Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-05-12
GOSSIP FROM THE NATIONAL
CAPITAL.
The New Chief efJustice-Our Balance Sh Get
for April-And Items Of Gen
ernl Interest.

Aue ueDt statement issued May Isl
shows the decrease of the public debt
during the month of April to be 50, 1885,
300. 10; decrease Of debt since June 80,
1887, $97, 795, ,881. 98; cash in treasury,
$500, 1858, ,519.48; gold certificates out
standing, $95, ,561, 1893; silver certificates
outstanding, $194, 426, 932; certificates of
deposit outstanding, $40, 555, ,O0O legal
tenders outstanding, $346, ,6S1, ,016; frac-
tional currencM mot including amount
estimated as lost or 1estroyed), SO, 694,
106, 112; total interest-bearing debt,
81, 500, 097, 159. 3S; total debt of all kinds,
81, 706, S33. 377.17; total debt, less all
available credits, 81, 181, 632, 855.04.
The President has nominated Melville
W. Fuller, of Chicago, to be Chief JUS
tice of the Supreme Court of the United
States. The selection of Mr.. Fuller was
somewhat of a surprise, for although his
name has been occasionally mentioned in
connection with the Chief Justiceship,
none of the members of the Senate Ju-
dietary Committee had the slightest init
nation that he was to be the Presidents
choice. Democratic lawyers generally
regard the nomination as a good one.
and while the Associate Justices of the
Supreme Court decline to express In
opinion on the subject, in Supreme Court
circles he has the reputation of being
capable lawyer, and promises to be
worthy successor of Fancy, Chase, Waite,
or any other of the distinguished jurists
who have presided over the Supreme
Court. Early in the administration of
Mr.. Cleveland he was rendered the So
citor-Generalship, and subsequently
positions on the Civil Service Commits
sion, Interstate Commerce Commission
and Pacific Railroad Commission, all OF
which he declined He has been held in
the highest regard by the President, and
has been generally endorsed by Western
Democrats. Republican Senators who
know him say they know of no reason
why he should not be promptly con-
firmed. Senator Edmonds, when spoken
to on the subject, said he could say
nothing as to what action the Judiciary
committee would probably take, and cut
off all further questions by declaring
that he was blank so far as the nomi-
ton was concerned.
A discovery has been made at the
Treasury Department which it is thought
points to defalcation at the American
Exchange National Bank, of New York
The express company, in making its
usual deliveries of national bank notes
forwarded for redemption, submitted a
package from the bank named. 1t bore
the usual labels and seals, and purported
to contain $41, 200. In handling it,
however, one of the treasury experts
found that it was not altogether right,
and it was temporarily laid aside. Pack
ages containing notes for redemption are
usually made up in the most compact
manner, but this particular one, while of
the right size for the amount it purported
to contain, did not seem to be closely
packed, and yielded readily to hand
pressure. 1t was subsequently opened in
the presence of officers of the express
company and found to contain nothing
but brown paper An examination of
the sealed label also disclosed that it
had been neatly cut from its original
place and pasted on bogus package.
The Treasurer refused to receive the
package, and notified the bank accord
ingly. The impression at the depart
ment is that the bank put up the money
for Transmission to the department, but
delayed forwarding it, and that while in
its custody the package was distracted
and another put in its place bearing all
the marks and appearance of the original