Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-02-08
FROM WASHING ron.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.

WASHINGTON, Feb. S.
Judge w. G.. Riley of Accomack
county. Virginia, but who now halls
from New York, aud who is now here
expecting consulate through the in
fuence of his friends, Senators Hanna
and Platt, says:
When the war broke out the Normal School
(uow at Hampton, Ya.,) was owned by the
Baptist Church and occupied as female sem
mary. When General Butler took command
of the Army of Eastern Virginia with his
headquarters ct Old Point Comfort the trus.
tees of that college, after many efforts sue.
ceeded 10 selling It to General Butler for
5000, with general and special warrentees.
After the war the creditors of that college
sought to make General Butler responsible
f,r $4,000 of liens obtained before the war.
Elizabeth City county being part of my ju-
dicial circuit, held special term at Hamp-
ton to try the case. 1t will be remembered
that when the Confederate forces evacuated
Hampton they not only destroyed the records
OF the courts, but laid their own private resi-
derces in ashes. When the case came before
me on its merits there was no evidence OF
record that there was or had ever been any
liens on the property and so ruled. Such
against General Butler that the decision oft o
court Was very unpopular. The alleged cred
itors took this case up to the Court of Appeals
of Virginia which at that time was the ablest
tribunal in the land, and they affirmed the
rulings of the lower court, and General But
Ter sod the property to the government for
$4,000. which is now the Soldiers Home,
and worth many millions of dollars.
A delegation of distillers and whole.
sale liquor merchants appeared before
the House ways and means committee
to-day to urge an amendment of the
internal revenue laws 80 that Cottage"
shall be allowed on liquor held in bond
beyond four years. Under the pre-
sent law when whisky is taken out of
bond at the end of four years the gov
erument allows nine gallons for evap-
Grafton and leakage, but no allowance
is made beyond that period. The dis
tillers urged that the same evaporation
and leakage continues beyond the four
years and should be deducted from the
quantity on which the S1.l0 tax is
levied. 1t was argued that the practi-
cal effect of the present law was to dis
courage the ageing of whisky and to
make the tax greater on old whisky
than on that held only four years.
An order was issued to-day by Gen.
eral Superintendent White of the Rail.
way Mail Service, instructing transfer
clerks not to accept third or fourth
class matter unless they are reasonably
satisfied that sufficient postage has
been paid thereon. In all cases where
they ore not satisfied that such is the
case the packages should be returned
to the post Office.
The President to-day nominated
AlonzoC. Yates, of Virginia, to be con-
sui at Patras, Greece, and Morgan
Treat, of Virginia, to be marshal of the
eastern district of Virginia.
at the Cabinet meeting to-day it was
decided to send two companies of
troops to Alaska Immediately for the
purpose of preserving order and pro-
tecting life and property. Advices to
the government state that the rush to
the gold fields has attracted hundreds
of the lawless element and that troops
ere necessary at once to prevent
trouble.
In the House to-day Mr.. Yost of the
10th Virginia district introduced the
following bills: To relieve Rldridge G.
Martin of the pension requirements,
for the relief of 4. ]. Hope. of Staunton,
for the relief Of Daniel NJ. Miller, of
Roanoke, for the relief of Henry D.
Smith of Basic City, for the relief of
Martin Fl. Schultz, of Scottsville, to
pension Bolser II. Pullin, of Mcdowell,
and to increase the pension of Morgan
Harron, of Meadorsville.
Among the visitors at the Capitol to.
day was Judge Ashton Of King George
county, Virginia, who was there with
Captain Redmond, OF the same county,
bill for the payment of a vessel be-
longing to the latter which was seized
and burned by the federals during the
war, having been before Congress for
many years. The Captain is republi-
can, but finds it just as hard to get re-
lief from republican Congress as if he
were rank democrat.
IN the Senate to-day Mr.. Chandler,
alluding to the certificate of election of
Mr.. Turley that Lad been presented,
called attention to the certificate of
Senator Daniels recently presented to
IDS Senate, and said it was perfect in
every respect.
To-day was CQbcn day in the SEN
ate, no fewer than three resolutions
favoring the independence of the iusur-
gents IN Cuba, even at the expense OF
war with Spain, having been introduced.