Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-06-17
PENSION CASE.
Ruling Made in Regard to the Co.
habitation of Slaves.
RECEIPTS OF POST OFFICES.
Good Indication of the State of Business
Gen. Woodford May BE Minister to
Spain-The Solicitor-Generalship
The Hawaiian Treaty.

WASHINGTON, June ID. Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury Davis has
reversed the decision of the commits
sioner of pensions in the case OF the
widow of Jordan Dawley, late of COM
pany G, Fifty-Second United States
colored troops. The evidence shows
the marriage in Mississippi of claim
ant to the soldier according to slave
custom and that they lived together
as husband and wife up to his en-
listment, several children having been
born to them. This marriage was
considered as established. The sol
der died in service in 1864. Claim
ant and Alexander Robinson began
living together in the relation. of hus-
band and wife in 1866 in Mississippi.
without being formally married. After
the enactment of the provisions of law
relating to such illegal cohabitation as
contained in section %, article II. of
the constitution of Mississippi, Decem-
Der 1, 1869, a new relation of these
parties is said to have arisen and a
valid marriage between them was Gre
ated by their acceptance of the obliga-
tions of said law. Secretary Davis,
therefore, decides that the second mar
rage Of the claimant being as valid as
time the woman and Robinson began
to live together as man and wife.
Receipts of Post Offices.
WASHINGTON, June 13.-The increase
or decrease of post Office receipts is one
of the best indications of the tendency
of business. A compilation of the
monthly reports of gross revenue re-
turned by the 25 leading post Offices of
the country was made yesterday at the
department. 1t shows that during May
of this year the receipts were $21, 533
larger than during May, 1896. The St.
Louis post Office makes rather bad
showing. Its receipts last month were
So, 4s6 less than during the correspond
ing month of last year. The total re-
ceipts of May, 1897, were $137, $50, and
for May, 1896, they were $13O,616.
Kansas City shows an increase OF
S1,974; Chicago decrease of $12. Os4.
Baltimore, Pittsburgh and New York
show large increases.
Gen. Woodford Selected.
WASHINGTON, June 13.-Unless Presi-
dent Neutrality-suspicious. change his mind
the post of minister to Madrid will be
rendered to Gen. Stewart L. Woodford
of New York. It is understood that al
the last cabinet meeting held the plan
duOpCeu was CndC inc place SHOulu nrSl
be rendered to Gen, Cox and in the
event of his refusal to Gen. Woodford
The president will dispose of this mat
ter immediately upon his return to
this city. The Ruiz case and the gen
> eral Cuban question are pressing, and
it is his desire to take them up just as
quickly as circumstances will permit
Richards to Succeed Conrad.
WASHINGTON, June 13.-On July
Judge j. K. Richards, ex-attorney-gen
eral of Ohio, will succeed Judge Holme.
Conrad as solicitor-general in the de
partment of justice. Judge Conrad
placed his resignation at the presi
dents disposal early in March, but wa:
induced to remain in Office until Ger
tain important cases in the supreme
court, with which he had been promi
nently identified, had been argued.
Caucus on the Hawaiian Treaty.
WASHINGTON, June 13.-The repub
1ican senators in their caucus SATURDAY.
failed to reach an agreement on thu
Hawaiian reciprocity treaty and ad
journed with the understanding tina
another caucus would be held Monday