The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-12-11
= AT WASHINGTON. +
The DOings in Congress on
o5.9o Thursday. 9c.oa0
TRIAL OF HUMAN BUTCHERS.
An Interesting Batch OF MisceIIan-
eous Telegraphic News Items
from Various Quarters
TRIAL OF HUMAN BUTCHERS
FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS-.
SENATE

WAsHINGToN, December 10. : After
the reading of the journal, Mr.. Ed
munds introduced bill TO provide for
the establishment of a postal telegraph.
Referred to the committee on post
offices and post roads. In introducing
the bill Mr.. Edmunds said it was the
same bill he had introduced at the last
session of Congress, which went to the
committee on postofices and post roads
and was reported upon by that COM
mittee so late in the session that the
subject could not be considered by the
Senate before the expiration of the ses-
sion. He hoped the committee would
now take the earliest opportunity to
reportit. -
A resolution, offered By Morrell, was
agreed to, ordering the payment from
the contingent fund of the Senate, of
the actual and necessary expenses of
the Senate committee appointed to at
tend the funeral of General Grant.
A resolution, offered by Mr.. Dolph,
was agreed to, calling on the Secretary
of War to transmit to the Senate a copy
of the report of Captain w. H Bixby,
relating to the sea coast fortification In
Europe, in 1881 and 1852.
Mcpherson presented a joint resolu-
ton of the Legislature of New Jersey,
recommending Congressional inquiry
into, the fitness of portion of the Ter
ritory of Alaska for the purpose of
penal colony for a long term or life
term conVicts. Referred to the com
mittee on Territories.
A joint resolution, introduced by Mr..
MorrelI. was read three times and passed,
re Ippointing as members of the board of
regents of the Smithsonian Institu te,
John -MacLean, of New Jersey, Asa
Gray, of Massachusetts,, and Henry
Cope, of Pennsylvania, and also
appointing on the same board, General
Meigs of Washington, in place of
General Sherman, rendered ineligible by
the removal of his residence from Wash
ington.
Dolph introduced a bill to repeal the
law of last session providing for the
settlement OF claims Of officers and en-
list d men of the army for loss of pri-
vate property destroyed in the military
service of the United States. This is
the law to which the President calls at
tention to in his message as indefinite
IN its terms, and to which he says: IF
1t IS to remain on the statute books, il
needs amendment" In moving the re-
ference of the bill to the committee on
military affairs, Dolph cited the Presi-
dents comments and had the clerk read
from the report of the Secretary of War
the statements of that officer with re
gard to the Jaw in question and the diff
ficulty expressed in its Interpretation
From these statements it appeared that
one OF the claims presented was for in
demnity for the loss of the clothing of
family of six. Another Tor the house
hold furniture destroyed in the great |
fire in Chicago, and another for the loss |
of two gold watches. Mr.. Dolph said |
he saw no reason why the government |
should act as an insurer of the property |
of ofcers and soldiers in its army any |
more than the property of many more |
Of its servants and agents. He objected |
10 the law. also, upon the ground that !
it established no limit to the amount of !
property that should be paid for, and !
that il did not sufficiently define the |
character of the articles that were TO be |
covered by its provisions.
COckrell saw no reason for any |
in the Interpretation of the
law.
Logan was opposed to the govern
ment becoming an insurer, but the act
complained of admitted of no doubt as
to its Interpretation.
The bill was referred 10 the commit
tee on military affairs.
By Mr.. George-To establish agri-
cultural experiment stations IN cOunec-
ton with the agricultural colleges in
the several States.
By Mr.. Plumb-To open tohornestead
settlement certain portions of indian
Territory. This Is the Oklahama bill OF
last Congress.
The Senate went into executive session,
and when the doors reopened adjourned
until Monday.