Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-01-07
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence OF the A!o1ardria Gazette

Norfolk navy yard, was found guilty
by a court martial of embezzling 81 600
of the funds of the navy and sentenced
to be imprisoned for two years, to be
deprived of his pay to the amount Of
S2,2lO, and to be then dishonorabituis-
missed from the service. The sen.
tence of the court-martial was affimeG
by Secretary Herbert, and Sayre was
committed to the custody Of NJ. ].
Johnson, an officer at the Norfolk navy
ward, while awaiting transportation to
the Boston navy yard, where the i'm
prisonment was to be carried out.
Sayre filed his petition in habeas cor
pus in the Circuit Court Of the United
States for the eastern district of Vir
ginia. The writ issued, and on Deem
Der 3rd last the Court discharged the
petitioner from 1.-The infamous punish
ment and released him from custody
as to that part of the sentence, but
without prejudice to the sentence OF
a court-martial in any other respect, ,"
upon the ground that, although Sayre
was in the naval service, he could not
in time of peace, be punished for the
otfense which he committed, by court,
martial, or otherwise than on an indict-
ment by grand jury, under the
fifth amendment TO the Consti-
tuition, and also on the ground
that the sentence of the court martial
was "cruel and unnatural" and prohibit
ed by the eighth amendment. Sayre is
out on bail pending this appeal, in
view of which and on account Of the
nature of the questions involved, and
the fact that similar cases are frequent
ly arising in the administration Of the
Navy Department, the motion to ad-
vance was submitted.
On Saturday evening last Messrs.
Clements, Hume aud Phillips of Alex
andria county appeared before a sub
committee of the House appropriations
committee and argued in favor of an
appropriation of S26, 200, as recommend
ed by the District Commissioners, for
widening the Aqueduct Bridge for
railway purposes, that bridge now not
being as wide as the piers upon which
it rests. The whole committee met
this morning and refused to make any
appropriation for the object referred to.
DR.. Rocker, secretary Of Archbishop
Satolli, apostolic delegate to the United
States, stated this morning that he had
reason to think the long expected en-
cyclical letter of Pope Leo in regard to
American church matters was on its
way to Washington, but it had not yet
been received.
1t was generally expected in and
about the U. S. Supreme Court room
to-day that the case involving the le-
gality of the sugar trust would be de-
cided, and that it was not, was the cause
of no little speculation and comment.
The House appropriations committee
to-day agreed to appropriate $4,000
for improving the governments water
works at the Great Falls of the Poto-
mac.
The failure of the republican steering
committee of the Senate to-day to come
to any agreement by which the present
tariff law can be changed is looked upon
as indicating that that bill will remain
unchanged by this Congress.
The President to-day nominated
Hiram r. Lott, of Louisiana, to be con-
sui at Managua, Nicaragua.
Chairman Springer Of the House
banking and currency committee had
conference with Secretary Carlisle this
morning on pending financial legisla-
ton. In view of the democratic caucus
to-day this conference assumes more
than ordinary Importance, as D1r.
Springer, it is understood, will voice
the views of the administration. The
opinion is expressed this morning that
the caucus will adopt some measure
that will become a law, though it is
believed it will differ radicallylfrom the
Carlisle or Springer bill and follow
more closely the lines of the Combs or
Sperry bills, either of which, it is said
will be acceptable to the administration.
In the House to-day MIR. Marshall, OF
Virginia, was granted five days extra
leave of absence on account ofsickness.
The work of pulling down the frame
buildings at Fort Myer, in Alexandria
county, near this city, and erecting
handsome brick buildings in their place,
which was suspended during the late
exceptionally cold weather, was re-
sumed this morning by large force of
laborers.
A gentleman from Alexandria coun-
ty to-day says the work of reassessing
property in that county for State taxa
ton has already commenced, and that
the estimated increase is one million,
and that, too, with little increase in
the valuation of farming lands, the in
crease arising chiefly from the large
number of new houses that have been
erected in the new towns that
have sprung up in the county.
One of the parties interested in the
Virginia Jockey Club, whose track is
near Alexandria, says the club will 60
to good deal of expense between
now and the commencement of the
next racing season, in improving that
track by putting sand upon it, so as to
make it softer. They are looking out
for the proper sort of lerd, clean sand
along the line of the Mt. Vernon Rail
road. 1t is said that foreign books will
be kept at the track during the next
season.
Among the executive documents pre-
sented in the House to-day was one
from the chief of engineers, recommend
ing the improvement of the Harris
Greek prong of Black river, Virginia.
when the democratic caucus of the
House met this evening Mr.. Livingston
moved that any action taken should be
binding upon all present. This was
voted down. Mr.. Speaker Crisp
then took the floor and said the
party's promises must be kept, and
moved that the currency bill be passed