Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-03-13
THOSE sroLINrIoN CLAIMS.
What Hon. John o. Pendleton Has to Say
About Them.

What Hon. John o. Pendleton Has to Say
About Them.
Hon. John O. Pendleton arrived home
from Washington. d. c., on the mid
night train Wednesday night. IeSter-
day a REG~rEn reporter acco>ied him
i'm relation 10 the coming Prayer for
tune. bv reason Of the French Spollation
claims. about which there seems To be
Surh "A widespread interest AT present.
Some people seem 20 have an errOne-
.ous idea a 10 how these French Spolia-
tion claims originated. IL occurred in
thi. wise. IN the days OF the revolution
the United states entered iptp an alll-
ance with France by the provisions OF
which this country was to aid France III
defending her West India colonies
i'm any war she might have with Eng
land. In 1898 came the war between
France and England, and France be-
coming veXed with this country because
we would not get into war with Eng
land. allowed her privateerS to prey
upon American cQmu.erce In 1900 the
United states finally settled mp It's
troubles with France Dy entering into
new treaty. whereby this country was
forever released from aiding France in
the defense of her colonies, in consider
alton of which the United States agreed
10 paw over the claims incurred through
the seizures in the Franco-EngliSh war.
These claims have been knocking at
the door OF Congress since $500. and
twice that august body has passed the
,Doliation bill, but they were vetoed.
Since the litigation was started there
have been from - TO 90 favorable re-
pnrts from different committees.
What is the situation IA the l'rager
case asked the reporter.
They are interested through their
grandfather and great-uncle, who to-
rethcr lost 10 ships. The Court Of
Claims will report the value OF their
ships and cargoeS and the losses and
whatever amount the Court reports as
due to the Prayers, they will get. 1t
should be borne in mind that law was
passed by Congress six or seven years
ago referring all these Spoliation
claims TO the Court OF Claims
with the proviSo that all claims must be
hled within one year after the passage
OF the law OF course ] good many
claims were likely enough not gotten IN
ON time. but the Prayer claims were
there within the specified time"
What is the total amount OF the
,poliation claimS?" asked the reporter.
something like 100000, 600. said
Mr.. Pendletou. II think the Prayers
here i'm Wheeling can unqueStiOnably
pFo.e claims 10 The amount of al least
500. o0o, aui ! wQuid not De surprised If
il ran into milton dollars There
was no appropriation for this in The last
Congress. but Il will be made by tina In
coming body. My opinion Is that the
Prayers will get their big pile inside of
two or three years
who do you think will step into
Reeds shoes" asked the reporter.
My opiniQn is that Charles +. Crisp
OF Georgia. stands The best show at
present. lie has the supR4g, Qi nine
tenths Of the Washington newspaper
correspondents, and he Is a man level |
headed. competent, ready in debate, a
fine parliamcntariau, genial and popu-
lar with AN. Could the election be held
to-day believe it would be Speaker
Crisp"
.'Who do you think stands the next
best chance"
"a D.. Mills" said Mr.. Pendleton.