe amount OF warrants drawn by the Secre-
tary or the Treasury in excess OF cash on hand.
and show how hard-up the government was at
those PERIODS
DEATH OF Gov. PATTIsoN's WIFB.-Mra Pattison.
VIE OF Gov. Pattison, OF Pennsylvania, died in
Alexandra, Va, to-day, at the residence OF Mr g.
b. Carlin, her soE-ln-law. -
AMONG the callers at the White House to- day were
Senators Miller tCal), Platt, Plumb and Dolph and
Representatives Peells, Mckinley, Horr, Wise.
lu Scs INutllNS {Wltn MT. ana Mrs. Fail
and George. ~ ''''
Army ORpERs-The extension OF leave to Post
Chaplain Sherman NJ Merrill U. 8 army, is stu
further extended six months on account of sick
ness Lieut.. Col. H. N. Lazelle, 23d Infantry will
report In person to the commanding general depart
na,s snn Sl cailoraia for inspection duty Lieut. Col
as inspector and Instructor at the meetings of the
commissioned officers Of the New Hampshire Ma
tlona! Guard. to be held at Manchester, n H. com.
menclng on the 26th instant and closing on the asth
Instant
VESSELS FOR THE GRRELY RELIEF EXPEDITIONS
The Secretary OF the Navy has opened negotiations
for the purchase of either the British ship New
Pandora or the British ship Alert for use In the
proposed Greeiy relief expedition.
REsIGNBD.-Passed Assistant Surgeon Francis C.
Dale, U. S. N, has resigned, and his resignation
was accepted to take effect yesterday.
ENSIGN c. F. POND has been detached from duty
In the photographic office and ordered to take
charge OF the branch photographic office in San
Francisco
DIsBARRED.yames F. Llngenfelter, pension al
torney OF Newark, Ohio, has been disbarred from
practice before the Interior department on a
charge OF having extOrted illegal fees in nenSion
case.
DIED IN M1LwAUKRE.-Captain Frederick T..
Starkweatber died in Milwaukee, Wis., Monday.
He served with distinction in the Army OF the
Cumberland, part OF the time being a staff Off
Ger with his brother, Gen. John G.. Starkweather
and Gen. Reynolds, both residents OF this city.
Mr. EIMER's REsIGNATIoN.-Hon. Richard A.
Elmer has resigned the office of Second Assistant
postmaster General having, as he states In letter
10 the Postmaster General, dated February 4th,
completed the work assumed by me upon my ap-
pOlntnent in May, 1881. have accepted the preS1-
dency OF the American Surity company, OF New
lork." Judge Gresham, In reply, wrote a cordial
note expressing bis appreciation OF Mr.. Elmer as a
man and an official. Mr.. Henry d. Lyman, OF
Ohio, VINO was clerk in the contract Office under
Zen Brady and then promoted TO chief clerk when
I'LL the vacancy caused by Mr. Elmer's RESIGNATION.
as stated In IHK STAR last evening.
THE NAVAL CADETS found deficient in their
studies and recommended to be dropped have taken
advantage OF the privilege of resign1ng number
OF them will leave Annapolis to-day for their
homes.
PAY CAsBs BEFORE THE COURT OF CLA1Ms-In the
Court OF Claims yesterday petitions were dismissed
IN Inc cases OF Jabez Burchard and Lucten Young
The former was claim for additional pay due a. a
retired naval officer and the latter longevity claim
case, Involving the question whether pay shall be
computed from the date upon which he was actu-
any commissioned or the date mentionedin the body
OF the commission.
NAVAL ORDERs-Lieut Albert Mertz has been
detached from the Alliance and placed on sick
leave. Ensign Frank NJ. Tappan has been granted
leave OF absence for two months.
NAVAL OFFICERS Examined FOR PRoMorroN-
Commodores Simpson and Temple have success
fully passed the examination for promotion The
former officer will be promoted to the rank Of rear
aanlral TOMORROW, when Rear Admiral Patt1son
VIII De retired. Commodore Temple will be pro-
noted to similar rank on the 2lst inst, the date
OF %na ADMIRAL ais Snufedts Capt
hysfcally, and he Will probably fe placed on the
retired list Capt w. W. Queen was examined for
promotion to-day in his stead. Commander A. II
Yates was also examined to-day.
PERsosAI.-Mr. Edgar T. welles, fol nerly chief
clerk OF the Navy department, is at Wormley's,
accompanied by his wife.-Mr Jefferson NJ Levy
OF New York, owner OF Monticello, the old home Of
Thomas Jefferson, is at the Riggs-Mr and Miss
Harris brother and sister OF the late Mrs Col Rath-
Done with the children OF the latter, arrived in
New York observation-disclosures Cr1ttenden and
wife, OF Missouri, are at the Ebbitt
Rights OF Patent Office Emplove..
COMMISSIONERS PUTTERwoRTH DECIDES THAT rHRY
CANNOT FILB Or PROSECUTE APPLICATIONS FOR
PATENTS.
Hon. Ben. Butterworth, the Commissioner Of Pat
ents, has rendered the following decision:
~ am called upon to decide whether an oncer
or employe CT this bureau may file and prosecute an
application for patent. Section 48O of the Revised
Statutes provides that 'all officers and employees
OF the Patent Office shall be incapable during the
period for which they hold their appolntmenfs to
acquire or TAX directly Indirectly except by in
heritance or uequest, any right or interest In any
patent issued by the of1ice.'
That the section Just quoted renders all officers and
employees OF the bureau incapable OF acquiring d.
rectly indirectly any interest whatever In patent
1Sclear am equally clear that theya are alike pro-
1bited from Iling o. prosecuting an application FOR
patent. it would seem on its face absurd to hol1
that party may file and prosecute a claim to o.
tain right Or privilege in which he is by express
provision or statute made incapable of acquiring
any interest whatever. An application Is the basis
upon which the rig mt to patent rests 1t Is the
evidence OF applicants title TO the exclusive right
interest In the thing ITSELF to say that he mi ht
nevertheless take steps to establish his title thereto
would be TO pronounce an absurdiJy. The reaSt
upon which the SeclOn rests is clear The proceed
1ngS Of the bureau In the matter OF considering the
Claims are secret, and for obvious reasons. It
wOulG be palpably unjust to allow those who by
virtue OF their employment, learn the nature char
acter and scope OF an applicants invention to en-
ter the field as competitor obtain patent for
when such officer Or emplOye may be charged with
the dUtytof passing upon the patentability Of the
invention mentioned and described In his cumuert-
tors application Public policy and common 1uS-
tCe to The inventors OF the country who are prose.
cutting claims Tor patents before this ONCE render
1t necessary that the section Of the statute which
renders the or1cers and employees OF the Patent
hold their appOinJ Jment, OF acquiring any In
terest in pateuv be strictly enforced. Apphca-
lions nled in cOntrOventiOn OF the statute as con-
strued herein Will be returned TO the party filing
the same. OF course the fee VIII be returned"