The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-12-12
MOSS COVERED BILLS
A Number of War Claim Measures
act d on By the House
SOME SENSATIONAL TALK
The Old Accounts of Flora Darling.
John Lynch and Others Bit
ter Attacks by Grosvenor
and Cannon.
SOME SENSATIONAL TALK

washington, Dec. ll.-Thc house haN-
ing passed bill To prohibit the sale of
liquor in the capitol the blind chaplain
to-day referred to the fact in his
prayer we thank Thee, % Lord"
said he that this house Is no longer
responsible for the liquor traffic within
the halls Of the national capitol. Grant,
We pray Thee, that the bin passed mere
yesterday will go through the regular
channels and speedily become law
never again to be repealed in the his
tory of our nation"
AT the conclusion of the prayer half a
dozen members applauded vigorously.
Speaker Reed promptly suppressed the
outburst. on motion of Dingley. 1t
was agreed that when the house ad-
journed to-day that II he To meet on
Monday. a joint resolution extending
until the close of this session the time
for the joint committee To investigate
the question of the tax on alcohol used
In the manufacture or arts. was adopt
ed This being Friday. the house then,
on motion of Mcmillan. went into COM
mittee Of the whole for the considera-
tion OF bills on the private calendar
Bills were passed to pay Peter Cook
of Arkansas $500 for stores and sup
plies taken by the federal troops during
the war: TO pay Gustus l8erdott $3.50
for the use of the steamboat Matte
during the war: To refer the claim of
/ William L. Buckmaster for the con-
structiOn of the Oswego. The senate
bill to pay William Buckmaster 22, SS5
for the construction of the boilers of
the steamer Oswego under the find
irgs of the Selfridge board, was in
definitely postponed
The committee favorably acted upon
the following bills: To pay Flora Dar-
ling S5,6S3 in full satisfaction of all
claims growing out of the arrest I'M
prisonment and seizure of her property
by military authority at New Orleans
In anuary, 1864; To correct the muster
of Francis A. Beuter as captain of the
Fourth United States colored cavalry
end accord him the pay Of his rank; to
pay John A. Lynch $2,490 for services
as assistant quartermaster at Cincin-
natl in 1862. and to refer the claim
of Maj. James Stewart. L. s. A., re-
tired, for longevity pay To the court Of
claims.
In the course of the debate on the
latter bill. Mr.. Grosvenor bitterly de-
nouncod the governments treatment
OF It's just claims of credits. Cannon
denied that the statute OF limitations
was a fraud, only voted by those Who
did not desire to do justice. Major
Stewart, the beneficiary of the bill, he
said, was on the retired list of the
army. drawing $500 annually and ii
was sought to override the statute of
limitations in his favor. Why should
| he be made n special beneficiary when
hundreds of volunteer soldiers, secur-
ing mere pittance from the govern
ment We're barred by the statute of
| limitations? He declared that this
/ government was swift to do justice and
! insisted that the government, in
pleading the statute of limitation, only
held to line OF actional ways insisted
/ upon between individuals. When the
/ committee rose and the bills We're re-
I iorted to the house. the Cook and Bur-
/ dit bills were passed.
Mr.. Dalzell then made a sensational
attack on the bill to pay Flora A. Dar-
! ling S5,6S3 on account of her imprison-
ment and the seizure Of her property
| in 1864. He pointed out "A fact not
brought out during the debate in the
committee. that Mrs. Darling was the
Wife Of confederate general and in
sympathy with the southern cause.
The property for which this hill sought
to reimburse her. he said. consisted of
Tennessee and Louisiana bank notes
which were assumed To be worth their
par value in gold.
Mr.. Boatner and Mr.. Richardson both
declared that some of the bank notes
throughout the war.
Mr. Cox. democrat of Tennessee,
however. declared that in 1865 there
was not n note on a Tennessee or
Louisiana bank which would bring
more than 80 cents on the dollar. He
should. he said, decline to vote for Mrs.
Darling's reimbursement upon the
hasis of such a valuation for those
notes
Mr.. Cooper. democrat OF Texas, who
Tade the report on the bill. said. in his
opinion. II was as meritorious claim
as ever came before congress. This
lady. under the safe conduct of flag
of truce. had been arrested and i'm
prisoned. her trunks seized and broken
oIen and their contents. consisting of
jewelry, gold and these bank notes. alb
stracted. He declared that this was
the first time the value of the notes had
ever been questioned.
Mr.. Dalzell replied that this bill fur
nished another illustration Of the hur-
ried and unsatisfactory examinations
sometimes mad" of claims. and he
moved to lay the motion on the table.
| A division resulted-aycs. 81; nays. 10:
hut the point Of no quorum was made
Ivy Mr.. Cooper. and the matter went
over until next week. The house then
at o'clock. took recess until =
o'clock, the evening session 10 be de-
voted TO the consideration of private
tension bills.
At the night session % bills were fa-
vorably acted upon. There were no
features of the session. Among the
bills were the following: To increase
the pension OF Adelaide Morris, widow
of the late Arthur Morris. formerly
captain Of the Fourth United States
artillery. at $50 per month; To pension
the widow of Joseph Keefe. late cap
tain of the Fourth United States in
fantry. at $50 per month: to increase
the pension OF the widow OF Col. David
T.. McKibben of the l5Sth Pennsylvania
To $40 per month: 10 pension Ira Har-
ris. late lieutenant commander Of the
navy. To $50 per month: to increase the
pension of Adam Dennis, one-lcgged
soldier OF Maunschoce. Bedford coun-
". Pa. to $40 per month. To pension
the widow uf the late BreVet Major
General linratio p. Nancicyc To $50 per
month. and to grant honorable dis
charge L. Captain Elisha Il. Bait Of
the 49th Michigan infantry. who was
dismissed for cowardice by General
Rosecrans at Murfreesburo.