Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-15
WASHINGTON.
The UNEYowAnLg AND THE usAT-
TArNARLE IN THE HOUSE.
A Lively Morning Interesting Career
Sensation at the capitol-Personal
News and Briefs.
,rtor our Regular oorrespondent.l

x.,e calendar occupied the time Of the
House to-day. There was smooth sail
ing for upwards OF an hour, and num-
Der of bills were ordered from the
Committee Of the Whole to the House
On q favorable recommendation. At
this iunctufc, however, a measure for
The relief Of one Samuel Nj. Gaines was
reached, and Mr.. Springer, Of Illinois,
Q gentleman who never appears without
. flower in his button-holc, took the
floor in the role OF comedian.
The bill provides for the extension Of
apatent for teaching the rudiments Of
chemistry. II was characterized as an
invention reaching up from "the I'M
movable 10 the unattainable. with
the pathway brilliantly illuminated for
the juvenile mind to travel along at
ease. The book OF job was quoted
from to illustrate the beauties
OF the patent amid the greatest
merriment. The boundary line
between wit aud wisdom was pass
cd by a member from Alabama, who
referred to patents as the greatest
monopoly generator in existence.
" Monopoly" was the talsmanic word,
and upon it all the notes in the gamut
Of craftsmanship were sounded until
the tariff was reached, aud the two
factions on that yexed question locked
horns in deadly conflict for the balance
Of the day.
There was incarcerated in the public
Jail OF the District of Columbia yester-
day q gentleman who less than ten
years ago was the accredited agent Of
a foreign Government at the United
States capital. His life has been a
peculiar one. John Hitz was born in
the canton Of Greseres, Switzerland,
where he received an education as a
mining engineer. lie came with his
father TO this country and settled at
Fredericksburg, Va. The father was
afterwards made Consul General of
Switzerland and moved to Washington,
where he died, and his son, John Hitz, be-
came his successor. AS mark Of re-
spect to this Government the rank Of Mr..
Hitz was raised to that Of politi-
cal agent, and he was recognized
by President Lincoln and Secre-
tary Seward as Minister. lie
married the daughter of a miser
named Shanks. The father OF the
young lady objected to the match, and
the pair eloped. The daughter would
not enter her fathers house afterward,
refusing TO see him when he was on his
death-bed. The son-in-law, however,
became great favorite with his father
in-law, and on the latter's death Mrs.
Hitz inherited all his property, which
mounted up into the hundreds of thou
sands Of dollars. Mr.. Hitz then be-
came president OF the German
American Bank, saving and
deposit institution, its assets being
invested in real estate. Under
n decision Of the Comptroller of Cur
rency the bank was obliged to conform
TO the laws governing national banks in
the matter Of reserve, and, not being
able to realize on its securities soon
enough, arrangements were made with
the Merchants and Traders Bank Of
New York to carry demand-note as
such reserve for 100000 A misun-
Outstanding between the two sets of
bank officials resulted in the return
Of the note as valueless after ii
bad been carried on the books Of
the Washington bank for some months,
which gave rise to the indictment Of the
president, Hitz, and Cashier Prentiss.
As the political agent Of Switzerland
Mr.. Hitz was exempt from proceedings
against him, but so conscious was he of
his ability to show his innocence Of
fraud that he resigned his Office to
stand trial, which has resulted in his
being placed in jail. In his younger
days Mr.. Hitz went to California while
the gold-fever was at its height and be-
came an accomplished card.player,
winning, it is said, large sums Of
money. As representative Of the Swiss
Government he was partic ularly unfor-
tunate, one Of the attaches absconding
with $1,000 while Mr.. Hitz was alb
sent in Europe. Other officials fleeced
him numerically. Since the failure of
the bank he has been on bail, and has
supported himself by teaching music,
Of which he is q master. He is great
philanthropist, and even in the dark
days that have overtaken him has de-
voted much Of his time in searching out
cases Of distress and providing the re-
lief IN his power.
The Secretary Of the Treasury, in
reply TO q resolution Of the House, has
sent TO that body list Of ports of en-
try in which the receipts have not
.equalled the expenditures, with the re-
commentator that they be abolished.
Among the list are the following in
Virginia, with the receipts, disburse-
ments, and cost of collecting dollar
Alexandria Receipts, sl,3lS.34; dis
bursements, s2, 594.54 /; cost of collec-
ton, sl.97. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES,
sl,554.s6; disbursements. $1,000.
cost of collection, sl.94. Petersburg
Receipts, sS60.6S; disbursements,
3,447.09; cost Of collection, 1855.
Tsppahannock - Receipts, s9SS.72;
disbursements, 1921; cost Of collec-
tion, sl.27. In North Carolina the
following are recommended for abol-
ishment Albemarle - Collections,
$904.97; disbursements, sS,0lS.70;
cost Of collection, s3.33. Beaufort
Receipts, sl,433.55; disbursements,
s3,447; cost of collection, s2.40.
Pamlico-Receipts, s2,S3l.S0; dis.
bursements, IS, 424.47; cost of collec-
ton, Sl.9l.
The Secretary also recommends the
adjustment Of the fee-system in the
remaining offices, and that the officers
be paid regular salary. The districts
of Norfolk and Portsmouth and York
town are TO remain with one collector
for each at salary of $4,000 per an
nun. The Wheeling West Vs.) district
is to have o collector at 81 400. North
Carolina is to retain one port lat VIII
miDgtop) with a collector at salary Of
$500 per annum.
A sensation was caused at the Capitol