The Portland daily press., 1886-05-13
FROM WASHINGTON.
The Dunn Free Ship Sill to Come Up
at This Session..
Democrats Anxious to Put Them
selves On Record in Favor of 1t.
Especial to the PREss.l

Especial to the PRESS
WASHINGTON, May 12.-It has been stated
that owing to the overwhelming majority in
the Senate against the free ship amendment
to the post Office appropriation bill the Dunn
free ship bill will not be called up at this
session. This is probably not true. The
majority of the House committee in discus
ing the bill before it was reported said they
had no hope of its passing the Senate but
they wished to go ON record as favoring such
measure. Consequently the bill will un-
doubtedly be called up on the 22d, but posi-
bly,, owing to the certainty of defeat in the
Senate, it will not be considered for more
than one day although three have been as
signed to it. The numerous protests against
its passage which have been received from
the Knights of Labor and others all over the
country have had powerful effect against
the bill. 1t is therefore probable that while
the bill will certainly be discussed more or
less in the House, it may not be voted upon,
the Democrats being satisfied simply to put
themselves on record regarding it through
speeches.
Commissioner Blacks Charges.
WASHINGTON, May 12.-The Senate COM
mittee on expenditures of public money
resumed the examination of Commissioner
Black of the pension office, this morning.
Senator Cullom laid before him the papers
in the case of Corporal Alonzo Francisco, of
the Thirty-ninth Indiana Volunteers. One
of these was submitted by General Black to
support the allegation in his report that the
pension office had been managed as polit-
ical machine. Mr.. Cullom asked what there
was therein to sustain the allegations.
The Commissioner, referring to the papers,
said that the claimant applied for a pension
six days before the expiration of the limit
to the payment of arrears The records of
the adjutant generals office contained no
evidence of disability. The original certif-
cate of discharge stated that the claimant
had been unfit for duty by reason of disease
which he had contracted before he enlisted
Among the papers was found letter from
Thomas Graham, county auditor of Jefferson
county, Indiana, to Commissioner Dudley,
asking, if convenient, that he would look
after the papers in this case, and, if it were
right, hurry along the matter, stating that it
would 'be Of advantage to us in the way OF
having q big fight against Holman, and
asked that the Commissioner should do any
thing he could against Holman. The case
was made special one and rejected after
examination.
A Second letter from Graham was re-
ceived afterwards. 1t was upon the same
subject and the case was reopened and sent
to the examining board in Indiana.It resulted
in the granting of the pension. The Com
missioner said that the whole history shows
that the office joined in the rejection of the
case. He believed that the granting of the
pension was contrary to the law and evil
dence.
Senator Platt called up the case of Captain
Charles Schoreck Fifteenth New York Vol
unteers. Among the papers was found
letter written by j. A. Fife to Senator
Logan. in which he called attention to the
long time which the claimants papers had
been in the pension office unacted upon. He
says that the claimant was member of the
famous Springfield convention General
Logan sent letter to Commissioner Dud-
ley with the request that the case be made
special" which was granted, and the pen
sion was allowed.
Pending further examination of papers
the committee adjourned.