Evening star., 1898-12-24

Cornelius N. Bliss, Secretary of the In
terror, resigned his portfolio: the President
nominated to fill the vacancy Ethan A
Hitchcock, ambassador to Russia. who was
Immediately confirmed by the Senate. Con-
gress adjourned Wednesday for the Christ
mas holidays; the House passed the agri-
cultural appropriation bill. The President
and his party returned from the south. AS
a result of reports from Havana and else
where in Cuba that the people were suffer-
ing for food the President ordered that the
military authorities there distribute rations
among them pending the establishment of
a system of relif. Orders were sent to the
commander of the gunboat Bennington to
take possession of Wake Island, In the
Pacific, in the name of the United States.
1t announced that intimations had
been received by the government that Eng
land would be willing to engage in con-
Sideration of the abrOgation of the Clayton
Bulwer treaty, with view to straighten-
ing out complications with regard to the
Nicaragua canal. 1t was decided to muster
out 5000 of the volunteer soldiers, thus
practically disbanding the volunteer army
in view of the signing of the peace treaty.
The war Investigating commission heard
testimony from Generals Miles, Merritt,
Shafter and Corbin. The battle ships Iowa
and Oregon reached Chile on their way to
Manila. An American flag was inadvert-
emily raised over fort near Havana by
IL.
ed by General Lee and ordered to lower the
flag until the Spanish forces had turned
over the city and the island to the Ameri-
cans. Admiral Schley was presented with
costly sword, purchased by the citizens
of Pennsylvania New Jersey and Delaware.
During an investigation into the affairs of
the Standard Oil Company, at Cleveland, it
was asserted that the company's books had
been burned by order of the officers of the
corporation. "A rear-end collision occurred
near Railway, N. j., between two express
trains two persons being killed and several
others were injured.
Foreign Affairs.
Prince George of Greece formally took
charge of his post as governor of Crete.
The French chamber of deputies unani-
mously voted a credit of $4,000, 900 for
army artillery. Serious street disorders oc-
CURED in Toulous result of the Drey-
fus agitation. 1t was reported that the
French had occurred and that the city was
occupied by the British forces. An armed
Siamese force fired French party in
Luang Prabang province, Siam. King Os-
car of Sweden was taken suddenly and
seriously ill at Copenhagen. Premier Sa-
gasta of Spain was also seized with serious
illness. Lord 1veagh of Dublin gave $780,
ooo to the Jenner Institute of London, for
purposes of scientific research. Among
those who died was Baron Ferdinand James
de Rothschild of England.
In the District.
Commissioner Ross returned to duty at
the District building, after a prolonged i'll
ness. AS a result of the assignment of
Lieutenant Colonel Black to engineering
duty at Havana under Major General Lud-
low it was understood at the District build
ing that Captain Beach would continue to
act as Engineer Commissioner. The Com
missioners granted hearings on bills grant
ing extension privileges to the Metropoli-
tan railway and that providing for the
burial of electric lighting wires. Judge
Cole, in the District Supreme Court, rati-
fled the recent sale of the Belt railway
Judge Bradley, in the Criminal Court over
ruled the demurrer of the indicted Knights
Of Labor charged with conspiracy against
a business establishment of Washington
The annual report of the school trustees,
including the reports of the superintend-
ents, was submitted. The Commissioners
received preliminary report from In
spector Vermllion, detailed to examine into
the subject of safety brakes for street
cars. The code of laws prepared by Judge
Cox of the District bench at the solicitation
OF the Bar Association and the board of
trade was submitted to the latter organ
ization for transmittal to Congress for rati-
fcation. Frederick s. Coburn convicted
of violating the postal laws while in charge
of a local branch post office station was
the penitentiary. Fire occurred at the
Stumph furniture factory, doing $4,000
damage. John Kemp, a hospital patient,
escaped while delirious and was drowned
In the canal George T. Bruner, colored,
of Martinsburg, Md, was drowned in the
canal. Joseph w. Pearson, who was sent
to st. Elizabeths for treatment on ac-
count of his attack upon the British en-
bassy, escaped from custody while exercs-
ing in the grounds.