The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-20


would respond promptly to Mr.. Thomas
communication. A circular from Mr..
Thomas was read. stating that his accep-
tance Of the proposition depended on its af-
proval by the officers address upon his send
ing retaining fee OF s.. and signing con-
tract TO pay a contingent tee Of I'D per cent.
on the increase Of the pay for one year.
Mr.. Chandler said there were LOO naval
officers. and that this movement had taken
an extremely offensive shape.
Mr. Hale supported the resolution. and
said he hoped that il would be agreed to,
and promised that the Naval Committee
would give the matter careful consldera-
tion.
Mr.. Mcpherson defended the action Of Mr.
Cowie. and said that il that officer had dis
covered a method bV which the pay Of OIL
GERS Cf the navy could be equalized to the
satisfaction Of all the naval officers. he
would be regarded a. public Oenefactor.
Mr.. Butler had no objection 10 the resolu-
ton being adopted, nor 10 a full inNestlga-
ton of tue whole subject. lie was glad TO
see the effort Of Senators TO reform the lob
by. lie supposed that il was better late
than never, but il appeared 10 him TO be
TEMPEST in "A teapot. Because an officer Of
the navy chooses 10 exercise his rights as
citizen. he was denounced; and a reputable
y
tract with naval officers, was held up 10 the
country ~ violating some code Of propriety
and n c'ifude. The whole performance was
unnecessary. and he wished that the efforts
10 drive away the lobbyists would be APP
piled in other directions. as well as 10 Off
Gers Of the army and navy, whose mouths
were closed. lie could see no reasons why
officers should not employ counsel when
ever, and pay them whatever they pleased.
Mr.. Cockrell expressed his astonishment
at hearing the senator from South Carolina
say that the officers Of the army and navy
have their mouths closed, and could not ap-
prOach Congress. Any officer might send
a pefitiOn 10 the senate or the House through
the proper channel. The question was
whether officers had a right 10 90 into
combination. paving q fixed fee ia advance,
and agreeing fO pay contingent fee.
Mr.. Butler: Why should not officers do
il. ~ well as any other body Of citizens.
Mr.. Cockrell The public will answer
Nh II question. do not propose 10 20 into
an argument upon this question before this
body. II answers itself. hold in my hand
a similar circular. issued short time ago,
in reference TO another bill 10 increase the
salary Of officers. in which il l. stated that
the fee j. $500 as a retainer, with contin-
cent fee of s.. 900. and lin which the assess-
ment is spoken Of rs SIP for one class and
500 for another class. 10 pay the retaining
fee. such things, he said, was a disgrace To
the army aud navy.
Mr. Butler: II the senator from Missouri
was not 80 much excited -
Mr. Cockrell Omperiously): The senator
KOm Missouri j. never excited. Laugh
MIR. Butler: I would like 10 ask the ,ena-
tor why he talks Of this as an assessment!
supposed that there was some sort Of COM
pusion about assessments.
Mr.. COckrcll: | used the word which the
officer himself uses in his confidential cir
cular.
Mr. Butler; You promised not to get ex-
cited.
Mr. Cockrell: l am perfectly cool. Laugh
ter.
After further discussion by Senators But
Ter. Cockrell, and Call, the resolution was
agreed To-.
The senate then proceeded to the con-
sidcrdtion Of executive business, and after
confirming large number Of nominations.
at 1880 i. NJ, adjourned till tomorrow.
RUSSIAN NmiLIsTs IN AMERICA.
Colonel De Arnaud. resident Of this city
and Wcll-knOwn Russian by birth. who
has since his residence here for thirty years
c0mbattcd nihiism, yesterday received the
following communication from the central
committee Of nihilists in this country, at
New York atty. The letter II written IN
Russian, and translated. reads as ioll0"s'
"Ncw York CHy. December IL, isS..-
Colonel Charles be Arnaud. Washington.
ID. C.-The central committee Of Russian
Nihilists. assembled in the city Of New
York. do hereby give you notice that they
have resolved to rcmOrc YOU. Prepare 10
meet your fate -
The signature to this pleasant note. writ
ten with red ink. is "A skull and crOss-b0nes.
Colonel De Armand SAYS be j., and has been
for wears. prepared 10 foil any such attempt
10 ..remove" him.
TIE sILCO1r DEFALCAIION.
The special committee Ol The House,
which has been engaged IN investigating tue
~ilcOtt deialcaiiOn. met to-day. ana after
session lasting several hours. adjourned I'M
iii after the holiday recess. The committee
had a spirited debate today before reaching
"A conclusion about the payment Of salaries
and funds. which many members oi The
House have lost by the ~ilcOtt deialcatlon.
The committee before adjournment, de-
cidcd 10 report bill 10 the House after the
holiday recess appropriaiilg tie amount
necessary % make up 10 members what has
been stolen from them by the
ab-conding cashier. This measure Is sup
rorted by live out of the seven members Of
the committee. who hold that the sergeant
alarms Of the House is a public Olhcial;
that the money which was stolen by >ilcott
was intended for the payment OF members
salaries. and that therefore tile loss should
be borne ly the government ana not by IN
diyidial members Of Congress. OF the two
members Messrs. iiemphili aud Holman
who do not endorse the maJority's PROPOSE
ton. MIR. IIemphill agrees with the
majority that the sean,-at-Arms u
a public Official, but prefers referring
the question 10 the Court Of Claims for set
Element. Mr.. Holman is opposed to any ap-
propriatiOn. and fayOrs paying private lie
nositors out Of the funds on hand in the ser
aeant-at-Arms' office and then dividing. pro
rata. The balance o. lDe as,els among all
who have any salary due them. some
members Of the majority hold this 10 be un-
lust. because. a. they say, three members
who. like Mr. Holman and others, nave
drawn their salaries in full up to NoNem-
her. or close up 10 dafe. would have the aa.
vantage Oi sharing IN the accumulations oi
assets due 10 those members who nave not
drawn their salaries for months.
PROCTOR IN QUANDARY.
: retary Proctor is in quandary as
how 10 cOns.rue the act OF Congress author
iZing him 10 purchase the tNo sNviu' u
General Shields. Congress appropriated
$4,000 lor thar purpose. pul specified that
the Secretary should n0t pay more thdn
the original cost Of the swords. which, OF
course. is diiiictlt 10 ascertain. Congress
man Manson. Of Missouri. called on secrc-
tary Proctor this morning in reference to the
matter.
CAPITAL NOTES.
Henry Stewart Anderson. OF the seventh
Congressional district of North Carolina,
has been appointed Il cadet TO West Point.
Sat irppi Ear 20 r.,r.
ELGIN, ILL, December l9.-Mrs. Fred
erick A. stoll, whose home is near the viii
lage OF New Lebanon. was mund lying at the
door Of her house Yesterday morning. Her
throat was cut, and although yet alive. her
wounds are of such a nature as 10 preclude
all the possibility Of recovery. Chris. Ach-
teriield, a Young farmer, j. under arrest for
the crime Aclterneld. though married
man. was infatuated with hrs. stoil, aud
the fact that she recently repelled his adj
vances, is supposed to be the cause q the
cFiinr.
Iowa Farmers Moving Ia Politics.
CHICAGO December l9,--A Times special